Simagic GT Neo Steering Wheel Review

TweakTown Rating: 95%

Our Verdict

Simagic has produced a steering wheel that features great value, build quality and functionality at an amazing price without much in terms of compromises.

Pros

• Build quality
• Value
• Number of included buttons/encoders
• Egonomics

Cons

• Limited RGB options in Simagic software

Should you buy it?

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Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

The Formula/GT-style sim steering wheel space is crowded, with options from the likes of MOZA (KS or GS V2P), Fanatec CSL GT3, and Asetek La Prima Formula, to name just a few.

Wheels in this segment can be expensive, from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand and beyond, and what you will choose will largely depend on the ecosystem you are running and what you may need to connect one brand's steering wheel to another's wheel base. Add to this your requirements for buttons, encoders, and maybe a screen, and it can be daunting to choose a particular wheel.

Over the past few weeks, I have been looking at another option in this slice of the market: the Simagic GT Neo. This 300mm wheel has received a lot of praise in the sim racing community since its launch in 2024, is priced at a respectable $289.00, and, as I write, is on sale at just $269.00.

Made from injection-molded carbon fiber-reinforced composites, the Simagic GT Neo includes ten buttons, two seven-way funky switches, four rotary encoders, and two thumb encoders. That's not all you get for your money; we also get a 15-segment RPM LED strip, magnetic shifters, clutch paddles, and, finally, the Simagics Maglink system is also supported here.

Today, then, I will be taking a look at what the Simagic GT Neo has to offer, see what all the fuss is about, and decide if this wheel will be staying on my rig.

Packaging

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Having recently covered other Simagic products, the packaging feels nice and familiar, and the Simagic GT Neo is presented well, with full-colour printing on the exterior.

The front of the box shows two-thirds of the wheel off to the right-hand side, with the Simagic logo at the top left and the Alpha symbol next to the GT Neo product title at the bottom left.

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Rotating the box so that we can see the back, the packaging denotes the dimensions, 300mm wide and 156mm tall. Below are safety warnings, with some details on what is included in the box to get you up and running. QR codes are positioned on the right-hand side; these take you to the download center, product tutorial, and global tech support offered by Simagic.

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Finally, on the exterior, there are more QR codes on the long edge, and Facebook, Instagram, and Discord links are provided. It's almost like Simagic wants you to share some pictures and videos of your new shiny wheel rim! With the externals covered, let's get our hands on the Simagic GT Neo.

Unboxing the Simagic GT Neo

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Let's flip open the lid now and see what greets us. Internally, I found a sheet of foam on top to protect the contents, followed by a cardboard center with an outline and a schematic-type image of the Simagic GT Neo printed on it. Here, I notice more writing on the bottom long edge, which is hidden when the box is closed. A small environment-based statement from Simagic, it's nice to see the message being put out there, and it will hopefully make people think just a little more about the world we need to look after. Bravo Simagic.

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I lifted out the cardboard center using the thumb holes cut into the outer lip. Now we have the wheel itself to explore, but before we do, let's check out what else comes in the box.

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Below the wheel itself is the accessories box. Opening this, I found some sticker sheets, the same ones that I also received with the Simagic GTpro-R(K) for the Alpha Evo 12Nm bundle review. Also bundled here are the USB cable, quick guide, and some more stickers, this time for the wheel rim itself.

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Taking a closer look, we see two sets. The first is a small, full-colour sheet of stickers that can be placed around the encoders, given their curved design, and is available in four colours. Most common control functions are included, but if you prefer something a little less bright, white text on a black background, or smaller labels, they are also included.

The second sheet of stickers is found in a bag, along with a set of tweezers to place them. Simagic includes a set of 128 icons and labels to place over the button caps. Here, you can create your own unique layout; these stickers are patented, as are the soft-glow LED lights used to backlight them during use. The final component in the bag is an Allen key for adjusting the shifter and clutch paddle length.

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Finally, it's time to remove the Simagic GT Neo from its transport bag. Lifting the wheel out, you can feel the weight. The GT Neo comes in at 1.1Kg without the attached quick-release mechanism, and, as I measured at home, the package with the QR attached weighs 1.5Kg / 3.3lbs.

