Sim racing setups for €500, €1,000, and €2,000: Which one should you choose?

500, 1,000, or 2,000 euros: the difference between these three budgets isn’t just about having a more powerful engine, a better steering wheel, or more features. At each price point, there’s one key element that truly changes the driving experience.

So I’ll show you what I’d prioritize for each budget, with specific configurations and approximate prices.

For €500, you’re mainly getting the Direct Drive

This is the only level where the benefit comes from the sensations themselves—and it’s enormous. Switching from a belt- or gear-driven system to Direct Drive means removing all the intermediaries between the motor and your hands.

The complete package: the Moza R5 Bundle for €399.95, which includes a 5.5 nm base, an 11-inch ES steering wheel, the SR-P Lite pedal set, and the desk mount.

The bundle is complete, and there’s still €100 left for games. At this price, this is the setup I would definitely recommend for a PC.

On console, there are two options: the Fanatec CSL DD QR2 Ready2Race GT3 for around €459.95 for Xbox Series, and the Thrustmaster T598 at €499.95 for PS5, which is Sony’s only true Direct Drive entry-level option.

In all three cases, the weak point remains the braking system: the included pedal assemblies operate primarily based on pedal travel, rather than pressure like a load-cell pedal assembly. This is precisely the component you can prioritize for improvement in the next step.

View the Moza R5 Bundle

See the Thrustmaster T598

See the Fanatec R2R GT3

For €1,000, you get the brakes

For €1,000, you’re mainly getting better braking performance. The increase from 5.5 to 9 Nm is significant: it provides more headroom for force feedback and preserves more detail when forces become substantial. But the improvement is still less significant than that provided by a load cell. That’s why I prefer an R9 properly equipped with a good pedal set over a more powerful base model with entry-level pedals.

That’s also why I prefer the Moza R9 V3 + KS + CRP2. The R9 offers enough power for the vast majority of uses without breaking the bank, the KS provides a more complete steering wheel than the one in the R5 Bundle, and the CRP2, above all, represents a major leap in quality with its load-cell braking. The result is a cohesive package where no single component really holds the others back.

Base: Moza R9 V3, 9 Nm, €349.95

The steering wheel: Moza KS, €249.95

The pedals: Moza CRP2, 200 kg load cell, three pedals, and machined aluminum frame,…