⚡ Current Setup at a Glance
| Component | Model / Spec | Est. Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase | Simucube 2 Pro (25Nm) Verified | £1,500 |
| Primary Wheel | Grid MPX Verified | £550 |
| GT Wheel | Grid Porsche RSR Verified | £500 |
| F1 Wheel | Sim Lab Mercedes AMG F1 Verified | £450 |
| Pedals | Sim Lab XP1 Verified | £400 |
| Shifter | BDH H1SQ Verified | £350 |
| Cockpit | Sim Lab P1X Ultimate Verified | £800 |
| VR Headset | Bigscreen Beyond 2 Verified | £1,100 |
| VR Base Stations | 2× Vive SteamVR Verified | £400 |
| PC | PC Specialist Gaming Tower Verified | £2,000+ |
| Button Box | Porsche 991 Cup Verified | £200 |
🕹️ Core Driving Controls
[Wheelbase] Simucube 2 Pro [Buy] Verified Active
Dave's "buy once" direct drive choice. Previously ran AccuForce V1, Fanatec DD1, and tested CSL DD, VRS, and Simucube 2 Sport. Considers the SC2 Pro and Sport nearly indistinguishable in blind tests — both excellent endgame options.
[Pedals] Sim Lab XP1 Verified Active
Current load-cell set. Dave ran Heusinkveld Ultimate pedals for years (2019–2020 tours show them as his "babies"). His upgrade philosophy: pedals are upgrade #1 — "that's where your lap times come from."
[Primary Wheel] Grid MPX Verified Active · Favorite
Dave's all-time favorite wheel. USB-powered for brand-agnostic use with Simucube ecosystem. Also runs Grid Porsche RSR and Sim Lab Mercedes AMG F1 for variety.
[Shifter] BDH H1SQ Verified Active
Sequential/H-pattern shifter for clutch-based and H-pattern cars. Previously used Thrustmaster TH8A (preferred it over Fanatec SQ Shifter 1.5) and Ailog shifter.
🏗️ Cockpit & Rig
[Cockpit] Sim Lab P1X Ultimate [Buy] Verified Active
Dave's endgame cockpit. Previously built his own aluminium profile rig (120×130cm footprint, 58° triple angle) and beefed up the bottom to 120×40 profile. The P1X is his "buy once" recommendation for handling high-torque direct drive and strong braking forces.
👀 Displays & VR
[VR Headset] Bigscreen Beyond 2 Verified Active · Primary
The headset that converted Dave to full-time VR. Custom facial interface (iPhone face scan required), micro-OLED displays, only 194g total weight. Uses two Vive SteamVR base stations for reliable tracking around the rig. Dave runs at 90Hz for extra frames over 75Hz clarity mode.
[Previous Displays] Triple 27" 1440p BenQ Removed Legacy
Previously ran triple BenQ EX2710Q 27" 1440p monitors at 58° angle + a 24" 60Hz top monitor for timing/chat. Before that, triple 32" ViewSonic curved panels. Dave recommends triple 1080p or 1440p with 144Hz minimum for those not using VR.
💻 PC & Audio
[PC] PC Specialist Gaming Tower Verified Active
Built by PC Specialist. Dave compared parts via PC Part Picker — near identical price but with professional build quality and 3-year warranty. "Literally plugged it in and installed my simulators."
[Audio] Audio-Technica BPHS1 + Focusrite Scarlett Solo Verified Active
XLR broadcast headset into Focusrite Scarlett Solo interface with inline FET booster to increase gain while reducing noise. Previously used Yamaha MG10XU mixer (2019 tour).
