Best Racing Simulator Seats & Cockpits: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

There’s nothing quite like immersing yourself in a good racing game. If you want to take the experience to the next level, you need to get your hands on a great racing simulator setup. To help you with that, I’ve put together this list of the best gaming seat racing rigs in 2023.

How to Choose a Racing Simulator Seat

The first question you need to ask yourself when choosing a racing simulator seat is ‘How basic or complex do I want my setup to be?’.

If you just want a nice ergonomic gaming chair to sit on while you play some Forza using your regular controller, a standard racing seat will do.

If you want the whole shebang, you’ll need more than just the chair itself. That means a wheel, shifter, foot pedals, and various other racing sim accessories. In that case, you’ll need a racing simulator seat that comes complete with a frame to mount all those accessories on.

With that in mind, there are three different types of racing simulator seat set-ups you should know about:

1. Racing-style Gaming Chairs
2. Full Racing Rigs/Cockpits
3. Motion Cockpits

Racing-style gaming chairs are just like any other but are designed after classic racing car seats. You can pair your racing chair up with a wheel stand (which you can purchase separately) to make it more of a real racing simulator seat if you want to use a wheel rather than your controller.

Full racing rigs or ‘cockpits’ are a little different. A cockpit is essentially a metal frame on which you can mount a seat, wheel, shifter, and other racing equipment. They enable you to create a complete set-up that fully mimics your car interior.

Some cockpits come with the seat and other equipment included and attached to the frame, while others require you to purchase these extra bits separately. Cockpits that come with their own racing seats are usually more expensive than regular racing chairs.

Motion Cockpits are – yep, you guessed it – racing rigs that include an element of motion. This means the seat literally moves based on what’s happening in the game.

It takes the whole experience to the next level, blurring the lines between reality and the game. So much so that you’ll feel as if you’re in a real car. These types of racing simulator seats are the most expensive.

Once you’ve decided which type of racing simulator seat you’d like to buy and are ready to start shopping around, here’s what you should look out for:

What to Look For in a Racing-style Gaming Chair:

• An ergonomic design
• A high weight capacity
• Highly adjustable (height, tilt, armrests, etc.)
• High-quality upholstery and build materials
• Stylish design
• Comfortable padding

What to Look For in a Racing Cockpit

• Multi-bar wheel support
• Compatibility with screen mount
• Included accessories/hardware (seat, shifter, wheel, pedals, etc.)
• Good build quality (durable materials and strong frame)
• Adjustable wheel support (height, tilt, distance)

What to Look For in a Motion Cockpit

• Full motion, including tilt, turn, and movement
• Integrated audio surround sound
• Affordability (motion cockpits can be very expensive)
• All the features you’d look for in a regular racing cockpit

Now that you know what to look for, let’s dive right into my list of the best gaming seat racing chairs in 2023.

So, the best racing simulator seats and cockpits are:

1. Playseat Evolution
2. Playseat Challenge
3. GTR Simulator GTA Model
4. Next Level Racing GTTrack Simulator Cockpit
5. CXC Motion Pro II Racing Simulator
6. SimFab GEN3 Racing Cockpit
7. Sim Lab GT1 Pro Sim Racing Cockpit
8. VIVO Racing Simulator Cockpit
9.  Extreme Simracing Cockpit 3.0
10.  Next Level Racing GT Lite Foldable Simulator Cockpit
11.  RESPAWN-200 Racing Style Gaming Chair
12.  SimCraft APEX6 GT Motion Racing Simulator
13.  RSeat N1 M4A Motion Racing Simulator
14.  DOF Reality Motion Simulator H3 Racing Cockpit Platform
15.  Secretlab Titan Series

Don’t run off to get your racing chair just yet, though. Choosing a racing simulator deserves a lot of thought as it’s usually a costly purchase. Before you buy anything, make sure the setup you’re eyeing has all the features you need and meshes with your body type and racing gear.

1. Playseat Evolution

Category: Racing Cockpit

Playseat has earned a couple of spots on this list for good reason. It’s probably the biggest and best racing simulator brand on the market. In fact, it’s so well-respected in the racing simulator space that even many world-famous F1 divers use their seats to train.

