Your Guide to Sim Racing

Welcome to Spencer Pumpelly. Here you’ll find equipment reviews, guides for beginners and professionals, and the latest Sim Racing news.

Buyers Guides

The 4 Best Pedals for Sim Racing in 2024

The 4 Best Pedals for Sim Racing in 2024

Sim-racing configs are numerous, and each person has their preferences. Some choose to have the minimum with a steering wheel and pedals, while others opt for a complete setup and add a gearshift, handbrake, cockpit, etc. This differs from case to case, but the...

Fanatec steering wheel on Xbox One: Which one to choose in 2024?

Fanatec steering wheel on Xbox One: Which one to choose in 2024?

The consoles of Microsoft have been very popular since they first appeared. Admittedly, it's hard for them to beat Sony regarding sales, but they remain capable, popular, and, above all, easy-to-use platforms. Gone are the days when you had to have a Dream Team of...

The 6 Best Steering Wheels for Sim Racing in 2024

The 6 Best Steering Wheels for Sim Racing in 2024

Sim-racing has gained much momentum in recent years, especially with the advent of cockpit setups and the exploitation of this discipline by motor racing teams. Like airline and fighter pilots, racing drivers now train on simulators, usually using consumer...

Fanatec or Simucube: Which to choose in 2024?

Fanatec or Simucube: Which to choose in 2024?

The sim-racing universe is vast, with many players who have forged their reputations thanks to exceptional products. We're all familiar with brands like Logitech and Thrusmaster, which have been in the peripherals game for over 20 years. But do you know Fanatec? Or...

Fanatec or Thrustmaster: Which to choose in 2024?

Fanatec or Thrustmaster: Which to choose in 2024?

There are many big names in the sim-racing industry, including Fanatec and Thrustmaster. These two companies have been making peripherals for over 20 years; some consider them market leaders. With a wide range of sim-racing peripherals, Fanatec and Thrustmaster are,...

Test & Reviews

Sim Racing Wheels

Thrustmaster TX: My honest opinion of this 2024 steering wheel

Thrustmaster TX: My honest opinion of this 2024 steering wheel

Thrustmaster TX Spencer Pumpelly Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Good value for money ✅ Use of noble and premium materials ✅ Good force feedback ❌ Engine is a little noisy ❌ Model a little old ❌ Basic borderline crankset ㅤ Sim-racing began to take off quite a while...

Sim Racing Cockpits

Playseat F1: My honest opinion of this cockpit in 2024

Playseat F1: My honest opinion of this cockpit in 2024

Playseat F1 Spencer Pumpelly Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Excellent build quality ✅ Comfortable and adjustable ✅ High compatibility with the big names in sim-racing ✅ Easy to install ❌ Premium price ❌ Takes up space ㅤ Game consoles like the PS3 and Xbox 360...

Oplite GTR S3: My honest opinion of this cockpit in 2024

Oplite GTR S3: My honest opinion of this cockpit in 2024

Oplite GTR S3 Spencer Pumpelly Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Good build quality ✅ Sturdy tubular structure ✅ Excellent value for money ✅ Multi-plane adjustable seat ❌ High weight ㅤ Even though Playseat mainly dominates the sim-racing cockpit market. However, there...

Playseat Gran Turismo: My honest opinion of this cockpit in 2024

Playseat Gran Turismo: My honest opinion of this cockpit in 2024

Playseat Gran Turismo Spencer Pumpelly Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Very comfortable cockpit for sim-racing ✅ Beautiful design ✅ Official Gran Turismo license ✅ Stable and durable ❌ Fairly heavy cockpit ❌ Dimensions are a little bulky ㅤ Over the years, Playseat...

Next Level Racing F-GT: My honest opinion of this cockpit in 2024

Next Level Racing F-GT: My honest opinion of this cockpit in 2024

Next Level Racing F-GT Spencer Pumpelly Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Versatile Cockpit with two driving positions ✅ Excellent value for money ✅ Comfortable seat for long sim-racing sessions ✅ Beautiful price ❌ High weight ❌ Cockpit difficult to assemble for the...

Playseat Challenge: My honest opinion of this cockpit in 2024

Playseat Challenge: My honest opinion of this cockpit in 2024

Playseat Challenge Spencer Pumpelly Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Good build quality ✅ Good value for money ✅ Compatible with many cranksets and flywheels/bases ❌ Difficult seat adjustments ❌ Lack of stability ㅤ If you're a sim-racing fan, I do no need to introduce...

