Welcome to the Pit Stop! This is a new, ongoing series of reviews where I look at the world of driving games and sim racing.
To kick things off, GT Omega, which specializes in simulation racing equipment and gaming chairs, recently sent me their top steering wheel stand, the APEX. Let’s take a look at its features, and what kind of experience it provides when playing racing video games.
Sim Racing Setups
If you love racing in video games, you’re not going to want to stick with a standard game controller. The first step in getting more immersive with your driving games is to pick up a wheel and pedal set.
But it’s not like a steering wheel can simply rest in your lap while you play. It will need to be mounted somewhere. And where you mount it will largely depend on how much money you want to invest, and how much room you have.
Most of the readily available consumer steering wheels, like the Logitech G923 I currently use, can be easily mounted onto a desk or table, and then removed once you’re done gaming. The pedal set will sit on the carpet, and hopefully not slide around too much while you brake and accelerate.
The next step up from there is to get a wheel stand. These are standalone metal structures that allow you to bolt a steering wheel, pedal set, and stick shift to the frame. They don’t include a seat, so you can use them along with any couch or chair you may already own.
Following wheel stands, the next level of immersion you will reach is with a racing cockpit. These are similar to a wheel stand, except they also incorporate an attached set for the driver. Cockpits vary somewhat in price, depending on the features and construction. You can often upgrade cockpits as well, with optional features like monitor and keyboard stands.
Finally you have full motion racing rigs. These often use racing cockpits at their base, but will incorporate all sorts of high-end equipment with the goal of giving the racer the most realistic and immersive experience possible. Full motion racing rigs are by far the most expensive sim racing setup, and can run into the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars.
What Is the GT Omega APEX Steering Wheel Stand?
The GT Omega APEX Steering Wheel Stand is a foldable steel frame compatible with all major wheels and pedals, and can be used when gaming on PC, Xbox, and Playstation games. It retails for $149.95, but is currently available for $134.95 on the GT Omega webstore.
Here are the key features:
- Premium Steel framework with X frame Design
- Maximum stability and strength for more powerful wheels
- Multi-Adjustable frame
- Easy to fold and store in seconds
- Comes packaged with Apex gear shifter mount which can be mounted on the left or right
- Compatible with all major wheels and pedals. Pre-Drilled for Logitech, Thrustmaster and Fanatec equipment.
GT Omega APEX Steering Wheel Stand: Unboxing and Assembly
Opening up the box, you’ll find the frame wrapped in plastic, with foam protecting the edges. There are also a few additional parts, as well as a small box containing all the hardware for both assembling and using the wheel stand.
The heavy-duty steel frame thankfully comes already assembled. To convert it from its folded state, you simple unscrew a couple of bolts from the pedal base, open up the stand, and then reattach the bolts, with the pedal base at the desired angle. It can be done in less than a minute.
Just because the frame itself is already assembled doesn’t mean that the wheel stand is ready to use out of the box, however. There are four plastic feet to attach to the bottom of the base, which screw right in.
There are also two steel plates that need to be bolted onto the frame. There is a steering wheel plate, which has a variety of pre-drilled holes to allow for mounting multiple different wheels from various manufacturers. There is also a stick shift plate, which may be mounted on either side of the frame to accommodate both right-handed and left-handed drivers. This can be used to mount either a stick shift or an e-brake.
Using the GT Omega APEX Steering Wheel Stand
The included instruction sheet indicates where to place the bolts to attach wheels and accessories from Logitech, Thrustmaster, and Fanatec. Following those guidelines, I bolted my Logitech G923 steering wheel and pedals to the APEX Steering Wheel Stand.
Conveniently, GT Omega includes 5 velcro straps, which can be used to keep the cables from the steering wheel equipment organized and out of the way of your feet. Besides the angle of the pedals, you can also easily adjust the height of the steering wheel.
With everything set up, it was now time take the APEX for a test drive. My girlfriend, who is a big fan of driving games, was more than happy to do the honors. She opted to sit on the couch while using the stand. For her test drive, she would be playing Forza Horizon 5. This was not only her first time using a steering wheel to play Forza, but her first time using a wheel stand.
GT Omega APEX Steering Wheel Stand – Thoughts
In the initial round of testing, she found the GT Omega APEX Steering Wheel Stand to be very comfortable to use. The steel frame is exceedingly stable, and it was easy to set up both the wheel and pedals at ideal heights and angles for her. Over the next few days, she got in additional driving sessions, and continued to improve her skills at Forza while using the APEX. She definitely loved using the wheel stand, giving her both an increased immersion into the game, as well as a sturdy, rigid platform to hold the wheel and pedals. Though we did not have a stick shift attached, she did find that the height of the stick shift platform was good for her, had we the equipment to mount.
I of course also tried out the APEX Steering Wheel Stand, and was impressed with how sturdy it was. With it sitting on the carpeting, I at no times felt like it might shift around while I was playing, no matter how hard I might wrench the wheel or slam on the brakes. I didn’t personally find it very comfortable driving while seated on the couch, as I would have to sit upright at the edge of the seat to play. However, this could be easily solved by using my gaming chair and some wheel stops for seating while I raced.
It should be noted that the GT Omega APEX Steering Wheel Stand can also be expanded into a full racing cockpit. A rear seat frame, with or without racing seats, can be added to the wheel stand. This is a great feature, especially for those that are just getting their feet wet with sim racing, and aren’t sure if they’re ready to make the leap to a cockpit.
The GT Omega APEX Steering Wheel Stand folds down very compactly for storage or transport, and you don’t have to remove the steering wheel and equipment when you fold it. This was very convenient for when we moved it into my girlfriend’s car so that she could, um, “borrow it for some extended testing.”
While my girlfriend and I were both very happy with the experience of using the wheel stand, I did have one major source of irritation putting the stand together and mounting my wheel and pedals. The included double-sided sheet of instructions is quite sparse. The APEX comes with a ton of bolts and washers, undoubtedly to allow for pretty much any model wheel and pedal set on the market. However, the instructions are unclear as to which bolts to use, instead only indicating the sizes of the wrenches. I would have loved to have seen much more clear and straightforward instructions, as it would have saved me a lot of time and trial and error during assembly.
That being said, I appreciated that there were plenty of extra bolts and washers, so that I didn’t have to worry about losing any. Additionally, GT Omega includes a couple of extra parts for the frame, which would definitely save time and hassle should you lose or break one of those pieces. And the included 5 velcro straps is more than you will likely need for cable management.
Landing in both the good and bad columns is the fact that the GT Omega APEX Steering Wheel Stand is pretty heavy, at over 34 pounds. That gives you a sturdy, stable gaming platform. But when it comes time to put away or take out the stand, you’ll be moving a very solid piece of equipment.
Overall, both my girlfriend and I really enjoyed using the GT Omega APEX Steering Wheel Stand. It’s very well-built, and doesn’t take up a ton of floor space while still greatly adding to the immersion of playing a racing game. It has multiple points of adjustment, so should be able to accommodate pretty much any gamer. And the sturdy nature of the frame not only gives it stability, but allows you to attach one of the much heavier direct-drive steering wheels that are popular with racing sim enthusiasts.
If you’re looking to take your first steps to a more immersive video game racing experience, the GT Omega APEX Steering Wheel Stand is a fantastic purchase. Just make sure that you have some comfortable seating to accompany it for those many hours behind the wheel.
If you are interested in the GT Omega APEX Steering Wheel Stand, head over to the GT Omega website for more information.
GT Omega provided a unit for evaluation, but had no input into this review.
