The sim-racing setups are as varied as the automotive disciplines themselves. If you’re even the slightest bit of a racing fan, you’ll know that there are several categories: F1, GT, endurance, rally, drift, and so on. It’s all the same with sim-racing, and that’s only to be expected, given that the discipline we all love is largely inspired by motor sports.

Of course, not all racers are the same, and that’s our strength: the diversity of our community. You’ve got sim-racers who are more into endurance racing, others with a penchant for F1. And, as with all motor sports, our passion has a direct impact on our sim-racing setups. A player who loves rally racing won’t have the same setup as a racer with a penchant for the premier discipline, F1. Our choice of disciplines dictates our purchases and our setups.

As with all passions, or practically everything in this world, we have different ranges of sim-racing peripherals, whether for bases, flywheels, pedalboards and so on. Different players share the available ranges, and Simucube is among the leaders at the top end of the market.

In what follows, I’m going to introduce you to the Simucube 2 Proa high-torque Direct Drive base unit. I’ll tell you about its features, strengths and weaknesses, and give you my opinion.

Main and technical characteristics of the base

• Metal construction
• Maximum torque 25 nm
• 2160° rotation angle
• The base motor includes an angle sensor
• The kit is supplied with a Kill-switch which allows the motor to be switched off in the event of a problem.
• Simucube 2 Pro is PC-compatible only

Simucube 2 Pro design

Even if the design of a base is rather relative, the Simucube 2 Pro still looks good. The structure is made entirely of metal, precision-machined using CNC machines. It’s really well finished, and there’s nothing to say about that. It’s just beautiful. The whole base is matt black, with the logo in white and a white line on the side.

At the front, you’ll find Simucube’s QR system for attaching wheels. Again, minimalist and beautiful. At the rear, you’ll find an antenna and 4 sockets, including one for the power supply. Simple, clear and precise. The only “flashy” element of the Simucube 2 Pro is its Kill-switch, a small black and yellow box with a red button.

Customized assembly

Simucube is a very premium brand, aimed primarily at professional racers and true sim-racing fans. Well, those with a healthy bank account, because Simucube products don’t come cheap.

As for mounting the Simucube 2 Pro, it’s easy enough: the front plate, where the QR is located, has 4 holes for screws (supplied in the kit) to secure the base to the cockpit/chassis. Incidentally, this is the only way to attach the Simucube 2 Pro to your setup, as this base is not designed to be installed on a table or desk.

However, some cockpits don’t include mounting points for Simucube bases, so you’re forced to buy a bracket for them. Major brands such as Playseat or Next Level Racing typically offer compatibility with Simucube bases, but I strongly advise you to do your research before you check out. And if it helps, I’ve already tested a few, which you can find you can find right here.

Manufacturing and finishing

So there’s nothing to say. It’s simply a masterpiece of manufacturing. Everything is perfect, and that’s to be expected given the price!

Everything is made of metal, from the casing to the QR and the support plate. All metal parts are machined to the millimeter, giving a finishing effect worthy of premium brands like Rolls Royce. The Simucube 2 Pro is aimed at professional sim-racers and racing drivers. In fact, the brand’s main focus is on pilots, with products that enable highly advanced simulation training.

The paintwork is rather matt, with a few shiny accents depending on the viewing angle. I didn’t notice any burrs on any of the parts making up the Simucube 2 Pro. It has to be said that the brand has the necessary skills to machine metal parts to perfection.

Quick Release, commonly known as SQR, is also in metal and in the form of a pin. It’s really beautiful, very well made, and according to Simucube, this piece is “almost eternal”.

Getting to know the base

The first impression on picking up the Simucube 2 Pro is its weight. The thing weighs over 11 kg! And as I said before, not all cockpits provide mounting points for this base, not only because of its weight, but also because of its power (25 nm).

I have to admit that installing the Simucube 2 Pro on my chassis was a pain the first time, as the base is quite small and, above all, very heavy. But once in place, it didn’t budge. As for connecting it to the setup, it’s Plug & Play: the connection is via USB, and the Simucube 2 Pro only works on PCs. It’s a shame for console sim-racers, but only pros and pilots will want to acquire such a base. So…

If you’re looking for a console-compatible base, then I invite you to find what you’re looking for by clicking here.

Sensations during play

Let’s get down to brass tacks: the sensations. Here, I can tell you that the Simucube 2 Pro doesn’t disappoint in the least. It’s a well of sensations, a torrent of force feedback that’s at once smooth, precise and highly communicative, but which can be brutal if you want it to be.

To be honest, I’ve rarely had the opportunity to experience such sensations with a Direct Drive base, and the Simucube 2 Pro only develops 25 nm of torque. What I mean is that it’s not the most powerful, because there’s its big brother with 32 nm. I guess it’s not just the motor’s power that counts in a DD base.

The sensations are superbly balanced, light when you need them to be, and very powerful, increased tenfold when you’re in contact, for example. Also, the 2160° rotation angle adds a great deal to the driving sensations, allowing you to make all the necessary trajectory changes. And the icing on the cake is that there are no dead zones with the Simucube 2 Pro: you turn the wheel just a hair – and I mean just a hair – and the car changes trajectory. Hats off to you, really.

Simucube 2 Pro compatibility

The Simucube brand is aimed primarily at professional sim-racers and racing drivers. As a result, there’s nothing like a powerful simulator (or computer) to train you to smash the clock. That’s why Simucube has opted for PC compatibility.

As far as I’m concerned, I think it’s a bit of a shame that Simucube 2 Pro is only compatible with PCs, as many sim-raceurs are also evolving on consoles. But hey… As for titles, this base is supported by virtually every game on the market today. Between Asseto Corsa, Project Cars and Forza Motor Sport, you’re well served.

Value for money

Simucube is a very premium brand, and so is the price of this base. Listed at almost €1,464 on the manufacturer’s website, the Simucube 2 Pro is a hair less expensive than a Fanatec Podium DD2 (which you can discover here). If you’re just looking for the basics, the Simucube 2 Pro offers excellent value for money, especially for the features on offer.

However, if you opt for all the brand’s products (steering wheel, pedals, etc.), the bill will quickly reach over €3,000. And in this price bracket, only professionals can afford such a setup.

My verdict on Simucube’s Base 2 Pro

I have to admit that I’ve really enjoyed the hours I’ve spent on the Simucube 2 Pro. Quite simply, it’s one of the best bases in the world, for a number of reasons. It’s a product made with passion, for sim-racing and racing enthusiasts. If you can afford it, I urge you to get all the Simucube peripherals, because they’re well worth it.