Playseat Evolution: My honest opinion of this cockpit in 2024

Playseat Evolution: My honest opinion of this cockpit in 2024

Playseat Evolution Spencer Pumpelly Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Excellent build quality ✅ Comfortable seat for long sim-racing sessions ✅ Good value for money ❌ Chassis is not very stable, with some configurations ❌ Backrest not adjustable ㅤ For fans of...

Sim Racing Pedals

Fanatec Clubsport v3: My honest opinion of this pedals in 2024

Fanatec Clubsport v3: My honest opinion of this pedals in 2024

Fanatec Clubsport v3 Spencer Pumpelly Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Excellent build quality ✅ Premium materials throughout the pedals ✅ Load Cell ✅ Ability to swap pedals ❌ No pedal travel adjustment ㅤ Sim-racing fans don't need a presentation of Fanatec and its...

Thrustmaster T-LCM: My honest opinion of this 2024 pedals

Thrustmaster T-LCM: My honest opinion of this 2024 pedals

Thrustmaster T-LCM Spencer Pumpelly Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Good brake pedal feel ✅ Good build quality ✅ Magnetic sensors on pedals ✅ Compatible with Playstation, Xbox and P.C. ✅ Brake pedal with Load Cell up to 100 kg ❌ Slides a little if installed on the...

Fanatec CSL Elite Pedals: My honest opinion of this 2024 pedals

Fanatec CSL Elite Pedals: My honest opinion of this 2024 pedals

Fanatec CSL Elite Pedals Spencer Pumpelly Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Excellent value for money ✅ Good build quality with durable materials ✅ Adjustable pedals ❌ Requires USB adapter, which is sold separately, to operate on other ecosystems ㅤ Fans of sim-racing...

Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Sprint: My honest opinion of this 2024 Pedals

Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Sprint: My honest opinion of this 2024 Pedals

Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Sprint Spencer Pumpelly Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Premium peripheral ✅ Manufacturing quality worthy of motorsports ✅ Solid construction ❌ Very high price ❌ Pedal support sold separately ㅤ Sim-racing setups typically include peripherals...

Thrustmaster T3PA: My honest opinion of this 2024 pedals

Thrustmaster T3PA: My honest opinion of this 2024 pedals

Thrustmaster T3PA Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Good build quality ✅ 3 adjustable pedals ✅ Compatible with multiple platforms (PC and consoles) ✅ Competitive price ✅ Excellent value for money ❌ Limited brake feel and realism ㅤ For many years now, I've noticed that...

Sim Racing Handbrakes

Sim Racing Gear Shifters

Thrustmaster TH8A Shifter: My honest opinion on this 2024 Gear Shifter

Thrustmaster TH8A Shifter: My honest opinion on this 2024 Gear Shifter

Thrustmaster TH8A Shifter Spencer Pumpelly Advantages & Disadvantages ✅ Hybrid H Pattern and sequential lever ✅ Good build quality ✅ Good price compared to competitors ❌ 7ème gear is sometimes difficult to shift, as is the reverse gear ❌ Switching from sequential...

Best Sim Racing Brands

Blog

How to calibrate a Fanatec Steering Wheel (in 2024)

How to calibrate a Fanatec Steering Wheel (in 2024)

Since its beginnings, the Fanatec has slowly but surely conquered the world of sim-racing with high-performance, premium peripherals that pay attention to detail. If you've ever held a Fanatec product in your hands, such as a steering wheel, a baseplate, or even a...

Fanatec promo code: buy your equipment for less in 2024

Fanatec promo code: buy your equipment for less in 2024

A leading brand of sim-racing peripherals, Fanatec needs no further introduction. The German brand has been active in the game since the 90s, and many of its products are considered best-in-class. Fans of Fanatec are to be found worldwide and are very active on social...

Where to buy Fanatec (Resellers) in 2024

Where to buy Fanatec (Resellers) in 2024

There aren't many companies active in the sim-racing industry, at least not those offering quality products. Logitech, Thrustmaster, and  Fanatec are among the top 10 manufacturers of high-quality peripherals for people who love sim racing. I'm a big fan of Fanatec...

Sim-racing: definition

The word sim-racing is made up of two words: “simulation” and “racing,” it’s a category of video games for consoles and PCs that groups all titles that deal primarily with the simulation of motor racing.

Video game fans will be familiar with titles such as Forza, Gran Turismo, Need For Speed, Dirt, and many more. These games are trendy because they’ve been around for many years and have significantly evolved. For example, the Need For Speed series is well known for its arcade-style games, where fun is the game’s name. Here, you don’t have to worry about your car because the only thing that counts is first place on the podium. Other video game series are the opposite of NFS, such as Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport, with titles much more focused on realism and racing simulation.

