Compare the most popular 8020 sim rigs alongside all-in-one sim racing cockpits and wheel stands from brands including Sim-Lab, Next Level Racing, Trak Racer + more.
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When choosing a new sim racing cockpit, there is a huge amount of choice. First, you must set your budget, which is incredibly important as cockpits can cost well over £/$1000 or as little as £/$150. Then, you have to decide which cockpit style you are looking for. That could be an 8020 sim rig for maximum customisation, an all-in-one rig or even a specific F1 cockpit.
After those decisions have been made, finding the right cockpit within your set parameters is a case. This in itself isn’t easy as there are so many cockpits from a range of brands. Often, the deciding factor could be that a certain cockpit is too large, incompatible with your racing wheel, or something similar.
I have created the ultimate sim racing cockpit comparison table to compare the most popular cockpits and sim rigs easily.
The table below highlights all of the most popular sim racing cockpits from the most popular cockpit brands. I have put together the most important specs when comparing a cockpit so you can quickly compare multiple sim rigs together to see which is right for you.
If you are viewing on a mobile, scroll this table from left to right to see all comparison specs.
| Cockpit | Sim rig style | Max FFB torque | Wheel mounting options | Seating position | Optional Integrated monitor mount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Sim-Lab GT1 Evo | 8020 | Upto 20Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side mount | GT |  |
 | Sim-Lab GT1 Pro | 8020 | Upto 25Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | Sim-Lab P1X Pro | 8020 | Over 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
 | Sim-Lab X1 Pro | 8020 | Over 25Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | NLR Wheel Stand Lite 2.0 | Wheel stand | Upto 5Nm | Wheel Plate | GT |  |
 | NLR Wheel Stand 2.0 | Wheel stand | Upto 10Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | NLR Wheel Stand Racer | Wheel stand | Upto 5Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| NLR Wheel Stand DD | Wheel stand | Upto 10Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | NLR Formula Lite Pro | Foldable | Upto 10Nm | Wheel Plate | F1 | |
 | NLR GTLite Pro | Foldable | Upto 13Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | NLR GTLite | Foldable | Upto 10Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | NLR F-GT Lite | Foldable | Upto 10Nm | Wheel Plate | GT or F1 | |
 | NLR F-GT | All in one | Upto 15Nm | Wheel Plate | GT or F1 | |
 | NLR GTTrack | All in one | Upto 15Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | NLR GTRacer | All in one | Upto 13Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | NLR GTElite Lite | 8020 | Upto 15Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
| NLR GTElite | 8020 | Upto 20Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
 | NLR F-GT Elite Lite | 8020 | Upto 15Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT or F1 | |
| NLR F-GT Elite | 8020 | Upto 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT or F1 | |
 | NLR F-GT Elite 160 | 8020 | Over 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT or F1 | |
 | GT Omega APEX Wheel Stand | Wheel stand | Upto 5Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | GT Omega Classic Wheel Stand | Wheel stand | Upto 5Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | GT Omega DD-X Wheel Stand | Wheel stand | Upto 10Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | GT Omega ART Cockpit | All in one | Upto 15Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | GT Omega TITAN Cockpit | All in one | Upto 15Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | GT Omega PRIME Lite | 8020 | Upto 25Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| GT Omega PRIME | 8020 | Over 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
 | GT Omega HYBRID | 8020 | Upto 25Nm | Wheel Plate | GT or F1 | |
 | Trak Racer FS3 Wheel Stand | Wheel stand | Upto 5Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | Trak Racer TR80 Lite | 8020 | Upto 10Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | Trak Racer TR80 | 8020 | Upto 20Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
 | Trak Racer RS6 | All in one | Upto 10Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | Trak Racer TR120 | 8020 | Upto 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
 | Trak Racer TR160 | 8020 | Over 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
| Trak Racer TR8 Pro | All in one | Upto 25Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | Trak Racer TRX | All in one | Upto 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT or F1 | |
 | Fanatec CSL Cockpit | All in one | Upto 15Nm | Side mount | GT | |
 | Fanatec Formula Cockpit | F1 | Over 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Front mount | F1 | |
 | Playseat Challenge | Foldable | Upto 5Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | Playseat Evolution | All in one | Upto 5Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | Playseat Trophy | All in one | Upto 15Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
 | Playseat Formula Instinct | F1 | Upto 20Nm | Wheel Plate | F1 | |
 | Playseat Formula | F1 | Upto 20Nm | Wheel Plate | F1 | |
 | Playseat Sensation | All in one | Over 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Front mount | GT | |
 | Playseat Formula Intelligence | F1 | Over 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Front mount | F1 | |
An aluminium profile (or 8020) sim rig, is one of the most sturdy options when buying a new sim racing cockpit. This style of sim rig uses strips of aluminium extrusion to form an incredibly rigid structure that can withstand extremely strong force feedback.
