While the combination of keyboard and mouse is one of the defining characteristics of PC gaming, specialist hardware can take your racing simulation to the next level, drawing you into virtual worlds. This includes products such as steering wheels, pedals, shifters and cockpits; plus, the ultimate immersive experience, motion simulators.
Racing, or driving simulators are not only popular among gamers, but also when combined with a motion simulator and appropriate software are a valuable training tool for professional racing drivers. Read on to discover what you need to know about the key products to improve your simulator experience.
The first and most important component of any racing simulator is the steering wheel, providing far more lifelike and precise directional control than a keyboard and mouse, or gamepad. These are the key characteristics to look out for when choosing a steering wheel.
Force feedback is included on all but the most basic wheels, and simulates physical sensations through the wheel such as revving the engine, changes in traction, weight transfer and uneven surfaces. Entry-level force feedback is provided by gear drive wheels which can feel gritty, like you're turning a cog. Belt driven wheels are smoother, but can feel soft. For the best experience, look for a wheel base with a servo motor, also referred to as direct drive, as this will provide precise, instantaneous feedback.
Torque is the measure of how much resistance a wheel provides. The greater the torque, the faster the wheel will respond to changes in vehicle and the surface you're driving on. Entry-level steering wheels have around 2-3Nm (Newton-metres) of torque, whereas a wheel base with a servo motor could have as much as 30Nm. These also provide more consistent force than gear drive or belt driven wheels, and so will stand better up to longer sessions in the simulator.
Latency is the speed at which the steering wheel reacts to your inputs and the physics inside the racing simulator, with a lower latency making it easier to maintain control when drifting and other maneuverers.
Gear drive wheels typically have the highest (worst) latency, belt drive wheels a little less lag and servo motor wheels the least lag (best).
Depending on your budget, and how much realism you desire, there are two main types of steering wheel to choose between - an all-in-one steering wheel or a wheel base and wheel.
Although you can get entry-level wheels for around £80, these lack any force feedback and so are only really suitable for children.
The recommended starting point for an adult racing sim wheel with belt driven force feedback is around £250, scaling all the way up to around £500 for one with servo motor direct drive. At the higher end of this price bracket some wheels are swappable, although you have limited flexibility and will have to stick with that brand.
Your other option is to buy a wheel base with a direct drive servo motor and a separate steering wheel. Buying these two components will set you back at least £600, scaling all the way up to £4,000, but they provide a superior driving experience as detailed in the table below.
Going down this route also allows you to swap wheels to simulate different vehicles, such as swapping between rally and F1 wheels.
Now you understand about the different types of wheel, here's how they impact your racing experience.
| Entry-level ~ £80 |
Mid-range ≥ £250 |
High-end ≥ £600 |
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|---|---|---|---|
| All-in-one Steering Wheels | All-in-one Steering Wheels | Wheel Bases & Steering Wheels | |
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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Get started with belt driven force feedback at a great price. Browse our selection of all-in-one steering wheels now.
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For the ultimate racing experience, shop our selection of wheel bases with direct drive servo motors and separately steering wheels now.
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As with steering wheels, pedals are an essential add-on for any realistic driving experience, helping you accurately accelerate, brake and use the clutch compared to using a keyboard or gamepad. As already mentioned, many all-in-one steering wheels are bundled with a set of pedals, these are typically entry-level pedals with basic features, and a good choice when starting racing, but you'll get more features and better build quality when buying separate pedals. These are the key characteristics to look out for when choosing pedals.
There are three main types of sensors used in pedals. The first and cheapest type uses a potentiometer - a sensor with variable resistance that measures the position of the pedal, interpreted by the simulation as braking force. Load cell pedals detect the amount of force you are applying and provide resistance accordingly, thus offering better realism. Hall-effect sensors work by measuring the distance between a magnet and the sensor itself which is then converted into an electrical signal and interpreted by the simulation as braking force.
It may sound obvious, but it's also important to consider how many pedals you need as some sets include two pedals and some three. This is largely a personal decision, depending on how you like to change gear, and what vehicle you are simulating.
At the very high end of the market, such as Simucube pedals, you don't have to make an either-or decision. These pedals are sold individually, so you can swap between two- and three-pedal configurations at will depending on what you're driving.
Most pedals, even entry-level models, enable you to adjust the amount of pressure you feel when pushing down on the pedal, and travel length, typically by swapping springs or using adjustment notches.
