Best Sim Racing Setup For Xbox

Sim racers who choose Xbox as their console of choice have often not had as much choice and variety in the types of sim racing equipment available.

Recently though, many big sim racing brands including Fanatec, Logitech and MOZA Racing have embraced the Xbox console much more. This has led to a much bigger choice when it comes to choosing an Xbox racing wheel.

In this Xbox-compatible sim racing setup guide, I plan on showing you my best recommendation for an Xbox racing wheel setup. This recommendation will include everything needed to go racing from the racing wheel and pedals to a way of mounting everything.

The sim racing products that make up this rig build

For this Xbox sim racing setup, I have chosen products that are designed to work flawlessly with Xbox consoles. I’ve also opted for a wheel base that has a huge ecosystem of products and can grow over time.

The wheel base in question is the Fanatec CSL DD. This is a mid to premium-tier direct drive racing wheel that is Xbox compatible. There is a large number of different sim racing steering wheels, pedals, upgrades and attachments that will work with this wheel base and be Xbox-compatible.

I’ve actually opted for a complete bundle that includes the CSL DD wheel base, an officially licensed Formula 1 steering wheel and a pedal set. Buying this bundle will save some money compared to buying each of these products individually.

I’ve also chosen a wheel stand which can be expanded into a full sim rig cockpit. This gives the option of reducing the overall cost of this Xbox sim racing setup. Or adding the full cockpit add-on to create a more permanent sim rig.

Why choose this Xbox sim racing rig build?

The Fanatec CSL DD wheel base is a brilliant racing wheel. It is one of the only direct drive racing wheels that works with Xbox.

The other options are the much more expensive DD1 and DD2 from Fanatec. MOZA have a much more budget-orientated Xbox racing wheel, the R3. And Logitech has a rather expensive mid-tier racing wheel.

Considering all of those options as well as the ecosystem from each brand, Fanatec wins out. The CSL DD offers a better performance-to-price ratio compared to the other options. And they have many steering wheels to choose from.

The sim rig that I have chosen is actually a wheel stand from GT Omega. This is the same sim rig I recommended in our best PS5 sim racing setup. And it is perfect for Xbox sim racing.

It gives a lot of flexibility, and much like the Fanatec racing wheel, it offers plenty of options to expand over time.

The Wheelbase

Fanatec CSL DD 8Nm

The Fanatec CSL DD has been around for a good few years now. But it remains one of the very best Xbox racing wheels available. It features direct drive technology to allow for strong force feedback while not sacrificing any of the details.

I have chosen a Fanatec bundle that includes the CSL DD and its optional boost kit. The boost kit increases the overall power of the wheel base to 8Nm.

This is an ideal amount of peak performance. I often recommend around 10Nm as the sweet spot for most sim racers meaning this 8Nm wheel base is pretty much ideal.

The force feedback that the CSL DD produces is incredibly detailed, and I’d probably go as far as saying it is better quality force feedback than can be found in Fanatec’s more premium Podium wheel bases.

Competitors and other options

I did touch on a few other options that are available and compatible with Xbox. These include racing wheels from Logitech and MOZA Racing primarily.

I wouldn’t say budget racing wheels such as the Logitech G923 or Thrustmaster T248 are anywhere near the same as the CSL DD in terms of performance.

For a comparable product, you should be looking more at the Logitech Pro racing wheel. This is a 10Nm direct drive wheel that works on Xbox. However, it is much more expensive than this Fanatec bundle and is currently only limited to one steering wheel.

MOZA Racing also sell a direct drive Xbox racing wheel, the MOZA R3. This however is slightly underpowered at just 3.9Nm of peak torque. It is priced lower than this Fanatec CSL DD bundle and is a great option if you don’t require the additional power.

The Steering Wheel

Fanatec F1 Esports Steering Wheel

As part of this bundle, you get the F1 Esports V2 steering wheel included. This is an officially licensed Formula 1 steering wheel which carries the F1 logo on the front. It was the steering wheel that was used in official Formula 1 esports competitions.

This is the V2 version of this steering wheel, meaning it has some improvements over the original. These improvements include an upgrade screen and shifters making it feel crisp and premium during use.

This steering wheel has a simple design compared to some, but it is perfectly formed. The buttons are well placed allowing for quick inputs mid-race without removing your hand from the wheel.