Taking a moment to step back, I can admire the beauty of this wheel. Right now, the button caps are blank, and it looks a little bare, but I am sure the aesthetics will pop more when we introduce some stickers and RGB to the equation. On the whole, the mix of materials and the carbon composite looks very nice indeed. Everything blends well and doesn't look out of place.

I like the form factor and the angles; nothing here is really flat. Moving my hands over the faceplate, I feel the housings around some of the buttons along with the separation castings between the top three buttons to each side. These will provide good reference points when racing, allowing me to know exactly where my hands and fingers are on the wheel without taking my eyes off the road.

I tried and tried to see if the Simagic GT Neo would flex in my hands, pushing and pulling to an almost concerning level, but this wheel rim resisted everything I could throw at it. Thanks to the high-strength carbon fiber composite, the Simagic GT Neo achieves an almost perfect balance between weight and strength. No creaking or groaning was observed, and I think it was actually laughing at me trying to pull it apart. No concerns over its rigidity then.

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The top of the Simagic GT Neo is well laid out, with three buttons staggered to each side, allaccessible with your thumbs without having to move your hands from the grips at all. Each button feels even when pushed and produces a really nice, positive click when depressed, when released; another click confirms your thumb leaving the button. These feel stiffer and have less travel than the Simagic GTpro-R(K), and it's a nice feeling. Simagic states that the buttons on the GT Neo have 0.25mm of travel with a 500g button load threshold.

Sitting between them at the top is the individual, fifteen-segment RPM LED cluster. This is partially recessed and can be controlled via software that we will look at later. Below, the top two rotary encoders are placed more centrally. Each of the four front-mounted rotary encoders features 12 positions that can be mapped in-game or software such as SimHub, to control a multitude of systems. Here again, positive confirmation of adjustment is present, and even with gloves on, you will be able to precisely control settings on the fly. Rotary caps are plastic, but this can be overlooked given the price point we are at.

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Focusing on the mid-section, two thumb rotary encoders are capped with anodized thumb wheels. These are really conveniently placed and feel just as snappy and responsive as the front-mounted encoders. Each wheel is encapsulated in the wheel housing, so they don't feature a depressible button as you find on the MOZA GS V2P, for example, but the housing will help prevent accidental activations, with it guarding the side of the wheel in the thumb slot of the grip.

Two more buttons sit below the thumb encoders on each side, with the plastic, seven-way funky switches placed more towards the center. Accessing these while driving won't be an issue; only slight repositioning of your hands is needed to take full advantage of them. Twisting the funky switches left and right provides a softer, more granular rotation over the larger encoders. While using the up, down, left, and right positions of the switches, I can feel that they are well defined, with the button housing directing the stick into the correct position. Again, compared to the MOZA GS V2P, their implementation was a little more wayward, allowing full rotation of the stick, meaning you had to guess whether you were pushing left, for example, or at an angle.

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Completing the front are the bottom two rotary encoders, and as with the top two, they feature 12-segment LEDs around the encoder housing. When we come to the Simagic SimPro Manager software, we will cover how certain effects can be added for feedback to the driver. Notably, the four front-encoders also don't feature a depressible button, but it's a small omission overall.

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The grips of the Simagic GT Neo are made from TPE, which should provide a long-lasting, durable experience. Holding the Simagic GT Neo, my hands felt comfortable and grippy. This wheel has been designed with upper and lower C-zone areas, taking ergonomics into account, making it easier to keep all the controls you need at your fingertips. How this will wear over time remains to be seen, with or without gloves, and it would be nice to maybe have a leather or microfiber option, even if it means you pay a little more for a specific version.

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Going around the back, the first thing to mention is the Simagic QR50, 50mm quick-release mechanism. This is the same quick release as found on other Simagic products and includes a revision of previous QR designs with a 51.56% increase in the contact area for better grip and easier handling. The wing-shaped quick-release, with an enlarged quick-release dial, makes installing and removing the steering wheel a simple process, without the need for locking screws or a twist mechanism.

Both Simagic and MOZA have implemented this type of QR design, and it remains the best version available on the sim racing market. Simagic is also using the magnetic socket design, maximizing security between the wheel base and steering wheel contract pads and pins. I will be testing the Simagic GT Neo with the Simagic Alpha Evo 12Nm base that includes this feature.

