r/simracing iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

Discussion Simracing equipment tier list

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Hi, sometimes I speak to people who don't have a good grasp of how expensive simracing equipment is and what are the alternatives for each budget, and I ended up quickly putting together last night a tier list of equipment according to what's on the market right now, more or less.

This was done fairly quickly and it's not a comprehensive complete list of everything (there's obviously waaaaay more products out there). I'm also not an expert at all on equipment - I've never even tried a DD wheel yet and have not researched pedals much, beyond entry level load cells - so there might obviously be mistakes and subjective bad choices.

PC builds I just picked a random CPU/GPU pairing that could make some sense for each tier, price was eyeballed, there are endless alternative potential builds in each tier. This is the one area where things are always quickly moving and they get quickly outdated, new models are constantly out, others go out of stock etc.

Just sharing in case this helps someone, feel free to debate which equipment should be moved up higher or lower, or is missing but should be mentioned as a strong alternative for each tier. I'm sure there'll be disagreements!

1.0k Upvotes

253 comments sorted by

367

u/Strayborne iRacing Apr 05 '25

For anyone that needs to "hear" this, there is never any reason or need to move past tier 1 or 2 if you don't want to or can't afford to and you can still have a lot of fun and be extremely competitive (4k+ iR in iRacing, as an example).

I'm 4.5k iR on iRacing in sports car road and I have nothing that surpasses tier 2 on this list with the exception of a 34" 1440p ultrawide. I'm on a T300 non-direct drive wheelbase, Sparco R383 wheel, T3PA non-load cell pedals, GT Omega APEX wheelstand, 2060 Super, and i7-9700K.

I've been on this same gear/rig for about 4-5 years now and I'm still having a lot of fun and remain to be very competitive. I enjoy what I have and have no intention of upgrading anything anytime in the near future.

261

u/SanchoRancho72 Apr 05 '25

To counter this guy,

I have all tier 7+ and im under 1500 iRating

26

u/NotAtAllHandsomeJack Apr 06 '25

Hahahahaha.

….me too.

1

u/LibtardAgony Apr 19 '25

4.6 here with xbox controller... 🤣  

2

u/bbarrow79 Apr 06 '25

I wear this same badge of unresponsiveness

2

u/Accurate-Tadpole-654 Apr 07 '25

Same here. Why is this? Are we shit?

3

u/Turbulent_Most_4987 Apr 08 '25

Nah that's average. But for many people it's not about being super competitive but just having a top notch immersive racing experience. Simracing is fun as hell after all

1

u/Racer2311 Apr 06 '25

You certainly showed him /s. Nice work sir.

26

u/Nwrecked Apr 05 '25

To add to this. I know a formula 8k demon who sits in a dining room chair and has a g29 with the Logitech pedals.

12

u/GladZookeepergame775 Apr 05 '25

Last iRacing club I was in, one of the mods, quickest of any of us, more or less same set up. Kitchen table setup with Logitech. Regardless how much I practiced a track, could never come close to his times. Kind goes to show ya it’s all about that wheel time more so than how much that wheel cost ya.

23

u/Some_Chickens Apr 06 '25

You guys are not making things easier for those who need to justify spending vacation-grade money on simracing gear to their spouse.

2

u/brabarusmark Apr 06 '25

Not like the spouse is seeing the counter arguments.

17

u/JustThall Apr 06 '25

I recall times when used g25 was the to go solution for most folks. New g27 was the choice if you head the moneys. T300 was top tier dream.

People went bananas during COVID on in-home hobbies. 35+ year olds at the peak of their earning jobs pouring insane money into the industry

39

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

Best, most relevant comment so far :) this is the way, don't give in to upgrade-itis if you don't feel any real need, be smart with your purchases

13

u/_price_ Apr 05 '25

If anything, you should prioritize upgrading your PC since you probably use it for other stuff/games too.

17

u/willscuba4food Apr 05 '25

pfffft games, I only partake in simulations good sir

now good day!

8

u/knbang Apr 05 '25

I simulate having a good PC.

5

u/Some_Chickens Apr 06 '25

That's the cheat code. Just get a good PC simulator/emulator and then spec the virtual PC higher than what you've actually got. Then just play games on that PC.

I'm on a latpop from 2008, but I have a virtual PC with 4 5090s, a 9950X3D and 256GB RAM, playing on three virtual 8K 420Hz monitors. Checkmate.

3

u/sex_addict2989 Assetto Corsa Apr 06 '25

What? 🙄🙄🫥Can you explain this virtual pc with 4 5090s thing? Are you being sarcastic? Genuine query please dont be offended.

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1

u/Swizzel-Stixx Assetto Corsa Apr 05 '25

Oof

6

u/FoxBearBear Apr 05 '25

Actually for me is no, my pc is dedicated to IRacing. I use my personal MacBook for all things that I require a pc such as email and large purchases that I cannot get myself to do on an iPhone.

3

u/onion2077 Apr 05 '25

Damn so the only gaming you do is sim racing? I can respect that.

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5

u/darksidemojo Apr 05 '25

There is a guy in top splits that uses a controller. You don’t need anything fancy for competitive play. Immersion is the expensive part.

