You’ve been waiting impatiently for the full review of the Simagic Alpha Mini DD. Simagic is gradually building up a strong reputation among professional and semi-professional simracers. The Chinese brand doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to delivering top-quality Direct Drives to enthusiasts!
The Alpha Mini DD’s marketing vocation is to titillate Fanatec and their flagship CSL DD model, which has clearly changed the rules of the game on the consumer steering wheel market. No need to spend 4-figure sums to enjoy the pleasure and precision of a Direct Drive. And that’s a huge step forward!
But what can we expect from the Alpha Mini DD? Does it do justice to its parent company? We saw together in an article that you can find here that Simagic had no plans to attack the same clientele as Fanatec. So the question arises: who is this new model aimed at? And what positioning is the brand taking by offering a Direct Drive base model at €650?
That’s what we’re going to talk about today!
The Simagic Alpha Mini DD from a technical point of view
- Compatibility: PC
- Dimensions: 11 x 16.7cm ( 10cm for Quick Release)
- Motor: Direct Drive
- Power: 10Nm (13Nm peak according to iRacing devs)
- Steering amplitude : Adjustable via Alpha Tuning Manager application
- Connections: 1 USB-B for PC connection, 1 connector for power supply, 1 USB for Simagic peripherals, 1 connector for circuit breaker
- Wheel mounting: Quick Release
Design and ergonomics
Barely out of the box, the Alpha Mini is a real eye-catcher. It’s compact, very heavy at 6.4kg. But remarkably well finished. Its molded aluminum chassis with rounded edges is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the hand. The rear panel, too, is made of metal screwed to the chassis.
The steering wheel drive shaft and Quick Release system are also very attractive. Not a bolt to be seen, not a rough spot. The crown that conceals the connection between the shaft and the base is made of carbon, and features the brand’s logo and the wireless receiver that retrieves data from the flywheel to the base. At the end of the shaft are the contactors that transmit electrical energy to the steering wheel.
In short, it’s beautiful and compact. Just what we like!
Installing the Simagic Alpha Mini DD
When it comes to installation options, Simagic doesn’t pull any punches. If you want to mount the Alpha Mini on a front bracket, you can use the two screw holes (90mm apart) on the front panel.
Four other M6 screw holes are located below the base in a rectangular configuration (67 x 80mm)
Finally, you can also use the two optional brackets for side mounting. These brackets can be positioned at different angles. To attach them, simply screw them to the 2 M6 screw threads on either side of the base.
All screws and bolts are supplied in the box, along with the corresponding Allen keys. No need to raid Leroy Merlin this time!
Once installed, simply connect the base to your PC and launch the SimPro Manager application. This is where you can adjust absolutely every parameter of the base to suit your needs in terms of power and feel.
Comfort and feel
The Alpha Mini offers a linear power output of 10Nm, compared with 15Nm for its big brother, the Alpha.
Time-hunting simracers generally appreciate a power feedback between 6 and 8Nm. This power allows you to get the maximum feel without feeling like you’re working out on every lap.
So why have 10Nm in reserve? Well, having some leeway will help you avoid force feedback saturation. It’s a guarantee of precision and quality of feel.
But as you know, force feedback is THE subjective point!
Some want maximum power, others little power but maximum detail, others a mix of the two… I like to stick to 8Nm power, pushing the settings to get maximum detail.
In this case, I’m really not disappointed. After a few minutes applying the settings, I’ve found the balance that suits me. The track feels right under my hands, and every detail, every mass transfer, every indentation in the asphalt is faithfully reproduced.
Given the speed with which I was able to familiarize myself with the application and find the right setting for me, I have no doubt that you’ll also be able to find YOUR ideal setting.
And for those who are wondering: quite frankly, the accuracy of detail is AT LEAST equal to that offered by the CSL DD. The difference lies mainly in the adjustment application, which is more practical (in my opinion) with Simagic, and the finish is cleaner. Just bear in mind that the two bases are not priced the same and are not aimed at the same audience (!!).
the Simagic ecosystem
The Simagic Alpha Mini DD gives you access to the entire Simagic ecosystem. A world that expands with the P2000 crankset, two sequential shifters , a handbrake and 6 wheels:
- GT1 Steering Wheel
- GT1 Steering Wheel Type D (with flat bottom)
- GT4 Racing Wheel (Formula or prototype type)
- FX Formula Xtreme (Formula or prototype type)
- FX Pro (Formula type with massive LCD screen)
- GT Cup (GT type)
You can find out more about the Simagic ecosystem in our special article on the subject by clicking here 😉
My verdict on the Simagic Alpha Mini DD