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Before I cover more on the back of the wheel rim, the images above show more of the ergonomic design of the Simagic GT Neo. The contours around the back and in the grips flow well, with the only flat portion of the wheel rim being the attachment point for the quick-release mechanism. The Simagic logo is at the top of the wheel, with the aluminum housing for the paddles also on display.

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On either side of the QR mechanism are the magnetic shifters and clutch paddles. All housed in an aluminum frame, both sets of paddles include rubber pads within the mechanism for quiet operation, and the shifters feature adjustable paddle length by around 8mm. Unlike other Simagic wheels, and to keep costs down, neither the shifter nor the clutch features carbon fiber paddles.

All four paddles use Simagics self-developed Hall Effect paddle module to provide precise triggering and clear shifting, while eliminating wear and tear. Operation of the gear and clutch paddles is a super experience, with snappy actuation on the gears thanks to the magnets, and smooth, easy-to-control, spring-loaded, elongated travel on the clutch paddles. The Simagic GT Neo can't be upgraded to a six paddle option, but realistically, I can't think of a reason you would need that many in most race scenarios.

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Below the quick release is the USB-C port for connecting the Simagic GT Neo to your PC. If you are not using a Simagic wheel base, then this is an option to add the GT Neo to your existing setup. The Simagic Maglink can also be installed on the GT Neo to ensure that the USB port remains damage-free should you lose control and the wheel wrap up your cable.

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Just before we mount up the Simagic GT Neo for testing, side by side with the Simagic GTpro-R(K), you get an idea of what a 330mm wheel looks like, compared to the 300mm of the GT Neo. Aside from the obvious differences, why would you choose one style over another? Primarily, wheels are differentiated and tailored to specific disciplines: you want a smaller, more responsive wheel for open-cockpit racing, such as F1, while a larger, round rim is more suited to rally and drifting. I race a lot of GT3 cars, so the smaller dimensions of the Simagic GT Neo will give more precise control over what the car is doing, whereas a round wheel will allow it to glide through your hands for drifting or rallying.

Installation & Software

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Hooking up the Simagic GT Neo to the Simagic Alpha Evo 12Nm base, it's time to first ensure everything is up to date, calibrated, and ready to go before I hit the track. Simagics software is similar to that implemented by MOZA, Fanatec, Asetek, and all the other main players in the sim racing space. Firing up the Simagic SimPro Manager on V2.1.8, I could then set up the GT Neo to my liking.

The first page here shows the Simagic GT Neo, and some options to calibrate the clutch, and how it is implemented, either synced or separated, with the percentage also adjustable. The clutch paddles can also be used in button mode if you need more.

Of course, however you set up the GT Neo, you can also import and export profiles for use in a wide range of simulators. If you commonly flip between F1 and, say, GT racing, and you have different preferences, you can easily swap between your profiles here.

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At the bottom of the main page is the LED brightness slider that covers all the buttons, but not the RPM counter. The left tab for button settings then brings up additional custom options where you can change a number of things. I like to keep a familiar layout across all my wheels, where possible, so that the flash headlight button or the pit limiter is in the same position, or as close to it as possible. Thanks to the built-in backlit buttons, I can customize the color of these to match the other wheels I use.

Changing the color of these is a simple process within the SimPro Manager software. Simply click the button you want to change, then pick the new color. One thing I wish Simagic included was the option to set the colour from a wider range, perhaps as a HEX or RGB value, but sadly, you are limited to eight colors or turned off.

The encoder ring lights can also be changed, with the option to add telemetry feedback across all backlit buttons. Here, you can pick from TC, ABS, PIT, DRS, or Flag for instant notification on the wheel itself that something is happening. It's nice to be able to map these to different places, too. Want a single button to flash? No problem. Then, if you want the effect symmetrical, you can program two buttons to activate when required, or have everything light up by selecting the effect for every possible button.

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The final tab to cover is the light settings tab, and this is specific to the RPM LED cluster. From here, you can set the percentage and color for all 15 LEDs. A separate brightness slider is included, so this is an independent value that can be set if you want, maybe dim buttons, but a bright RPM gauge, or vice versa. Simagic also lets you sync this with the default button brightness to match it, and you can turn off the RPM flash.