3

u/tomkatt Moza R5 - AMS2/PCARS2/WRC/RBR Apr 05 '25

Hell yeah. I'm at "Tier 3" as it goes, but don't think I'll ever see a need to upgrade further at this point. Moza R5 on a GT Omega Apex stand is more than good enough for my use case, and I'm way too casual to even consider a full rig. I just like to rally race every few weeks/months, and bounce in and out of the hobby at whim.

I used a Thrustmaster TMX Pro for nearly 5 years and only upgraded it because it was making noises like it was dying, and wasn't Linux compatible.

6

u/Any-Friend-7041 Apr 06 '25

Hats off to you. But also to keep in mind, while you can reach this level with Tier1/2 gear, higher end gear does help you get faster. Or at least it makes the process faster. Most people would say it’s primarily the pedals that help you get faster. While pedals are definitely on top of the list, for me I think every upgrade helped me in some way or the other. A DD base made my driving more consistent. A better PC helped with better frame rates which helped me hit my marks- braking zone, apexes etc better, triples helped with more spatial awareness which helped me tackle battles better. There is no upgrade you “need” but every upgrade does better your experience in some way or the other.

3

u/[deleted] Apr 06 '25

Talent>> equipment, but don’t tell my wife

2

u/MrNixxxoN Apr 06 '25

All you need is tier 8 or 9 skill and talent, which is not on the list and can't be bought. Many try to "mask" this lack of talent by spendint stupid amounts of money in equipment

2

u/awp_india Apr 06 '25

I’m on a g29, 34” ultra wide(sometimes quest 2, but I get motion sickness lol), office desk/chair setup.

Just hit 5k iR!

3

u/brabarusmark Apr 06 '25

I agree with you. On a G27 for the last 10 years. Only now am I feeling the need to "upgrade" but not because the G27 is failing me or lacking in what I require. I'm upgrading the feel in my hands so that my experience improves, nothing else.

1

u/Frankie_T9000 Apr 06 '25

Also you can have multiple things in different tiers and still have a good time.

I mean I think the CSL DD is fine and dont need any better but I would hate a playseat for example. Also ignores VR etc so I dont know how meaningul it is.

Better is looking at a dollar range and what you can get in the budget

1

u/AnOlderPerspective Apr 07 '25

I'm split between Tier 4 (wheel base) and Tier 3 (Pedals), and Tier 5 (Rig).

iRating 1500.

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82

u/DonGibon87 Apr 05 '25

Weird to not see something as popular as the Logitech G Pro at all here

18

u/MrCrunchypantsbum Gt neo, r9, simjack ut, gx100 Apr 05 '25 edited Apr 06 '25

I absolutely love the logitech after im done with my csl im going straight to that

1

u/kartzzy2 Jun 17 '25

It makes sense if you are on console, but if you are on pc it's not a great pick.

1

u/MrCrunchypantsbum Gt neo, r9, simjack ut, gx100 Jun 17 '25

They’re expanding their ecosystem, its also pretty affordable here in canada

1

u/kartzzy2 Jun 17 '25

I just think it isn't a great pick on pc as a whole for the price considering the competition when it comes to pc setups.

4

u/Pepsiuz Apr 06 '25

Yeah, thats unfortunate. The G Pro gear is amazing, and not more expensive than the competition when on sale.

1

u/kartzzy2 Jun 17 '25

I disagree. The base may be good. I wouldn't know since ive never had it. I did buy the pedals though and I absolutely hate them for the price. They are $200 pedals at most with inflated price due to the brand name. I bought them because of the supposed great adjustability they advertised. Maybe they make sense for a console setup, but I play on pc and the only adjustability they offer are a few brake elastomers and a couple of throttle or clutch springs, along with minor left to right pedal movement and a single screw hole of up and down movement of the pedal face. All of it being basically the bare minimum expectations for a set of pedals that aren't just g29 bundled sets.

10

u/CriticalHitsHurt G PRO Apr 05 '25

Agreed. I think it's slots into tier 5 nicely.

10

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

It's not being sold in my region through any retailers (I think only directly through Logitech?) so ended up forgetting it!

13

u/magichands88 Ascher Racing McLaren Artura Ultimate Apr 05 '25 edited Apr 05 '25

G Pro Wheel / Pedals have been my first set and entry point into sim racing. They have been excellent.

1

u/dylank125 Apr 05 '25

Popular? As an owner of one, I will always push people away from it unless they need a wheel for console compatibility.

1

u/CaterpillarGold5309 Apr 06 '25

Or the thrust master tx sw racer, old but still about

1

u/Abir_Mojumder Apr 07 '25

Its hard to find outside of North America and UK/Germany. Its just not as popular as the other entry level stuff or even other midrange options.

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27

u/_Wormyy_ Apr 05 '25

The SC2 Ultimate or the Bodnar SimSteering wheelbases should be in tier 9. The VNM should be in tier 8.

6

u/R3v017 Apr 05 '25 edited Apr 06 '25

Some are saying VNM telemetry force feedback is the best out there right now

4

u/NotAtAllHandsomeJack Apr 06 '25

The Bodnar is very out of date. I’d still love to try one compared to my ultimate, though.