The Evolution is Playseat’s shining gem and in my opinion one of the gold standards for racing chairs. It has a column for the steering wheel and a footrest built right in. You just need to hook up your game system and it’s off to the races. In case you’re wondering, it’s compatible with every console out there.

It’s laid out really well to fit most kids and adults without issue. There are a ton of easily adjustable points for racers of different sizes. The weight limit caps out at around 270 lbs, which should cover most people.

You won’t have to worry about the Evolution taking up a ton of space in your gaming center, either. It has a pretty compact design out of the box as long as you make room for where the pedals will go.

No worries if you can’t leave your Evolution in a permanent spot. It has a patented folding design for easy storage when you need to tuck it away to clear out space for something else. This design also makes the chair easy to set up right out of the box. You should be up and running in around ten minutes.

There are a handful of different Evolution models floating out there for you to pick from. The differences boil down to color choices and vinyl vs. a higher-quality Alcantara coating for an even better feel. Don’t let the price variation between models catch you off-guard.

2. Playseat Challenge

Category: Racing Cockpit

Up next, another Playseat racing chair – the Challenge. In case the Evolution wasn’t quite affordable enough for you, this definitely will be.

It’s my top budget racing chair pick for those looking for something quick and easy to set up. It’s also very portable.

The reason it’s so affordable is that the manufacturers have cut costs on the build quality. Instead of padded cushions and a solid frame, this chair is essentially just a piece of fabric (albeit nice Alcantara suede fabric) draped over some steel tubes.

But don’t let looks deceive you. It might look like a glorified garden chair, but it provides all you really need for a basic racing simulator setup.

It includes a length-adjustable multi-bar wheel support that sits on top of your lap. You can also mount foot pedals to the bottom bar by clamping them to it. It’s incompatible with a screen mount (no surprises there, considering the price) and there’s no shifter mount but, other than that, it’s the whole package.

This cockpit has been designed more for storage than for comfort. There’s no lush, thick padding to keep you comfortable, and the design can’t be called ‘ergonomic’.

Nonetheless, one thing you have to give the Challenge credit for is how portable it is. The no-frills design means it’s totally collapsible and very lightweight. You can pull it out and set it up in minutes, then pack it up and hide it away again just as quickly.

Considering it looks a lot like a garden chair, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it has a decent weight capacity too. It can support up to 268 lbs, which is plenty enough for most people. Like most Playseat chairs, it’s also fully compatible with PC, Xbox, and PlayStation consoles.

3. GTR Simulator GTA Model

Category: Racing Cockpit

The GTR Simulator GTA Model includes a reclining seat (with a 4-way adjustable seating position), steering wheel plate, a heavy-duty frame (with adjustable length), and shifter mount. It also comes with wheel support to mount a wheel on, but the wheel support is minimally adjustable, unlike some other racing seats on this list.

Every part of the frame is a steel alloy material for optimal toughness. The chair itself comes with synthetic leather, which is a step up from lower-end designs.

GTR’s Simulator GTA Model is completely compatible with PCs and almost any gaming console you can think of. You’ll just need to bring your own console to the party.

The standout feature of this racing simulator, though, and what makes it unique from many other simulator seats on this list is the triple monitor TV stand.

This is a feature that many other racing chairs lack and a feature that serious gamers often really want. The triple monitor TV stand means you can mount three separate monitors at once and have a ‘curved’ screen. The reason this is so desirable is that it creates more of a true field of vision, similar to what you’d get on a real racing track.

4. Next Level Racing GTTrack Simulator Cockpit

Category: Racing or Motion Cockpit

Next Level Racing’s GTTrack is the culmination of eight years of customer feedback.  They even sought the input of professional drivers. The result is this model that checks many of the boxes sim racers are looking for.

This is a chair for professionals and serious racers only. Newbies to the sim racing world are probably better off picking up a more beginner-level model like the Playseat Evolution.

I say that for good reason. You can mount all your goodies as you see fit for a completely immersive experience. It’s compatible with all the top-name direct drive wheel manufacturers to drop in and play.

The GTTrack simulator includes a four-point harness and gear shifter holder to fully pimp out your design. Several adjustment points help fit people of many shapes and sizes up to 330 lbs.

