Transparency note: I wrote this piece on my own, with no sponsorship, no loaner unit, and no early access. It’s based on Dan Suzuki’s interview with Hannu Harju (Simucube CEO) and the brand’s official materials, any quoted lines come from that livestream. When a claim isn’t verified by third parties, I mark it as manufacturer information. I’m a Simucube user and I like the brand, so there’s potential bias. My commitment is to be transparent, critical, and to correct the record if new facts confirm or refute anything here. In this case, boxthislap.org can include some affiliate links at its discretion.
After months of rumors, Simucube 3 is finally here. Six years have passed since Simucube helped define the high-end with its second-generation direct drive wheel bases, and the landscape has grown far more competitive. This isn’t just a brute-force bump: the Finnish company is rolling out a full platform – new base, new quick release, even a native wheel – all meant to simplify a simracer’s life without trading away performance. Below, I break down what’s different in Simucube 3 – from the cable-free LightBridge link to how third-party partners fit the ecosystem – with a practical, plain-English approach.
We’ll look at each new piece and what it means for both pro and home simracing.
Context: Where Simucube fits in 2025
Simucube (Granite Devices) earned its reputation with industrial-grade direct drive gear. Simucube 2 (2019) became a de-facto benchmark: direct, powerful ( Simucube 2 Sport 17 Nm, Pro 25 Nm, Ultimate 32 Nm), and beloved for its steering fidelity. For years, “the best of the best” usually meant looking at SC2.
Competition didn’t stand still. VRS, Simagic, and MOZA brought strong direct drive options at sharper prices. Fanatec expanded upward with Podium and, more recently, the 15 Nm Fanatec Clubsport DD+ . Simucube itself also ventured into new ideas (Simucube ActivePedal), showing it’s willing to rethink conventions.
So SC3 couldn’t just “add more torque.” The ceiling for raw fidelity was already high. The pitch now is an integrated ecosystem, “industrial-level” reliability (Simucube’s words), and ease of use. As Simucube co-founder/CTO Tero Kontkanen puts it: “Every part of the simulator must be the best possible. But nobody can master everything. It’s always a joint effort of top talent.” That collaboration-first mindset runs through SC3’s launch.
One very real pain point they’re targeting: cable clutter. USB coils on rotating rims, dongles for wireless rims, you name it. SC2’s wireless helped, but battery and bandwidth limits remained. Could we remove both cables and batteries without losing capability?
That’s what Simucube says LightBridge – built into the Simucube Link quick release – is meant to solve.
The Simucube 3 lineup: more than a base
Three direct drive wheel bases, similar roles as before, with meaningful changes:
- Simucube 3 Sport – 15 Nm max (3-year warranty, enthusiast sweet spot – notably 2 Nm less than Sport V2).
- Simucube 3 Pro – 25 Nm (3-year warranty, the balanced choice for very demanding simracers and pros).
- Simucube 3 Ultimate – 35 Nm (5-year warranty, +3 Nm over Ultimate V2, built for absolute peak performance).
Shared philosophy, many shared features, the main differences are motors and power. No wheel in the box and, important, no Simucube Link Hub in the box either. Unlike older bases that plugged into your PC via USB, SC3 runs over an isolated Ethernet-based link and needs the Link Hub as the PC interface (sold separately).
Alongside the bases, Simucube launched:
-
Simucube Savu Steering Wheel (Sport and Pro), designed to exploit Link/LightBridge,
-
Simucube 3 Link Quick Release (included with the bases), plus adapters/kits for third-party fit.
This is a platform: base + QR + wheel + hub + software, all debuting together to deliver a streamlined, unified setup.
Pricing (indicative, incl. 19% VAT)
- Savu Sport: €885.11
- Simucube Savu Pro Steering Wheel : €1,249.00
- Simucube 3 Link Quick Release (stand-alone): €167.18
- Simucube 3 Sport (15 Nm): €1,239.16
- Simucube 3 Pro (25 Nm): €1,475.20
- Simucube 3 Ultimate (35 Nm): €3,186.44
These are indicative figures aligned to 19% VAT, regional MSRP may vary.
Heads-up: SC3 is PC-only, and the Link Hub is not included with the base. Your all-in entry cost can be higher than some closed-ecosystem rivals.
Under the hood: new motors, tighter control
On paper, torque numbers look familiar (Ultimate rises). The meat is in control algorithms, electronics, and motor design. Simucube says each base gets uniquely calibrated control for cleaner, more consistent FFB across the range, lower noise, better linearity, and near-silent operation.
