We tested the last Asetek Forte Formula Pro Steering Wheel from Asetek. This review has been written by Mariano B. and tested in Asetek La Prima Direct Drive .
Introduction: The Suspicion of Luxury
There are objects that, at first glance, seem unnecessary. They’re not essential; they don’t solve a vital need. We could live without them—and often do, for a long time. Until one day, they enter our lives, and what once felt like a luxury becomes a habit; and habit, in turn, becomes a necessity.
It’s what happens when someone tastes real coffee after years of instant, or drives a car with power steering after years without it. The difference isn’t that life was impossible before those comforts—it’s that once you experience them, your standard of what’s acceptable changes forever.
Philosophers have said it in many ways: habit becomes a second nature. And cinema has taught us the same lesson—Neo could have stayed in the Matrix, but once he took the red pill, there was no going back. Technology follows that same pattern. Some innovations arrive disguised as excess, but once we experience them, they quietly redraw the limits of what we now consider essential.
In simracing, a steering wheel with an integrated display triggers that very suspicion: beautiful, yes—but unnecessary. After all, isn’t the on-screen HUD or the telemetry already enough? It’s easy to think so… until you try it. What first appears as another aesthetic flourish becomes—quite literally—a window into immersion.
Suddenly, the accessory reveals its true purpose. The screen isn’t there to boast or to inflate the price, but to integrate itself into the experience. As Hume noted, habit governs our most ordinary actions, and a luxury that turns into routine soon reshapes what we understand as necessity.
First Contact: Revelation
Asetek usually presents its products in its now-classic double-layered box-and-cover ritual, but this time, the experience starts differently. There’s no double packaging here: everything arrives in a single, deep red box, printed on nearly every side with silhouettes and details of the wheel that awaits inside. From the very first glance, the packaging speaks another language—more direct, more confident—as if to say that what it holds doesn’t need embellishment to stand out.
Opening it, the first thing we see isn’t the wheel itself, but a statement of intent: branded merchandise, corporate stickers, and color accents in up to six different shades, ready for each user to add their own visual identity. It’s a small touch, not a mandatory item, but it reflects attention to detail—the kind of quiet luxury that enters the mind not as excess, but as customization, as identity.
Also included are replacement Funky switches in black, should one prefer them over the default bright orange metallic finish. Only then do we uncover the centerpiece: the Asetek Forte Formula Pro . The forged carbon finish catches the light as if designed not only to attract the eye but to endure the demands of virtual racing. At its core sits a 4.3” display framed by an arc of 21 LEDs. The entire composition feels balanced.
In a separate compartment lie the magnetic shifters, inheriting the precision and tactile quality that has become a hallmark of Asetek’s design language. Notably, the wheel ships without grips, inviting instant customization, although maybe standard, cheaper handles could have been included according to the cost of the steering wheel. In our case, we completed the setup with the LMP-style injected rubber handles, enhancing comfort and underlining the product’s modular nature.
It’s here that the mind starts to work in subtle ways. As Baudrillard suggested, objects don’t merely serve functions—they generate new codes of meaning that redefine what we perceive as indispensable. What once seemed a luxury begins to feel essential.
Technical Specifications
The Asetek Forte Formula Pro combines engineering precision with meticulous attention to detail. At its center lies a 4.3” touch-enabled LCD display, boasting a resolution of 800×480 pixels and a 60 Hz refresh rate, fully compatible with SimHub for displaying telemetry, indicators, or custom dashboards.
The wheel is available with several grip options — Regular, XL, LMP, and Suede — ranging between 300 and 304 mm in diameter, adapting seamlessly to both GT and prototype driving styles. The Asetek SimSports Quick Release system comes included, along with a USB-C connection ensuring compatibility with third-party quick releases.
In terms of controls, the wheel provides a complete interface: 10 push buttons, 3 rotary encoders, 6 thumb encoders, 2 seven-way “kinky” switches, and 2 magnetic shifter paddles, all machined from aluminum. Visually, the entire assembly is brought to life by a fully addressable RGB LED system: 15 LEDs for rev lights, 10 for buttons, 3 for rotary encoders, 6 for flag indicators, and 2 additional LEDs for toggle switches.
Constructed from glass fiber-reinforced composite with a forged carbon finish, the wheel maintains a balanced weight of 1160 g, achieving an ideal compromise between rigidity and agility — even during long sessions.
In summary:
- Display: 4.3″ LCD Touch Panel
- Resolution: 800×480 pixels
- Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
- SimHub Support: Yes
- Diameter:
- Regular Handles: 300 mm
- XL Handles: 304 mm
- LMP Handles: 300 mm
- Suede Handles: 304 mm
- Quick Release: Asetek SimSports Quick Release (included)
- 3rd Party Quick Release Compatibility: USB-C connection for third-party systems
- Buttons & Controls:
- 10 Push Buttons
- 3 Rotary Encoders
- 6 Thumb Encoders
- 2 Seven-way Kinky Switches
- 2 Magnetic Shifter Paddles
- LED System:
- 15 RevLight LEDs
- 10 Button LEDs
- 3 Rotary Encoder LEDs
- 6 FlagLight LEDs
- 2 Toggle Switch LEDs
Installation
Assembling the Asetek Forte Formula Pro reflects the brand’s trademark approach—clean, intuitive, and deliberate. The first step is attaching the chosen grips—in our case, the LMP injected rubber handles—secured from the rear with precise alignment and a solid fit.