You’ve got your pick of optional add-ons like the motion platform and monitor stand for ultimate realism. There’s even a flight pack if you plan to take to the skies. 

This isn’t a small setup. Fortunately, the entire rig is on lockable castor wheels so you can quickly move it out of the way when not in use.

As you can imagine, this racing cockpit is on the higher end of the spectrum, but you get what you pay for. All those add-ons can ratchet up the price even further.

5. CXC Motion Pro II Racing Simulator

Category: Motion Cockpit

If you thought the Next Level Racing GTTrack Simulator was expensive, you may want to be sitting down for this one. CXC’s Motion Pro II comes in at $69,000 and goes up from there.

I had sticker shock too, but the price is not without reason. You’re paying for the entire racing package, including steering wheel, foot pedals, and even a gaming monitor. You don’t need to bring any of your own equipment to complete this setup.

That base price comes with a 55” 4K Ultra HD screen, aluminum bodywork, paddle shifters, a GT wheel, and composite racing seat. CXC comes out to unbox and set everything up for you at no extra cost.

I won’t get into all the upgrades you can add to your build, but just about everything can be taken to the next level. There’s a flight package add-on for air simulations and a multiplayer control system to link up multiple cockpits in the same room.

At that price point, you’d better believe it has motion built-in for total immersion. 

6. SimFab GEN3 Racing Cockpit

Category: Racing Cockpit

SimFab’s GEN3 racing cockpit brings us back down to a more budget-friendly model for general gaming use. It comes completely deconstructed in the box, so be sure to set aside some time when the cockpit arrives for assembly.

Unlike some other models, you’ve got a choice of six different colors for the majority of the chair. Black’s a staple, but red, purple, green, orange, and yellow are available too.

The chair itself is made from a PU fabric material. It’s known to be more breathable and lasts much longer than its faux-leather counterpart. The frame’s tubular steel and has a high weight capacity.

Everything about the cockpit is robust, but SimFab offers an add-on conversion kit for heavier steering wheels and more torque if you think you’ll need it.

You shouldn’t have to worry about compatibility with your racing gear. The GEN3 works with all the big-name wheel and pedal manufacturers for easy plug-and-play.

7. Sim Lab GT1 Pro Sim Racing Cockpit

Category: Racing Cockpit

Not to be confused with SimFab, Sim Lab has a racing cockpit of its own. The GT1 Pro Sim is just the aluminum profile out of the box; you’ll have to shell out extra for the rather unique-looking curved bright blue chair.

That said, it’s a very well-designed high-end frame. The wheel and pedal deck are a single piece of aluminum for extra strength. Another standout feature is the side mount for adding shifters, handbrakes, or whatever else comes to mind.

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Holes for all the top wheel and pedal mounts are pre-drilled so you can drop your gear right into place. There’s a spot for a single or triple monitor mount as well if you want to spend the extra money.

The Sim Lab GT1 is a brand-new product, but it’s already shaping up to be a great addition to the sim racing community.

8. VIVO Racing Simulator Cockpit

Category: Racing Cockpit

VIVO enters the scene with a racing cockpit of its own. It’s got a steel frame, which is a little lower quality than similar aluminum models. It does get the price down a bit, making this a surprisingly affordable rig.

The chair itself is a bit of a skinny fit, which goes along with the theme of the cockpit. You can tell there’s less foam in this model than comparable ones on this list, but again it all comes down to that price point.

There’s a wheel tilt feature built into the frame, and the chair itself leans from 30° to 90°. It’s compatible with a range of electronics, but the list isn’t quite as exhaustive as others. Not an issue if your wheel/pedals are on the list.

VIVO throws in a gear shift mount for good measure. You can add it to either the right or left side of the chair and switch if you ever need to.

Take your pick of blue or red chair accent color when you add it to your cart. For an additional 30 bucks, it comes with a TV mount.

The one downside of this setup is a low weight limit. At 220 lbs, it’s not for everybody. It’s a great choice if you meet the requirements though.

9. Extreme Simracing Cockpit 3.0

Category: Racing Cockpit

We’re back to another racing chassis with Extreme Simracing’s offering. It doesn’t come with the chair, so I suppose you could attach a different one if the nuts and bolts line up. If they don’t, the chair will set you back an additional $500.

