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On your marks, get set, go! Enter the high-octane world of racing without stepping out of your home. Racing games are the best way to experience an adrenaline rush without worrying about consequences. The best racing sim cockpits bring virtual racing into reality by creating the perfect driving ambiance.
Top racing simulator cockpits come with ergonomic seats, steering wheels, pedals, and other accessories to elevate your gaming experience.
To help you out, we have curated a list of the 7 best racing simulator cockpits you can buy today. Fasten your seatbelts because you are in for a ride!
Our Top Picks
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Best Racing Simulator Cockpit
1. Openwheeler GEN2 Racing Wheel Stand Cockpit
The Openwheeler GEN2 is a cockpit that goes above and beyond to offer the best gaming experience within your budget. It consists of a sturdy stainless-steel frame meticulously designed to handle long hours of gaming.
The frame rests on rubber pads so that your floors are scratch-free. The front part of the structure has rubber casters with built-in brakes to maintain a continuous reclined position while gaming.
The seat itself is surprisingly comfortable, as rated by most users, and it is sufficiently recline-able to suit gamers of different heights and builds without undermining the ergonomics. The chassis too consists of a steering wheel and pedal mount that can be adjusted to suit any height.
It also has some flaws, and you can’t go for the heel and toe technique as the steering wheel is not up for it. There is a high possibility of unwittingly yanking out the wires or stamping them while using a VR. Adjusting pedals can be a tad challenging as the steering wheel also moves with it.
However, the benefits outweigh the flaws, and you get a well-engineered racing simulator cockpit for under $400.
Features
- Captivating design with varied adjustment options
- Recline-able seat
- Compatible with multiple accessory brands including – Thrustmaster, Fanatec
Pros
- Easy to assemble
- Affordable
- Comfortable seats
- Great build quality
Cons
- Adjusting pedals is a hassle
- Poor steering wheel placement
- Wires are too close to the seating position
2. Playseat Challenge
Playseat was the first brand to patent foldable simulator cockpits. And this Playseat Challenge is arguably the most portable racing simulator cockpit on the list as you can easily fold it and place it under your car’s back seat or bed. Its design takes inspiration from a beach chair.
The plastic pivots make the chair extremely light at just 28 pounds. You can just fold it and carry it without breaking a sweat. The steering wheel mount is on a crossbar fitted to the seat, and pedals are mounted at the bottom to a separate frame.
The USP of the chair is the seating position, as it is immensely comfortable and well-suited for prolonged gaming. The lightweight chair opens the door for some flaws. As you might have guessed, it may not handle healthier individuals weighing in over the 200 lbs. mark.
You also cannot use just about any third-party accessory if they are slightly bulkier than the setup. Fortunately, it supports most of the standard accessories, so unless you are going for unconventional ones, you are good to go.
The easy-to-store cheap racing simulator costs just above $250 without the accessories.
Features
- Foldable design
- Easily adjustable even if your height is over 6 foot
- Comfortable like a beach chair
- Portable
Pros
- Lightweight and easy to fit
- Supports tall people
- Comfortable even in longer gaming sessions
- Budget buy
Cons
- Maximum weight capacity only 200 lbs.
- Limited compatibility
3. Playseat Evolution
The Playseat Evolution ups the ante with its seats made from the same material used in racing cars, black Alcantara upholstery. The Playseat Evolution has a reinforced steel tube framework that makes it wobble-free and easily slidable for adjusting.
It also has pre-drilled slots for mounting points and a massive foot pedal support that helps to install equipment directly onto the plates.
Input from professional racing drivers gave an edge to Playseat in designing one of the most durable and coziest racing simulator seats around. You can easily set it up in less than 10 minutes, as no tools are required.
It is slightly heavier than the Playseat Challenge, but you can still easily carry it around.
It is compatible with all steering wheels, pedals, and gaming consoles. Also, this is more suitable for players who prefer the F1 racing position or floor gaming setups. Priced at around $420, this is a substantial upgrade over the Challenge and one of the best sim racing cockpits under $500.
Features
- Developed by taking inputs from professional racing drivers
- Crafted with racing car material
- Premium quality and design
Pros
- Easy to assemble
- Superior build quality
- Highly adjustable seats
- Gamer-friendly design
Cons
- Steering wheel frame position
- Wobbles while braking
4. Next Level Racing F-GT Lite
If you ever wanted to shift between GT and F1 racing positions without wasting much time, this is your best option. One of the major disadvantages of using a cockpit simulator is that it eats up lots of space and ends up making you SO furious.
Fortunately, the makers of F-GT Lite thought of that and designed a space-saving racing simulator. You can fold it up and keep it under your bed!
It supports all accessories and consoles so that you can only focus on your gaming. You can easily get in and out of the F-GT with ease thanks to its ergonomic design.
