Best Simrigs You Can Buy at the start of 2025
As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to look at the best racing cockpits and sim rigs to kick off 2025.
Whether you’re a beginner or a dedicated racer, this list covers every major rig category — from foldable setups to extrusion profile beasts.
🕹️ Best Wheel Stands
When it comes to wheel stands, three models dominate the market right now.
🔩 Next Level Racing Wheel Stand 2.0
This is still one of the most stable and feature-rich wheel stands out there.
It includes:
- A solid steel frame
- Shifter and handbrake mounts
- A wheel tray
- Optional add-on seat for future upgrades
While its tray adjustability is limited, it’s rock-solid once set up.
New, it retails for around €250, but you can often find it secondhand for €120, which makes it an absolute steal.
⚙️ RacGTing Explorer 004
At around €100, this is a budget-friendly alternative.
It offers a decent setup, multiple mounting options, and good configuration flexibility.
However, the wheelbase holder flexes slightly under heavy use.
RacGTing is still a young company, so long-term durability remains to be proven — but so far, the performance is promising.
🛞 Oplite Wheel Stand GT Pro V2
Priced at €130, this one sits neatly between the NLR 2.0 and the RacGTing 004.
It’s stable, compact, and well-equipped for its price.
If you’re after a balanced option, this is it.
💡 Innovation Outlook:
The wheel stand segment is mature. There’s little left to innovate beyond improving stability and tray adjustability — areas where NLR and RacGTing are already leading.
🧳 Best Foldable Sim Rigs
The foldable cockpit market is small, but the new wave of rigs brings serious improvements.
🪑 RacGTing 301
Arguably the best bang-for-buck foldable cockpit today.
For €169, you get:
- A compact footprint
- Quick folding mechanism
- Full hardware compatibility
- Good comfort and adjustability
RacGTing’s youth as a brand is still something to note, but the build quality feels solid.
The pedal angle could use more adjustment for flat-mounted pedal sets, but overall, it’s impressive.
🎮 Playseat Challenge & Challenge X
The Challenge Classic is still a legend for its simplicity, foldability, and secondhand price (~€100).
The Challenge X, on the other hand, adds premium looks and materials — gray fabric, blue accents, and a refined frame — but the €350+ retail price is harder to justify.
🚗 Next Level Racing GT Lite Pro
A global contender from NLR, offering a good configuration, though the wheel mount and entry/exit stability could be improved.
The folding mechanism remains a bit flimsy, and we’re still waiting for a company to nail this issue once and for all.
💡 Innovation Outlook:
Foldable rigs need:
- Better wheel mount stability
- Improved entry/exit ergonomics
- More adjustable pedal angles
🧍♂️ Best Tubular Frame Sim Rigs
The tubular rig market is vast — it’s about style, weight, and footprint.
🏁 Playseat Trophy
My top pick in this category.
It’s a hybrid tubular rig with:
- Reversible pedal base for F1 or GT driving
- Excellent rigidity
- Compact dimensions and lightweight design
It’s ideal for smaller spaces and easy to move when cleaning.
Downsides? The wheelbase mount lacks adjustability, and it’s pricey (€520–€600).
🏎️ Oplite GTR S8
At €500, this is an outstanding alternative.
It’s comfortable, well-built, and compatible with almost all wheelbases and pedals.
While the Playseat Trophy feels slightly sturdier, the S8 wins for GT-style driving comfort — making this choice a matter of personal preference.
🧰 GT Omega Titan
A solid, no-nonsense rig. Around €500 with seat, it’s sturdy and configurable, but doesn’t excel in any particular category.
Still, it’s a dependable option for racers wanting reliability and decent adjustability.
💡 Innovation Outlook:
Tubular rigs could improve with:
- More color variety (style matters!)
- Better wheelbase adjustability
- Standardized mounts for cross-brand compatibility (like NLR, Oplite, and Playseat add-ons)
🧱 Best Extrusion Profile Sim Rigs
This is where things get serious — maximum rigidity, modularity, and performance.
🥇 SimXpro GT-RS
My long-time favorite.
It features:
- Innovative pedal mounting
- Accent color details
- Compact footprint and small shipping box
At €429, it’s a strong midrange rig.
However, availability is limited outside the EU, and the vertical beams are a bit short for taller users or higher-mounted wheelbases.
🥈 Trak Racer TR40S
The new king of value in 2025.
With a €299 price tag, it delivers features usually reserved for rigs €100–150 more expensive:
- Red accent fillers and printed logos
- TR-branded end caps
- Excellent rigidity
- Compact footprint
- Broad configuration range
Trak Racer’s global availability is another big plus.
So far, I’ve found no major flaws. My full review of the TR40S will be coming in early January, but it already feels like a game-changer in its class.
⚙️ GT Omega Prime Lite
Another strong contender, priced at €400–€450.
It includes a shifter frame, on-the-fly wheelbase adjustment, and solid build quality.
Its only downside is the plain black design, which lacks visual flair.
💡 Innovation Outlook:
Extrusion rigs could use:
- Smaller footprints
- Foldable or quick-storage solutions
- More stylish color options (like Trak Racer’s red fillers)
- Design touches that make them more home-friendly for shared spaces
🏁 Final Thoughts
Every rig listed here is one I’ve personally tested and can confidently recommend.
I focus on value, innovation, and accessibility — not just high-end price tags.
There are rigs that cost €1,000+, sure, but they fall outside the realistic range for most of us.
For 2025, the winners by category are:
🏆 Best Wheel Stand: Next Level Racing Wheelstand 2.0 (used)
🏆 Best Foldable Rig: RacGTing 301
🏆 Best Tubular Rig: Playseat Trophy
🏆 Best Extrusion Rig: Trak Racer TR40S
🎯 Recommendations
- Add caster wheels or seat rails for comfort and accessibility.
- Look for secondhand deals on older Playseat or NLR models.
- Support small brands like RacGTing — they’re driving real innovation.