The add-on you’d never expect: Asetek La Prima Boost Kit

It has been a long way for this La Prima Boost Kit. In the first place, Asetek thought it would be an upgrade kit. Over time, they discarded that idea to simplify and avoid return shipments, and we now have a powerful plug-and-play PSU to enhance our La Prima Wheelbase Direct Drive.

Introduction

As we’ve seen with other brands during the direct drive boom, Asetek has launched its proposal to boost the peak torque of its standard entry-level base (excluding the Initium range), the La Prima Wheelbase Direct Drive.

All you need is the Asetek La Prima Boost Kit. Is it worth it? Let’s find out.

Specs

Asetek SimSports has quietly introduced the Asetek La Prima Boost Kit to the market—a simple power supply for the Asetek La Prima Direct Drive that, according to the Danish manufacturer, achieves peak torque levels close to its mid-range sibling, the Asetek Forte Direct Drive.

Packaging and Differences with the Standard Power Supply

As you can see from the photos, the packaging follows Asetek’s usual trend: simple yet refined. The power supply is well protected and housed in a basic, natural-colored cardboard box.
The size difference, however, is quite noticeable, which might pose a problem if you already had a specific spot adapted for the standard power supply.

Installation

Installation is fully plug-and-play. Simply connect the new power supply, and in Asetek’s software, go to Racehub > Settings > Upgrade and select the La Prima+ option.
After that, the system will ask you to update the base, which takes virtually no time—and you’re set.

You can confirm everything has been updated correctly if, under Wheelbase > Force Feedback, you see the options Overall Force 16.0 Nm and Torque Acceleration Limit 6.7 Nm/ms.

Driving Impressions

To truly notice the difference between both configurations, we prepared two scenarios:

• Assetto Corsa +CSP and Original car
• Automobilista 2

In both cases, we left the in-game FFB parameters unchanged, modifying only the settings within RaceHub.
The difference is quite striking. While you can feel the extra peak torque over the standard version, the real improvement comes in abrupt changes of intensity and perceived detail. Here, I want to emphasize the importance of slew rate over peak torque.

The increased peak torque lets you sense finer forces that were previously near the lower torque range threshold, but the approximately 33% boost in slew rate truly transforms the experience. The speed at which the wheel reaches higher torque in situations like sudden direction changes, grip loss, bumps, and suspension impacts feels like a completely different level.

I’ve always considered 12 Nm to be the sweet spot for sim racing nowadays, but that difference in slew rate, especially compared to older wheelbases, is what truly eliminates the “spongy” feeling that defined direct drives from five years ago.

After some testing, we decided to dive deeper. A recently released mod for Assetto Corsa dramatically improves its FFB to levels previously unimaginable. Our colleague Ender already discussed it in this post:

https://boxthislap.org/alternative-ffb-extended-aims-to-redefine-the-force-feedback-experience-in-assetto-corsa/

We’re sharing the configuration here, along with a download link if you’d like to try it yourself. Keep in mind this setup was paired with a haptic pad, so you may need to tweak details if you don’t have a similar setup.

https://acstuff.club/s/Jko0

Assetto Corsa becomes a completely different simulator.

Continuing to squeeze every bit of performance from the Boost Kit, we moved on to Automobilista 2, another simulator that supports fully customized FFB configurations.

In this case, we used the rFuktor setup, available here. Just place the .txt file in the following directory:

C:\Users\[Your User]\Documents\Automobilista 2

I strongly recommend giving it a try. If, like me, you already thought this sim had one of the best FFB systems on the market, this will only confirm that impression and will raise the bar.

Conclusion

Asetek, staying true to its ECO upgrade philosophy, where improvements don’t require replacing 100% of components, offers a way to elevate your driving experience without spending a fortune. But is it worth it for such an affordable upgrade?

Honestly, if you’re just entering the Asetek ecosystem and comparing La Prima + Boost Kit vs Forte, the price difference is only about $20. In that case, go straight for the Forte, since it includes the kill switch and LEDs (though personally, I don’t find those essential).

However, if you already own a La Prima and are considering a jump to something more powerful around 18 Nm, this upgrade is absolutely worth it. It dramatically changes how the La Prima feels and behaves.

A big thank-you to Asetek for allowing us at boxthislap.org to test this upgrade.

They can be purchased on their website.

• Asetek (5% discount using our code when making a purchase: boxthislap)
  • La Prima Boost Kit for 182,01 euros
  • La Prima Wheelbase Direct Drive for 761,59 euros
• Amazon
  • La Prima Wheelbase DD for 730 dollars