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Types of Setups

The six tiers

Tier Cost Mount Wheel Brake Screen Example build
0: Desk Starter $200 to $400 Desk clamp 2 to 6 Nm Spring Yours $379
1: Foldable / Apartment $500 to $700 Folding seat or stand 4 to 6 Nm direct drive Spring Yours $678
2: First Dedicated Rig $1,200 to $1,600 Steel cockpit or budget profile 8 to 9 Nm Entry load cell Yours $1,058
3: Sweet Spot Enthusiast $1,800 to $2,200 Aluminum profile 12 Nm Good load cell Yours $2,045
4: Triples / VR Enthusiast $3,500 to $5,500 Aluminum profile 12 to 21 Nm Good load cell Triples or VR $3,566
5: Motion / Pro $10,000 to $18,000 Profile on motion actuators 25 Nm Active Triples or VR $14,177
  • Each tier page ends with a full example build: every part, price and a link to buy it

Basic constraints

Constraint What it means
PC Everything works, every game
Xbox Moza R3, Fanatec with an Xbox wheel, Logitech, Thrustmaster
PlayStation Only Logitech, Thrustmaster, Fanatec GT DD Pro and ClubSport DD+. Costs more at every tier
Any console One screen, no triples, no iRacing. VR only on PlayStation (PS VR2, Gran Turismo 7)
Desk only Tier 0
Must fold away Tier 1. Folded ~104×93×30 cm
Permanent spot ~2.0×1.0 m for a rig and a single screen
Triples ~1.8 to 2.1 m wide
Neighbors and housemates Gear wheels rattle, direct drive is quiet. Bass shakers and motion travel through floors
Time Tier 0 and 1 need setup every session. Friction kills the habit. A permanent rig gets used more

PC power

Screen PC needed
Single 1440p ~$1,150 PC
Ultrawide, entry triples, Quest VR ~$1,850 to $2,200 PC
Triple 1440p, most VR ~$3,200 PC
Pimax Dream Air class VR More. RTX 4090 / 5090

What each jump buys

Jump You get
0 to 1 Pedals and seat stop moving
1 to 2 Nothing flexes, brake by pressure. Consistency
2 to 3 A rig and pedals you never replace
3 to 4 You can see beside you. Immersion
4 to 5 The rig moves. Feel, not speed

Cheapest path through the tiers

flowchart LR
    A[Moza R5 bundle<br>on your desk<br>$379] --> B[Load cell pedals<br>$369]
    B --> C[Aluminum rig<br>+ seat + stand<br>~$1,070]
    C --> D[12 Nm base<br>+ wheel<br>$609]
    D --> E[Triples or VR<br>$600 to $1,050]
  • Total ~$3,000 to $3,500
  • Order: direct drive first, load cell brake second, then everything else
  • Load cell before the rig: brake set light, chair blocked, pedals against a wall
  • The 12 Nm base is optional. 5 to 8 Nm lasts years
  • Lost on outgrown parts: ~$150 to $250 (est)
  • vs G29, then foldable, then steel cockpit: ~$500 to $900 lost (est)
  • Skip Tier 1 unless it truly must fold away
  • Skip the Tier 2 steel cockpit if the floor space exists
  • PlayStation: no cheap direct drive first step. Used G29, or straight to a Logitech RS50 or Fanatec GT DD Pro