For most sim racers the sim rig comes first and the PC upgrade second, as long as your PC already runs your main sim at a stable frame rate on one screen. A rigid rig makes every input more precise, from braking to steering, while a faster PC mostly adds graphics and screens. Only when your PC drops frames, stutters or cannot drive the screens you own does the PC upgrade jump ahead in line.
In this guide you learn how to judge which part holds you back today, what each upgrade really changes on track and how to split a budget smartly. The first look at the SIMGASM Hobby below shows the kind of entry rig that often makes the biggest difference for racers who still drive from a desk.
What does each upgrade really change?
A PC and a rig improve very different parts of the experience, so it helps to look at them side by side.
What a better sim rig changes
A rig fixes your body in one position and holds the wheelbase and pedals still. That sounds simple, but it changes almost everything you feel. On a desk or a wobbly stand, the wheel moves a little under force feedback and the pedals slide when you brake hard. Your brain then filters out the noise. On a rigid frame every bump, slip and lock up comes through clean. The result is more consistent braking and fewer spins, which usually means faster and steadier laps.
What a better PC changes
A stronger PC gives you higher frame rates, sharper graphics, more screens or VR. A stable frame rate matters a lot, because stutters ruin your timing. But once your sim runs smoothly, extra frames and prettier shadows add comfort and immersion more than lap time. Our guide to sim racing PC upgrade priorities explains which parts make the biggest difference.
How do you know what holds you back?
A quick self check tells you in a few minutes which upgrade pays off first.
Signs your PC is the bottleneck
Check the frame rate during a race start with a full grid, not in an empty practice session. If it drops well below your screen refresh rate, or if you see stutters in heavy traffic or rain, the PC comes first. The same goes when you want triple screens or VR and your graphics card simply cannot drive them.
Signs your rig is the bottleneck
Watch your wheel and pedals during a hard braking zone. If the wheel deck moves, the pedals creep forward, the seat flexes or your desk shakes, the rig holds you back. Other signs are back pain after half an hour, a wheel that sits too high or too low, and inconsistent braking points from lap to lap. Our guide on how high your steering wheel should sit helps you fix the position part right away.
SIMGASM | Hobby Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Black
Why does the rig usually come first?
The rig is the foundation that every other upgrade stands on.
A rig lasts for years and moves with you through several PCs, wheelbases and pedal sets. A PC part loses value fast and gets replaced every few years. When you buy a solid simrig first, every later upgrade feels better from day one, because nothing in the chain wobbles. That is also why load cell pedals and direct drive wheelbases often feel disappointing on a desk: the hardware is good, but the mounting is not.
Johan Akkerman, founder and CEO of SIMGASM, learned this the hard way. When commercial frames were still very expensive, he built his first frame from used gas pipes with a seat from a scrapyard. He has raced since 2008, became Project CARS 2 World Team Champion in 2019 and later won BMW E30 Cup titles in real racing. In his view, seating position, wheel angle and pedal geometry are performance factors, not cosmetic details.
When should the PC come first?
There are clear cases where a PC upgrade gives you more than a new rig.
If your PC cannot reach a stable frame rate in your main sim, upgrade it first. A rig does not fix stutters. The same applies when you want to switch to VR or triple screens and your current graphics card simply cannot handle it. And if you already race on a rigid frame, the PC is often the next logical step. Plan the PC spot next to your rig early; our guide on where your PC should go next to your sim rig covers cable lengths and power.
SIMGASM | Sport Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Green
How do you split your budget smartly?
You rarely need to choose one and forget the other; the trick is the order.
Start with a rig that grows with you
An entry aluminium frame gives you most of the benefit of a rig at a lower cost. The SIMGASM Hobby uses a 40 x 40 mm profile, measures 500 x 1270 x 580 mm and handles direct drive bases up to 16 Nm. It weighs about 17 kg and includes the Core side profile arm for a shifter or handbrake. That leaves budget for a PC upgrade a few months later.
Step up when your hardware does
If you already plan a strong wheelbase or load cell pedals, a bigger profile saves you a second rig later. The Club (40 x 80 mm) has a rated braking load of 200 kg; the Sport (40 x 120 mm) and the Pro (40 x 160 mm) reach 300 kg and add integrated cable passthroughs and a motion ready frame. Read which aluminium profile size a sim rig needs to match the frame to your plans.
SIMGASM B.V. started product development in January 2026 and was formally incorporated on 27 February 2026 in Wijk bij Duurstede, the Netherlands. The company keeps overhead low on purpose, so more of the budget goes into materials, finishing and quality instead of extras you do not need.
SIMGASM | Sport Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - MARINI
Q&A about upgrading your PC or your sim rig first
These short answers help you decide in which order to upgrade.
Is a sim rig more important than a good PC?
For lap times and consistency, usually yes, as long as your PC runs your sim smoothly. A rig improves every input; a PC mostly improves visuals.
Can a weak PC ruin a good rig?
Yes, if it stutters. Unstable frame rates break your timing, so fix those first. Once the frame rate is stable, the rig matters more.
Do I need a new PC for triple screens?
Often yes. Triple screens ask a lot more from your graphics card than one screen, so check your frame rate before you buy the screens.
Which SIMGASM rig is a smart first step?
The Hobby suits most racers with a direct drive base up to 16 Nm. Choose the Club, Sport or Pro if you already plan stronger hardware.
Want to learn more? The SIMGASM experts are happy to help.