At the very high end of the market, such as Simucube pedals, have force feedback and are software defined, enabling you to adjust every aspect, such as pressure, travel length, damping and friction using a Windows application. You can also use this to set profiles for specific vehicles in different simulations.
| Entry-level ~ £80 |
Mid-range ≥ £250 |
High-end ≥ £600 |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Cost |
← LOWER HIGHER → |
||
| Sensor | Potentiometer | Load cell | Hall-effect |
| Materials | Plastic | Metal | Metal |
| Adjustment | Hardware | Hardware | Hardware / Software |
| Force feedback | close | close | check |
Upgrade your braking and throttle control with responsive racing pedals. Explore our range of pedal sets to match your budget now.
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Shifters, also known as gear sticks, provide one of two ways to change gear, the other being using paddles mounted onto the steering wheel. Which is right for you is largely down to personal preference and what vehicles you are simulating.
Most shifters operate using the same H-pattern way as in a manual car, meaning you need to move the shifter lever around a gate in a forwards/backwards/left/right motion or a sequential pattern, using a simple forwards/backwards motion to move between the gears.
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Hand brakes are an essential addition for rallying and drifting, but are less relevant for other styles of racing. They typically use load cell or Hall-effect sensors to detect movement of the stick. Like high-end pedals, most hand brakes are fully adjustable, enabling you to dial in your drift by setting the tension, angle and stick travel to your liking.
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Once you've invested in all the aforementioned controllers, cockpits up the immersion of your racing simulation by making you feel like you're really there. Rather than mounting the steering wheel, pedals etc to a desk or dining table, cockpits have mounts which enable you to position these peripherals at the same height and angle as in a real car.
When choosing a cockpit it's important to check what controllers it is compatible with, and like just when shopping for a gaming chair, how adjustable it is for different size bodies.
Entry-level racing cockpits are little more than a chair with a lightweight frame for mounting a steering wheel, although they do fold away to take up much less space when not being used. In contrast, higher-spec cockpits have extra features such as VESA mounts for monitors, more adjustability and integrated cable management. On some models you can even specify what chair you want.
For the ultimate in immersion, you can also get motion cockpits that move around, providing the physical sensations of racing.
Complete your racing setup with a dedicated cockpit. Browse our selection of racing sim cockpits for an immersive experience.
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Upgrade your cockpit with premium racing seats for enhanced comfort and realism during long racing sessions.
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As should already have become apparent, racing simulators are highly customisable, from a few hundred pounds to tens of thousands of pounds. As such, there is also a wide variety of accessories available to customise your setup even further. Here is a small selection of what you can choose from.
Different length spacers to customise the distance of the steering wheel from the cockpit.
Hubs for connecting controllers to your PC using Ethernet rather than USB.
Cockpit-mounted trays so your keyboard and mouse can be within arm's reach.
Smart phone holders to mount in the cockpit.
We also highly recommend adding an Elgato Stream Deck to your simulator. This family of controllers has multiple buttons, each with its own display, that can be programmed for a wide variety of useful functions in racing sims such as traction control, engine management and wipers without having to reach for the keyboard.
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A fast and powerful gaming PC is essential for providing a smooth framerate and realistic physics in your chosen simulations. Our in-house team of experts, 3XS Systems, has been building gaming PCs for more than 20 years. We know which components are the fastest and most reliable, and how to fine-tune and combine them for the ultimate simulator experience.
Power your racing simulator with a high-performance gaming PC. Discover the perfect components for smooth framerates and realistic physics.
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Experience unparalleled performance with our custom-built 3XS gaming PCs, expertly configured for the ultimate racing simulation experience.
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When planning on building a racing simulator you also need to give some serious thought to how you're going to display the simulation. The type of display(s) used not only impact how immersive the simulation is, but also what sort of cockpit and accessories will be required to mount everything together. Your three principle options are:
Single Monitor / TV A single monitor or TV is the starting point for a racing simulator. An ultra-wide monitor will make it easier to spot cars passing you in your side mirrors.
Triple Monitors A triple monitor setup provides even more immersion than a single monitor, with one central screen plus two on either side to expand your peripheral vision.
VR A VR headset draws you into a simulator in a way that no monitor can, especially when combined with a motion simulator. The latest VR headsets include passthrough cameras, enabling you to view your controllers and the virtual world at the same time.
