Choose a keyboard swivel mount if you type often in your rig, for chat, setups or streaming. Choose a mouse tray if you mainly click through menus and launch games. Many PC racers end up with both, because the keyboard swings away while the mouse stays in reach on the other side.
Both parts solve the same problem: you want your desk tools close to the wheel, without a desk. The difference lies in how often you type and how much room sits next to your seat. Before we compare them, here is the SIMGASM Club cockpit in blue in a short showcase without speech.
Why do PC sim racers need a keyboard or mouse in the rig?
On PC, much of sim racing happens outside the car, in menus, setups and team chat.
You join a lobby, change a setup, check tyre pressures or type a quick message to your team. Doing that on a desk two metres away means climbing out of the seat every time. So most PC racers add a keyboard and mouse to the frame itself. Console racers need this far less, because the wheel buttons handle the menus.
What is a keyboard swivel mount?
A keyboard swivel mount holds a keyboard on an arm that rotates into place and back out again.
In practice, you swing the keyboard in front of you when you need it. Then you rotate it away before you drive, so it never hits your knees or hands. That keeps the cockpit clean and open. It suits drivers who type a lot, for example in league racing, when streaming or during long endurance races with driver swaps.
SIMGASM | Keyboard swivel mount - Black
Where does the swivel mount go?
Most racers place it on the side of the frame, next to the seat. On an aluminium profile rig you slide it along the T slot until the keyboard sits at elbow height. Check that the arm clears your leg and the shifter when it swings in.
What is a mouse tray?
A mouse tray is a small fixed platform that keeps your mouse in one spot next to the seat.
It is simpler than a swivel mount. You do not move it before a race; it just stays there. That makes it perfect for quick clicks: starting a game, choosing a car or changing a camera. The SIMGASM Mouse Tray is made in black steel and keeps the look of the cockpit calm.
Keyboard swivel mount or mouse tray: how do you choose?
The choice depends on how often you type, how much room you have and how you use the rig.
Pick a keyboard swivel mount when
You type in chat with your team every session. You stream and use hotkeys. Or you also use the rig as a workstation for normal desk tasks. The swivel design keeps the keyboard out of the way while you drive.
Pick a mouse tray when
You mostly click through menus. You race alone or use voice chat. Or your room is tight and you want nothing that sticks out far from the frame.
Pick both when
You want a full desk feeling inside your sim rig. A common layout puts the keyboard on one side and the mouse on the other. Then plan the shifter and handbrake first, so they stay where your hand finds them fastest.
What about the PC itself?
The final step toward a desk free setup is a PC tray inside the frame.
A PC tray holds your computer or console within the cockpit structure. That means shorter cables, no separate desk and a rig you move as one unit. It fits compact mini ITX builds and standard towers. Planning buttons as well? Our Stream Deck and button box setup guide shows how to split tasks between keyboard and buttons.
Built by people who race and work in their rigs
These add ons come from a team that uses its own setups for racing and daily work.
Founder Johan Akkerman raced esports under the name YoohanTV and won the 2019 Project CARS 2 world team championship with VP Gaming. Team racing like that means constant chat, setup sharing and strategy calls, so fast access to a keyboard is not a luxury. Fabien Lacaule, who has raced since 2017, supports SIMGASM with compatibility, stock and European distribution from the base in Wijk bij Duurstede. Browse the full range of simracing accessories to combine the mounts you need. Still sorting your pedal area? Read do you need a heel rest on a sim racing cockpit.
Questions and answers about keyboard and mouse mounts
Here are quick answers to what racers ask before they add desk tools to a rig.
Does a keyboard swivel mount get in the way while driving?
No, not when you rotate it away before the start. The swivel arm moves the keyboard out of your reach zone.
Does a mouse tray fit on the left side?
Yes. On an aluminium profile frame you mount it on either side, so left handed racers are fine.
Do console racers need these mounts?
Usually not. Wheel buttons control most console menus, so a keyboard mount is mainly a PC upgrade.
Which is better for streaming?
A keyboard swivel mount, because streaming asks for hotkeys and typing in chat during a session.
Want to learn more? The SIMGASM experts are happy to help.