The main aim of sim racing is to offer an immersive and faithful motor racing experience but on the small screen. As a result, numerous players and peripheral manufacturers have taken the sim-racing market by storm, offering products that blur the line between simulation and reality. We’ll look at this point in more detail later.

Types of simulation

In sim-racing, there are three primary schools of thought:

The arcade type is the entry ticket to the virtual motorsport discipline. Here, the basic principle is to have fun and pass the time by driving exotic cars as fast as possible on freeways, country roads, and even in town. We have several top-rated titles in the arcade category of sim-racing, including Need For Speed and Forza Horizon. With these games, you’ll have access to a wide selection of cars, each more beautiful than the last, with the possibility of upgrading and customizing them, all set in breathtaking environments (especially on Forza) and sprinkled with a rhythmic soundtrack. There’s no need to worry about the condition of your car, as it doesn’t take any damage, except perhaps cosmetic damage.

The sim-arcade genre is more advanced than the arcade because you have titles that take up motorsport competitions like F1. Unlike NFS and Forza, you must care for your driving, vehicle, and season in sim-arcade games. The most popular titles are Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsport, and F1 2022 (as in other years). In the sim arcade, drivers must manage fuel, tires, engine, bodywork, etc. Fine drivers and strategists will be rewarded with guaranteed victories but still with room to maneuver. Oh yes, if it’s too complicated, no one will want to play it, and that’s only logical.

The simulation type is the best for aspiring racers, and it’s on titles like Asseto Corsa and iRacing that real racing drivers train. For this guy, it’s simple: a digital retranscription of what you’d find in an actual car race. You’ve got qualifying, damage and car management, fine-tuning of suspension, brakes, tires, and the whole shebang. And I’m not even talking about the physics of the cars, which are identical to the real thing: the vehicles behave as if you were behind the wheel at full throttle at Monza. Simulation racing is the ultimate in sim racing, and aspiring drivers turn to the titles in this category.

The most popular sim-racing brands

Like Apple and Samsung in the smartphone market, some trendy sim-racing brands occupy three distinct segments. You have the entry/mid-range segment, with manufacturers like Logitech and Thrustmaster offering inexpensive products designed to give you good value for money on arcade or even sim-arcade titles. This segment is characterized by reasonably old-fashioned technologies, notably corrode/gear drive bases, which do the trick for the average rider looking for fun.

One notch above, we have the mid/high-end segment with brands such as Fanatec, Moza Racing, and Simagic offering premium peripherals with very high immersion and advanced driving realism. These peripheral manufacturers are world-renowned, and their products are highly regarded in the industry, with a large fan base worldwide and experienced racers turning to them most often. These brands offer products that are, admittedly, more expensive than Logitech and TM but are still relatively affordable for what you get in return. Regarding technology, you’ve got the best: Direct Drive base, Load Cell Pedals, aluminum steering wheel, and so on.

Finally, we have the brands that operate in the very high-end segment, with players like Simucube and Heusinkveld representing, as far as I’m concerned, the top manufacturers of sim-racing peripherals. Here, the watchwords are realism and sensations, with no limits. These manufacturers use premium materials for their products and invest heavily in research and development to create new technologies that push back the frontier between virtual and reality. As for price, it’s expensive – costly. With Simucube and Heusinkveld, you can quickly get a device costing over €1,000, and a complete setup will cost you an arm and a leg. But that’s the price for the best sim-racing products, like an active pedalboard with a motor simulating the force needed to brake.

Sim-racing setups

A sim-racing setup comprises all the peripherals you need to race on the small screen. For a standard format, you’ll need a steering wheel, a base, and a pedalboard to participate in the races in a somewhat immersive way.

  • Standard setups. You’ll need a base, a steering wheel, and a 2- or 3-pedal pedal board to race. These setups are standard because they include the essential peripherals for sim racing.
  • Specialized setups. These are setups specially designed for a particular motorsport discipline, such as F1, GT3, rallying, etc. These setups include discipline-specific steering wheels, a pedalset with 2 or 3 pedals, a shifter, a handbrake, a dashboard, RevLEDs, and more. Customization has no limits on these setups except for the rider’s needs and the ecosystem he’s on. For example, Fanatec’s ecosystem is highly customizable, with numerous compatible peripherals from the brand’s catalog.
  • Advanced setups. Advanced setups are based on the specialized ones and add a cockpit (standard or dynamic simulators), monitors, several brackets, and so on. This is the ultimate in sim-racing regarding immersion, products, and realism. Thanks to specific cockpits, you can also have so-called “hybrid” setups perfect for two motorsport disciplines, such as F1 and GT.
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