There are numerous sim-racing peripherals and accessories, with a specific purpose for each motorsport discipline. The main components of a setup are a Direct Drive base, a discipline-specific steering wheel and a pedalset, preferably in Load Cell. If you can afford a cockpit, that’s a big plus, as it enhances immersion.

Of course, gaming enthusiasts will be looking at other aspects of the simulation, relating to their setup. Using a curved ultra-wide-angle monitor is one example, so you can have a huge windscreen in front of you displaying the track you’re racing on. However, this isn’t necessarily essential, as you can play with just one monitor and the experience will be just as good.

As far as specialized disciplines are concerned, we of course have equipment for them. If you’re a fan of shifting, shifters are peripherals that can be added to a setup without blowing the budget. There are also dashboards to display telemetric data specific to the vehicle or circuit you’re on. And then there are handbrakes. This peripheral is very popular with cross-country enthusiasts, but the rest of the racing community has mixed feelings about it.

Does the handbrake have a purpose in sim-racing, or is it a bling peripheral just for show? Well, that’s what we’re going to find out, along with the 3 best handbrakes on PS5.

The best handbrakes on PS5

Let’s get to the heart of the matter: what are the best handbrakes compatible with Sony’s console, the PS5? Although the sim-racing market is truly vast, with many global players and dozens, if not hundreds, of peripherals, there aren’t many that are compatible with consoles, particularly the PS5. And the quality ones can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Sony and Microsoft operate a very closed policy when it comes to their ecosystem. If these manufacturers don’t validate your products with a dedicated controller, you won’t have compatibility with their platform.

As a result, we find ourselves with an excellent market in terms of products and diversity on the PC, while consoles are often sidelined. And yet, consoles are capable of running almost any sim-racing title, but the walls of their ecosystems limit gamers to just a few hand-picked sim-racing brands.

The Fanatec ClubSport Handbrake V2

Let’s start with the first handbrake on this list, and it’s not just any handbrake: the Fanatec Handbrake V2, replacing the V1.5. Gone is the analog spring-loaded sensor, replaced by a load cell.

The V2’s design doesn’t change much from the one it replaces; instead of straight lines, it’s now curved lines that trace the entire sim-racing peripheral. Also, the color is plain this time, a very dark gray tending towards black.

In terms of performance, we’re superbly well served, far ahead of the competition on PS5. Thanks to an adjustable Load Cell, you can easily, and above all quickly, find your bearings in the art of cross-cutting. The handle is sensitive, adjustable in several positions, with a metal pommel this time, unlike the foam one on V1.5.

The sensations provided by this peripheral are simply excellent, and personally, I wouldn’t have expected anything less from Fanatec. Already, the V1.5 was very good in its field, with an aggressive price tag, and the V2 sets the bar well above the competition.

As soon as you pull back on the stick, you not only get a visual representation of the braking of the car’s rear wheels, but also a feel for the arm, with resistance rising progressively until you reach the end of the stroke. We all know that the LC doesn’t offer much in the way of stick travel, but the feel more than makes up for it. It’s by far the best handbrake to be found on Sony consoles, whether PS5 or PS4.

Let’s finish with the price. This Handbrake V2 costs just €200 on the Fanatec store, making it the best deal of the lot, far outstripping the other two on this list in terms of feel, track sensation, realism, immersion and price. It’s the go-to if you want the best on the market.

The Thrustmaster TSS Handbrake

Thrustmaster offers a shifter and handbrake combo in its range of sim-racing peripherals. The TSS is based on a metal structure, and is an official replica of the Sparco handbrake. The two brands have been collaborating on numerous sim-racing peripherals for several years, and Sparco is well known in the world of motorsports.

The TSS operates in two modes: sequential shifter or handbrake. The mechanism uses an analog sensor with a spring to manage resistance. In handbrake mode, the TSS proves highly responsive, while providing a realistic feel. The harder you pull on the stick, the harder the wheels at the rear of your car will brake, and eventually lock. This is on a par with what Logitech’s RS offers when in progressive mode, but far superior to the On/Off mode of Logitech’s product.

The TSS is considered by many racers to be a superb sim-racing handbrake, and I might agree with that if its selling price wasn’t so high. Displayed at €300, this Thrustmaster peripheral is just too expensive for what it offers. Sure, it’s well made, premium and PS5-compatible, but the asking price is just too high, in my opinion.

The Logitech RS Shifter & Handbrake

Logitech is one of the few manufacturers to offer PS5-compatible peripherals. For handbrakes, we have the RS Shifter & Handbrake. This is a hybrid device combining a sequential shifter and a handbrake.

The design of the RS is very attractive, with an all-black body and an electric blue ring on the handle. This device follows the stylistic code of Logitech’s Pro range, and personally, I like it.

For mounting, you have a bracket that allows horizontal or vertical mounting of the RS, with a height-adjustable handle. The housing is quite large, as it has to accommodate two modes of operation. But once installed on your setup, whether table or chassis, it’s not really noticeable.

Let’s move on to the sensations. Logitech’s RS works in 2 ways: progressive or On/Off. For the progressive option, no PS5 racing game supports it from memory, which is a real shame, because on PC, this handbrake proves to be well-made.

The On/Off mode works well in absolute terms, but without any feedback from the handbrake. This means that when racing, you won’t know whether the car’s rear wheels are locked or not, except visually. Why, you might ask, is such a device on this list? Well, few are compatible with the PS5, so it’s better to have a nice peripheral that doesn’t perform well on the track than nothing at all.

Why use a handbrake in sim-racing?

To cut a long story short: the usefulness of a handbrake in sim-racing depends on the context you’re in. If your setup is only for endurance, GT or F1 racing, you won’t need a handbrake, or even a shifter while you’re at it. A DD base, steering wheel, pedals and cockpit are all you need, as long as the peripherals are of the highest quality.

But sim-racing isn’t just about these 3 motorsport disciplines. We’ve got rallying, rallycross, Formula D and plenty of other competitions that require you to have a handbrake, and I’m not talking about arcade titles like Need For Speed. As I said earlier, it all depends on the context of your races.

An F1 fan won’t be looking for a handbrake, while a rally fan will need a handbrake to launch cross-country on special stages and other tracks requiring such a peripheral.