There is a metal faceplate and Alcantara hand grips. These high quality materials lead to a really impressive build quality, making a steering wheel that will stand the test of time.

Alternative steering wheels

Fanatec does have a good range of Xbox steering wheels that will work with the CSL DD wheel base. This is great news if you already own some Fanatec wheels or if you’re planning on buying more in the future.

Fanatec also sell this bundle with a few other steering wheel options. There is the McLaren GT3 V2 steering wheel which is a McLaren banded wheel. It isn’t quite as premium as the F1 Esports V2 wheel but is a good alternative.

You can also pick up circular steering wheels such as the WRC steering wheel which is also Xbox compatible.

Fanatec Xbox compatibility explained

When buying a Fanatec steering wheel for Xbox, you just need to make sure it is fully Xbox compatible. It will say this on the product page and has a little Xbox icon if it is.

This is because Fanatec uses the steering wheel to dictate Xbox compatibility. If you connect a non-Xbox steering wheel to a CSL DD, it won’t work on your Xbox console. As long as you’re connecting any Xbox steering wheel, the CSL DD will work perfectly on Xbox.

The Pedals

Fanatec CSL Pedals Load Cell

This Fanatec bundle includes the CSL Load Cell Pedals. This is a full three-pedal set made up of a throttle, clutch and a load cell brake pedal.

This is Fanatec’s entry-level pedal set, however, the load cell brake really makes it feel much more high-end than it is. You can alternatively opt for a bundle which includes the CSL Elite V2 pedals which are slightly more premium than this pedal set.

The great thing about this pedal set is that it is compatible with all consoles. It will work perfectly when connected to a CSL DD and Xbox console. They can also be connected directly to your PC. And they’ll work if you connect them to a Fanatec PS5 racing wheel such as the GT DD Pro.

The Cockpit

GT Omega Classic Wheel Stand

Moving on to the sim rig or cockpit, I have chosen the same setup as I recommended for my PS5 sim racing setup. This is the GT Omega classic wheel stand.

This wheel stand is a collapsible wheel stand where you can mount your steering wheel and pedals to. You can also mount additional accessories such as a shifter or handbrake.

The wheel stand once assembled is very sturdy and can easily handle the power of the Fanatec CSL DD racing wheel. Then, once you are finished racing, you can fold it down and store it away.

This is why it’s perfect for a console sim racer. If your console is in a bedroom or living room, having a permanent cockpit might not always be possible.

However, if you do have room for a permanent sim rig cockpit, you can add the rear frame attachment and seat to turn the wheel stand into a complete cockpit.

The Seat

GT Omega RS12 Simulator Seat

The rear frame attachment allows for many different seats to be mounted, but I have included the price for a GT Omega seat. This ensures there are no compatibility issues, plus it’s an incredibly comfy seat.

The RS12 is GT Omega’s most recent sim racing seat. It features lumbar support, an adjustable backrest position as well as a built-in seat slider. These options make it a great choice for many sim racers.

How well does this sim rig perform?

Once this Xbox sim racing setup is fully assembled, it performs impressively given the price tag. The Fanatec wheel base provides brilliant force feedback for its size and price.

If the price is a little high, you could look to remove the boost kit from the Fanatec bundle which would bring the bundle price down. This boost kit can be added at any time to bring the power output back up to 8Nm.

The steering wheel is a natural match for the CSL DD on Xbox. The buttons work well in most Xbox sim racing titles and can be assigned to control different parts of your car while racing.

The load cell pedal option is great to have on the Xbox console. One of the biggest weaknesses of most Xbox racing wheel bundles are the pedals feeling too soft, or not overly realistic. The CSL load cell pedals help to increase immersion and realism by offering an incredibly sturdy brake pedal.

Finally, the GT Omega wheel stand and chair offer a great amount of flexibility. You can opt for just the wheel stand to keep costs down which can be packed away after use. Or upgrading to the full sim rig provides excellent stability under the strain of the high-powered direct drive wheel base.

Overall, this is a fantastic Xbox sim racing setup, that offers great performance at a price that isn’t too out of reach. If you’d rather opt for a different steering wheel, Fanatec offer a few different bundles which are also Xbox compatible.