- Sport/Pro: custom industrial-grade motors.
- Ultimate: a new spoke IPM (interior permanent magnet) design for higher torque density and faster response without a massive PSU.
Power supplies differ too (Sport 280 W, Pro/Ultimate 360 W with 450 W peak), giving the higher-end bases the “lungs” for transients.
A new Control Box replaces the classic e-stop puck: dial + buttons + on-screen overlay for on-the-fly tweaks, and it can power on Link devices like ActivePedal with a single press. Quality-of-life stuff aimed at the meticulous user.
In short: the driving feel aims to be the same “SC” signature, powerful, ultra precise, but a notch more refined and tunable. The claimed pillars:
- Individually calibrated control (less noise, consistent feel),
- More texture (telemetry-based effects layered on traditional FFB),
- Faster motor response (new Ultimate motor, tweaks in Sport/Pro).
As always, the community will judge whether these gains are clearly felt over the already-excellent SC2.
Simucube Link QR & LightBridge: goodbye cables (and batteries)
Here’s the headline feature: a quick release that carries data and power without physical contacts.
You click the wheel on, and everything works, no USB coil, no wireless dongle, no wheel battery to charge. The Link QR handles both power via induction and data via optical/LED, no slip rings, no rubbing contacts to wear. “Brushless, contactless, wearless.”
Mechanically, the Link QR uses a P3G polygon interface that creates effectively infinite points of contact for a rock-solid, no-play lockup. The promise is a torsion-proof, rattle-free coupling under high loads. That’s the claim, we’ll see how it ages with dust, dirt, and thousands of swaps.
Latency: nobody has literal zero, but Simucube says sub-millisecond Link timings. In practice, that’s “feel-instant” and comparable to (or better than) USB and, crucially, deterministic (fixed timing) rather than variable like typical USB under system load. The whole Link stack is built around deterministic real-time comms.
Where others stand today:
- Simagic powers through the QR with contacts (no wheel battery),
- MOZA uses 2.4 GHz RF with wheel batteries.
Both achieve “no visible cable” for less money. The key question is whether LightBridge brings measurable wins (latency, reliability, bandwidth) that justify the Link ecosystem cost.
Practical wins of LightBridge/Link:
- Cleaner cockpit: no wheel USB tails or dongles.
- Fewer PC ports used: one Link to rule them all.
- No wear/maintenance on pins/rings, fewer contact-failure points under DD forces.
- No wheel batteries to charge or die mid-endurance.
- More bandwidth for displays/LEDs/telemetry and richer inputs than SC2 Wireless allowed.
Caveats:
- Legacy USB wheels: mountable via 70 mm patterns, but they won’t use LightBridge. You’ll still run that wheel’s USB to the PC (no passthrough on the base). Simucube chose a clean, galvanically isolated data path instead of embedding a USB hub in the base, good for noise immunity, less elegant for legacy wheels.
- It’s proprietary: LightBridge isn’t an open standard. Simucube is partnering widely and offers a Link Wheel Module (with LightBridge + USB mode) to third-party wheel makers, but adoption still has to happen. The stated stance: “closed only as far as needed to guarantee quality, open beyond that.”
Short-term questions:
- Long-term QR durability and dust tolerance,
- Stability with power-hungry wheels (big screens/LED arrays),
- Total entry cost (base + Hub) vs. rivals,
- No USB passthrough for legacy wheels,
- How fast third parties scale “Simucube Link Inside.”
Simucube Link ecosystem: a joint effort
Simucube Link is the unifying, Ethernet-based, galvanically isolated backbone between devices and PC (via Link Hub, USB-C on the PC side). It scales cleanly, add devices, even through a standard network switch, while Tuner software presents a single, coherent setup. Isolation helps kill ground loops and noise, something many of us have battled in dense rigs.
On partners: brands like BavarianSimTec (Delta Pro SC) and Lovely Sim Racing are already in, for 2026, Simucube mentions GSI, Ascher Racing , SimRacingBay, Cube Controls, and more joining with Link-native gear. The Link Wheel Module means a wheel could be LightBridge-native on SC3 and USB-capable elsewhere, protecting buyer investment and making it attractive for builders to adopt Link without going “SC-only.”
Backwards compatibility: SC3 + Link Hub can still work with SC2 Wireless wheels (you’ll swap the mechanical QR, the wheels keep using their internal batteries, no LightBridge power/telemetry for those).
