You can be can be competitive on anything, there’s incredibly fast “aliens” out there using entry level equipment.
Personally, I would always recommend a direct drive wheelbase above anything else. They’re smoother, considerably quieter, generally have a more extensive upgrade path over any belt/gear driven wheelbases and have come down in price in recent years.
Force feedback-wise, DD wheels start out in the 3NM range and can go all the way up to 32NM. 10-12NM is considered the sweet spot. Nobody uses the full range of power but the overhead allows for more finer details to come through the FFB while not overloading your wheelbase. Higher end wheelbases require a sim rig though, as a table or simple wheel stand will become too unstable.
As for pedals, load cell pedals are a considerable advantage for competitive racing. As they’re measuring pressure, rather than travel, it’s easier for your brain to judge your input. You’ll have a much easier time trail braking and driving cars without ABS. Load cell brakes tend to be quite stiff (although most, if not all, pedal sets can be adjusted and modified), which can take some adjusting but it’s well worth it.
Another thing, if you want console compatibility your options will be a little more limited.
- PlayStation compatibility requires a PlayStation compatible wheelbase. Only Fanatec, Logitech and Thrustmaster offer PlayStation compatible add wheelbases.
- Xbox requires a wheelbase with an Xbox compatible wheel. Fanatec, Logitech and Moza offer Xbox compatible wheels for their wheelbases.
- One thing to note with PC compatibility, you can mix and match. There’s no need to stay within one ecosystem. For instance, I was using. Fanatec wheelbase and Simagic pedal set for a few months.
The Fanatec CSL DD Ready-to-Race bundle is probably the best value entry level direct drive bundle, coming it at $399.95USD. You can also add a table clamp and load cell brake pedal onto the bundle. If the 5nm of power isn’t enough, you can also add on the boost kit to unlock an extra 3nm. The Forza Motorsport bundle includes an Xbox compatible wheel, which brings the bundle price up to $699.95USD.
The Gran Turismo DD Pro is essentially the same product, but at an extra cost ($699.95USD) for PlayStation compatibility.
Other options within a similar price range are the Moza R3 and R5 wheelbases. Moza arguably have a better ecosystem (uniquely including a truck wheel and indicator stalks) than Fanatec but the bundles for each wheelbase aren’t quite as good value.
Now, if you’re after a wheelbase with a bit more gusto the price goes up considerably (note, anything from this point upwards will require a sturdy sim rig). The Fanatec Clubsport DD+, with a respectable 15nm, is likely the best offering for PlayStation, but don’t discount the 11nm Logitech G Pro too.
However, your options open if you discount PlayStation compatibility. Within a similar price range are the Moza R9 and R12, the Simagic Alpha Mini and the Asetek La Prima comes in at a little bit more.
Within this range, I’d personally recommend the Simagic Alpha Mini which comes in at $539.00USD for the wheelbase alone. This is the wheelbase I use so I may be a bit biased. It’s a 10nm wheelbase (although reportedly peaks at around 13nm), paired with the GT Neo wheel and the P1000 pedal set, it punches well above its weight. Although, the Asetek La Prima is technically better and is within the same mid-level range, it is a tad more expensive.
Once you’re past this point, you’re really looking at enthusiast territory and I’m assuming not what you’re after at this stage but if you live near a Microcenter, I hear they often have incredible deals on sim racing equipment which may be hard to pass up.