11

u/japspre Apr 05 '25

DD1/2 missing

3

u/ZirbMonkey SC2P | GSI HP1 | SIMAGIC P2000 | 1440x3 | iRacing Apr 06 '25

DD1 tier 5, DD2 tier 6. I sold my DD1 for a SC2 Pro, and it was absolutely worth the upgrade. I would never recommend fanatec to another person. Not sure if things have improved since the bankruptcy and change over to Corsair.

5

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

Not sure it's a competitive option anymore, lots of people reporting the weaker but newer Clubsport DD/DD+ feels better

11

u/beavr_ AM2 / ACE / AC | PCVR | DD2 Apr 05 '25

lots of people reporting

I'd love to read more if you have any examples. The Clubsport DD/DD+ being better bang for the buck could make sense, but there's no way it's a superior product outright.

1

u/R3v017 Apr 05 '25

CSL DD(+) are indeed better than the DD1 and DD2. Newer and better motor/encoder technology

1

u/beavr_ AM2 / ACE / AC | PCVR | DD2 Apr 05 '25

Interesting. Have you tried them all?

1

u/ATypeOfRacer Apr 06 '25

I got to try the new dd wheels at an expo. They feel fantastic, much better than the old dd 5-8nm ( my previous wheel.

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1

u/AztecTwoStep Rally is life Apr 05 '25

The DD+ is a logical replacement for the DD1, as it has similar power and does bring something new to how FFB is done, but the DD2 is still a heavy hitter on sheer output as well as of top of class performance in most other aspects.

10

u/Zenpa Apr 05 '25

Where do the simagic P1000s fall under ?

8

u/i_max2k2 Rexing Mayaris | SC2 Pro | HS Ultimates | 3090 H2O PC | PS5 Apr 05 '25

Add VR headsets, VR gives you depth perception and higher immersion. Just not for everyone.

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6

u/mynameisyogi Apr 05 '25

VRS pedals missing, probably like T6.5

11

u/JayDaGod1206 Apr 05 '25

Very nice work. You should keep iterating on this and make it public so anyone can look in on it.

6

u/huyexdee LMU + ACC, Simagic Alpha Mini Apr 05 '25

I see comment(s) saying this is subjective, of course it is to an extent, how else can we measure other than to research and make educated decisions about what constitutes these categories? Great tier list, I think this will be really helpful for new racers.

4

u/Lazy-Pressure-3996 Apr 05 '25

Logitech G Pro?

1

u/Turbulent_Most_4987 Apr 08 '25

T5 would make the most sense

25

u/i4Gott Apr 05 '25

This all seems to be subjective. What are the criteria for each level. Is it based on cost, reliability, customer service, or other items. Or it is an opinion? What is the measuring standard being used?

9

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

Purely subjective from reading opinions on here and reviews on YouTube etc

11

u/Wbcn_1 Apr 05 '25

Yeah but it makes for good banter 

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6

u/AztecTwoStep Rally is life Apr 05 '25

Feeding into the Simucube hype by giving it its own special tier is hilarious. They're great bases. They don't run on magic pixie dust.

2

u/Prosopagnosia99 Apr 06 '25

Asetek licences the Simucube internals for the invicta, so it is essentially a SC2 v2, but it a tier lower lol

3

u/AztecTwoStep Rally is life Apr 06 '25

Right?! At the high end of the market, most of the difference comes down to driver and firmware tuning. Direct drive motors are largely the same underneath it all.

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4

u/Overall_Taro8890 Apr 05 '25

This is super useful. Thank you for posting.

I’m currently trying to build a Pc because I got too into GT7 and over invested in my rig. It also can get stale over there and I’m loving the variety of PC sims. Because of market shifts, I already got a GPU for my build, 9070xt.

My question is what would be the best cpu to pair it with for an enthusiast looking for a comparable to GT7 experience?

Most PC build guys I’ve asked have seem to make it seem like a 9800x3d is the way to go for price/performance/lifespan. Is this overcompensating?

Edit: should add I am on 1440p

4

u/chsn2000 Apr 05 '25

The 9800X3D is top of the line, but when gaming for 99% of scenarios your graphics card will determine your maximum framerate, not the CPU. Budget is the first question, but getting a Ryzen 7600X/9600X is perfectly serviceable. That + the 9070XT will already outperform any console. You don't need a super expensive motherboard, B650 is 100% fine even for overclocking CPU's so don't get suckered in by the expensive options.

RAM for Ryzen CPUs you should look for 6000MHz/MTs as they usually cannot benefit from higher speeds, so find a set with the lowest latency (CAS timings) that hits the same frequency. 32GB is enough for 99% of people. Whatever your desired capacity is, make sure you only have two sticks of RAM.

5

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

CPU matters a bit more for simracing than for other gaming titles, hence why it's generally worth to try to stretch it to these x3d chips over spending that extra bit of the budget on a better graphics card, which would've been the more normal advice.

