A simple comparison of ~70% of the cockpits on the market in 2023. We also recommend the top ten options across all budgets.

Last updated: 20 November 2023.

INTRODUCTION

The one piece of gear that the rest of your setup relies on: The cockpit.

It should be sturdy, so your direct drive can let its torque talk clearly, without false whispers reverberating throughout your rig. And so that when you ease into a corner with precise oenxvat, flex in the pedal plate does not betray your dexterity.

It should be versatile, so that once you’ve won a one hour road race, you can load up a rally track, testing your stick shift and handbrake skills in some relaxing, virtual forest.

It should be ergonomic, so you keep your nerve on the final lap of that one hour race, without a spike of back pain cutting through your focus and an overtake cutting you off your line.

It should cost less than a real car, so that you have money for food, water and an iRacing subscription.

In this article we recommend the ten best cockpits in 2023, with options for every budget. From a cheap, foldable cockpit worth $229/€229, up to a sturdy, high-end extruded aluminium profile for $915/€839.

But we also have also assembled this article to give you a triple screen view of what is out there in the market and to help you understand where you stand, and where you would like to sit. At the end you will find a comparison table of ~70% of the cockpits that are on the market.

Strap in and put on your helmet: It’s time to get into it!

 

 

THE BEST SIM RACING COCKPITS▲

Now, for our selected recommended sim racing cockpits. Here are our top ten recommendations, ordered by price.

We know this is the main thing you came for, but have a look at the rest of the article for information that will help you understand what to look for. There is also a comparison table that includes 57 of the 77 cockpits on the market at the end of the article.

Note that at the time of writing, we sell 5 of the 10 recommended cockpits. Our prices are competitive and we ship globally.

You will have noticed that the Sim-Lab GT1 Evo is highlighted. How come? Because it is our number one recommendation for your first proper cockpit. It’s made from the magic material, extruded aluminium, it’s well priced, it is one of our top selling cockpits and the internet recommends it.

 

The Sim-Lab GT1 Evo is available now on Simplace.

 

COCKPITS, RIGS, CHASSIS, MOUNTS, PLATES, STANDS ETC.▲

There are multiple types of structures to attach your sim racing equipment to. This article deals strictly with cockpits, which are designed to support all of your sim racing gear on one structural body. But, there are multiple other ways to approach this. I’ll use the term ‘rig’ as a kind of catch-all.

 

The dream setup! The RSeat B1 cockpit, loaded with all the bells and whistles. 

 

FACTORS TO CONSIDER

1. Sturdiness▲

When you are looking at a cockpit frame, it is important to consider both the material used and its design. In the comparison tables, we distinguish both material and design, but there are generally 5 types of frames.

 

This stripped down image of the SimXPro XFR illustrates the magic material that is extruded aluminium.

If you can afford an extruded aluminium cockpit and you have the space for one, you should go for it. They are generally very sturdy, but be aware not all are made equal and the quality of the aluminium itself should be researched. 

It’s important to note that this material is not specific to sim racing: It’s used in multiple industries because you can build what you wish with it. Think of it as lego, but stronger. So, they are both sturdy and versatile.

 

So why are they called 80/20 T-slot extruded aluminium profiles? Well, the T-slot refers to the T shape that has been ‘extruded’ or forced out of the aluminium shafts, which allows you to use T-slots and T-bolts to affix equipment and other extruded aluminium. Hence the exceptional modularity of this material.

Now, how about the 80/20? Well, I had this one wrong. It has nothing to do with the measurements. It was actually named after the Pareto economist, a principle observed by an Italian polymath in 1907. He noticed that twenty percent of the population owned eighty percent of the property in Italy, but this was generalised into many facets of life:

“80% of consequences come from 20% of the causes.”

I intended to make some quip about Vilfredo Pareto being a sick sim racing name, but I don’t know how I feel about putting him on a podium. According to some, Pareto’s legacy was to progress economics from moral philosophy into a scientific approach, but others say that he welcomed the advent of fascism in Italy… So let's just say that “history is a graveyard of [philosophies].”

 

What does refer to measurements is the 2020, 4040, 4080, 40120 etc. in the names of the extruded aluminium profiles. These measurements refer to the cross sectional dimensions, for e.g. 40mm x 80mm.

There is also an imperial measurement system, referred to as 10 series or 15 series, where dimensions come in multiples of 1 inch and 1.5 inch respectively. For e.g., in the 10 series you get the 1010 (1in x 1in), 1020 (1in x 2in) and more. In the 15 series, you can get 1515 (1.5in x 1.5in), 1530 (1.5in x 3in) and more.

A cross-sectional view of some 80/20 T-slot extruded aluminium profiles.

Metal tubing rigs are generally less versatile, but may be better suited to a specific style of driving, like F1. And if you are looking for something that you can pack away (and is cheap), the foldable cockpits are the way to go.

In the comparison tables below you will see star ratings for the “DD Sturdiness” i.e. Direct Drive Sturdiness. Our ratings are as follows:

 

Since we have not tested all these cockpits, ratings are based on a combination of reviews, product descriptions and thickness of frame. These ratings are intended as a general guide, so be sure to do more research not only into the torque they can handle, but also which specific wheels that can be mounted. 

Unfortunately we have not done the same sturdiness rating for pedals (yet). Flex in the pedal mount introduces random variance in your braking, and braking has the biggest impact on performance (link goes to our pedal guide). Be sure to check out specific reviews about cockpits you are seriously interested in to see how sturdy the pedal mounts are.

An example of a metal tubing cockpit, the Sim-Lab RaceX Pro Chassis. Available now on Simplace.

