Simagic Alpha Ultimate Wheel Base – Review

Simagic Alpha Ultimate Wheel Base – Review

The Alpha Ultimate Wheel Base is the current flagship in the Simagic ecosystem and, with up to 23 Newton metres of torque, offers more than enough power for all situations. Can the base also impress in other areas such as compatibility and software?

Ordering and shipping

For the distribution of Direct Drive Wheel Bases, Simagic relies on a network of distributors that now covers a large number of countries. In Germany, for example, Simagic Wheel Bases can be obtained from the distributor Sim-Motion:

• Simagic Alpha Mini Wheel Base (10 NM): 629€
• Simagic Alpha Wheel Base (15 NM): 899€
• Simagic Alpha Ultimate Wheel Base (23 NM): 1.149€

Scope of delivery

Simagic doesn’t skimp on the scope of delivery of the Ultimate Wheel Base and, in addition to the base itself including the emergency stop switch, also includes the appropriate mounting material consisting of various screws and T-slot nuts in the packaging. There is also a USB cable and various Simagic stickers.

• Wheel Base
• Emergency Stop with cable
• USB-Cable
• Stickers
• Mounting Material

Technical data

The technical data of the Ultimate Wheel Base specified by SImagic is shown below. The extremely compact dimensions in height and width are particularly noteworthy:

Mounting / Compatibility

Simagic uses a whole series of threads to mount the base, which are distributed across the top, bottom and both sides. The extremely compact dimensions of the base (width and height) allow very flexible mounting and a large amount of flexibility when positioning the monitor.

• Bottom: A hole pattern that most simracers will recognise directly from Fanatec awaits us here. This makes the base compatible with almost all rigs, wheel stands and other solutions. A very good decision by Simagic not to go their own way here.
• Sides: Two additional threads for side mounts are provided on both sides. Simagic itself offers suitable brackets for this (~€65).
• Front: If you want to mount the base on the front, Simagic has also provided four threads on the front.

Once the base has been installed, the emergency stop (right-hand side) and the USB cable and power supply (both left-hand side) still need to be connected. Unfortunately, the positioning of the ports here is very unfortunate, as the cables are very difficult to hide due to their location on the side. In addition, the on/off switch is incomprehensibly integrated into the power cable, which is connected to the base’s power supply unit. This makes it very difficult to reach, depending on the position of the power socket. Together with the very loud wheel base in standby mode, this makes for a very unfortunate combination.

The Simagic product range is currently only intended for use with a PC. Ideally, the base should be connected directly to an integrated USB port. There is currently a large selection of different steering wheels available at prices between €300 and €800 in Formula and GT style.

Quick Release

Simagic relies on a tried-and-tested NRG-style solution for the Quick Release. This makes it possible to use Simagic wheels without additional cables. The corresponding counterpart is integrated on the side of the base, which provides pads for the power supply of the wheels. Steering wheels such as the recently tested GT NEO can thus be operated wirelessly, with the data being transmitted via a wireless connection between the steering wheel and the base.

Optionally, a separate QR solution can also be used; to do this, the pre-installed bracket simply needs to be unscrewed and replaced with an appropriate system. There is no artificial FFB lock as with Fanatec.

Steering wheels from third-party suppliers

To use non-Simagic steering wheels, it is sufficient to equip them with an NRG-style QR. However, these must offer the option of a direct USB connection or wireless data transfer between the PC and the steering wheel.

Connections

Simagic has opted for an unusual concept for the connections. They are located on the side and not on the back as is usual with most wheel bases. This makes them easily accessible, but this is usually only very rarely necessary, if at all. The disadvantages of the cable routing clearly outweigh the advantages, especially the USB connection and the power supply connection on the left-hand side make it very difficult to lay cables neatly.

Software

The SimPro Manager from Simagic currently offers one of the clearest software solutions with very convenient functions:

• FFB settings with explanations
• Predefined FFB profiles
• Savable FFB profiles per game, which are automatically loaded depending on the simulation being driven

Simagic products are currently compatible with all common simulations. For example, the new simulation Assetto Corsa EVO was released during the test period. Here, the manufacturer provided profiles within a few days and established compatibility with regard to telemetry data.

Force Feedback

The most important aspect of a modern direct drive wheel base is undoubtedly force feedback. With a maximum raw power of up to 23 Newton metres, the Simagic Alpha Ultimate Wheel Base offers more than enough scope for all situations, from historic formula cars to extensive drift sessions.

The FFB profiles provided by Simagic are a particular highlight. In the high-end sector, these currently often make a bigger difference than the hardware itself. Simagic not only offers one profile per simulation, but also specialises in specific drift profiles for games such as Assetto Corsa. This offers newcomers in particular an excellent first point of reference for working out an FFB profile customised to their own needs.

The new Assetto Corsa EVO simulation was mainly used for the test. Here, the base could be operated without additional damping, resulting in a very direct FFB feeling. All in all, the Force Feedback can certainly keep up with the current top dogs Simucube, Asetek and the like, whereby the excellent price-performance ratio is particularly worth emphasising. Nowhere else can you currently get more power per euro spent in the range between 20 and 25 Newton metres.

Driving impression

Below is a lap at Brands Hatch with various forces between 5 and 20 Newton metres.

Conclusion

Simagic delivers a more than solid performance with the Alpha Ultimate Wheel Base. For a price of currently around €1,250, you get a base with a maximum force of 23 Newton metres, which scores points with a combination of good force feedback, good software including a large number of supplied FFB profiles and a large selection of directly compatible Simagic products. Added to this are the extremely compact dimensions of the base and the extensive scope of delivery including an emergency stop and mounting material, which make the points of criticism regarding the positioning of the ports and the high volume in standby mode easy to forget.