There’s nothing quite like the speed and adrenaline of being in a race car. But racing games can help you experience that excitement in a far less dangerous and more accessible manner. If you want to experience what it’s like to tear down the track in your favorite car, why not get a sim racing cockpit? While you can get by on a basic wheel and pedal setup, it fails to provide the atmosphere and sensation of an actual racing cockpit. A sim racing cockpit is a serious improvement over a basic wheel and pedal setup, making you feel like you’re tearing down the track.
A sim racing cockpit isn’t just a way to make you look cool and authentic; it also helps provide a stable environment for you to experience what it feels like to race. It provides a stable platform while giving you the experience of constant steering and pedal pressing to maintain control of your vehicle. A well-designed sim racing seat setup enhances ergonomics and control placement, ensuring the wheel and pedals are positioned naturally for improved power. If you like the way that sounds, maybe you’d like gift a cockpit to one of the sim racers in your life for Valentine’s Day or an upcoming birthday.
We’ve compiled a list of the best sim racing seats and home racing cockpits for various budgets and spaces. We’ve also included motion control rigs, which enhance force feedback by allowing drivers to feel cornering, acceleration and braking through the seat.
Comparison of the best sim racing cockpit for 2025
Unless you plan on adding motion control to your rig, it’s more important that your seat be comfortable and sturdy than deeply bolstered.
Like real-life driving, ergonomics are a big deal. Being able to comfortably reach the pedals and easily control the wheel can make the difference between the pole position and the back of the pack. Since you’re likely a different size from me, I’ve only recommended cockpits and seats with a good level of adjustability. If you share your sim rig with other members of your family, being easily adjustable is another good get.
Most home sim racing rigs don’t move, so the seat doesn’t need to hold you in place while cornering. Deep bolsters are nice to have and can feel more immersive, but aren’t strictly necessary unless you’re also diving deep into motion control. Look for a seat that’s comfortable for longer sessions, supportive enough for steering and pedal pressin’ and easy to get into and out. If you live in a small or shared space, consider a foldable cockpit like the Playseat Challenge or the Next Level Racing GT Lite, which can be easily stored in a closet when not in use.
A sim racing cockpit can be as simple as a wheel stand and your couch or as complex as this VR and motion-enabled CXC Simulations rig.
This $3,000 add-on for an $800 racing sim rig is painfully expensive, but it can be further upgraded with Next Level’s $6,000 Traction Plus platform, which adds yaw motion to the system allowing drivers to feel the rotation of a vehicle during a drift or the lack-thereof when understeering. There’s also an optional Buttkicker haptic add-on that lets players feel the rumble of the road and engine through the seat.
Just like in a real car, being able to feel how the car is reacting to your inputs and the surface of the road is not only enjoyable but is also a great tool for improving your driving performance. Going all-in on a Next Level motion control racing setup can push upwards of $10 grand when you include the cost of your wheel and pedal box. Compared to our “price is no object” pick — the CXC Motion Pro II that starts at $63K and can crest the six-figure mark when fully kitted out — or breaking into an automaker’s headquarters, that seems like a bargain.
Sim racing cockpit FAQs
A racing sim cockpit supports your steering wheel and pedals in an ergonomic position while you digitally drive in a racing sim or game. It can be as simple as a wheel stand plopped in front of your couch, but a good setup also includes a seat that physically connects you to the wheel and pedals in a driving position familiar to a real car with increased stability for force-feedback.
What makes a good sim racing cockpit?
If you’re serious about sim racing — and especially if you’re looking to supplement or transition to real-world racing — then a sim racing cockpit is definitely worth it. A good racing rig may not be worth the investment for more casual players interested primarily in arcade racers.
What budget should I set for a good racing simulator?
Haptic feedback adds a physical feel to your gaming or race simulation. The most basic level is force feedback through the steering wheel — although even this “basic” level can get very complex once you delve in. For the rest of your racing simulation rig, haptic feedback can range from a seat rumbling subwoofer/motor to motion control systems that tilt and slide the seat, mimicking the G-forces you’d experience in a real moving car.
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