In this sim racing buyers guide, we'll look at the best racing seats, cockpits and sim rigs you can buy in 2024.
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We have chosen the 5 best racing seats you can buy today. We’ll show you the best budget sim racing seat, the most comfortable sim racing seat, the best looking rig and more.
When getting into sim racing or when upgrading your current sim rig, one of the most important decisions to make is which sim racing seat, and sim rig platform you are going to use. Choosing the best racing seat from the start is crucial to building the perfect sim rig. It will be the base and heart of your rig, and can even change which racing wheels and peripherals you are able to use.
As sim racers, we’ve all been there. Browsing different sim racing seat options online, flicking between browser windows to try and compare which racing seat is best. Of course, the term “best” differs from gamer to gamer. For some, the best sim racing seat could be the one that offers the most value for a reasonable price. It could be the comfiest seat or the sturdiest. There isn’t one single racing seat which will be the most suited for every type of sim racer.
Below we look through the better sim racing seat options, and we highlight a few of the best picks for certain scenarios. Hopefully, this guide will help you make the crucial decision of which sim racing seat is the best suited for your requirements.
Best Modular Racing Seat
The GT Omega ART Simulator is a racing seat which on the outside looks very similar to other mid-level seats on the market. However, the ART has a unique trick up its sleeve. This racing seat is built in a completely modular fashion. The modular nature of this racing seat allows you to build a custom rig that is as small or large as you require it to be.
You can purchase modular sections such as just a wheel mount, or just a seat or anything in the middle. If you have multiple parts such as the wheel mount and the seat, you can join them together using other modular frame segments. This method is great for those who are planning on expanding their rig in the future, but for now, just require a racing seat.
The entire frame is constructed from solid steel meaning it is sturdy enough to cope with the most powerful racing wheels including direct drive wheels. The modular segments can be expanded to include shifter mounts, keyboard trays and monitor mounts, with every segment as well constructed as the next.
There is a wide selection of different models to choose from, including upgradable seats. Each option sports a different design, colour and seat finish allowing you to customise your racing seat’s appearance as well as its build form. Our pick of the bunch would be either the RS6 or RS9, with the only difference being the seat itself. Both seats feature comfortable premium leather and are both very comfy across long play sessions.
Building the ART Simulator is no tall order, as the modular format requires a fair bit of construction. This, plus the weight of the solid steel frame means this is a racing seat which you won’t want to be having to move very often. Once fully built, and with a few modular attachments, this racing seat becomes very heavy and sturdy.
This sim racing seat is priced higher than the Playseat Evolution, and you can see why. When compared side by side, the GT Omega racing seat utilises a much stronger construction method and a much heavier framework. This makes this racing rig a great option for those who may be looking to expand in the future.
If you have the space available and are looking to take sim racing more seriously in the future, then we would absolutely recommend picking up a GT Omega rig.
Most Comfortable Sim Racing Seat
The Playseat Evolution is an all-around brilliant sim racing chair, and often the first port of call for beginner sim racers. It rides the balance of great comfort and build quality all for a reasonable price. Depending on the variation of Playseat Evolution you purchase it can come finished in genuine leather giving it a real premium feel to it.
Setting up this racing chair is a doddle. It utilises a reasonably simple construction method, with only a few parts to assemble before becoming playable. This also adds to its portability. Although it isn’t overly easy to store or move around, you can with ten minutes or so disassemble the chair enough to store it away.
When constructed, the chair features a very comfy driving position, with a slight recline. To ensure drivers of every size can race comfortably, you can adjust the pedal distance as well as the height and position of the wheel. However, if you are an overly tall racer, over 6″4 or so, you may find it awkward to get into and out of.
Compatibility with all wheel bases and pedals is fantastic. Both the pedal plate and the wheel mount have multiple pre-drilled mounting points, so you should be able to attach almost any wheel setup. Although due to the single center frame, we wouldn’t recommend trying to use a strong direct drive wheel with this racing chair.
You can expand the Playseat Evolution to include a shifter mount, but that is about as far as you can go. But in all honestly, sim racers who are looking to purchase this entry to mid-level racing seat shouldn’t be looking for much more expand-ability than this. If you are looking for a more modular and sturdy racing seat, check out the GT Omega ART, Next Level F-GT or GTA Pro Simulator below.
All in all, the Playseat Evolution is a great beginner sim racing chair, and should be near the top of your list!
Best Budget Sim Racing Seat
The Playseat Challenge is the ultimate budget sim racing seat. Its USP is entirely around its low cost and portability. This is fantastic if you are limited on the amount of room you have for a racing seat, or if you need to pack it away after every use.
As far as setup goes, the Playseat Challenge easily takes the crown for the quickest setup. The chair itself simply folds open, and the pedals are attached via a velcro attachment. You can take this racing chair out of the cupboard and be up and running in a matter of minutes.
