SIMAGIC Introducing Two New Direct Drive Wheels

05/01/2020 Hardware Leave a comment

SIMAGIC Introducing Two New Direct Drive Wheels

It is safe to say that when beginning Sim Racing enthusiasts take their sim-racing hobby to a higher level, chances are they will want to upgrade their trusty belt-driven wheel to a Direct-Drive Force Feedback steering wheel. While most direct drive wheel systems are not cheap due to their design cost and materials used, it does not mean that there are no affordable alternatives on the market. In the last few years, new products appeared and brought more competition to the niche Direct Drive wheelbase market, resulting in some interesting price drops.

One of these new manufacturers is the Chinese Simagic company. They recently introduced two new direct drive wheel systems in the form of the Simagic M10 and Simagic Alpha units. The M10 is delivering 10 Nm torque and is marketed as an entree-level DD unit, while the 15 Nm Alpha model is aimed at the professional market and more demanding Sim Racing enthusiast.

Both the M10 and Alpha wheelbases are currently on pre-order and are expected to be shipped during February 2020.

Besides the new Direct Drive wheelbases, Simagic also introduced two steering wheels. The Alcantara or Leather 300mm Diameter round Simagic GT1 wheel rim is equipped with 4 Programmable Buttons, 4 Programmable Knobs of which two are rotary knobs, Carbon Fiber Shifters and 50mm Quick-connect unit. Furthermore, the wheel features a Wireless Communication module for its internal electronics.

The 300mm Simagic GT4 wheel rim is based on a Formula/modern GT wheel and features 8 RBG Programmable Buttons, Two 4-Ways Triggers, and Two Programmable Rotary Knobs. The GT4 wheel is also fitted with Carbon Fiber Shifters, a 50mm Quick-connect unit and a Wireless Communication module for its internal electronics.

The Simagic GT4 wheel features high-quality Silicone Grips while the round GT1 version is available as a D-Shaped Alcantara Flat Bottom wheel or as a Leather Round Wheel. Both wheel rims are available with or without an optional Dual-Clutch system.

While the official pricing is not yet announced, we can already have seen the M10 wheelbase and GT4 wheel rim listed at some exclusive Simagic partner websites as follows:

M10 DD wheel Base Full Kit – US$ 899.00 + shipping
M10 DD wheel Base Motor Only – US$ 799.00 + shipping
Quick-Release (Wheel side) US $65.00 + shipping
GT4 wheel rim $599.00 + shipping
GT4 wheel rim + Coiled USB cable version $699.00 + shipping

Note!: While the official website is listing the wireless communication feature on the GT4 and GT1 rims, the Simagic partners do not list this feature. We can only assume that the current GT4 rim on sale does not include the wireless module.

No pricing was available yet for the Simagic Alpha DD wheelbase and the Simagic GT1 wheel rim. We will keep you informed when more info becomes available.

SIMAGIC M10 DD Wheelbase

The M10 Direct Drive unit is Simagic’s entry-level 10 Nm sim racing wheelbase, which aims to deliver the best range of torque at an affordable price. Simagic states that 6-8 Nm is what is being regarded as the required toque needed for high-end sim racing wheels. The remaining 2-4 Nm is used to minimize force feedback clipping, and to help attenuate sudden feedback changes.

The M10 stepper motor is equipped with three CPUs to rapidly process the incoming signals resulting in a 1000 Hz refresh rate for USB communication, and a 40000 Hz update rate for force feedback controls.

At the time of writing, no official price is communicated.

M10 DD Wheel Specifications:

Finish – CNC aluminum housing with an anodized surface, carbon fiber panels for front and back covers
Motor – Three-phase stepper motor optimized for sim racing uses
Max Toque – 10 Nm
Power Requirement – 100-220V AC, 50/60Hz (Use adaptor comes standard with the device only)
Platform – PC only, supports all major PC games like F1 2019, Dirt Rally, Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2, etc.
Connection – USB-B for connection to PC, Plug and Play, Reset button available for a quick reset
Software – Race Manager click to download
Location Sensor – 16385 Pulses per revolution
Refresh Rate – 1000 Hz for in-game data communication, 40000 Hz for force feedback control
Standard Warranty – 12 months, optional extension of 3 or 5-year warranty (available only at the time of purchase)

SIMAGIC Alpha DD Wheelbase

The Simagic Alpha 15 Nm Direct Drive unit utilizes a servo motor which is optimized for sim racing, providing more torque response than the M10 entree-level unit. Compared to the 10 Nm stepper motor of the M10, the 15 Nm Alpha servo motor is better equipped to maintain high torque under high wheel speeds.

At the time of writing, no official pricing was available.

Alpha DD Wheel Specifications:

Finish – CNC aluminum housing with an anodized surface, carbon fiber panels for front and back covers
Steering Wheel Connection – D1 Quick Connect for an easy and quick wheel change, comes w/ wireless communication.
Motor – Three-phase servo motor optimized for sim racing
Max Toque – 15 Nm
Power Requirement – 100-220V AC, 50/60Hz (Use adaptor comes standard with the device only)
Platform – PC only, supports all major PC games like F1 2019, Dirt Rally, Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2, etc.
Connection – USB-B for connection to PC, Plug and Play, Reset button available for a quick reset
Software – Race Manager click to download
Location Sensor – 262144 Pulses per revolution, ultra-fine in-game response
Refresh Rate – 1000 Hz for in-game data communication, 40000 Hz for force feedback control
Standard Warranty – 12 months, optional extension of 3 or 5-year warranty (available only at the time of purchase).