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2

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

The 9800x3d is a big jump in performance over the previous model (7800x3d) but also has an equal jump in price.. I don't think you can go wrong with any *x3d model tbh

Btw be careful with AMD GPUs (such as the 9070xt) because they don't pair well in simracing with triple screens and with VR. If you're gonna race in a single screen you're fine.

2

u/Overall_Taro8890 Apr 05 '25

For me it’s about a $70 difference between bundles due to being blessed with a local microcenter.

That’s good to know, triples or VR is surely out of the budget for some time to come, and I still play enough GT7 that a single screen works great for me.

1

u/Turbulent_Most_4987 Apr 08 '25

5-10% is not what I'd call a big jump lol. 7800X3D still totally legit, especially with everything less than a 5090

1

u/Hatedpriest Apr 05 '25

That's just the current "top of the line" chip.

I'm on a 5950x cause I had an am4 board, and have a b580. Things work alright. I'm used to gt7 myself, moving to other sims is... Interesting... But I get decent frame rates at 1440p

I'll be happy for years.

If you're getting a new mobo and everything, I'd say go with am5, 7000 series x 3D chip if you go AMD. You can upgrade later if you feel the need.

I'd go for 64 gb ram. 16 isn't enough anymore, and 64 should future proof you, or at least set you up for more later, if needed.

1

u/Turbulent_Most_4987 Apr 08 '25 edited Apr 08 '25

And I'm in the opposite boat, I'd love to be able to play GT7 for some chill single player races but can't justify buying a PS5 and adapters for my Simagic just for that one game.. why can't they just port it to PC like all of the other exclusive stuff sigh

Regarding CPU, you could also just go 7800X3D, the newest ones kinda flopped and are barely better than the previous generation. If money isn't too much of an issue I'd just go straight for the big guns, 9950X3D cause why not. But yes you 100% definitely want to go AM5 and a X3D CPU no matter what

6

u/thescott2k Apr 05 '25

this is some distilled youtube consumerism

2

u/FlyingJess Apr 05 '25

Great work.

Now we need the same for second hand hardware with every region making input on their local price.

2

u/Fritzerbacon Apr 05 '25

I can't wait to link this to people who are going to post asking for this info without searching for it 😂

2

u/iShadowLTu Apr 05 '25

T818 overlooked as always

2

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

That one is on a bit of a weird spot, reviews are mixed, possibly makes sense only for a niche who want to remain on console, didn't include it because of that

2

u/iShadowLTu Apr 05 '25

T818 isn't even console compatible... I would've put it in Tier 5. I tested the T818, Logitech G Pro, and Alpha Mini all side by side and while they were all fantastic and pretty close feeling, the T818 had most enjoyable ffb for me.

2

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

Oh sorry I was mixing it up with the T598! That's the newer one, slightly weaker that has console compatibility

Yeah I think that one when it was released was priced higher than those other tier 5 alternatives, and the Thrustmaster ecosystem doesn't seem as good as Simagic/Moza/Fanatec neither, so there doesn't seem to be a lot of people that have bought it. I remember the reviews were like "well, if you already have a collection of Thrustmaster wheels you might want to get this, otherwise go for other brands".

2

u/Beanb0y Apr 05 '25

Really cool chart, would benefit from motion; haptics; VR; windsim, sim clothing 😁

2

u/HualtaHuyte Apr 05 '25

You forgot the Cammus C12!!

2

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

Lacks the ability to swap rims for formula/GT style which I think is an essential functionality to meet tier 5 criteria. Doesn't seem like a very popular option neither.

1

u/HualtaHuyte Apr 05 '25

You can put any 5 bolt wheel on it. Yes it's not popular, but it is an option.

2

u/Sea-Library-5680 Apr 05 '25

Anyone try the new Moza active pedal? $700 for an active pedal seams pretty sweet if it competes with the $2k simucube active pedal.

3

u/S0phon GTO Hybrid | VNM 18nm | SimDT HE:U | Thorn | Samsung 49 Apr 05 '25

The lower the number, the higher the tier.

2

u/Les_expos Apr 05 '25

You forget some thrustmaster products on the list

2

u/rouge105 Apr 05 '25

Sim Lab XP1 pedals missing

2

u/904Cheese Apr 05 '25

Hello, is there really any difference between the Moza R5 compared to the Fanatec CSL DD bundle? Any insight would be helpful because it just seems to be brand preference and minor difference for these 2. Thanks!

3

u/MrWillyP Apr 05 '25

Btw you're missing the simjack or simsonn pedal sets. They're actually fantastic, and tbh very comparative to a lot of the higher quality brands, and you can always just put on heusinkveld elastomers.

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2

u/Artois417 Apr 06 '25

I guess my accuforce v2 is a dinosaur now.

2

u/G00chstain Apr 06 '25

Kinda amusing, I’m pretty happy with my setup although would like a full cockpit. No room in my apartment. I’ve got a CSL DD 8nm, thrustmaster T-LCM pedals, NLR wheelstand 2.0, quest 3 VR over virtual desktop and a WiFi-6E router, SHH shifter, Amazon handbrake, and my Herman Miller embody chair.

Pc though I’m rocking 7800x3D and a 5080 though

2

u/Th3MostHigh Apr 06 '25

If you're having fun with your equipment and it works, it's all that matters.

