Button Box & Accessories
- What: extra buttons, dash screens
- Why: stops the mid-race keyboard reach
- When: last. never the bottleneck
Buttons: levels
| Level | What | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Wheel buttons + keyboard | $0 | Enough to start |
| Free | Old phone or tablet + SimHub | $0 | Touch dash and buttons over Wi-Fi |
| Desk | Elgato Stream Deck, 15 keys | $150 | Labeled LCD keys. Flat, so poor by feel and in VR |
| Entry box | Etsy, AliExpress, small makers | ~$80 to $200 | Real toggles and knobs. Works in VR |
| DIY | Arduino or Leo Bodnar board + switches + printed case | Parts only | Popular first project |
| Brand | Moza, Simagic, Fanatec, Sim-Lab boxes and dashes | $150 to $350 | Matches your wheelbase |
| Endgame | Apex Sim Racing and similar | $500+ | Screen, lights and buttons in one |
Dash displays: levels
| Level | What | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Phone + SimHub | $0 |
| Entry | Small USB screen (VoCore based) from Etsy | $130 to $190 |
| Brand | Moza CM2, Simagic MagicDash | ~$200 |
| Premium | Apex Sim Racing dash | $500+ |
What matters
- Controls you use mid-race within reach: brake bias, traction control, pit limiter, radio
- Knobs and toggles you can find by feel, especially in VR
- A mount that does not wobble
| Mounted on | Good | Bad |
|---|---|---|
| The wheel | Reachable without letting go | Paid again on every wheel |
| The rig | Works with any wheel, cheaper | One hand leaves the wheel |
Ignore
- Button count
- Ignition key and starter button. Fun, not useful
- Buying a box and a dash on day one
Sensible order
- First: wheel buttons
- Then: a phone dash (free)
- Then: one rig-mounted box
- Last: a dash screen, if wanted
Free software (PC)
| Tool | Does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| SimHub | Dash on a phone, drives shakers and LEDs | Free, license from EUR 8 |
| Crew Chief | Voice spotter and engineer | Free |
| Content Manager | Launcher and mods for Assetto Corsa | Free, paid extras |
| Racelab, iOverlay | On-screen overlays for iRacing | Free tier |
| Garage 61 | Telemetry and lap comparison for iRacing | Free tier |
- Download SimHub only from its own site
Other accessories
| Item | Worth it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fan aimed at you | Yes | Cheapest comfort upgrade. Needed in VR |
| Powered USB hub | Yes | Unpowered hubs cause dropouts mid-race |
| Rubber mat | Yes | Floor protection, noise |
| Cable ties, sleeves | Yes | A rig has 6+ cables |
| Gloves | With Alcantara wheels or strong bases | Sweat, blisters, wheel wear |
| Socks or thin shoes | Pick one, stay with it | Changes brake feel |
| Keyboard tray | On a rig | Menus and chat |
| Emergency stop | 15 Nm and up | Often included with strong bases |
| Wind simulator | Later | Fans tied to speed. See Motion & Immersion |
| Head tracking | Trucks, flight | Rare in racing |
By tier
| Tier | Buttons and dash |
|---|---|
| 0 to 2 | Wheel buttons, phone dash |
| 3 | One button box |
| 4 | Box + dash, tactile switches for VR |
| 5 | Full dash, wind |
Where to buy
| Type | Product | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desk keys | Elgato Stream Deck, 15 keys | $150 | Elgato |
| Button box | Small-maker boxes | ~$80 to $200 | Etsy search |
| Button box, DIY | Leo Bodnar button boards | Parts only | Leo Bodnar |
| Dash | Small USB dash screens (VoCore) | $130 to $190 | Etsy search |
| Dash | Moza CM2 HD Racing Dash | $199 | Moza US |
| Dash | Simagic MagicDash 4 | $199 | Simagic |
| Dash and button boxes | Apex Sim Racing | $110 to $550+ | Apex Sim Racing |
| Mount | Trak Racer universal mount for Stream Deck, tablet, button box | $119 | Trak Racer |
- Prices checked 2026-10-09. Moza, Simagic, Apex and Trak Racer from live store listings