 

2. Versatility▲

The cockpit is the skeleton to which your gear is attached. Now, how cool would it be if you could just replace your feet for like, I don’t know, wheels? Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that cockpits with poor versatility are limited in what add-ons you can include, and how adjustable those add-ons are.

 

Lots to think about! Here at Simplace we stock over a hundred of these accessories, you can check them out here. We ship globally.

A close-up of the pedal mount on the Treq One cockpit, available on Simplace.

Note with all these mount options that not all brands are supported. One cockpit may only support Fanatec, Thrustmaster and Logitech wheel bases, but that may depend on the specific wheel mount you have chosen when buying it. Another cockpit may support practically all wheel bases on the market. 

The same goes for all the other mounts: pedals, stick shifter/handbrakes, motion platform, flight sim gear and seats. Almost all the product pages of these cockpits have compatibility lists: those links are included in the comparison table.\

 

3. Ergonomics▲

Ergonomics refers to designing something for comfort, efficiency and convenience. When you are spending lots of time in the cockpit, this will be really important. 

The reach to your wheel, the reach to your pedals and the reach to your shifter and handbrake are all important. In this case, a polished extruded aluminium cockpit shines, because it's fundamentally modular. That is one of the ergonomic factors to consider: How modular is the cockpit frame? Can you add, remove and adjust however you want, or are you limited by the frame’s design?

Comfort is also critical, so let's look at the types of seating positions, as this becomes your second skin when you spend hours racing. 

 

Something else to note with seats, is that they can come in flat or bucket seat options. We won’t go into detail in this article and will link a seat focussed article here once we’ve made one. If you are looking for a seat, be sure to check out the seats available on Simplace, shipped globally.

The Trak Racer recliner seat, available now on Simplace.

Another factor to consider is how much space the cockpit takes. What is its footprint? In the comparison tables we include the bases length and width in both centimetres and inches. Just a reminder that some cockpits are foldable and easy-to-store, but this invariably comes at the cost of sturdiness.

The final ergonomic factor to consider is the ease of assembly. This is a valid gripe you can have with extruded aluminium cockpits as these are generally more complicated to set up. Regardless of the frame type, loose bolts can turn a rock of a cockpit into a shaky nightmare. Tighten your bolts!

 

4. Pricing▲

See the pricing for all the products in the comparison table, in both Euros and Dollars, taken directly from the manufacturer’s official websites. We have also checked which prices include or exclude VAT, so take note of that. If a product excludes VAT do some research on how much will be added: VAT can be as low as 4% in one place and as high as 20%+ elsewhere!

Shipping costs can also make a big difference in the overall price. Some sites (like this one), allow you to calculate the cost of shipping without providing any information except an address.

Finally, good cockpits have long lifespans since they are basically just  metal. Remember that a good cockpit you take good care of can easily be resold if you want to upgrade your cockpit.

Simplace has a second-hand sim marketplace which is global, has no listing or ad fees and uses a built-in escrow system. If you want to get rid of old equipment, or look for something cheap second hand, give it a look.

 

THE ULTIMATE SIM RACING COCKPIT COMPARISON TABLE▲

This table contains 57 of the 85 cockpits we have identified on the market, and compares them according to some of the most useful criteria for making a decision to buy one. This is meant as an overview, so be sure to do further research to get exact, up-to-date information.

Simplace stocks 24 of these cockpits (at the time of writing). We have competitive prices and ship globally. Each purchase includes a magazine with all of our guides compiled and two free iRacing skins.

 

We have plenty of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, from a variety of manufacturers including Moza Racing, Cube Controls, Sim-Lab and more. Check out this article with tables that specify which products and brands have discounts, and how much those discounts are. It also contains some general tips for tactically approaching the Black Friday craze.

 

COCKPIT BRAND OVERVIEW▲

Here is an overview of all the brands, and cockpit products covered in this article per brand.

Note this is just due to a limit of our time, we hope to add more products later down the line, ideally all of these. If we have missed any brands you recommend, don’t hesitate to comment below and let us know. We’ll be sure to add it.

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Sim Racing Knowledge Base

SIMPLACE KNOWLEDGE BASE ▲

We aim to create a comprehensive repository to help you make your sim racing gear decisions. Check out some of our other detailed articles:

> A Beginner's Guide to a Sim Racing Setup: This article provides an overview of your entire setup.

> Best Sim Racing Cockpits: This article recommends the top ten cockpits for all budgets and compares ~70% of all the cockpits on the market in a simple table.

> The Wheel Base Guide: A comparison of every single wheel base on the market. We show the torque, platform compatibility, price and other relevant information in tables. We also have an article that analyses the value of entry-level direct drives, and one that recommends Xbox wheel bases.

> The Steering Wheel Guide: See types of wheels and the other considerations when buying one. We also have one that ranks the 12 Best F1 Steering Wheels.

> The Wheel Compatibility Guide: See the bolt patterns and QR Hubs of all the major wheel and wheel base brands.

> The Rig and Seat Guide: See the two types of rigs and the other considerations when buying one.

> The Shifter and Handbrake Guide: A comparison of every sim racing stick shifter and handbrake on the market.

> The Pedal Guide: A comparison of all the budget and entry-level pedal sets, and the most popular mid-range and high-end pedal sets on the market.

> How to Earn Money in Sim Racing: An overview of the various ways in which you can get income from your favourite hobby.

We also publish sim related news, like analysing the value of the Fanatec ClubSport DD, reviewing the Fanatec QR2 or looking at the latest WRC updates. You can also find articles about us, like this article about our visit to the recent ADAC Sim Racing Expo.