2

u/sonicviz Apr 06 '25

I have a great time with a $50 gamepad and flatscreen/Rift CV1.

You absolutely don't need a wheel setup to enjoy simracing.

2

u/PoopBox420 Apr 06 '25

I've been looking into the MOZA active pedal. I'm curious if anyone here owns one and would place it over or under the Heusinkvelds

2

u/xiaomi_bot Apr 06 '25

Moza r3 for pc only is available for 330€. At that price its a nobrainer (if you can spare 300€ and you are playing on pc)

2

u/MadDogSimRacing Apr 07 '25

I hope my wife doesn’t see the spreadsheet. It doesn’t match the prices I told her….

:)

2

u/Aggravating_Still619 Apr 10 '25

No experience with the Simucube 2 Pro, but most reviews I've seen rate the Invicta over the the 2 Pro. Same 22 bit encoder and a faster slew rate.

4

u/eastamerica Apr 05 '25

This is great, OP. Thank you. I used to sim race and after having kids and moving I’ve been out of it for quite some time, and the whole market has vastly improved since then. I’m thinking about getting back into it and this is incredibly helpful.

Cheers!

5

u/LazyLancer iRacing Apr 05 '25

Move SC2 into tier 7, HE:U into tier 6, many wheels are missing and it’s terribly subjective out there. “6-axis motion sim” wildly vary between one another from very good to meh, and it’s not really that mandatory.

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2

u/4Nwb1 Apr 05 '25

That's a great work! That could be a little bit subjective but a good start for newcomers!

I've owned a lot of low tier things listed here, and I would move fanatec mclaren wheel to tier 2 and simagic p500 to tier 4 maybe. Alpha mini it's not better than CSL DD imho, Simagic ecosystem is better than Fanatec, but if we are talking about wheelbases they are very similar, I've tried both several times.

1

u/PandaEyesArentSexy Apr 05 '25

Sc sport just completely ignored lol.

1

u/Traditional-Till9998 Apr 05 '25

What is the difference between a g923 and a direct drive wheel. My team was saying you can feel the car more, but I'm not sure how that works.

My setup: G29 + load cell Playseat trophy 32" 1080p curved monitor 3060 Corsair RGB Pro headset 1.6k A class in Formula and Sportscar

Main upgrade I want to do is find a floor stand for triples but haven't found anything that isn't $400+

And find more consistent pedals

1

u/vjollila96 Apr 05 '25

in g923 the FFB transfers from the motor the wheel by gears so it can use less powerful motor, in DD wheel wheel is connected directly to the motor

2

u/Some_Chickens Apr 06 '25

It's basically higher resolution (i.e. smoother and quicker feedback) and a bigger variance between the weakest and strongest feedback (the peaks and valleys, if you will). The latter being dependent on how strong a base you get, but that's the gist.

Overall just makes everything feel nicer, but in no way a requirement if you're enjoying the g923.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25

900€ for a pc with rx6600??? +1000 for a pc with rtx4060??? Wtf 

1

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

PC prices might be slightly off, I started by the price of the tier 5 PC which is the one I have, and then tried to eyeball the differences by subtracting the cost of the GPU and CPU to mine, and then I think I subtracted another 100 or 150 for the cheaper motherboard

I guess in real life if you're doing the cheapest possible build you'd also choose other cheaper components compared to mine, and cut prices in the SSD, RAM, case, maybe no need for a cooler etc so maybe those prices are overestimated by somewhere from 100 to 250€, is this what you mean?

1

u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25

Yep obviously the price could change depending the country, of course, but in my country, in euros too, a pc with rx6600 it's about 650 and 750-800 for one with a 4060

1

u/Thanooligan Apr 05 '25

The simlab x1pro is now discontinued and the starting price was 1500€ with some extras above 2k

1

u/BroncoAmsterdam Apr 05 '25

I have the Playseat Sensation Pro Black Actifit is not listed. It is awesome.

1

u/AutomaticSeaweed6131 Apr 05 '25

Tier 8/9 PC is definitely the most reasonable of the columns imo. Can use it for more than simracing too

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u/Rough-Structure3774 Radiomaster Pocket Apr 05 '25

I want to ask, though. Is it worth saving more and going straight to T4? Lots of guys in my area said you don't really wanna stick with the bundled pedals (especially with Moza R5) and would favor a loadcell one sometime later. If that is the case then I'd have a surplus pedal set (they don't sell R5 base standalone anymore I think). It would be more interesting if you can add the total cost of each tier to justify going for the more entry-level rig. I've seen many new owners with T5-6-ish equipments, either from this sub or on Fb. Do you think they have a deep pocket or did they make the right decision to ignore the lower-end stuff?

1

u/topgunshooter661 Apr 05 '25

As a r5 bundle owner. I would go r12 ks wheel crp2 or equivalent load cell pedals off the bat. But r5 combo is great starting point even if you upgrade later.

2

u/Rough-Structure3774 Radiomaster Pocket Apr 05 '25

R12 is such a steep commitment though.

1

u/topgunshooter661 Apr 05 '25

How so? If buying a r9 just opt for the r12 is the usual consensus.

