The world of sim-racing is vast, with many players who have forged their reputations with exceptional products. We’re all familiar with brands like Logitech and Thrusmaster, which have been in the peripherals game for over 20 years. But do you know Fanatec? Or Simucube? Well, they too are big names in sim-racing.

Fanatec is a German brand with many years’ experience as a manufacturer of sim-racing peripherals. In fact, the brand has been doing just that: sim-racing peripherals and accessories for over 20 years. That means they know a lot about the business, and the brand needs no further introduction to sim-racing fans or enthusiasts.

Connoisseurs of a particular discipline have a preference for a specific brand. This is the case for motorsports. For example, when it comes to sim-racing, I’m a big fan of Fanatec. It’s a brand I’ve known since my early days in the discipline, and I love almost all its products.

Nevertheless, Simucube is also a big name in sim-racing, acting as a rival to Fanatec. It has to be said that both brands offer top-of-the-range products, worthy of being used in real racing cars. And that’s why it’s even harder to choose when you have a wide range of high-quality sim-racing peripherals.

Wanting to help people make a decision about a peripheral like a steering wheel, pedalboard or bundle, I thought I’d do this article comparing the leaders in sim-racing in terms of high-end peripherals: Fanatec and Simucube.

Fanatec vs Simucube: manufacturing quality

I’ll start with build quality, which is the main criterion for choosing a high-end sim-racing device. On this point, there’s virtually nothing to say: both brands are equal at the top end of the market.

In reality, Simucube only makes very high-end products if we base our comparison on price, and I’ll come back to that later. Nevertheless, their products are of excellent quality, worthy of racing cars. As I’ve just said, Simucube focuses on the top end of the professional market. To put it simply: Simucube practically manufactures products directly derived from motor racing and sells them to the general public. If you ask me, it’s no longer sim-racing with Simucube products; it’s almost like racing in your living room, so realistic is it. If you haven’t figured it out by now, Simucube is in the high-end sim-racing business, with products that are used by real motorsport teams for simu sessions. Because beyond that, all that’s left is the race car.

Fanatec is certainly a manufacturer of high-end sim-racing peripherals, but is not in the same market as Simucube . Being car fans, I can make the following comparison without venturing too far: Simucube is like a Rolls, and Fanatec like an S-Class in full option. The German manufacturer’s products are excellent, and I consider them to be the best in sim-racing. Compared to Simucube’s peripherals, Fanatec’s are borderline affordable, and I weigh my words carefully.

Both brands are known for using premium materials like aluminum and carbon fiber on their product, although Fanatec does use plastic on some entry-level products. Honestly, this isn’t really a big deal on steering wheels priced under €200, but if you start comparing the top of the range of both brands, you won’t find this. Both manufacturers have nothing to reproach themselves for in terms of the materials they use, and this shows in their products, which are excellent.

Fanatec vs Simucube: diversity

In terms of diversity, the brands are identical. Both focus exclusively on sim-racing peripherals, with steering wheels, bases, pedalboards and more. Unlike Logitech, Fanatec and Simucube do not manufacture peripherals such as joysticks or controllers. This is pure sim-racing juice, and excellent quality at that.

Although Fanatec and Simucube share the same market, that doesn’t mean they’re in the same segment. The Finnish manufacturer (Simucube) is in the high-end professional segment, and that’s saying a lot. Many racing teams use its products for their simu set-ups. In order to be considered by a racing team, you really need to have excellent peripherals to offer, and this is the case.

For the German manufacturer (Fanatec), it’s in the high-end sim-racing segment. Its products are excellent, extremely well made, durable and of high quality, but are aimed at sim-racing fans, not professionals. This is reflected above all in the price, even if sometimes the products of the two manufacturers are just as good for a user like you and me.

Fanatec vs Simucube: which to choose?

On the one hand, you have base + flywheel bundles at almost €5,000 (the GSI x Simucube 2 Ultimate Bundle), on the other you have base + flywheel bundles at €1,800 (the Podium F1).

If you’re like me, the choice is quickly made. Even if I say that I prefer Fanatec for its excellent quality products, I have to admit that Simucube is just a notch or two above. At such a difference in price, we’re no longer in the same product range.

I like Simucube’s peripherals, especially the bases, which offer a superb force feedback feel. By the way, the Simucube 2 Pro can go up to 25 nm of torque, compared with 20 nm for Fanatec’s Direct Drive 2. Some might say it’s just 5 nm, but the difference is enormous for a true sim-racing fan.

As far as I’m concerned, Fanatec is aimed at sim-racing fans who want top-quality products at prices that, while high, are still affordable compared with Simucube. These people want a good sim-racing setup to spend time with every day.

As for Simucube, this brand’s products are aimed more at an elitist public, who can afford to treat themselves and, above all, who need such setups to train. At least, that’s how I see it.

If you own a race car like a 911 GT3 RS and you often do trackdays, Simucube’s products are a must. They will enable you to train at home before weekend events.

But if you’re someone who owns, say, an M2 (the old rear-wheel drive ones) or an M3 Comp and rarely does trackdays, Fanatec is the place to shop. It’s a brand that offers top-quality, premium products aimed at sim-racing fans, not professionals.

Nevertheless, here’s what I’d recommend for anyone wishing to purchase products from either brand.

• Budget. Fanatec prices are high, but Simucube prices are even higher, on the order of 2 to 3 times more. So get your 5-figure bank account ready for a proper setup (without cockpit).
• Availability. Fanatec products are available exclusively through its online store. This means you won’t find them in stores or on Amazon, which is problematic for some people who want to see and try a product before buying it. It’s the same for Simucube, which sells via its store or through resellers in certain countries.
• Compatibility. Simucube is only PC-compatible, unlike Fanatec, which has several products that run on Sony and Microsoft consoles. To be frank, it’s only natural to offer your products on a platform (PC) capable of pushing graphics and immersion to the max, something that’s difficult to do on consoles, even Next-Gen ones.

Conclusion

Fanatec and Simucube are two brands whose basic philosophy is identical: to offer premium sim-racing peripherals. But the difference lies in their target audience. Fanatec tends to stay in the “racing fan” segment, while Simucube is more focused on the “racing professional” segment. Nevertheless, these two brands occupy the top two places in the world for sim-racing peripherals. They’re the best, period.