The Cockpit 3.0 has some cool features I’ve not seen in other racing cockpits, though. There’s a mount for a keyboard and remote so you don’t have to get up or toss those on the ground before you jump into a race. For me, it cleans up the clutter and makes the whole setup that much easier to use.

Obviously, the cockpit has space for pedals and wheels as well. There’s quite a bit of adjustability front to back, left to right, and up and down to lock in everything precisely where you need it.

If that wasn’t enough, it comes with a TV mount suitable for TVs up to about 50 inches. Heck, it even has a cup holder.

All that metal is no-flex carbon steel, rigid to the core. It can take a beating or some serious weight before you make a dent in this design.

10. Next Level Racing GT Lite Foldable Simulator Cockpit

Category: Racing Cockpit

The GT Lite feels like it could double as a folding lawn chair with how compact it is. It crunches together really well even with gadgets mounted to it for easy portability. At 30 lbs without wheel and pedals, you’ll still need to put your back into lifting it up.

All that weight helps make the GT Lite a sturdy chair. It can support nearly 300 lbs in the driver’s seat. There’s not much padding on the chair, but that cost has to come out somewhere.

Most wheels and pedals are compatible with the design, and there’s a gear shifter you can install on the left or right side. This may be a budget-level entry, but it comes with a lot.

Where this chair stands apart from the Playseat Challenge is that you can mount a single or triple-screen TV on an add-on monitor stand. If you want to go one step further, there’s a pack for flight simulators. 

11. RESPAWN-200 Racing Style Gaming Chair

Category: Racing-style Chair

The RESPAWN-200 is a no-thrills, racing-style gaming chair. It boasts superior ergonomic comfort thanks to the molded foam seat filling, innovative open back seat design, adjustable headrest and lumbar support, and solid steel tube frame for extra support.

This chair can be adjusted in 4 dimensions to lock in your play style. You can raise or lower the seat to adjust the height, tweak the armrest height and depth for better wrist support, and recline up to 130 degrees with the infinite tilt lock.

For a racing chair of this price, you’re getting the alloy steel frame and faux leather where there’s no mesh. These features are usually seen on higher-end chairs.

Sure, there’s no option to mount a wheel or pedals. You’ll need to use the desk or floor for that. Because this is a chair though, it doesn’t take up much space in a room and serves as a seat even when not racing.

You’ll have five colors (red, blue, green, black, and white) to choose from before you click buy. These colors exist as accents to a primarily black design.

12. SimCraft APEX6 Motion Racing Simulator

Category: Motion Cockpit

The SimCraft APEX Motion Racing Simulator is another motion cockpit on this list, and it’s also one of the best. SimCraft themselves refer to this as ‘the premier professional racing simulator’. It represents the epitome of the professional racing simulator market and has a price tag to match.

There’s a lot to talk about here, but let’s start with the seat. The included ‘bucket seat’ has a 500 lbs weight capacity, which makes it one of the most heavy-duty gaming chairs around and suitable for the biggest and tallest racers. It’s also made for professional racers and has an ergonomic, versatile, highly-adjustable design.

The cockpit itself features ‘full motion’ capabilities. Full motion is a term used to refer to the full range of movements possible in a 3-dimensional space, also known as the ‘6 degrees of freedom’. This seat can roll, yaw, pitch, sway, heave, and any other movement-related verbs you can think of!

Driving this chair actually feels like driving a real racing car at high speed. Combine that with the triple-monitor mount for a full field of vision and the 5.1 surround sound system, and you’ve got yourself one of the most immersive racing simulator seats possible.

13. RSeat N1 M4A Motion Racing Simulator

Category: Motion Cockpit

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The RSeat N1 is another incredible motion racing simulator that boasts many of the same professional-quality features as the SimCraft.

There are a ton of cool features to mention here. The most important thing to note is that this setup has full motion functionality for movement in 6 degrees of freedom.

It boasts up to 1 g-force and comes with software you can install on a Windows PC. Many important points adjust to fit your body type and play style. You can use this rig as an all-in-one since it has a mount for keyboard and mouse. 