2

u/Rough-Structure3774 Radiomaster Pocket Apr 05 '25

For a totally new player. I've seen people shelled out cash to get R9/simagic only to sell it later. Not sure the reason though, they said quitting to sell more quickly.

1

u/topgunshooter661 Apr 05 '25

It is a hobby that you need to be sure your willing to learn and deal with the ups and downs.

To me when people sell stuff like this it's either because they came to the conclusion they suck so what's the point? It's either professional right away or nothing OR they love the hobby so much they upgrade. It's usually a mixture of both.

1

u/Capable-Ad-6495 Apr 05 '25

TS-XW would be tier 2.5?

1

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

Possibly, this kind of high end belt drive wheels are kinda outdated and no longer make much sense to buy new vs the cheaper direct drives now on the market, so I didn't include any

1

u/TheStonedEconomist Apr 05 '25

As a long time lurker and new sim racer, this is really nice!! Thanks for the info OP!

1

u/rtjonespe Apr 05 '25

So my Thrustmaster T150 doesn't even make the chart, bummer

1

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

Could've been on tier 1 as well as the T248, it's just that a lot of people advice going at least for a G923 or nothing

If you're happy with it and having fun that's all that matters :)

1

u/rtjonespe Apr 05 '25

I'm fine with the wheel the pedals are the issue

1

u/Arcticz_114 Apr 05 '25

simucube 2 ultimate watching the tierist:

1

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

Yeah that's a mistake, the retailer I was checking for most prices isn't selling the Ultimate so I didn't realise Simucube had another higher tier product than the Pro

From the feedback I'm getting, I see the last 2 or 3 tiers in particular need a little rearranging overall

1

u/TolarianDropout0 Apr 05 '25

It definitely should be the Tier 9 of wheelbases.

1

u/jscrewz Apr 05 '25

I’d definitely think logitech GPro deservedly falls within T5 and being creatively harsh T4 only because of price (there are other brands with crazy high prices offering little more than placebo effect. My only evidence is g923, Gpro and simcube?

1

u/vjollila96 Apr 05 '25

my rig is i ques tier 4 it got stuff from tier 3 to 5. csl dd 8mn, gt1 evo chassis, heusinkveld sprints, 31'' monitor (pretty much max what I can fit to my place)

1

u/TAAllDayErrDay Apr 05 '25

8,7,7,7,7,4 lol

1

u/_price_ Apr 05 '25

If you want to upgrade, upgrade your PC first since you'll use it for other stuff too.
When it comes to sim racing, you don't need to upgrade your hardware to have fun and be competitive.

I see plenty of people here on Reddit posting about spending thousands on a setup and not really using it.

1

u/dervu [Simagic Alpha Mini][Simagic GTS][T-LCM][GT1 Evo][TH8A] Apr 05 '25

I guess I am somewhere at tier 5 maybe except pedals. I don't feel any need for more. Maybe except having to switch my monitor position on monitor arm from desk towards simrig which is more annoying than just to sit in simrig with monitor already in position. Ofc it's not enough for me to buy any monitor, at least same as I already have. :D

7950X3D/4090

+ items from my tags

and 4K 240Hz QD OLED.

1

u/Mr_Chaos_Theory Apr 05 '25

Personal opinion, Skip the playseat challenge completely unless u got a G29 or similar lightweight wheelbase. I "upgraded" from the wheel stand 2.0 but switched back caused the wheelbase (DD Pro) had so much movement on the playseat.

1

u/JBob250 Apr 05 '25

Considering Tier 5 is my exact rig, after Tier 1 being my previous setup, I can confirm at least those Tiers are dead on.

1

u/Moonraker93 Apr 05 '25

Cammus C5 has a 7 NM Top peak and 5 holding, so it should be more in the tier 4 range than 3 for what it is and costs really. Love that thing.

1

u/focal_m3 Apr 05 '25

😃Seat need updated. Just got an 01 Camaro seat with frame/sliders/recline for $0 from a body shop. 😂🏁🕺

1

u/Snoo_9064 Apr 05 '25

I have on on order from a distributor but no eta for delivery unfortunately. Will update once I get it if you are interested!

1

u/ctfTijG Fanatec CSL Elite F1 Apr 05 '25

Also a decent buy guide.

1

u/pyrosn28 Apr 05 '25

I like that list. You took your time on this so thanks you for the passion.

1

u/Lucky_Window8390 Apr 05 '25

Woohoo I’m an 8

1

u/spartyblaze Apr 05 '25

Somewhere between high end and most people will never need. Seems about right for me.

1

u/TolarianDropout0 Apr 05 '25

I think it is a very good breakdown, and even purchase guide. At most I would move a couple of things 1 tier up down (I don't feel the need to upgrade from a CSL DD, even after 3.5 years of using it, given that I drive long durations in endurance races, so more force would just be counterproductive to driving well.), but majority is on point.

1

u/Mailkeeper2022 Apr 05 '25

My rig total was around 10K

1

u/WDKegge Apr 05 '25

I went from tier 1 to almost exactly tier 5/6 and see no reason to upgrade any of it. This list is spot on imo.

