Best Cheap Sim Racing Cockpit

RACGTING Racing Simulator Cockpit

What we have first is the RACGTING Racing Simulator Cockpit. This racing sim cockpit is great for several reasons: primarily that it’s cheap. However, it’s also great because you have a chair included. Most cheap racing simulator cockpits cost a lot more when it has a chair included, which is why some opt for the ones that don’t have a chair.

The chair is of great quality and features a velvet texture, which is nice if you’ve ever sat on a seat that has a velvety texture to it, so you can expect a soft and comfortable touch while you’re racing in Forza or Gran Turismo. One thing to take note about this is that it’s also made out of heavy-duty carbon steel, which is very durable. You won’t have to worry about breaking this anytime soon.

Speaking of heavy-duty, the cockpit itself is actually a little heavy, weighing over 25 pounds (110 kg). Not as heavy as the more expensive racing simulator cockpits, but that actually works very well for it. With this being only 25 pounds, you can bring this around with you if you want to play racing games at a friend’s house or if you need to move it out of the way.

You should also remember that this racing simulator cockpit doesn’t have a wheel and pedal installed. It only has a chair and handbrake, as well as the frame that makes up the cockpit. You will need to have to get your own racing wheel and pedals and install it in the cockpit. If you’re a racing fan, then it will be no problem as you should no doubt have it.

But don’t jump up and buy the first wheel and pedals you see, because you’ll be making a mistake if you don’t look into what is compatible with the cockpit. Yes, this racing sim cockpit cannot use all the wheels and pedals that are out there, but only a few models from Logitech and Thrustmaster. Here are the compatible devices that can be installed on this racing sim cockpit:

• Logitech
  • G29
  • G920
  • G923
  • G27
  • G25
• Thrustmaster
  • T248,
  • T248X
  • T300RS GT
  • T150
  • T80
  • TX
  • T-GT
  • TS-PC
  • TS-XW

If you don’t have any of the wheels or pedals shown in the list, then you might have to do some more shopping along with the cockpit. This is bad for those who already own a wheel and pedal because now they have to buy another one if they want to use this racing cockpit.

Next Level Racing F-GT Lite

Specs:

Material	Carbon steel
Size	68.5 x 29.5 x 50 inches
Weight	42 pounds
Compatibility	Compatible with all Logitech, Thrustmaster, and Fanatec racing products
Color	Black only
Check Price	Amazon

Up next is Next Level’s Racing F-GT Lite. Lite because this is a much cheaper and stripped-down version of their Racing F-GT, meant for those who have limited spaces in their homes but want to have an immersive gaming experience with a racing sim cockpit. This is a rather fun product to have because of one thing: it has two modes.

The F-GT in the title is not just some fancy model name. It stands for Formula – Grand Tourer, which are two popular racing events that have games made from them (F1 and Gran Turismo). With that said, that means you can switch to the Formula setting to play F1 games and switch to the Grand Tourer setting to play Gran Turismo games.

It’s a great way to really immerse yourself into two different games, and you will find that it’s actually a really different experience when you sit in a position that’s the same as F1 drivers or Grand Tourer drivers. You’ll actually feel immersed in the game that you’re playing, allowing you to get a better feel of what you need to do in order to win a race.

Aside from that, the only thing that is included in this product is the cockpit itself. No steering wheel, no pedals, and no handbrakes. You will need to get your own wheels, pedals, and handbrakes in order to use this cockpit. But fret not, as this cockpit is compatible with almost all racing products from Logitech, Thrustmaster, and even Fanatec.

Like other cheap racing simulator cockpits, the F-GT Lite is designed to be able to be moved around and stored when not in use for those who live in smaller homes to avoid taking up too much space. However, with how intricate and designed this cockpit is, it weighs over 42 pounds (20 kg), meaning that moving this around is a workout and a half.

While this product is indeed cheap compared to the more expensive racing sim cockpits, this is actually slightly more expensive compared to the likes of RACGTING Racing Simulator Cockpit. While it’s understandable why this is much more expensive, it can be a deal breaker for some people who are working on a tighter budget.

Logitech Playseat Challenge X

Specs:

Material	Carbon steel
Size	55.12 x 23.62 x 41.34 inches
Weight	25 pounds
Compatibility	Compatible with all Logitech products only
Color	Black only
Check Price	Amazon

Speaking of Logitech, they have their own racing sim cockpit called the Logitech Playseat Challenge X. This bad boy is quite possibly one of the most comfortable cockpits you can get for gaming at a relatively cheap price (will explain the price later). It’s fully adjustable and you can move it around easily as it is only 25 pounds (11.5 kg) in weight.

What really stands out about this cockpit is that the fabric of the seat helps you stay cool. While some racing cockpits will have you getting sweaty and eventually start sticking to your seat, the Playseat Challenge X is designed to help you stay cool so you can continue racing without having to take breaks from your cockpit afterward.

It’s also similarly built so that if you live in a small home, you can fold this bad boy up and place it on the side after use. You won’t even have to worry about lifting this up, because the weight of this racing sim cockpit is only 25 pounds, which is 11.5 kg. It’s compact, can fold, and it doesn’t weigh too much so you can hide this to the side after use.

Another thing that makes this racing sim cockpit both good and bad is that it’s only compatible with Logitech racing products. Good because you won’t have to worry about buying other wheels or pedals as long as you are using Logitech wheels and pedals already. Bad because if you do use other parts, then that means you will need to do some more shopping.