RSeat includes the chair that’s finished in genuine Alcantara material. It doesn’t include the wheel or pedals like other motion cockpits on our list, but it does have a gaming controller. Factor that into the cost when you go to buy.

There are three models to choose from: the M4A 1500, the M4A 3000, and the M4A 6000. The number represents how high the cockpit can rise, 1.5 inches, 3 inches, or 6 inches, respectively.

14. DOF Reality Motion Simulator H3 Racing Cockpit Platform

Category: Motion Cockpit

The DOF Reality Motion Simulator is a more affordable alternative for people that want a motion cockpit but can’t afford the extremely high price tags associated with professional models. It’s toted as the #1 most-sold motion simulator in the world, for what that’s worth.

You’ll have six degrees of freedom here, with pitch, roll, yaw, surge, sway, and heave. There’s a real drifting sensation as you take those tight corners.

It’s not just the seat that moves with this cockpit, but the whole platform, including hardware like the wheel and pedals. The hardware’s not included, though.

Flight enthusiasts can tag on the flight upgrade and add a joystick for an unprecedented air experience.

The main drawbacks are that this only works on PC and doesn’t include a seat. It isn’t compatible with a monitor mount, meaning you’ll have to use it with a VR headset instead. Not a big deal if that’s your jam.

15. Secretlab Titan Series

Category: Racing-style Chair

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The Secretlab Titan Series isn’t a racing cockpit, but it is a racing-style gaming chair that will provide you with all the ergonomic support you need to race comfortably without all the frills. It doesn’t come with a frame to mount hardware on, but you can pair it up with a standing wheel mount if you’d prefer to use a wheel than a controller.

Secretlab is a brand that’s very open about the fact that they take inspiration from real racing seats. They say on their website, ‘our chairs are inspired by car racing seats’. This means their chairs feel a lot like legitimate car seats and will help you to feel like you’re really on the racetracks.

You’ve got several options for chair material and even size variants to make the fit as comfortable as possible. There’s a built-in lumbar support and the armrests move in 4 dimensions.

The Titan Series is also my overall favorite gaming chair in 2023 thanks to the solid construction, comfortable padding, and excellent ergonomic support.

Related Questions

What is the best gaming seat racing chair in 2023?

My top pick for the all-around best gaming seat racing chair in 2023 goes to the Playseat Evolution. It’s a very affordable option that still has all you need for a complete racing rig. It’s also cross-console compatible, comfortable, and boasts a solid, durable construction.

What’s the best racing game to play on a simulator seat?

One of the best racing simulator games available is Assetto Corsa. It has a great force feedback feature and is compatible with Xbox, Playstation, and PC. The best Xbox-specific racing game, in my opinion, is Forza Motorsport. Other great racing simulator games include the F1 series, GRID, RaceRoom, and Driveclub games.

What’s the best wheel stand?

The best wheel stand for you will depend on your gaming setup and personal preferences. Some great options include the Extreme Simracing Cockpit 3.0 and the Sim Lab GT1 Pro Sim Racing Cockpit.

How much do racing sim wheels cost?

Racing simulator wheels come in many different price bands. The cheapest wheels will cost less than $100 but won’t include important features like force feedback and will be very limited in accuracy and functionality.

Mid-range wheels are priced between $200 and $400, typically include force feedback, are very accurate, and have large maximum rotations. They’re good enough for most people.

High-end, ‘Direct Drive’ racing sim wheels can cost upwards of $1000 and are super-accurate. They’re only used on the most professional, luxury gaming sim rigs.

What should I look for in a racing sim wheel?

Some things you’ll want to look out for when shopping for a racing sim wheel include compatibility with multiple consoles, force feedback, a high maximum rotation, durable frame, and compatibility with other accessories such as shifters.

What’s the cheapest racing simulator setup?

The cheapest setup is a DIY racing sim setup. This means you don’t have to buy any expensive hardware or equipment and can make it yourself instead. Unless you’re great with tools and technology, though, this can be difficult.

If that seems too much for you, buy a racing wheel and wheel stand and use it in conjunction with your existing chair or sofa. You won’t get the ergonomic benefits of a purpose-built gaming/racing chair, but you’ll save money.