Here we go again. It’s clear that people in China are working hard. After Simagic and its top-of-the-range bases, Moza and its more budget-friendly models, Immosource and its unconvincing Direct Drive… here comes the Cammus Simracing range. It is illustrated by its first model, Cammus DDWB 15Nm. A new Direct Drive that, for once, will seduce you with its price.
So, I don’t know about you, but I’ve learned to be wary of this massive and rapid multiplication of brands in the world of Simracing. In fact, many teams have seen the gaming market explode since 2020 and want to make their money on it. But in practice, we often find ourselves faced with brands that are too young, whose ambition is not to grow the spirit of car simulation, but simply to make money for the sake of making money.
It’s no coincidence that their main argument is price. All the marketers and (good) salespeople in the world will tell you, when our main argument is price, we’ve got nothing to offer. So, in concrete terms, is Cammus a brand that should hold your attention or not ? Let’s find out!
A quick look at the Cammus brand
So, for once, we’re dealing with a brand that hasn’t just popped out of an investor’s hat. Cammus has been in the automotive business since 2008 as a manufacturer of car parts. But also electric go-karts and even an electric supercar, the Cammus Titan. Yes, that’s right!
So, when we see this kind of track record, we can be a little reassured. Let’s just say that, at least, this brand was already in the automotive world before proposing a Direct Drive base for simracing… It may seem silly to say, but in the end, it’s far from being the case for all the brands that are flourishing at the moment 😉
The Cammus DDWB in brief
So this is the model we’re most interested in today. The Direct Drive 15Nm from Cammus is offered at a tempting price of around 460€ (depending on today’s conversion rate, of course). The brand itself doesn’t really have a sales pitch for this model, so you get the feeling that marketing isn’t their thing. As a result, we’ll inevitably be left wanting more until we get our hands on it. Which, rest assured, won’t be long.
For mounting, you can choose between the 4 screw threads on the underside of the base or side-mounting via the rail on either side of the chassis.
There are a few surprising details about this base. For example, it features 5 configurable buttons, 2 rotary selectors and 2 3-position switches. On the rear, the brand has had the presence of mind to copy Fanatec by integrating RJ12 connectors. What for? Well, to connect your pedalset, shifters and handbrake directly to the chainstay, so that you only have to connect one USB port to your PC. Good thinking!
- Torque: 15Nm
- Materials: Aluminum
- Compatibility: PC
The steering wheel
For the moment, the Chinese brand’s ecosystem only includes a steering wheel. At first glance, the finish seems rather accomplished. It consists of a removable front plate, the wheel itself and a hub featuring 4 buttons, 2 rotary selectors and 2 switches. The magnetic paddles are in carbon, as is the front panel of the HUB. And with a diameter of 33cm, it’s just the thing for drift fans.
- Diameter: 33cm
- Materials: Leather, carbon, aluminum, plastic
- Customizable buttons: 4 buttons, 2 rotary selectors, 2 3-position switches
- Paddles: 2 carbon magnetic paddles
Load Cell pedalset
This is the pedalset of the range. Made of aluminum and with adjustable pedal positioning, it looks interesting from afar. What scares me a little is the kinematics of the pedals. Of course, when you’re fighting over price, you have to make compromises. I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Interestingly, the aluminum plate supplied is not compatible with standard simracing chassis. So you’ll have to install your pedals one by one on your chassis. Not a major inconvenience, but worth noting.
- Pedals: 3
- Sensor: Load Cell
- Materials: Aluminum
A complete simulator for less than 1300€??!
Well, I have to admit that Cammus is hitting it pretty hard. If I tell you that I’m offering you a fixed chassis plus a Direct Drive 15Nm base, plus a steering wheel, plus a Load Cell pedalset, all for less than 1300€, do you believe me or not?
Yeah, I think it’s strange too. But that’s exactly what the brand offers:
- The fixed chassis
- Screen support
- Cammus DDWB 15Nm
- Load Cell pedalset
- GT steering wheel
My first impressions of Cammus Simracing
I’m not going to hide the fact that the more the offers multiply, the more septic I become. I work in sales and marketing myself, and like all my colleagues, I’m well aware that most of the brands emerging on the market will disappear within the next 2 years. It remains to be seen whether Cammus will be one of those that perform and stay. Only time will tell.
And what do you think of this brand and, more generally, of the ever-increasing number of new products appearing out of nowhere? Are you one of the adventurous types who go all out for new products and support emerging brands? Or are you one of those who like sure values and market-rooted brands with a rich past and concrete experience?
We’ll be happy to talk about it in the comments 🙂