Choose the perfect display for your racing setup. Learn about single monitors, ultra-wide displays, and triple-monitor configurations.
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Explore immersive VR technology for the ultimate racing simulator experience and discover which headset suits your needs.
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If you don't fancy building your own our expert 3XS Systems engineers can custom build a racing simulator for you, they can even install and calibrate it at your home or work. The range starts with static racing simulators, comprising the same key components detailed in this guide, plus one of our award-winning 3XS gaming PCs and monitor(s).
SHOP NOWWhether you're into racing or flying then the ultimate addition to all of the above controllers is a motion simulator. These feature actuators that move the cockpit around in response to your actions in the simulator, enabling you to feel every turn on the track and bank in the air.
Motion simulators are available in a variety of configurations (2 DOF, 3 DOF, 4 DOF, 6 DOF) to suit every budget. The more DOF (Degrees Of Freedom) a simulator has, the more complex and realistic the movement.
Due to the way cars move, for entry-level racing simulation 2 DOF is sufficient, providing pitch (simulating accelerating and breaking) and roll (simulating turning left and right). 3 DOF adds yaw (simulating losing traction control), adding another level of realism. 4 DOF adds heave (simulating the car lifting off/landing when going over a bump or jump) - extremely useful when rallying. Finally, 6 DOF adds surge and sway, enhancing the previously mentioned axis, making the most realistic simulation.
In contrast, due to the more complex way aircraft move, a flight simulator needs at least 4 DOF, as shown in the video and table below, with more DOF providing more nuance and realism.
| Type | 2 DOF | 3 DOF | 4 DOF | 6 DOF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use | Racing | Racing | Racing / Flight | Racing / Flight |
| Pitch | check | check | check | check |
| Roll | check | check | check | check |
| Yaw | check | check | check | |
| Heave | check | check | ||
| Surge | check | |||
| Sway | check | |||
| Cost |
← LOWER HIGHER → |
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Scan sells a variety of 2 DOF, 3 DOF, 4 DOF, 6 DOF motion simulators, either as off-the-shelf models or customised to your requirements, powered by our award-winning 3XS Systems gaming PCs. These can be delivered as parts, allowing you to build and configure it yourself, or delivered by our 3XS engineers who will unbox, setup and calibrate the simulator with you.
Feel the action with motion simulators. Browse our selection of motion simulators now.
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Here are some common questions and answers to help you find the information you need.
The components needed for a basic racing simulator setup are an all-in-one steering wheel and pedals. For changing gear, you can use the paddles on the steering wheel or add a shifter/gear stick.
Yes, you can start with the essentials (steering wheel and pedals), choosing other items later on.
Start by identifying the weakest part of your existing setup. For many racers, a sensible progression is wheel and pedals → stable wheel stand or cockpit → improved pedals → direct drive wheelbase → display upgrades and additional controls. Prioritise upgrades that improve consistency and comfort rather than simply buying the most powerful hardware available.
For a top racing simulator experience we recommend the following items:
The table below breaks down a couple of different scenarios, indicating typical cost for each of the components needed to build a racing simulator.
| Mid-range | Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Steering wheel | £250 – All-in-one wheel | £600 – Direct drive wheel base and separate wheel |
| Pedals | £250 – Load cell sensors | £600 – Hall-effect sensors |
| Shifter / Gear stick | £150 | £1,000 – Higher quality components and build quality |
| Hand Brake | £100 | £300 – Higher quality components and build quality |
| Gaming PC | £2,300 | £5,500 – Higher frame rates |
| Display | £150 – Single 1440p monitor | £450 – Triple 1440p monitors or £1,500 – VR Headset |
| Cockpit | £600 | £1,000 – Higher build quality and configurability |
| Total | £3,200* | £9,450* |
* We also sell complete bundles starting from £5,300, plus full motion cockpits from £15,000.
Scan Computers sells a wide range of motion simulator cockpits, from 2 DOF, all the way up to 6 DOF, depending on your budget and available space. They can be delivered as parts, allowing you to build and configure it yourself, or delivered by our 3XS engineers who will unbox, setup and calibrate the simulator with you.
Direct drive wheels are more precise than belt drive wheels, helping you to steer more accurately around the track and other cars. They are definitely worth the investment, even for casual racing.