If you plan on using a racing wheel capable of extreme force, such as the Simucube 2 Ultimate, then an 8020 sim rig may be your best bet. Below is a comparison table comprising of just 8020 sim rigs, so you can compare each one to see which is right for you. I have included the price for each cockpit so you can see at a quick glance which budgets each 8020 sim rig falls into.
| Cockpit | Price | Max FFB torque | Wheel mounting options | Seating position | Optional Integrated monitor mount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sim-Lab GT1 Evo | £379 | Upto 20Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side mount | GT | |
| Sim-Lab GT1 Pro | £548 | Upto 25Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| Sim-Lab P1X Pro | £742 | Over 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
| Sim-Lab X1 Pro | £1264 | Over 25Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| NLR GTElite Lite | £499 | Upto 15Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
| NLR GTElite | £599 | Upto 20Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
| NLR F-GT Elite Lite | £599 | Upto 15Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT or F1 | |
| NLR F-GT Elite | £999 | Upto 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT or F1 | |
| NLR F-GT Elite 160 | £1149 | Over 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT or F1 | |
| GT Omega PRIME Lite | £399 | Upto 25Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| GT Omega PRIME | £579 | Over 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
| GT Omega HYBRID | £489 | Upto 25Nm | Wheel Plate | GT or F1 | |
| Trak Racer TR80 Lite | £379 | Upto 10Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| Trak Racer TR80 | £479 | Upto 20Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
| Trak Racer TR120 | £519 | Upto 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
| Trak Racer TR160 | £669 | Over 25Nm | 1. Wheel Plate 2. Side or front mount | GT | |
| Sim Rig | Sim-Lab P1X Pro |
| Dimensions | 1350 mm x 580 mm (widest point 680mm) x 770 mm (L x W x H) |
| Price | From €785/$849 |
| Where to buy | Buy from Sim-Lab |
When looking at the best aluminium profile sim rig, there are a few to choose from. Next Level Racing has the incredible F-GT Elite 160, which offers a huge amount of customisation. However, it is incredibly pricey. GT Omega has their PRIME cockpit which is fantastic and well-priced, but it can’t compete with the Sim-Lab P1X Pro in terms of all-around stability and adjustability.
The Sim-Lab P1X Pro has been my favourite 8020 sim rig for a while now. I’ve had this cockpit as my main sim rig since it was launched in 2023, and I haven’t looked back. The rigidity and performance that this cockpit offers far outweigh any other sim racing cockpit that I’ve tested or reviewed.
One area of the P1X Pro that I really like is its design. I’m not a fan of the square, industrial look of 8020 sim rigs. However, Sim-Lab has made the P1X Pro appear elegant with swept back uprights and curves throughout. It really is the prime example of how good an aluminium profile cockpit can be.
If you are currently sim racing with your racing wheel mounted to a desk or table, the natural progression is to a wheel stand. These are relatively low-cost and can often be folded away and stored out of sight.
Below is a comparison table of the best wheel stands currently available from brands such as GT Omega, Next Level Racing, and more.
| Cockpit | Price | Max FFB torque | Wheel mounting options | Seating position | Optional Integrated monitor mount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NLR Wheel Stand Lite 2.0 | £129 | Upto 5Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| NLR Wheel Stand 2.0 | £199 | Upto 10Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| NLR Wheel Stand Racer | £99 | Upto 5Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| NLR Wheel Stand DD | £249 | Upto 10Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| GT Omega APEX Wheel Stand | £129 | Upto 5Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| GT Omega Classic Wheel Stand | £99 | Upto 5Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| GT Omega DD-X Wheel Stand | £159 | Upto 10Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| Trak Racer FS3 Wheel Stand | £149 | Upto 5Nm | Wheel Plate | GT | |
| Wheel stand | NLR Wheel Stand 2.0 |
| Dimensions | (L)92.5 X (W)57.5 X (H)78.5 cm |
| Price | £199 |
| Where to buy | Buy from NLR |
For a wheel stand to be considered good, it has to do a few things right. It needs to be as rigid as possible which can be tricky. Wheel stands are not normally as well supported as a complete cockpit, with fewer components and less of a structure to keep your racing wheel from vibrating.
The second is that it needs to be compatible with the most popular racing wheels and pedals and adjustable so you can get comfy. Finally, a wheel stand needs to be easy to fold up and store out of sight. They are normally purchased as a space-saving sim rig solution, so they need to be good at that aspect.
The Next Level Racing Wheel Stand 2.0 is great in all of these areas. It is affordable at under £200, although it’s not the cheapest wheel stand you can buy. It offers great rigidity and more than enough stability to support mid-range direct-drive racing wheels up to around 10Nm of peak torque.
The designers were on good form when designing this 2.0 wheel stand, as it also features a really nifty chair foot holder. This is designed for you to slot your chair’s feet into and prevents you from rolling away when hitting the brake pedal. Overall, this is among the very best wheel stands you can buy.
You can use the links below to shop for your favourite sim racing products, or for any products that we may have recommended. These links are affiliate links, and will earn us a small commission, with no additional cost for you.
There is a wide range of 8020 sim rigs available that you can compare using our sim rig comparison table in this guide. Our table will help you narrow down which 8020 sim rig best fits your requirements, as you can quickly compare price, compatibility, wheel mounting options and more.
Each sim racing brand has their own top-of-the-line 8020 sim rig, which will generally be the stiffest sim rigs you can buy. The Sim-Lab X1 Pro is a podium-style 8020 sim rig that is incredibly sturdy. This, along with the P1X Pro will be rigid enough to handle the most powerful direct drive wheels.
When choosing a sim rig, you should ask yourself a few questions. 1. Your budget. 2. Your requirements from a sim rig. 3. Which racing wheel you’ll use with your cockpit. Each of these questions will help you narrow down your options, which can help you decide on the best sim rig to choose.
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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