The seat itself may look like it is awkwardly positioned, and I can tell you from experience, it certainly isn’t the easiest to get into! However, once you are in the seat and ready to play the racing position isn’t too bad. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the most comfortable sim racing seat for longer play sessions. Think of it as similar to sitting on a thing fabric deck chair for a couple of hours. You will eventually need to climb out of the chair and stretch.
Similar to other racing chairs by Playseat, the Challenge comes with good compatibility for various racing wheels. There are multiple mounting options with different positioned pre-drilled mounting patterns. This means you can use most racing wheels with this seat. We would advise not trying to use an overly powerful force feedback wheel with the Challenge. The construction isn’t designed to withstand too much force feedback and you may find yourself on the floor if too much force feedback torque is sent through this chair!
The Challenge is designed for those without too much room for a full racing seat, and it excels at being the best in class for this purpose. It is designed to easily be stored and it handles most racing wheels very well. Being a Playseat product, the Challenge doesn’t feel too cheap and is sturdy enough for longer play sessions.
If you are in the market for the best budget sim racing seat, the Playseat Challenge should be your go to!
Most Adjustable Sim Rig
You may not have heard of Next Level Racing, however, they boast just as much racing pedigree as many other sim racing manufacturers. Originating in Australia in 2009, Next Level have expanded into Europe and the US pushing their fantastic sim racing seats to many racers.
When you first set your eyes on the Next Level F-GT racing seat you can see why most reviews are overwhelmingly positive. It looks the business! The F-GT’s frame is constructed of carbon steel and is strong enough to support every type of racing wheel including direct drive wheels.
The adjustability of the frame and driving position is the real star of the show here. Most racing seats allow the user to adjust the distance and height of their wheel and pedal, with some integrating reclining seats. However, the F-GT goes way beyond this with dual position cockpit. This allows you to position the racing seat in authentic formula or GT racing positions depending on the style of sim racing game.
If you are looking for a formula racing position you can completely drop the rear of the chair for an authentic formula incline. Then by raising the pedal plate, you will feel like you are sitting in an open-wheel race car. Alternatively, you can raise the rear of the seat back to the standard position and lower the pedals for a more standardised GT racing position.
Whilst being able to cater for multiple driving positions is fantastic, Next Level hasn’t neglected the expand-ability aspect of this sim racing seat. You can include multiple extra components such as shifter mounts, monitor mounts and more.
The seat itself doesn’t look overly comfy, however, we have raced using an F-GT in a full 2-hour F1 race session and didn’t experience any discomfort. The chair features an ergonomic and comfortable design with in-built lower back support, making it perfect for longer race sessions.
This sim racing seat is priced roughly the same as the GT Omega, and in our opinion is a better-looking racing seat. In fact, it looks sublime! The adjustability and dual position racing seat make this rig a unique and worthwhile purchase if looking for a mid-high level racing rig.
Strongest Sim Racing Seat
The GTA Pro Simulator is a hefty piece of kit! It is built with one goal in mind, and that is to be able to support the most professional and strongest racing wheels. It certainly achieves this goal of being one of the sturdiest racing seats available to buy today, but does this compromise the look and comfort in any way?
This depends on what you want out of your racing seat. If your main goal is to ensure your racing seat can support the strongest direct drive wheel with a triple monitor setup then the GTA Pro is a no-brainer. It can handle all of the above very well.
However if you want a good-looking sim racing seat that looks cool and is the centrepiece of any room, this may not be the rig for you. The sturdy steel frame wouldn’t look out of place in a manufacturing plant. It certainly isn’t the most appealing and is very imposing. But if this doesn’t bother you too much then there are plenty of great reasons to buy this sim racing seat.
The box-like metal frame is strong enough to support anything you throw at it. If you want a rig that can support triple monitors with ease then the GTA Pro should be a consideration. There are a plethora of expandable options you can include such as swivel keyboard mounts, shifter mounts and seat sliders. And this is the only rig on the list that can even support a motion platform.
Ultimately this isn’t a rig for the feint-hearted or casual player. But if you are serious about your sim racing, or racing professionally this is a rig that can support anything you throw at it!
The best budget racing seat is definitely the Playseat Challenge. It offers a great level of adaptability and is the cheapest seat on this list.
The best all-round and the comfiest racing seat is the Playseat Evolution. It takes the top spot for the best all-round racing seat.
Most of the racing chairs in our guide allow for extra modular elements to be installed.
Rich is the founder, F1 car setup creator and content writer for SimRacingSetups. With over a decade of experience as a graphic designer, marketing director, competitive sim racer and avid motorsport fan, Rich founded SimRacingSetup.com to share his passion and knowledge of sim racing and Formula 1 with other sim racers. Regularly writes for sim racing website SimRaceReviews.com
View all articles written by Rich
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