BoxOneRacing X1 EVO Simracing Button Box – Review

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BoxOneRacing X1 EVO Simracing Button Box – Review

The X1 Evo Button Box from BoxOneRacing offers 26 freely assignable inputs, RGB lighting, and full SimHub support. We took a closer look at the Button Box and tested it for you.

Ordering and shipping

The Button Box and the accompanying mount can be ordered directly from the BoxOneRacing website. Shipping costs are added to the retail price, for example, currently €5.99 within Germany. The manufacturer specifies a delivery time of two to five days. At the time of testing, customers could save 50 percent on accessories when selecting the bracket or glove mount to go with the button box.

X1 EVO Simracing Button Box: 250€
Universal 40×40 Aluminium profile bracket: 25€

X1 EVO Simracing Button Box:*

5% BoxOneRacing Gutscheincode / Coupon code: simracingpc

The product tested here was provided by the manufacturer. No influence was exerted on this review at any time.

Scope of delivery

BoxOneRacing delivers the Button Box in neutral packaging. In addition to the box itself, a bag of screws and slotted nuts for assembly and five sheets of stickers are included.

Specs

Below you will find the technical specifications for the X1 EVO Simracing Button Box as provided by the manufacturer:

26 freely assignable functions
40 RGB LEDs (two RGB LEDs per button)
Two 150g rotary controls with left/right and push function
Genuine carbon plate
VESA 75×75 M4 mounting holes
Dimensions: 160 mm x 106 mm x 45 mm
Weight: 450 g
Cable connection: USB-A

Mounting and compatibility

The back of the Button Box has four recessed threads that are compatible with 75 x 75 mm Vesa mounts. The matching optional adapter can be screwed directly onto it. The 3D-printed mount can be swiveled in two directions, and the resistance can be adjusted using the two screws. The mount can then be attached to your rig or another location using two screws each, and it is ready for use once the permanently installed USB-A cable has been connected. The very compact design gives you a lot of freedom in positioning it on your own rig.

Features

The features of the Button Box are divided into the areas of inputs and LED control:

Inputs

A total of 26 functions are available as inputs. Since the X1 Evo Button Box is recognised as a USB game controller, no additional software is required to assign the functions via Windows.

20 buttons: The buttons, which are soldered directly onto the PCB, are arranged in a 4 x 5 grid and equipped with semi-transparent, 3D-printed covers. The pressure point is crisp with little travel, and the actuation force is 200 g in each case.
2 encoders with push function: There are also two encoders with an additional push function in the lower area. The actuation force here is 250 g each, which is in the middle range.

All in all, this means that many functions can be assigned to it. However, a funky switch could have been a very useful addition here.

LEDs

Each button is equipped with two diagonally arranged, controllable RGB LEDs. These can be freely customized in terms of color and illuminate the button covers evenly, except for the edges. An overview of the possible effects can be found in the Software section. Optionally, the individual buttons can be labeled with the stickers provided to permanently link them to specific functions.

Materials

The button box has a sandwich construction. It consists of a central, four-millimeter-thick carbon front cover and a PCB that houses all the buttons, encoders, and an Arduino Pro Micro. In addition, there are parts printed in FDM 3D printing, including the box housing and the button covers. Even though the print quality is generally acceptable, other materials or a more professional printing process would also be possible for a button box in this price range.

Software

BoxOneRacing uses SimHub software, which recognises the button box as an Arduino with 40 controllable RGB LEDs. The manufacturer provides a profile for download on its website that offers some basic functions and can be imported.

Pitlane-Animation
Start-Animation
Idle-Animation
Flags
Spotter
Indicators

Unfortunately, the possibilities here are very limited. Especially for non-SimHub experts, setting up the profile is not very intuitive and the selection of effects is very limited. If you want to better utilize the potential of the box, the manufacturer refers to paid profiles, which currently cost a monthly fee of almost 5 euros. As described in detail in the article Between Passion and Profit: The Commercialization of Sim Racing, this is very unsatisfactory for a product in this price range. A much more versatile profile should be included as standard so that the button box can reach its full potential.

Conclusion

The X1 Evo Button Box from BoxOneRacing features 26 plug-and-play inputs, a compact design, and full SimHub compatibility. This allows it to integrate seamlessly into existing sim racing setups, and the controllable RGB LEDs provide appealing visual effects. However, the material quality, especially the 3D-printed parts, and the included LED profile detract somewhat from the overall impression in this price range. The Button Box is particularly worthwhile for ambitious sim racers who are willing to invest time in their own SimHub customizations.