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Just before I give my final thoughts on the Simagic GT Neo, there is, of course, SimHub integration with the wheel rim listed as a device. While I won't go over everything here, you can see that there are a number of lighting effects and controls that can be mapped to the wheel. You may notice from my screenshots that the GT Neo needs to be connected via USB to be enabled, so the Simagic Maglink connector might be worth the additional investment if you want to take advantage of what SimHub has to offer. Personally, I am happy with how Simagic has set up their own software, but it's nice to see the option of adding just that little bit more convenience that SimHub provides.

Kris' Sim Racing Test System Specifications

Final Thoughts

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Attaching the Simagic GT Neo to the Simagic Alpha Evo 12Nm base, it springs into life with a little color dance via the LED buttons and RPM cluster. Once things settle down and I have set up all my button colors, it does look superb. Despite the price, the Simagic GT Neo certainly doesn't look like a toy once it is up and running.

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Installing the button cap stickers is certainly worth spending some time on to get them perfect, and it's made easier by the fact that Simagic includes a small recess in the button cap to help center the stickers. What helps even more is that the button caps are locked into position, so they don't rotate, and that will help the stickers remain straight over time, and not be moved around through button activations.

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Enough about how it looks, then, how does it perform? I owned a MOZA GS V2P wheel for a while and have also used the 330mm Simagic GTpro-R(K) more recently, so I can give my thoughts based on the GT Neo alone, and sort of from a comparison standpoint too.

From the moment I jumped on the Simagic GT Neo, it just made me feel at home. I've used the Simagic 330mm in the exact same race sessions, but this is just so much more refined, and of course, dedicated to this style of racing. As soon as I hit the first turn at Paul Ricard in the McLaren GT3 on Assetto Corsa Competizione, it instantly felt accurate and responsive, thanks to the Alpha Evo wheel base. I ran testing at around 9Nm, so not the full capacity of the wheelbase, and it's around this point that I feel most comfortable for longer sessions. Hammering lap after lap, and race after race, I then cast my mind back to my time with the MOZA GS V2P for comparison. Of course, there is still a huge range of wheels we haven't tested here at TweakTown, and while I am not being unfair onthe MOZA, it's what I really have experience with to compare the Simagic GT Neo to.

Here, gaps between the MOZA GS V2P and GT Neo become evident. The MOZA GS V2P wasn't a bad wheel by any stretch of the imagination, but it was more expensive. The GT Neo is better built, whereas my MOZA unit, while robust, lacked a bit of strength and showed some flex and creak. The GT Neo is also more refined in how the buttons feel, how the funky switches are implemented, and how the paddles feel. Swift, positive, snappy paddles just make the GT Neo even more wholesome and a pleasure to drive with. Adjusting FFB strength via the rotary thumb wheels was within easy reach, and the only time I really had to move my hands was to switch up TC or ABS settings via the central encoders.

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Speaking of the encoders, you can set them to an absolute value, but the implementation is limited at this time. Holding the left funky switch down and twisting the encoder to the right brings the LEDs to life with a positional indication. However, the color cannot be changed, and only the top two encoders are supported, so Simagic still has some work to do here.

Overall, the experience is excellent; the Simagic GT Neo doesn't kick up a fuss, it just goes about its business quietly and competently as you would expect. I guess then the decision to purchase a Simagic GT Neo might be down to the ecosystem you have in play and the extra cost you need to factor in to adapt it to fit another brand's wheelbase, and that can vary. If you are already involved with the Simagic ecosystem, it really isn't a hard decision to make; the Simagic GT Neo ticks so many boxes, at a price that provides excellent value for money.

Given the price, you don't actually need to spend any more here, and what you save can be put towards other aspects of your setup. If you are starting fresh, the $200 you might save with the Simagic GT Neo over another steering wheel can certainly be put to good use. Maybe you are looking at a 9Nm wheelbase, but that $200 you are now saving opens up maybe a 12Nm or 15Nm unit. By no means is this a compromise to grab a bigger wheelbase either; the Simagic GT Neo is competent, fun, and exciting without any needless extras bolted on.

If you are looking for a wheel with an inbuilt screen, the GT Neo obviously isn't for you. A little bit of refinement is needed in Simagics software for better control over RGB implementation. SimHub gives you more options, but Simagic should do the work here and offer a more comprehensive suite within the SimPro Manager software.

If these are my only issues with the Simagic GT Neo, then I am certainly being picky with what is, overall, a fantastic piece of kit that offers great value, performance, and a truly fun experience.