There’s also a Link API for software integration (think: game-driven base profiles, on-wheel data without extra middleware). How fast devs use it is an open question, but the hooks are there.
Simucube 3 vs. the field: revolution or refinement?
Force-feedback ceiling
Many agree previous top-tier DD bases (SC2, Leo Bodnar, VRS, etc.) already reached a very high fidelity ceiling. SC3 doesn’t chase headline torque (Sport 15 Nm, Pro 25 Nm, Ultimate 35 Nm), it refines feel and experience (algorithms, response, telemetry-driven effects).
Simagic: QR-powered wireless, strong value
Alpha Ultimate (23 Nm) sits below SC3 pricing with excellent FFB (custom servo, high-res encoders, fast loop) and a clever wireless-without-battery via QR contacts/slip ring. Pros: no wheel battery, solid feel, cons: physical contacts can wear, and it’s a closed stack. Alpha EVO (9/12/18 Nm) modernizes the mid-range. Many put Alpha Ultimate side-by-side with SC2/SC3 Pro in feel, the gap then becomes ecosystem philosophy and long-term robustness.
MOZA: broad ecosystem, aggressive pricing
From R5 (5.5 Nm) to Moza Racing R21 Ultra (21 Nm) and Moza Racing R25 Ultra True Torque (25 Nm) announced for late 2025, MOZA is pushing price-performance hard (25 Nm < €1,000 target in their messaging). Wireless is 2.4 GHz with wheel battery (“Invisible Connect”). It works well in practice, but you still charge batteries. Newer encoders (21-bit), flatter motors (low cogging), and FFB filtering (NexGen 4.0) aim to close the last gaps on smoothness/response. MOZA also retains conveniences like some console paths, which SC3 (PC-only) doesn’t pursue.
VRS: maximal feel per euro
The legendary DirectForce Pro (20 Nm) won on pure FFB for the money (MiGE motor, external controller, DIY-friendly). The newer DFP15 (15 Nm) integrates electronics and adds a QR with USB passthrough (not RF, a “wire-through-the-QR” approach) for simpler cable management at a very sharp price. Ecosystem breadth is limited, VRS users typically mix brands. If your priority is best FFB per euro and you’re happy to piece a rig together, VRS remains compelling. SC3, by contrast, aims at “Ferrari-level” experience and tech polish, with pricing to match.
Fanatec: the integrated giant
Podium DD2 (25 Nm) has been the long-running integrated reference, the newer QR2 improved play/rigidity. Fanatec still uses pin-style electrical contacts and competes on breadth (from entry to high-end) and console paths. Whether they respond to LightBridge with a no-contacts QR remains to be seen. For now, SC3 Ultimate outruns DD2 on raw torque, but few need >25 Nm anyway, the battle is more about ecosystem and day-to-day UX than numbers.
So… revolution or necessary step?
On pure FFB, SC3 is a refined evolution of an already top-tier feel. The revolution, if any, is architectural: LightBridge + Link, no wheel batteries, deterministic comms, isolated Ethernet backbone, and a partner-friendly path to a premium, multi-brand ecosystem. If that proves bulletproof in the wild, it could influence the entire market (open, USB-C-ish QRs or other no-contact solutions down the line).
Should you upgrade?
If your SC2 is dialed and you’re happy, there’s no urgency. If you love cutting setup friction, swapping rims in seconds, never charging a wheel, and you value the platform’s headroom for future features, SC3 is exactly that proposition. Expect Simucube to focus new goodies on the Link platform (while keeping SC2 support), so some advanced features may be SC3-only over time.
Bottom line: you don’t need to bin a great SC2. But if simracing is your passion and you want maximal refinement regardless of cost, SC3 won’t disappoint.
Final thoughts
Simucube 3 and the Link ecosystem are aimed at the tip of the spear. Not mass-market, but a bold stake in the ground for what next-gen home simulation could look like. It’s ambitious, and risky, to double down on absolute quality and a curated-open ecosystem. The community will decide: durability, partner adoption, and real-world reliability will make or break it. On paper, though, SC3 delivers a cleaner, smarter way to run a high-end rig.
Many of us won’t spring for an Ultimate with all the toys, but it’s exciting that it exists. With luck, the best ideas trickle down.
What do you think? Is Simucube 3 + LightBridge a watershed moment, or a set of smart refinements that don’t justify a generational jump for most? Do you prefer a unified high-end ecosystem, or the freedom (and cables) of a piece-by-piece build?
– Miguel (aka “Nikos” in the community)
This website uses affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
