As a lot enjoyable as sim racing could be, it’s additionally a passion that forces you to make some relatively annoying sacrifices, particularly once you’re beginning out. Those sacrifices are to your pockets, after all — fancy, new direct drive wheels and load-cell pedals aren’t low cost — but additionally, sacrifices to your residing area. Affixing your {hardware} to a desk or folding tray desk works when you’re searching for absolutely the least expensive setup, but it surely’s removed from preferrred, particularly for in the present day’s high-torque tools. On the flip facet, a correct rig requires room, to not point out a good larger monetary funding.
If you’re ready to take that leap, although, the Playseat Trophy is one thing you need to contemplate. Playseat has been lively on this area since 1995, making devoted seats for racing simulation affixed to steel-tube chassis which are made to take a beating. The firm has partnered with Logitech for a branded model of its Trophy cockpit, constructed to help Logitech’s new G Pro direct-drive Racing Wheel and load-cell outfitted Racing Pedals. It retails for $599 from Logitech’s web site and releases in the present day, February 21.
Logitech shipped me a Trophy equipment a couple of weeks again and I’ve been utilizing it, together with Logitech’s newest wheel and pedals, to play Gran Turismo 7 since. Right off the bat, I’ll dispel some potential for confusion right here and say that nothing concerning the Logitech taste of the Trophy is materially totally different from Playseat’s normal mannequin, besides the Logitech one has the suitable branding and is available in a novel gray-and-cyan colorway. That’s actually it. Otherwise, the $599 worth level is not any totally different than what Playseat fees for the Trophy it’ll ship you immediately, and the design and performance is precisely the identical.
Still, I’d by no means used a Playseat Trophy earlier than, having turned all my prior sim racing laps on a Wheel Stand Pro, and earlier than that on a dreaded tray desk, as all of us do after we enter this area of interest. The Trophy would possibly seem like rather a lot when you’re coming from equally humble beginnings, but it surely’s truly fairly easy to construct. Assembly solely requires the included Allen wrenches — and perhaps a little bit of elbow grease to stretch the seat’s cloth over the metallic body.
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That’s probably the most attention-grabbing factor concerning the Trophy: what seems to be like a fully-formed racing seat is definitely simply Playseat’s very sturdy and breathable ActiFit cloth, slipped over metallic and tightened to the body with many, many Velcro flaps. Yeah — I used to be skeptical too. I wasn’t assured mere Velcro may maintain my 160 kilos, not to mention hold inflexible sufficient for me to pay attention absolutely on my digital driving and ignore all distractions.
This factor is mainly a sim racing hammock, but it surely works fantastically. Again, getting all of the flaps to fulfill and the seat cloth taut and sitting the place it ought to is a little bit of a ache, however an additional set of palms helps. The profit to the shell-less design is that it retains the Trophy mild — simply 37 kilos not counting no matter {hardware}’s connected to it. That makes it very simple to maneuver round when you need to.
Assembly’s not too terrible. Getting the seat dialed in precisely the way you need it and conformed to your physique’s preferrred driving place will most likely devour extra of your time. To that finish just about every little thing concerning the Trophy is adjustable. The seat again can transfer ahead or recline; the pedal base could be moved nearer or additional away from you, left flat or tilted upward. The base for the steering wheel could be angled simply as nicely, or flipped round to change its distance from the chair.
Initially I didn’t suppose the seat was height-adjustable, till I noticed that’s what lengthening the body’s midsection was for. I want there was a approach to elevate the seat relative to the wheel with out extending the whole lot of the chassis by a couple of inches, however that’s a small gripe for somebody who’s particularly area aware.
Adjustments, very like meeting, are principally achieved by tightening and loosening screws with an Allen wrench. The trial and error is monotonous and annoying, however you need to solely be fidgeting with these things as soon as. And as soon as you determine what works for you, the Trophy is a dream to drive in.
It doesn’t wobble, or creak, or give. To get probably the most out of a set of load-cell pedals or a high-torque wheel, you actually need a strong, hard-mounted base to repair every little thing to, and that’s what you’re getting with the Playseat Trophy. Just just like the non-Logitech model, this rig has common plates that may help {hardware} from Fanatec and Thrustmaster, permitting it to evolve as your setup does.
It’s exhausting to problem a blanket advice for one thing just like the Trophy, costing as a lot and requiring the area that it does. Personally, being very acquainted with extra moveable, fold-away choices just like the Wheel Stand Pro and Trak Racer’s FS3 stand, I’ve at all times discovered them to be just a little unsatisfying and by no means capable of vanish as utterly in a closet as I’d hope. If you’re on the fence a few extra “permanent” answer and might accommodate it, I feel you’ll be very happy with the Trophy. Fair warning although: when you’ve settled in, a tray desk won’t ever be sufficient once more.
Source: jalopnik.com