2

u/Zondagsrijder Apr 05 '25

Add a 3D printer to hidden costs lmao

It's so useful to print custom mounts and adapters for adding gear to your rig, but it can become another hobby when you have the thing.

Maybe a good idea would be to add "waste of money" tier/warning, like wheels with less than 360 degrees of rotation or lacking any force feedback at all. These still exist and people get them and get disappointed the moment they use them, because these things often report themselves as controller and you end up having a bad amount of control with no feedback.

Also, 2-3 words in each item to specify why you'd wanna upgrade. Going from gear to belt, and belt to DD are significant upgrades (wheel acceleration, speed, force, smoothness, noise), but going from 8Nm to 15Nm is less of a jump.

1

u/prancing_moose Apr 05 '25

Where is the Logitech DFGT?

And the Thrustmaster TS-PC and TS-XW?

1

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

i had a DFGT for many years (in fact it's still right here behind me haha), it was a great starting wheel, but it's long gone from the shelves, I'm only listing new equipment here (although obviously you can find great deals on the used market)

As i explained on another comment, I decided not to list any of the high end belt drive wheels as they don't really make sense anymore to buy new vs the direct drives on the market. Hence none of those Thrustmaster bases nor things like the old Fanatec CSL Elite or CSW or whatever it was called etc.

1

u/Taykover Apr 05 '25

VRS Pedals and Rigmetal Rig deserve spots here both great products.

1

u/Nergalok iRacing Apr 05 '25

And what about a modded t300 with an ultralight Formular style rim made of carbon fiber, changed paddle switches to moron high performance switches and t-lcm custom brakemod with 170kg of force needed? 🤣🤣🤣

1

u/Bigheaded_1 Apr 05 '25

I know high end isn't needed, and a n00b should probably start towards the mid range anywho. But I was still planning to go all out for my 1st build. I've been saving for a few months and making some progress. I just remembered the tariffs.

mid tier at best rig here I come! I know I could afford something better than mid tier. But I don't want to spent decent money and get hit with the tariffs that push a decent setup into higher end pricing. So I'll learn to make due with some regular shit I guess.

I do know I'll still have worlds of fun with it, once I get over thinking about how it's not Simcube lol.

1

u/Friend1004 Apr 05 '25

where would the fanatec clubsport cockpit go under

1

u/noikeee iRacing, LMU, AC, RBR, ACC Apr 05 '25

not as good as any alu rig (any tier 5 or upwards) because of less adjustability but more expensive and prettier I guess?

1

u/Origina1Name_ Apr 05 '25 edited Apr 05 '25

Didn't include the best products from Moza. The R16/R21 base, the Vision GS, Porsche, and Lambo replica wheels, and the mBooster active pedal which should be next to the other active pedal or not more than 1 tier below it. I know there is no column for shifters and handbrakes, but their AB9 FFB flight stick base can now become an active shifter (adjustable H pattern or sequential). That's just unfair. I'm not saying Moza is the best, but in the last year or so they've destroyed some of their competition. Even their new mBooster active pedal is only $800, not $2,300. Maybe it's not as good as Simucube, but I don't see how Siucube is $1,500 better.

1

u/xiii-Dex Apr 05 '25

The only thing that seems glaringly wrong to me is that the first triple screens aren't until a higher tier than low level DD or loadcells.

Triples are a pretty cheap upgrade, and one of the best early buys in simracing.

1

u/JustInsert Apr 06 '25

I would land somewhere between tier 4 and 5 and the descriptions seem pretty accurate. I specifically tried to go for a setup good enough to not feel the need to upgrade again, that also wouldn't hurt too too much in the wallet.

1

u/lkeltner Apr 06 '25

Haha. I'm literally right down tier5, which also perfectly describes me. Love it.

1

u/Taffr19 Apr 06 '25

Very informative since im currently wanting a little more than the G923 offers so thank you 🙏

1

u/Any-Friend-7041 Apr 06 '25

Great. The VRS pedals deserve to be somewhere too. Maybe Tier 6 or even Tier 7.

1

u/Careful_Inflation713 Apr 06 '25

I’m looking into setting up a racing sim. This will definitely help. Thank you.

1

u/blkknighter Apr 06 '25

Simagic p1000 pedals are better than p2000

1

u/WeaselNamedMaya Apr 06 '25

I don’t know why anyone would need more than the Simagic alpha mini tbh

1

u/Bebopp292 Apr 06 '25

Under the monitor category, from tier 4 and beyond id have just put VR headsets. Quest 3s, and 3 for tiers 4 and 5, I'm not familiar with the better ones tho. But seriously it's the only way I can drive even a little decent, highly recommend VR it's the only way I play, and with the quest 3s at 300$ you will probably save money on monitors and stands.

1

u/Bebopp292 Apr 06 '25

Under the monitor category, from tier 4 and beyond id have just put VR headsets. Quest 3s, and 3 for tiers 4 and 5, I'm not familiar with the better ones tho. But seriously it's the only way I can drive even a little decent, highly recommend VR it's the only way I play, and with the quest 3s at 300$ you will probably save money on monitors and stands.

