Your beginner setup has sparked considerable passion for sim racing, you have already upgraded to better pedals, but now you want to take the next step in wheel bases: Direct Drive. These two words are everywhere in sim racing hardware, and just a few years ago, bases with this concept were unaffordable for the majority of sim racers. This has changed, however – here are the best Direct Drive wheel bases under 600€.
As we explained in our article about the best entry-level wheels and pedals, Force Feedback can be delivered in various different ways. The current state-of-the art mechanic is Direct Drive, which does away with gears or belts – instead, the steering column is mounted to an electric motor, which directly drives (hence the name) the wheel.
Advantages of Direct Drive
The most obvious advantage Direct Drive wheel bases have over conventional ones is their power output: While most belt-driven options top out between 8 and 9 Nm of peak force, top-end DD wheel bases can reach nearly 30 Nm – enough to authentically replicate the steering forces of cars that do not feature power steering like modern IndyCars.
Of course, very few sim racers would actually race with a steering set this heavy, but even if your forces tend to peak at 14 to 15 Nm, it is good to have that bit of extra oomph in reserve in order for your wheel base to be able to feed back all the road details even under heavy load.
Direct Drive also offers considerably quicker reaction times – being able to countersteer almost instantaneously can make all the difference in catching a slide and preventing your car from spinning. Additionally, it is almost inaudible when in operation.
Now that you are up to speed on the advantages of Direct Drive, let us take a look at the best DD options under 600€ in order of their price.
MOZA Racing R5
Price: 399,00€
Compatibility: PC
The entry-level wheel base by MOZA Racing clocks in at a respectable peak output of 5.5 Nm and includes compatibility with all MOZA wheels. The body of the compact wheel base is made from aluminium, and sim racers are able to change settings on the fly using the Cloud Control App. Data transfer between wheels and the wheel base does not require any wires.
Its price is a major advantage for the 600€ budget we are looking at in this article: Should you need a wheel – and you likely do, as MOZA does not offer non-DD, bases, so you are unlikely to own a compatible wheel if you are looking to make the upgrade – you can bundle the R5 with the ES Steering Wheel – and you would still be 42€ in the clear.
The R5 is also available as a bundle with the SR-P Lite Pedal Set included in addition to the ES Steering Wheel. This setup will set you back 659€, but does supply all you need to go out on track immediately, even if it is slightly over budget.
Pros:
- Compact design
- Aluminium housing
- Good value
- Companion app to change settings on the fly
- Compatible with the entire MOZA ecosystem
- Compatible with a table clamp (sold separately)
Cons:
- 5.5 Nm is on the lower end of power output
- Not upgradeable with a better power supply to increase maximum torque
- Compatible wheel needs to be bought separately, increasing overall price
- No console compatibility
MOZA Racing R9 V2
Price: 479,00€
Compatibility: PC
At a glance, the R9 V2 looks remarkably similar to the R5, but it is a significant step up for not much more money: At a peak torque output of 9 Nm, the wheel base almost doubles the power of its smaller cousin, and it offers more features as well, such as compatibility with MOZA’s CM HD Digital Dash.
Just like the R5, the R9 V2 is compatible with the entire MOZA ecosystem and can be controlled via MOZA’s own app. Additionally, the data transfer between the wheel base and wheels is wireless.
Pros:
- Significantly higher torque than the R5 for a moderate increase in price
- Compact design
- Aluminium housing
- Companion app to change settings on the fly
- Compatible with the entire MOZA ecosystem
- Compatible with a table clamp (sold separately)
Cons:
- Compatible wheel needs to be bought separately, increasing overall price
- No console compatibility
Fanatec CSL DD (8 Nm)
Price: 499,95€
Compatibility: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
With the announcement of the CSL DD, Fanatec set the Direct Drive revolution in motion in 2021: Available in versions of 5 and 8 Nm, it was the first DD wheel base that was affordable for the average sim racer. The 5 Nm version (349,99€) can be upgraded via a better power supply to increase the maximum torque to 8 Nm and is well worth considering, too – especially if you already own Fanatec wheels, pedals or both.
The more powerful version is the one that makes the base live up to its potential, however, although it is good to have the option to upgrade the weaker one later on should you wish to do so. Its FFB is nice and detailed, and the CSL DD delivers it very smoothly. Its slotted housing design allows for smart mounting solutions for multiple types of rigs.
Pros:
- Compact design
- Compatibility with the Fanatec ecosystem
- Smart housing design allows for multitude of mounting solutions
- Compatible with a table clamp (sold separately)
- Smooth FFB
- Compatible with Xbox consoles
Cons:
- Availability has been limited recently
- Boost kit power supply does not really warrant a 150€ price increase from the 5 Nm version to the 8 Nm one
Fanatec Gran Turismo DD Pro Wheel Base (8 Nm)
Price: 599,95€
Compatibility: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Fanatec’s GT DD Pro is much the same as the CSL DD, but with added PlayStation compatibility and a rounder housing design. It comes with the Boost Kit power supply included and boasts the same 8 Nm peak torque figure of its cousin.
The advantages are the same, especially if you already own Fanatec gear due to the GT DD Pro’s compatibility with the ecosystem. To use it on an Xbox console, however, you will need a wheel that is Xbox compatible, too, so not every Fanatec wheel will work with Microsoft’s consoles.
The GT DD Pro is available in its 5 Nm version, too, but only as a bundle featuring the official Gran Turismo wheel and the CSL Pedals. This raises its price to 699,95€.
Pros:
- Compact design
- Compatibility with the Fanatec ecosystem
- Smart housing design allows for multitude of mounting solutions
- Compatible with a table clamp (sold separately)
- Smooth FFB
- Compatible with PlayStation and Xbox consoles
Cons:
- 100€ more than the CSL DD for mostly the same tech with added PlayStation compatibility
- Availability has been limited recently
- Not Xbox compatible with every Fanatec wheel