The SIMGASM Club fits you best if you want a modular aluminium sim rig that you build around your own seat, wheelbase and pedals. The Thermaltake GR500 fits you best if you want a complete package with a fiberglass bucket seat, RGB lighting and a seat rail in the box. The Club is narrower and more compact, while the GR500 is a fixed, all in one frame with a 120 kg user limit.
This comparison puts both rigs side by side, explains what the specs mean on track and helps you choose without guessing.
What are the key specs of both rigs?
Start with the numbers, because they explain most of the differences you feel later.
SIMGASM Club in short
The Club uses a 40 × 80 mm aluminium main profile and measures 500 × 1350 × 620 mm (width × length × height). The pedal deck has a rated braking load of 200 kg. You choose a Bottom Mount, Front Mount, Side Mount or Asetek Front Mount at checkout, which covers supported wheelbases from Logitech, Fanatec, MOZA, Thrustmaster, SIMAGIC, PXN, Simucube, Asetek and VRS. The Club includes the Core side profile arm for a shifter or handbrake. The seat, seat slider, wheelbase and pedals are sold separately, and the rig comes with a 2 year warranty.
Thermaltake GR500 in short
According to Thermaltake, the GR500 combines an aluminium alloy profile with a reinforced steel structure. It measures 600 × 1320 × 1100 mm including the seat and has a weight capacity of 120 kg. It ships with a fiberglass bucket seat on a 220 mm glide track, a wheel panel that tilts from +25° to −25°, a pedal panel with four tilt steps up to 25°, cable management and an RGB light strip. Thermaltake lists support for Logitech, Fanatec and Thrustmaster.
SIMGASM | Club Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Purple
Which rig feels stiffer with direct drive?
Stiffness decides how clean the force feedback feels once you pass entry level torque.
Profile depth and wheel mounts
A deep profile resists bending in the direction the wheel pulls. The Club puts its 80 mm side in that direction, and it offers dedicated mounts for each wheelbase family, including side and front mounts for strong direct drive units. Owners report zero flex with direct drive wheelbases and load cell pedals on the Club.
The GR500 is a fixed frame. That design is simple to live with, but you get the shape Thermaltake chose, and the official compatibility list names fewer brands. If you plan to run a Simucube, VRS, Asetek or SIMAGIC wheelbase, check the mounting pattern first.
What the numbers mean on track
A rated braking load of 200 kg on the Club pedal deck means a firm load cell brake stays put under hard stops. Our guide on what a 40x80 aluminium profile means for a sim racing cockpit explains the physics in plain words.
Seat included or seat of your choice?
This is the biggest practical difference between the two rigs.
The GR500 includes a seat, which makes the first purchase simple. The downside is that you get one seat shape and one width of 460 mm. The Club lets you pick a bucket, a recline seat or a Formula style seat, so the rig fits your body and your racing style. Read should you buy a sim rig with or without a seat to see which path suits you. If you love rally or drifting, the previous guide on rally and drifting on the SIMGASM Club shows how the included side arm helps.
SIMGASM | Core Recline Seat - Black
How do looks and personal style compare?
Both rigs look sharp, but they take a different route to personal style.
The GR500 comes in black or white and uses RGB lighting with 20 modes. The Club comes in nine colours and four race liveries: JPS, MARINI, RothBros and Aichi. Founder Johan Akkerman started SIMGASM because few brands made individual colours and liveries available at a realistic price. Personalisation specialist Michal Nevrela, with more than fifteen years of professional print experience, turns those liveries into real products.
Which one should you buy?
Your plans for the next few years decide the answer.
Choose the GR500 if you want everything in one box, you race on a Logitech, Fanatec or Thrustmaster wheel and you like RGB lighting. Choose the SIMGASM Club aluminium sim rig if you want a stiffer base for direct drive, a seat that fits you and a frame that grows with you. Johan worked as Chief Business Officer at Trak Racer and has tested a wide range of cockpits from across the market before he designed the Club, so the range is shaped by years of hands on comparison. When you outgrow the Club, the Sport steps up to 40 × 120 mm and motion readiness. Browse every sim racing cockpit for sale at SIMGASM to compare all four tiers.
SIMGASM | Sport Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Red
Questions about the Club and the GR500
Here are quick answers to the most common questions about these two rigs.
Does the Thermaltake GR500 include a seat?
Yes. The GR500 ships with a fiberglass bucket seat on a 220 mm glide track. The SIMGASM Club is sold without a seat.
Which rig is more compact?
The Club is narrower at 500 mm wide versus 600 mm for the GR500, which helps in a small room.
Which rig fits more wheelbase brands?
The Club offers four mount types for supported models from nine wheelbase brands. Thermaltake lists Logitech, Fanatec and Thrustmaster for the GR500.
Can you add a monitor stand to both?
Yes. Thermaltake sells a triple monitor stand for the GR500, and SIMGASM offers integrated and free standing monitor stands for the Club.
Want to learn more? The SIMGASM experts are happy to help.
