Sim Racing entry: Asetek La Prima Bundle tested – Esports Extras.

On December 3, 2022 I was at the ADAC Sim Expo in Nuremberg, on the one hand to get to know the sim racing community personally and on the other hand to try out the many innovations of the exhibitors present. I also had the pleasure of spending a long time at the Asetek stand. In addition to the innovative Invicta THORP pedals, I was all the more interested in the new La Prima series, which will be launched at the end of December. A bundle consisting of a Formula steering wheel, a DD wheel base with 12Nm and brake and accelerator pedals with two-stage load cell cylinders. All this for an almost unbelievable price of €1349.99, no wonder that my interest was aroused and I took a closer look at the La Prima series.

first impression

Several rigs were set up at the Asetek stand, all equipped with the La Prima series, but there were also a few minor differences. Some of the rigs already had the THORP upgrade on the pedal sets, which can be bought later to upgrade the pedals. I was able to get my first impression on the base rig, i.e. the bundle, which will be available from December for €1349.99. So I did a few laps at Spa-Francorchamps and was able to draw an initial conclusion. The enthusiasm was apparent when I had the first conversation with an employee at the stand about the bundle. Do I really get the bundle that I just rode here for €1349.99 was my first question, because the price really seemed too low for the driving experience offered. A short grin and the confirmation from the Asetek employee let us talk shop a little more about the compatibility of the steering wheels and the upgrade options for the pedals. Why did I ask this question explicitly? Before that I was at the Logitech stand and tried out the new Logitech Pro Racing Wheel, which at €1488 is a good €150 more expensive, but mainly used plastic and didn’t feel as responsive to the touch as the La Prima Bundle from Asetek . Of course, my personal assessment here would be that Asetek will not make much profit with the La Prima Bundle, although not even losses for offering an entry-level product. It shouldn’t matter to me, because for the asking price you get an absolute all-in package at Asetek at a low rate. The feeling of the pedals is absolutely on point, the wheelbase gives good feedback with its 12Nm and the Formula steering wheel feels good in the hand. The possibility of upgrading the whole bundle later rounds off the good first impression.

Ideal for entering the direct drive sector?

If you don’t have a DirectDrive steering wheel yet and are now considering taking the step into the advanced world of sim racing, the way actually leads almost to the Asetek La Prima Bundle. There are of course some alternatives from the competition, but for me the La Prima Bundle is my absolute favourite. Since I am currently planning to switch from a Logitech G29, I have been intensively involved in the area of ​​entry-level bundles in the DirectDrive segment. You can read a comparison of the alternatives HERE, among other things. If you are now toying with the idea of ​​pre-ordering the La Prima Bundle, here’s the good news, you don’t have to pay or enter your payment details when you pre-order. This is because the December first shipment date is subject to change, making it easier for people to cancel their pre-order. Since, as I said, I was looking for something to get started in the DirectDrive sector, I pre-ordered the bundle directly, it simply convinced me in terms of performance, workmanship and price. If the bundle is then with me, there is of course a more detailed review.