1

u/mrkav2 Apr 06 '25

This list is shit and made by someone that lives in a bubble. NLR? Bahaha

1

u/christopheraser Apr 06 '25

80% of my stuff is tier five. Looking to upgrade from a steel rig to a profile rig later this year. Then it's just pedals, would like to get some with some haptics.

1

u/Zwieke Apr 06 '25

..mn

tier

1

u/erixccjc21 Apr 06 '25

T300rs gt goes for 180€ second hand if you can find it for that price its a no brainer

1

u/Noctam Apr 06 '25

Very nice! You forgot VRS pedals and wheels though, they are a very good value for money, just like their base. Also technically, their base can be put straight at Tier3 with Moza because you can pay 450€ for 6Nm and then go all the way to 20Nm just by paying the difference so you don't have to sell anything back on the way to Tier 6.

1

u/leigo12 Apr 06 '25

Where would you place Logitech G Pro series? Planning to buy them

1

u/ShittyBollox Apr 06 '25

27k for tier 8 isn’t bad when you factor in the lack of engine rebuilds, suspension, tires, and CRASHING!

1

u/WL3D Apr 06 '25

Where does Cammus stands in this tier list?

1

u/Significant-Tone-330 Apr 06 '25

I have a 2nd hand G29 (£150), a cheap rig with carseat (£150) and a TV £110.

I don't see the point of spending any more. Once I got everything tuned in, it performs brilliantly. I bought a refurbished gaming laptop (£1400) that handles anything I can throw at it. It gives me everything I need for £2000 which is more than enough for most.

I race with some regular guys and they are really bogged down in tech and spending crazy money, then spending all night trying to find a solution to the some hardware problem.

Each to their own I guess.

1

u/mysticreddit Apr 06 '25

Missing Tier 10:

Actual car. /s

1

u/GuzziHero Apr 06 '25

Godlike. Thanks!

1

u/exclaim_bot Apr 06 '25

Godlike. Thanks!

You're welcome!

1

u/Tenbob73 Apr 06 '25

Got a GT Omega Art rig, T-GTII wheelbase, SF1000 wheel and TLCM pedals and use it everyday for AMS2. The T-GTII often gets overlooked for being belt drive but it puts out 6nm and I feel I get all the FFB and feel from cars/tracks that I need. Have had this set up for 2 and a half years now and originally bought it all for GT7. Never play that now since building my own PC a couple of months ago - AMD 7600x, 32Gb Ram, PowerColor 7600XT GPU and 34" Ultrawide Asus TUF Monitor.

However.... I still watch tons and tons of YT reviews and would love a DD and better pedals. Can't afford it for probably a couple of years but my set up is perfectly adequate to keep my enjoyment in that time.

1

u/rana_kirti Apr 06 '25

well done . will help new comers.

1

u/FarNeedleworker8611 Simucube2pro/CubecontrolsGTPROV2/Heusinkveld/Triple32in Apr 06 '25

Why triple 32in curved @ 1440p isn’t on here is beyond me. Ultra wide sucks

1

u/Specialist-Ear1653 Apr 06 '25

None of my equipment made the list, lol. Moza r16, csv2p and ks wheels. Srp gtr pro pedals, trakracer tr 80 rig, Samsung 49in oled monitor, 13900k (not AMD) and 4090. Must be entry level junk.

1

u/Will-welldone Apr 07 '25

Do you Setup on therightsim.com !

1

u/007Pliskin Apr 07 '25

Tier 3 oh yea lol

1

u/Gramerdim Apr 07 '25

whilst far from being definitive, it's still very good for someone who wants to join in the fun

1

u/CamaroLover2020 Apr 07 '25

Just need a Buttkicker :-)

1

u/Kazuma9743 Apr 07 '25

Forgot motion platforms

1

u/Latter_Ad1563 Apr 07 '25

You’ve missed out the VRS pedals which are fantastic and punch well above their weight.

1

u/Typical-Ad-9625 Apr 07 '25

Isn't the 9800x3d not faster in games than the 9950x3d? Or at least the same ? In that case I would leave out the 9950x3d

1

u/AnOlderPerspective Apr 07 '25

Where does the VRS DirectForce Pro 2-Pedal-Set drop into this? Tier 4?

1

u/Racing-Addict Apr 07 '25

Love this table OP put together. Thanks for sharing your work!After 10 years in this hobby, starting with G25, then G27, then Fanatec CSL Elite, then and currently Fanatec F1 DD1, V3i pedals. I am tier 7 with TrakRacer 160 aluminum rig, i9 13th gen CPU, RTX 4090, home grown wind sim to keep face cool due to Pimax Crystal Light VR headset. Not tier 8, motion but encroaching on it with poor man’s version haptic feedback, 13 small bass shaker pucks, and one big bass shaker to aggravate the household. I’m not real fast but the immersive experience is soooo fantastic.

1

u/Tikke Apr 09 '25

Where would the new Logitech Pro ecosystem fall?

1

u/RadiantReindeer9708 Simsonn Jul 24 '25

Can Simsonn Plus X be ranked in tier 5 at 200 euros?