Gaming Racing Simulator Seat

Car racing games that immerse the gamer into racing simulations are amongst the most popular video games. Many gaming enthusiasts buy a racing simulator seat for a more realistic driving experience. Sitting in a normal gaming chair with a gaming controller or a desk-mounted steering wheel may be great fun too, but it is just not the same.

Racing Simulator Seats

A racing simulator seat in combination with steering wheels and pedals provides a more authentic feeling. Expensive seats with built-in motors even simulate cornering- braking- and acceleration forces to the pilot, making it a very realistic driving experience. All you need now are VR glasses for the complete feeling of racing at top speed down a race track.

Playseat Challenge

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A racing seat brings you a lot closer to the real racing driver’s feeling. Here is a simple model for beginners with a modest budget. The needed peripherals such as the steering wheel and pedals need to be purchased separately.

The brand Playseat is well known amongst racing game fans. They manufacture a whole line of racing seats from simple models to sophisticated simulator cockpits. With its price, this seat is a real bargain, but the Challenge is still a quality product.

The seat shape corresponds to that of a classic bucket seat, as typically found in many racing cars. The Playseat Challenge is of lightweight design, is easy to handle, and can in a few seconds either be set up and folded away again. The frame is sturdy enough to provide a firm hold for the steering wheel and pedals.

Openwheeler Advanced Racing Simulator Gaming Chair

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This is for many years one of the bestselling racing simulator seats. The Openwheeler gaming chair is of sturdy design with ergonomic features that provide comfort during long gaming sessions.

Designed like a true car racing seat the bucket racing seat gives great support to the back, shoulders, and legs. The seat is complete with adjustment controls so you can individually recline and adjust it for the best comfort.

Compatible with all gaming consoles as well as with PC games. The steering wheel, pedals, and gear shift need to be purchased separately. It can be quickly mounted on the respective brackets. Simply connect the peripherals to your hardware and start a racing game.

The upholstery of the chair is made of polyester fabric which gives enough stability to withstand frequent motions of users. The frame is square tubing is also made of solid material and powder-coated to prevent corrosion.

The Openwheeler Advanced Racing Seat Driving Simulator is very easy to set up. This gaming chair can be assembled within a couple of minutes.

About Simulators

Simulators are used everywhere where people are to be trained for realistic driving or flying experiences without the dangers of the real world. Flying or driving simulators used to be highly sophisticated technical devices that were super expensive. With today’s advanced and affordable hardware technology, simulators have also become cheaper so that racing simulator seats open up a whole new way to experience racing games at home.

Who is a Racing Simulator Seat for?

Combined with gearbox, pedals, and monitors or VR glasses, racing simulator seats are recommended for hardcore gamers who want the most realistic adrenalin fun out of their favorite racing games.

The investment of buying a racing simulator seat is not really worth it for the occasional user who does not spend a lot of time on racing games.

What Types of Gaming Simulator Seats are there?

Racing gaming seats can be divided into three categories:

Racing Style Gaming Chairs

A gaming chair is designed like a racing car seat. Usually, bucket style with wings that provide supports sitting. Racing style chairs are used desk mounted gaming wheels or a Racing Steering Wheel Stand

Racing Simulator Seat

Racing seats that are mounted on a metal frame with fittings for a steering wheel, gear shifter, and other racing gadgets, that look like the inside of an interior. They are available in basic versions where you have to purchase the accessories separately or in packages that are complete with the matching steering wheels, pedals, and other gear.

Racing Simulator Cockpit

A Racing Simulator Cockpit is a full package that includes everything a hardcore gamer needs. Here you get the seat, a matching steering wheel, pedals, and gear shift. Top-of-the-line cockpits, also on the price scale are setups that include motion motors that simulate G-forces and provide a sensation of actually moving and being in motion. This takes the racing simulation to a very immersive level and you feel as if you are actually in a real car. It takes some time getting used to this, as a first-timer you may feel motion sick.

What to look for when buying a Simulator Seat

Before heading off and getting a simulator seat, there are a few things you need to consider:

Space

Most important is the space you have available for the setup. Measure your room and calculate the distance to the gaming monitors or TV, will there be enough width for attachments such as gear shifts and pedals, etc. Can you sit comfortably in a semi-reclining position in the racing seat in front of your monitor?

Comfort

Is the seat big enough, so you can sit in comfort feeling like you are in a race car. Make sure you don’t feel constricted and squshed into the seat.

Compatibility

The racing simulator seats only can normally be used with any type of console or gaming PC. But read the specifications, to make sure included controllers are compatible with your console or system. If no controllers such as steering wheel or gearshift are included make sure they can be mounted to the simulator frame and they are compatible with your gaming software.

Design and Appearance

The Simulator should be above all functional and ergonomically designed. Appearance is a matter of individual taste. But there are many designs that are inspired by popular games and give the chair a really cool lock.

Quality

A good racing simulator chair must be of sound workmanship and made with the best materials. Nothing should rattle and nothing should squeak when the gamer gets excited during a heated race. Reputable manufacturers give a long-lasting warranty on their products. But as often the case, quality can be a matter of the price.

Price

The cost of a simulator seat is quite high compared to regular gaming chairs. But considering the more elaborate construction and good materials used in the manufacture, the price is justifiable. The cheapest basic racing seats start at about 3oo dollars, but then you have to account for all the peripherals. A quality full-fledged racing simulator cockpit complete with a steering wheel, pedals, gear shift, and accessories can easily be a couple of thousand dollars.

Which accessories do I need for a racing simulator?

A simulator needs a lot of accessories until it is complete and everything works properly. It depends on your budget what your simulator should be fitted with. The least you need is a steering wheel, a gear shift, and pedals.  and monitors.

Steering Wheel

A racing wheel is essential for a good racing experience, there are many to choose from to fit any budget. Some things to consider is force feedback, the maximum rotation, responsiveness, and compatibility with other peripherals.

Pedals

Pedals are next to a steering wheel the most important. With those, you control throttle and brake to dose the accelerating and braking. This facilitates more accurate driving and gives you a decisive advantage.

Racing Gear Shift

Another element is the gear shift that many don’t want to miss. The gear shift gives you the feel of being in a car. Depending on what game you play this is not necessarily needed. In Formula 1 shifting gear is done with the steering wheel.

Gaming Monitor

So you can see and orient yourself, a monitor is obviously one of the most important components of the whole setup. Some gaming rigs have even 3 monitors mounted for a good surround view. Your budget will dictate the size and resolution of the monitors.

Of course, VR glasses are a great option too.

Conclusion about Racing Simulator Seats

A racing simulator seat brings you a lot closer to an authentic racing experience than playing the same game sitting in a regular office chair or gaming chair.  They are not cheap and are not for everyone. But any serious racing game enthusiast would want to have one.

If you decide to buy one you can choose between getting a basic seat and purchasing the peripherals for it. Please pay attention to compatibility. Depending on your enthusiasm, money may be no issue here and you may opt for a high-end simulator cockpit all complete and with hydraulic motors that simulate the G-forces or real-world racing.

To completely immerse yourself into, be it a racing simulation or flight simulation, there is no way around a proper Simulator Seat.