Next come the magnetic shifters, a familiar component in Asetek’s wheel lineup. Caution is essential here: the magnets are powerful, and a moment’s slip can cause the pieces to snap together with enough force to chip the paint or edges. With a steady hand, though, the fit is exact and reassuringly firm—a small demonstration of the engineering rigor behind the design.
Once the grips and paddles are in place, the wheel is ready to mount on the base. The Quick Release connection locks with satisfying precision, offering immediate structural rigidity. Within minutes, the setup is ready for the track.
From an ergonomic standpoint, the first impression is excellent. The grip feels natural and comfortable, even for smaller hands. Paddle access is effortless, and the buttons provide a satisfying click and tactile feedback. The central rotary encoders, as in other Asetek models, require momentarily releasing the grips to adjust, but their placement is logical and easy to memorize.
Overall, the design strikes a careful balance between aesthetics and function. Every element seems to have been designed not only to look right, but to feel right—the kind of ergonomics that disappear when they work perfectly.
Software Configuration
The next step in the experience takes us to Asetek RaceHub, the central software hub for the brand’s ecosystem. Upon launching, the software immediately checks for updates to both RaceHub itself and the wheel’s firmware, ensuring the latest features and optimizations are active.
Once updated, the interface presents the familiar sections—Steering Wheel and LEDs—mirroring other Asetek models. However, a new addition stands out: the Display tab, which is the star of the show here.
Entering this section reveals a live preview of the in-sim layout. From here, users can:
- Enable or disable the display.
- Adjust screen brightness.
- Choose between pre-defined layouts via a dropdown menu.
Available profiles include Formula, GT, Road Car (with dynamic rotation of RPM, gear, and speed indicators), Qualification, and SimHub—which we’ll explore further in the next section.
Each layout comes with its own PDF manual explaining the displayed elements, and a Touch Areas overlay can be toggled to switch layouts instantly—even mid-session. On the right side of the interface, users can customize units (speed, temperature, pressure, fuel) and toggle flags, driving aids, or rotation-linked animations.
Asetek’s native layouts do their job well: clear, concise, and free of visual clutter. While some users may wish for color customization, the SimHub compatibility renders that omission more of a design choice than a limitation.
The Infinite World of SimHub
If RaceHub defines the Forte Formula Pro’s foundation, SimHub represents its creative horizon—a near-limitless playground for customization. Installation is straightforward: download it from the official page, install it, and add Asetek RaceHub LEDs and Display under the Devices section. From there, full control of the screen and lighting becomes available.
SimHub allows users to create different layouts for idle mode and in-race sessions, switching between them via touchscreen or wheel buttons. Flexibility is total—users can keep Asetek’s native layouts, swap them on the fly, or import entirely custom ones.
The real power lies within Dash Studio, where layouts can be edited, built from scratch, or fine-tuned with absolute control. From fuel and tire temperature to lap times, deltas, and even track maps, the customization possibilities border on endless.
In essence, SimHub expands the Forte Formula Pro far beyond its factory design. It’s not just about configuring a display—it’s about defining how you experience the simulation itself. The interface stops being an accessory and becomes an extension of immersion.
When Habit Becomes Necessity
After several sessions with the Asetek Forte Formula Pro , it becomes difficult to see it as just another accessory. What first seemed like a luxury—a steering wheel with a built-in display—reveals its real purpose: to place information exactly where it belongs, at the heart of the experience.
Having real-time data directly on the wheel changes the driving dynamic completely. The ability to remove, partially or entirely, the on-screen HUD frees visual space and sharpens focus on the track itself. Information no longer floats over the simulator’s image—it anchors to the wheel, just as it would in a real car. It’s a technical feature, yes, but also a leap in immersion and realism: the gaze no longer drifts; it flows naturally between asphalt and display.
Returning to a wheel without a screen suddenly feels incomplete—like driving a real car without an instrument cluster. That absence isn’t merely technical; it’s almost emotional.
The Forte Formula Pro’s screen doesn’t interrupt immersion—it completes it.
Conclusion
When it comes to the balance of price and performance, the Asetek Forte Formula Pro sits in a particularly strong position within its range. The inclusion of a fully functional touchscreen—compatible with SimHub—puts it a step ahead of similarly priced wheels that often rely on closed systems or simplified displays. That openness to third-party software dramatically expands customization, letting each user fine-tune their interface to match their driving style—from minimalist dashboards to complex telemetry setups.
Build quality is equally impressive: the forged carbon finish, machined aluminum buttons and encoders, magnetic shifters, and precise assembly all convey the sense of a component that could easily belong to a higher price tier.
With the Asetek Forte Formula Pro , Asetek has achieved a product that redefines what can be expected at this level—a meticulous balance of engineering, design, and functionality that not only raises the bar but sets a new standard of reference in simracing.
We at boxthislap.org would like to thank Asetek for providing the gear that allowed us to bring you this review.
You can access the products directly here:
- Resellers (use our links for a 3% or 5% discount)
- Available from their official website (5% discount with code boxthislap)
This website uses affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
