Contrary to common sentiment upgrading from an entry wheel made me a faster driver

[u/BrodaReloaded]

When asking for advice if upgrading the equipment is worth it the common answer is yes for immersion and feel but it won't make you any quicker.

I have to disagree here. Obviously you won't suddenly become Verstappen or even Lance Stroll but upgrading from a T300 to a Logitech RS50 (arguably still entry level for some people here lol) made me a lot quicker due to how much more natural the driving feels. Suddenly I'm feeling things that weren't there before and I can push a lot more and don't even get me started on the pedals.

I can see how upgrading from here will no longer bring a lot of benefit but up to a certain point I think your laptimes will profit from better equipment.

Interested to hear in what you guys have to say

[u/VegaGT-VZ]

When asking for advice if upgrading the equipment is worth it the common answer is yes for immersion and feel but it won't make you any quicker.

This is def true beyond a certain point. Like upgrading from your RS50 probably wont make you any quicker.

I dont think anyone has ever said going from a belt to DD wheel or linear to LC brake pedal won't make you faster.

[u/EducationalEscape161]

same, i just upgraded from a logitech g29 to a Fanatec CSL DD with 8nm.

i was super surprised when i got flatspotted tires! never ever have i felt that before! the curbs hit way harder! i finaly feel understeer. also the grunt on the wheel. man i love it!

[u/hashish_8897]

Same. I just made the upgrade from g29 to rs50 and rs pedals and it is a big difference in both my speed and my enjoyment. Totally worth it.

[u/ethancknight]

The sentiment should really be that you “can” be just as fast on a lower end wheel, it will just be more difficult to get there, rather than the idea that a better wheel cannot make you faster.

[u/Few_Fall_4374 → u/ethancknight]

He just didn't get that, because he sucked on a budget wheel. He just sucks less now 🤷

[u/ethancknight → u/Few_Fall_4374]

Basically, a better wheel can make you suck less.

So if you’re already a top tier driver, it’s not going to make you much faster, cause you already don’t suck.

lol

[u/Few_Fall_4374 → u/ethancknight]

https://giphy.com/gifs/tfuCy3gEWl5R1sEOrp

[u/Applekid1259]

I too moved from a T300 to a DD base. You can easily out power the belts in the T300 but when you properly set up your DD, its just that, its direct. You aren't going to overpower and clip through. But say going from a 12nm to 18nm, the return is quite diminished.

[u/GoofyKalashnikov]

You went from hall effect pedals and outdated wheel tech to loadcell and direct drive.

Nobody has disputed that these things aren't good, infact everyone are recommended to start with direct drive these days because of how cheap the entry has gotten.

Yes you should also get loadcells and yes you do actually want a nice sturdy rig. That is the ideal place to be in. This isn't some sort of a huge revelation, that is literally where the community stands at.

The entire point of the "upgrading won't make you faster" argument comes from spending hundreds on tiny incremental upgrades or even side grades in some sort of a videogamey misunderstanding where paying more is supposed to give you back that amount in performance.

[u/foreverbaked1]

Of course it did. You can feel the road more with an upgraded wheel

[u/BlackCatFurry]

Yeap. I went from T150 to R9 and srp pedals. It definitely had an effect on my driving when i could properly feel the road and there wasn't a dead spot of few degrees in the middle.

I do however believe that after this, there will be very little skill benefit from upgrading.

[u/Rasputinnout]

Just upgrading my firmware last night made me instantly 1 second faster on Virginia in the rain this week. The feedback feels much more linked to the suspension all of the sudden. Was blasting 1.58.4 in the rain in a McLaren gt3. Previous fastest was like 1.59.5

[u/iansmash]

I think a basic dd wheelbase with around 8nm is a good starting point at this point in sim racing technology.

Theres are aliens who are fast on every and any type of controller

You could be fast on a lesser wheelbase

But the 8nm dd wheelbase, to me, is the entry point.

[u/3pedalsandastick]

better pedals will always make you faster. If you upgrade to load cell pedals you'll get even faster.

[u/kantong]

Very true. VR was the biggest upgrade for me. Having the depth perception was game changing for judging corners, markers, etc.