PXN V12 Lite Direct Drive Bundle – Gamescom-Review
PXN now offers its V12 Lite bundle on Amazon. The bundle, which was not available in Europe until now, consists of a wheelbase with 6 Newton meters of torque as well as a steering wheel and a set of 3 pedals. Simracing-PC was able to try out the set at this year’s Gamescom and already did some test laps.
First laps at Gamescom
At this year’s Gamescom Simracing-PC was able to do the first laps with the V12 Lite in Assetto Corsa Competizione together with the guys from Sim-Motion. The press day allowed time to make some adjustments to the software and also to make some tweaks to the rig on which the set was mounted. Quickly the opinion about the base went in the following direction: Potential is definitely there, not bad!
Even though the settings could certainly use some more fine tuning, the set made a solid first impression. The force feedback was very respectable, but probably couldn’t develop its full power, mainly due to the relatively unstable rig. If you invest a little more time here, you should be able to achieve (very) good force feedback, and the foundations for this are definitely in place.
Base and QR
The base is made of metal and its design is reminiscent of a mixture of Simucube and MOZA. On the back are connectors for the connection to the PC, as well as ports for pedals, gamepad and E-Stop. The QR installed by PXN is made of metal, just like the base, and is very similar to the very good QRs from MOZA and Simagic. A noteworthy flex was not found here during the test drives.
Pedals
The pedals were on the softer side in terms of resistance and are probably designed primarily for desk use. Rig users will probably switch to other elastomers relatively quickly here for a bit more resistance. Otherwise, the pedals did a good job with Hall sensors.
Steering wheel
The steering wheel of the bundle is equipped with 12 buttons, two encoders and a joystick, which are very pleasant to use for an entry-level product. The magnetic paddle shifters and the analog dual clutch, which are absolutely unusual for a product in this price range, were particularly surprising. The steering wheel rim felt good in the hand during the test laps.
Comptability
In terms of compatibility, PXN can rely on many years of experience with controllers and non-direct-drive systems. It is therefore not surprising that a wide range of simulations is already supported at the launch. Particularly noteworthy is the cross-platform compatibility.
PC
Assetto Corsa, Assetto Corsa Competizione, DiRT Rally 2.0, DiRT 4, Forza Horizon 5 (nur für Microsoft Store und Steam), Forza Horizon 4 (nur für Microsoft Store), F1 2018, F1 2019, F1 2020, F1 2021, F1 2022, Project CARS 3, Project CARS 2, Euro Truck Simulator 2, American Truck Simulator, WRC 8, WRC 9, WRC 10, City Car Driving, iRacing, Live for Speed, Automobilista, Automobilista 2, rFactor 2, BeamNG.drive, RaceRoom Racing Experience, CarX Drift Racing, usw.
PS4
DiRT Rally 2.0, Forza Horizon 5, Forza Horizon 4, F1 2019, F1 2020, F1 2021, F1 2022, WRC9, GRID, Dakar 18, F1 2020, Euro Truck Simulator 2, SnowRunner, Assetto Corsa Competizione (nur für XBOX ONE), The Crew 2, Forza Motorsport 7, OVERPASS, CarX Drift Racing, usw.
XBOX ONE/SERIES
DiRT 5, F1 2018, F1 2019, F1 2020, F1 2021, F1 2022, Project CARS 3, Project CARS 2, Need For Speed: Payback, Need For Speed:Heat, SnowRunner, Gran Turismo 7, Gran Turismo Sport, usw.
Scope of delivery
Software
The software was set to Chinese at the booth, but it already allowed a first look at the possible settings. For example, it was possible to adjust the strength of the force feedback and fine-tune settings for inertia, damping or additional effects. It should also be possible to configure the base with a mobile app. However, this could not be tested on site at Gamescom.
Initial conclusion
The first impression is also the conclusion of the first test rounds. The V12 Lite bundle from PXN definitely has the potential to cause some movement in the market in the price range around 500€. The 6 Newton meters of the base in combination with the steering wheel plus good QR as well as shift paddles + double clutch and the 3-pedal set are definitely not a bad deal for currently 559€. The only question that remains is whether and when PXN will supply the ecosystem with more steering wheels and possibly also accessories like shifters or handbrakes.
Order and shipping
The V12 Lite bundle is sold by PXN itself directly via Amazon and is currently stocked there. The price of the bundle is currently 559€ including shipping costs.