There is one minor issue with it, though. You can only adjust the vertical angle of the steering wheel, not the horizontal one, which makes it difficult for tall people.
The seat is aptly designed to support extended hours of gaming and has an excellent reclining angle. The F-GT Lite is optimally priced at around $320 while being suitable for beginners and pro gamers alike.
Features
- Toggle between GT and F1 racing positions easily
- High-breathable fabric seat
- Multiple reclining angles
Pros
- Value for money
- Portable and space-saving cockpit
- Hubs can withstand up to 330 lbs. force
- Ergonomic design elements
Cons
- No forward and backward adjustments for the steering wheel
- Velcro strap needs improvements
5. GTR Simulator – GTA Model with Real Racing Seat
Perhaps the most crucial feature any simulator cockpit should offer is adjustability, just what this GTR simulator offers in oodles. It is engineered to suit players of varying heights and weights.
The chassis, pedals, and steering wheel are ergonomically placed to deliver an exhilarating all-rounded gaming experience. The GTR simulator is compatible with all consoles, including the forgotten PlayStation 1.
Between that and the substantial seat ergonomics, most buyers find little to complain about. However, it is still not a perfect product.
The instruction manual that comes with the package makes assembly unnecessarily challenging. Luckily, there are a few parts to this cockpit, and it does not take much time to set it up.
It is also not the most space-saving option available either although you get a lot of legroom.
Priced at around $400, this is a fundamental cockpit for racing games and one of the best around.
Features
- 14 different seating positions
- Fully recline-able seat
- Improved handling ergonomics
Pros
- Robust build
- Ample legroom
- Easily adjustable
- Value for money
Cons
- Assembly is a little difficult
- Bulky
6. GTR Simulator – GTA-F Model Racing Simulator
This model is an example of one of those rare moments where the makers truly listened to what the buyers wanted. The GTA-F simulator has eliminated almost all the flaws in its predecessor and added cool new features.
You get a sturdily designed racing simulator seat that supports up to 3 screens flex-free. It has no bent tubes, and everything is precisely cut and machined to perfection.
The instruction manual got some improvements, but you may still find it difficult to assemble. The setup is a tad too big to fit in a corner, but it is built to endure and last. The monitor mount is placed too far, may cause trouble, especially for children or individuals under 5’8”.
Also, keep an eye out for its wobbly pedal mount, not ideal for high-end pedal setups with strong feedback or high sensitivity.
This giant beast of a racing simulator comes at a whopping $540, making it the 2nd most expensive sim on our list.
Features
- Multi-screen compatible
- Aerodynamically designed profile
- Multi-adjustable setup
- All-metal body
- Semi-floor arrangement
Pros
- Supports up to 3 monitor or a 50-inch single monitor
- Built for endurance
- Value for money
Cons
- Bulky and space-hungry
- Difficult to assemble
7. Volair Sim Universal Flight
The Volair Sim was originally designed as a flight simulator, but it also supports racing games with just as much aplomb. This is one of the most comprehensively designed full-motion racing simulators you can buy.
This is a high-end piece of equipment and you get a lot of add-ons to perfectly create the most suitable racing simulator cockpit setup. Notice the dedicated tray for your keyboard, mouse, sound system, etc.
You can mount three 34-inch TVs or one 50-inch with ease and adjust it for perfect viewing degrees.
The seat is popularly rated as one of the best on any low-to-mid range racing simulator. As for construction, this is one of the sturdiest racing simulator cockpits you can buy.
There are next to zero wobbles on the mounts, well complemented by the all-metal build. And it looks great as well in matte black. The framework is robust and is designed to withstand abuse.
However, considering the price tag, you can expect the Volair to add channels for routing wires and cables. Also, some users do complain about the distance of the keyboard tray and wheel mount from the seat at marginally reclined angles.
The Volair Sim Universal Flight is one of the best sim racing cockpits simply because it offers optimal utility and is built to perform for years. For around $800, it should too!
Features
- A complete racing cockpit setup
- The seat slides exactly like the real car
- Supports flight sim too
- All-metal construction
- Sturdy pedal and steering mounts
Pros
- Keyboard and mouse tray
- Easily supports a 50-inch screen or a multi-screen setup
- Adjustable control mounts
- Excellent build quality
- Comfortable seat ergonomics
Cons
- Not suitable for shorter individuals
- Expensive
Conclusion
That concludes our list of best racing simulator cockpits. If this will be your first time out buying a racing simulator cockpit, consider the kind of gaming setup you want to run. Shifting from playing Forza 7 PC gaming to a racing cockpit setup will need a major change and some additional investment as well to get the necessary accessories – steering, pedal set, gear, etc.
Also, make sure to check if the cockpit is compatible with the accessories you are looking to purchase. But if this is not your first time, you must have made up your choice by now. Just make sure to buy from a reputed reseller!
