Ascher Racing 8-inch Dashboard – Review

Ascher Racing 8-inch Dashboard – Review

Whether small, large, or unusual, we have tested dashboards of various form factors. With the new 8-inch model from Ascher Racing, we are now exploring the field of widescreen options. In our test, we examine whether the widescreen display from the German manufacturer will prove itself in real-world use.

Ordering and shipping

As with its other products, Ascher Racing is taking the same approach with its new eight-inch dashboard. It is available either directly from the manufacturer (where you can currently save five per cent with our affiliate code) or from various third-party suppliers.

• Ascher-Racing 8″ Dashboard: 499,00 €
  

5% Ascher Racing Gutscheincode / Coupon code: SIMRACINGPC

The product tested was provided by the manufacturer for the duration of the review. At no point was the content of this review influenced.

Scope of delivery

Ascher Racing ships the dashboard securely packaged in padded outer packaging. In addition to the dashboard itself, two carbon fibre mounts, an angled USB cable, screws and spacers are included in the scope of delivery.

• Ascher Racing Dashboard
• USB-C connection cable
• Fanatec DD1 & DD2 mounting plate
• Mounting plate for Simucube SPORT, PRO, ULTIMATE (and comparable wheelbases)
• Aluminium spacers for Asetek La Prima™, Forte®, and Invicta™ wheelbases
• Screws, washers, and spacers
  • 2x DIN 933 M4 x 10
  • 2x DIN 933 M4 x 18
  • 2x DIN 125 M4 A4,3
  • 2x DIN 125 M6 A6,4
  • 2x DIN 125 M8 A8,4
  • 2x DIN 6912 M6 x 12
  • 2x DIN 6912 M6 x 50
  • 2x DIN 6912 M8 x 45
  • 2x DIN 9021 M6 A6,4
  • 2x Aluminium Spacer M4-D12-H7
  • 2x Aluminium Spacer M8-D18-H6
  • 2x Aluminium Spacer Asetek

Specs

Below you will find the technical data provided by Ascher Racing. What is striking is the comparatively low height of the dashboard, which is due to the chosen aspect ratio.

• Material: CNC-milled aluminum
• Dimensions (W × H × D): 225.25 × 86.55 × 17.93 mm
• Connection: USB-C
• Power: 5V / 3A
• Weight: 18 mm case depth
• Power switch on the back

Display

The heart of the display is undoubtedly the nearly eight-inch screen from manufacturer VoCore. It is natively compatible with SimHub, offers a resolution of 1280 x 400 pixels, a maximum refresh rate of 60 FPS, and a maximum brightness of 350 lumens. This allows the display to be used in both dark environments and daylight (image two shows a moderately lit trade fair environment). It also has a touchscreen function and average viewing angle dependency.

Specs

Below you will find the technical specifications of the built-in display, as provided by VoCore itself.

RGB-LEDs:

The display is framed by a total of 26 RGB LEDs, divided into three areas (five on the left/right, 16 at the top). These are completely decoupled from each other, so there is no overlap between adjacent LEDs. They can be configured as desired via SimHub and have an extremely high maximum brightness. A minor drawback is the slightly visible impurities in the transparent covers, which are not particularly noticeable during operation, however.

Materials

One area where Ascher has always excelled in the past is material selection and build quality. This is once again the case with the dashboard tested here. The housing consists of two parts, both made entirely from CNC-milled aluminium. The surface is flawless, giving the dashboard an extremely high-quality look. Inside, Ascher Racing uses a custom PCB that integrates both the LEDs and a practical on/off switch on the back.

Compatibility, mounting and connections

Ascher Racing relies on a two-part solution for compatibility. On the one hand, one of the two carbon holders can be used, which is compatible with the bases of many common manufacturers.

• Simucube 1 / 2 / 3
• Fanatec Wheelbases
• VRS DirectForce Pro
• Asetek Wheelbases
• Simagic
• MiGE & Lenze Motoren

For mounting, the dashboard is secured with two screws on the back. The height can be easily adjusted thanks to the slotted holes on the brackets. Unfortunately, Ascher Racing does not include the appropriate wrench. However, this is not a big deal, as most sim racers have the right tool in their toolbox anyway. Considering the price and the otherwise very generous scope of delivery, this is somewhat surprising.

As an alternative to the mounting brackets, the pre-drilled ¼” thread in the center of the back can be used to attach flexible arm mounts, for example. The only thing to keep in mind is not to exceed the specified maximum depth of six millimeters.

Since the MOZA R25 Base used during testing is not directly compatible, you can download a customized mount here for free.

Size comparison

With dimensions of 225.25 × 86.55 millimeters (width x height), the nearly eight-inch dashboard strikes an interesting balance between the usual models with a size of four to five inches and the increasingly popular giant dashboards. Due to its comparatively low height, the dashboard can be mounted above the base without covering half the screen (compared to the AlphaTecRacing Pro Dashboard). This has the advantage of providing a larger usable area for information, as you get almost 500 additional pixels in width.

Software / SimHub

As already mentioned, Simracers use SimHub, a very popular software. Thanks to the cooperation, the dashboard can be added directly as a device via this software. Then you either download the dashboard design provided by Ascher Racing or the cooperation partner Lovely Dashboard (link) and you are ready to go. Ascher Racing also provides users with a pre-configured profile for the LED profiles, which are responsible for controlling the RPM LEDs and additional effects such as TC, ABS, and others (version at the time of testing: V1.2.9). This has the appropriately configured speed bands for iRacing and a fallback solution for all other simulations. Overall, the setup is now much more convenient than with the McLaren steering wheels from the manufacturer that we reviewed. The instructions have also been improved and now guide the user through the process much better during the initial setup.

Conclusion

The eight-inch dashboard from Ascher Racing is currently one of the most interesting products for high-end sim racers who want more than a standard-format dashboard. Those who are willing to pay the admittedly very high price will receive a dashboard with first-class build quality, official SimHub support, 26 RGB LEDs, and a generous scope of delivery.

5% Ascher Racing Gutscheincode / Coupon code: SIMRACINGPC