A very big downside that some people might turn away from this otherwise great product is the price. While it is relatively cheaper compared to other racing sim cockpits, this is bordering the line of “budget-friendly” and “expensive”. It is a well-designed and great product to have, but unless you’re able to make an exception in your budget, then you might have to look somewhere else.

Dardoo Racing Simulator Cockpit

Specs:

Material	Alloy steel
Size	59 x 18 x 31 inches
Weight	32 pounds
Compatibility	Compatible with Logitech G25, G27, G29, G920. G923, Thrustmaster T500rs, T300rs, TX Ferrari 458, Fanatec Porsche and CSR wheels, Fanatec ClubSpor, Fanatec CSR Elite, and Fanatec Shifter
Color	Black only
Check Price	Amazon

Dardoo’s Racing Cockpit Simulator is when things start getting really budget-friendly while also sacrificing some things that we’ve seen so far in this list. This racing sim cockpit does not feature a chair you can sit on. Instead, you will have to install your own chair on the cockpit if you want to be able to use this cockpit to play racing games.

It’s understandable that it’s annoying that you won’t have a chair that comes with the cockpit, but if you have a spare gaming chair lying around, you can unscrew the chair from the wheels and install the gaming chair onto the cockpit.

Unlike the previous racing sim cockpits that used carbon steel to build the cockpit, Dardoo’s Racing Simulator Cockpit is made out of tougher stuff called alloy steel. It is much more stronger and resistant to a lot of things like heat and can withstand more pressure. So, knowing that this racing sim cockpit is made entirely out of alloy steel is good to know, as you won’t have to worry about easily breaking it.

While the racing sim cockpit itself is great, you are limited to the racing products you can use that are compatible with this cockpit. In fact, the list of compatible products is much smaller compared to other racing sim cockpits so it almost doesn’t seem worth it, but only worth it if you already have compatible products from either Logitech or Fanatec.

The best thing about this cockpit, however, is the price. It’s the second cheapest option available in this list, and it’s made out of a material that is much stronger compared to the other cockpits that are featured on this list. If you’re looking for a cockpit only that doesn’t have a seat and you already have the compatible racing gear, then this is definitely a deal that you can’t miss out on due to how good it is.

Marada G920

Specs:

Material	Carbon steel
Size	23 x 7 x 23 inches
Weight	26 pounds
Compatibility	Compatible with Logitech G25, G27, G29, G920, Thrustmaster T80, T150, T300RS, TX, T500RS, F458, F430, and Fantaec wheels only
Color	Black only
Check Price	Amazon

The Marada G920 is the last one we have on this list, and it is the cheapest option we have available. It is so cheap, that you will most likely have enough in your budget to get yourself the newest Forza game and play it with this brand-new racing sim cockpit. It’s currently one of the best ones that many are recommending, and for good reason.

It again does not have a seat installed, but you won’t have to worry about installing a seat. The way this racing sim cockpit is designed is for you to use any seat you want. A gaming chair, office chair, wooden chair, or plastic chair. You can even use a stool if you want to. Any chair is now able to be used, but it might be uncomfortable if you aren’t using a gaming chair or office hair.

A couple of things that need to be pointed out about this cockpit is that it is the smallest cockpit that is on this list as well. And I don’t mean small like it’s a miniature product. The size of this cockpit does not take up too much space, and that’s because of the way it’s designed. It is designed to be more compact and not take up too much space inside a small home, and it works.

While the cheap price and smaller and more compact size are definitely eye-catchers, you might think twice when you realize that the Marada G920 is only compatible with a small list of products from Logitech, Thrustmaster, and Fanatec. In fact, you won’t be able to use anything else from Fanatec except for the wheels.

To Sum Up

There are so many good racing sim cockpits that it’s hard to choose which one you want. Each of these offers something that will most likely resonate with what you want. If you’re still unsure about which racing sim cockpit is for you, consider the following:

RACGTING Racing Simulator Cockpit is good if you’re looking for something that’s middle of the road in features and compatibility. It also has a handbrake pre-installed with the cockpit, so you won’t really need to worry about anything else but just getting a wheel and pedal for it.

Next Level Racing F-GT Lite is for those who really want to feel immersed in racing. With the ability to switch between Formula mode and Grand Tourer mode, you can easily slip into the game as if you’re one of the racers behind the wheel.

Logitech Playseat Challenge X is a great racing sim cockpit to have when you already have the necessary Logitech racing gear you need. If you don’t trust another brand except for Logitech, then this is for you, as you can only use Logitech racing gear on this bad boy.

Dardoo Racing Simulator Cockpit is another great one that really ensures that your racing sim cockpit can handle your racing skills. The alloy steel will help this racing sim cockpit be sturdy enough so that you can stay on it for as long as you want.

Marada G920 is for those who are working on a budget. This cheap racing sim cockpit is great because not only is it cheap, but it is small and it won’t take up too much space in your house.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I need racing sim cockpits to play racing games?

You really don’t need to buy racing sim cockpits to enjoy racing games. This is more of a gimmick that car lovers invest money in to enjoy racing at high speeds when they can’t do it in real life. A simple controller or even your keyboard and mouse are enough to enjoy playing racing games.

2. Will racing sim cockpits become the norm to play racing games in the future?

Definitely not. While it’s fun and immersive to play racing games like this, it’s inconvenient to have racing sim cockpits take up space in your home at all times. Many people who want to play racing games this way tend to go to the arcade. This method of playing racing games won’t ever replace the convenience of using a controller mouse and keyboard.

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