Today, I’m offering you an article that’s a little “out of the box”. We’re going to look together at which simracing steering wheel to choose when you have an overall budget of 700€.
But we’re not going to do this at random! We’re going to put together the setup of a friend who’s been hesitating between budgets and models for a long time. This friend is Jean-Pierre (we’ll call him JP for the rest of this article).
You’ll see how we’re going to build him the optimum setup. Step by step. So that it matches his budget and his expectations in terms of sensations and pleasure.
Ready to go? Let’s get started!
Asking the right questions
As I explained at length in the “Which steering wheel to choose” Guide… The very first thing to do before choosing a simracing steering wheel is to ask yourself the right questions.
The simracing platform
First of all, you need to define which platform JP wants to play on. If he’s on X Box or Playstation, the choices may be very different. On the PC, on the other hand, he’ll have access to all the models on the market.
JP wants to play exclusively on PC, so we’re spoilt for choice!
Budget
Let’s move on to the budget. JP told me from the outset that he has a budget not to exceed €700. That’s great, but what does he want in it? We quickly list his needs:
- A base
- A steering wheel
- A pedal board
- But above all, the best possible quality for the budget
Nothing too exotic, then! You’ll be able to choose between Bundles that include all components, or separate purchases to customize the setup.
Simulations of choice
To narrow down the choice given the multitude of possibilities, I ask JP which title he plays most regularly. His answer is very clear: it’s mainly F1 2021 at the moment. However, he’d also like to discover the world ofAssetto Corsa and other vehicle classes besides Formula 1.
Ideally, he’d like a single-seater-type steering wheel, but also the possibility of changing to a GT wheel when he feels like it. However, he doesn’t intend to buy the GT wheel right away.
So we’re going to have to give priority to finding a single-seater-type steering wheel and a steering wheel base equipped with a wheel-change system. That’s quite a selection!
But I’ve got a new question for JP, who’s going to refine the choices even further.
Performance or realism?
Is JP’s main objective to perform well on the track? Or is it to get as close as possible to the reality of motor racing?
Why do I ask this question? Well, because if JP’s aim is to set the fastest lap times only, he won’t need a clutch pedal or a shifter in the long run.
He tells me that his main aim is to be competitive online, not to get 100% closer to driving a real car. But he’d like to be able to upgrade his equipment as he sees fit.
OK, so either we get a crankset with a clutch, or we get one that can be upgraded. Either way, JP and I agree that he absolutely needs a brake pedal with Load Cell.
The ideal simracing setup in JP’s budget
At this stage, I know enough to guide JP towards the right simracing wheel and the rest of his setup. Remember that the aim is to find a single-seater-type steering wheel, a high-performance base and a Load Cell crankset within a maximum budget of 700€. All this while choosing the best possible elements within our budget.
For the base, I’d recommend a second-hand Fanatec CSL Elite . Even if it’s no longer manufactured, it’s still ahead of its competitors in its price range. You can easily find one for between €220 and €280 today.
As forthe steering wheel, the ideal choice is a Fanatec CSL McLaren GT3 V2. It’s excellent value for money, and will enable JP to enjoy single-seater and GT racing. Thanks to the Quick Release Lite, he’ll be able to easily change the steering wheel when he decides to treat himself to a round wheel to diversify his driving disciplines. What’s more, the design of the wheel completely caught JP’s eye. A winning bet!
Finally, for the crankset, we’re going with a Thrustmaster T-LCM. A robust crankset, equipped with a Load Cell brake pedal.
But have we ticked all the boxes?
- All the hardware we’ve chosen is indeed PC-compatible (well, that wasn’t the tricky part!).
- We have an interchangeable single-seater wheel.
- The Fanatec CSL Elite base is the most interesting of its range in terms of sensations.
- The crankset is fitted with a Load Cell brake pedal for full control over braking.
- All the equipment presented is upgradeable to adapt to JP’s evolving game.
- But what about the budget?
How much did the whole setup cost?
- We found a second-hand CSL Elite base in good condition for 240€.
- The McLaren GT3 V2 steering wheel was bought new on the Fanatec website for 359.95€.
- The pedals were also bought new for 199.99€.
All in all, JP’s brand-new setup now stands at 649.94€!
Now we just have to wait for delivery and the first rides. Stick around, I’ll complete this article with JP’s opinion on his simracing steering wheel after a few weeks’ use 🙂
Until then, happy shopping!
