The Bavarian Simtec Control Center button box is clearly one of those tools aimed at wealthy simracers in search of luxurious yet useful products. We received ours a few months ago, but hadn’t yet found the time to do a full test. Now we have! So what’s our verdict on this model? We’ll get right to it.
Prices and deliveries (promo code -3%)
Technical specifications
| Compatibility | PC |
| Dimensions | Width: 13.9cm. Height: 13.7cm. Depth: 2.2cm excluding rotary encoders and 3.4cm including encoders. Case weight: 578 grams. |
| Materials | CNC 6061 aluminum housing |
| Customizable functions | 20 configurable buttons, 2 multi-encoders (4 modes) 8 positions with backlit indicators. |
| Screen | No |
| Software | SimHub, Bavarian PitStopApp. |
| Connections | 1 USB-C for PC connection, 3 USB-C to connect other peripherals of your choice. |
| Chassis installation | Via MagicArm |
| Options | Kit of 20 additional button caps for changing functions without removing stickers. Anodized aluminum rotary encoders in different colors. |
| Price (Price incl. 20% VAT) | 398,32€ |
Design and ergonomics
- In the box:
- Button Box Bavarian Control Center,
- MagicArm (articulated arm),
- 1 T-nut,
- 2m USB-A USB-C cable,
- 3 acrylic sticker sheets (224 stickers in all).
As soon as you open the box, you know you’re not dealing with a low-cost package. The luxurious magnetic box opens like a book, revealing its carefully arranged contents. The stickers themselves are protected by sheets of plastic-coated paper to prevent scratches during transit.
On the front of the button box are 20 backlit buttons that click at 500 grams when activated. Then 2 multi-encoders that can be assigned to 8 different functions. These are the same encoders found on the Bavarian Alpha steering wheel during our test.
The 578-gram case is made entirely of CNC aluminum, and the finish is simply splendid. But we’d expect nothing less from Bavarian Simtec, a manufacturer of top-of-the-range simracing equipment.
On the rear of the box, there’s a USB-C port for connecting the button box to the PC. Then there are 3 USB-C ports to which you can connect other peripherals (including third-party brands), to clear your PC’s ports if need be.
8 M1 screw holes are also provided for installing accessories, such as LED bars or… I don’t know… A flagpole? It’s up to you! At the end of the center, you’ll find the screw thread used to install the MagicArm, the link between the case and your chassis.
Customize keys with acrylic stickers
Have you just received your Button Box? Wait before applying the stickers. I highly recommend using it for a few weeks first, perhaps sticking on logos you’ve drawn and cut out from Post-it notes. This will save you from tearing your hair out if, after a few days, you realize you prefer a different button layout. Because once applied, acrylic stickers are designed to LAST. And removing them will probably damage them a little (at least the edges). Admit it, that would be a real shame!
There’s a kit of 20 button caps that you can purchase as an option if you want to be able to change your buttons without having to peel off the stickers; it costs around forty euros in this case.
The three sheets of acrylic stickers supplied with the Button Box cover all the functions you might want to integrate on them. They’re high quality, thick and durable. However, if you want to peel them off to change functions, good luck! It’s made to stand the test of time, not no, it won’t.
To install the Bavarian button box, we’ll use the MagicArm. This is an all-round articulated arm made of CNC aluminum, equipped with rubber inserts and a lever to “secure” the position.
- To install:
- Screw the Magic Arm to the back of your Button Box,
- Insert the T-nut into a rail on your chassis (or install it on the arm, then slide it into the rail on your chassis) and tighten (!),
- Unscrew the knob to position your Button Box exactly as you want it,
- Tighten.
If you’ve tightened everything just right, the assembly is very solid and gives virtually no lateral play, even when using the buttons at the corners of the box. Take particular care to tighten the nut on the chassis, as this is not the easiest nut to tighten with bare hands.
Configuration via SimHub or PitstopApp
At the time of writing, the Bavarian PitStopApp is only compatible with iRacing. So I mainly used SimHub to work on the button displays I wanted. And of course, as always on SimHub, you can let your imagination run wild.
Whether you want the buttons to flash during use, or the button box to display Pit Limiter status, race flags or the spotter (to know when a car is in your blind spot), anything is possible.
Track testing
So, I have to confess something: when I had to test the Bavarian ControlCenter, my thought was “What can I tell you? Yes, the arm is super-rigid and well thought-out, yes, the buttons are large enough that you never miss an action, yes, the LED displays are very visual and practical. And yes, it looks great on the chassis because it’s so damn beautiful and well finished.
And even if I personally would have preferred a slightly longer, more damped click, it’s still a very fine proposition from Bavarian. The real question to ask is “Do you need a button box?” and “Do I already have all the equipment I need to spend €400 on a tool that’s absolutely superb, but dispensable? Once you’ve said that, I think you’ve said it all.