Full Hardware List
| Slot | Hardware | Est. Price |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase | Simucube 2 Pro (V) | £1,500 |
| Primary Wheel | Grid MPX (V) | £550 |
| GT Wheel | Grid Porsche RSR (V) | £500 |
| F1 Wheel | Sim Lab Mercedes AMG F1 (V) | £450 |
| Pedals | Sim Lab XP1 (V) | £400 |
| Shifter | BDH H1SQ (V) | £350 |
| Cockpit | Sim Lab P1X Ultimate (V) | £800 |
| VR Headset | Bigscreen Beyond 2 (V) | £1,100 |
| Base Stations | 2× Vive SteamVR (V) | £400 |
| Button Box | Porsche 991 Cup (V) | £200 |
| Switch Panel | PSE Pro Switch Panel (V) | £150 |
| PC | PC Specialist (i9-14900K/4090) (V) | £4,329 |
| Audio | AT BPHS1 + Scarlett Solo (V) | £250 |
| Lighting | Neewer LED + BenQ Bar (V) | £100 |
(V)=Verified from video sources. Total hardware value ~£11,000+ (excluding previous gear).
📈 Dave's Recommended Upgrade Path
From "If I had my Sim Racing time again, I would save myself £23,000!" — Dave's hard-won advice after spending £28,000+ on hardware over 6 years.
Start Cheap — Test the Waters
Buy a used G29 or T300. See if sim racing sticks before spending serious money. "A lot of people buy all the equipment... spend literally thousands and then after a couple of months the novelty's worn off."
Pedals First
"That's where your lap times come from." Budget: Fanatec CSL Elite LC V2 (~£300). Mid: Asetek Forte / Heusinkveld Sprint (~£400–550). High: Heusinkveld Ultimate+ / Asetek Invicta (~£1,000).
Aluminium Profile Rig
"I guarantee that's going to be one of your purchases." Budget: Sim Lab GT1 Evo / RaceAnywhere PSR3. High: Sim Lab P1X. Handles high-torque DD and strong brakes without flex.
Display Upgrade
Triple 1080p or 1440p with 144Hz minimum. 27" or 32" depending on space. Or try VR with a used Rift S (~£150–200) to see if it suits you. "1080 is perfectly fine for sim racing."
Direct Drive Wheelbase
Skip belt/gear driven. Budget: Fanatec CSL DD 8Nm. "Buy once": VRS DirectForce Pro / Simucube 2 Sport / Simucube 2 Pro. Dave says he can't tell Sport vs Pro apart blindfolded.
Key Philosophy: "Buy once if you can. Don't buy something if you think down the line you might want to upgrade it. Just wait until you've got the money."
The Hardware Journey
Self-designed aluminium profile rig in converted garage. AccuForce V1 wheelbase + MoMo wheel + AccuForce button box. Heusinkveld Ultimate pedals ("my babies"). Triple 32" ViewSonic XG3202C curved 1080p displays. Cobra Monocore bucket seat. Thrustmaster TH8A shifter. Yamaha MG10XU mixer + Audio-Technica AT2030 mic. i7-9700K + GTX 1080 Ti. iFlag + LaMetric Time displays. Oculus Rift S for VR.
Upgraded to Fanatec DD1 + Porsche 911 replica wheel + Formula V2 with Advanced Paddle Module. Triple 27" ASUS 1440p monitors (down from 32" 1080p). Added Julie's rig with rose gold Skull Sim Gear button box. His own Skull Sim Gear button box with iFlag. Audio upgrade: Focusrite Scarlett Solo + FET Head + AT BPHS1 (XLR broadcast headset). Added Cube Controls MCH GT1 wheel, Aiologs shifter/handbrake. 34K subscriber milestone. Rig dimensions: ~130×120cm.
Two full rigs in converted garage. Julie's Rig A: PSR1 + Simucube 2 Sport + Cube Controls Formula Sport + Heusinkveld Ultimate+ (upgraded with kit). His Rig B: Heusinkveld Sim Rig GT + Simucube 2 Pro + VPG VRS PG wheel (favorite at the time) + BDH shifter + Heusinkveld handbrake. i9-10900K + RTX 3090. BenQ Mobius EX2710Q triple 27" monitors (sent by BenQ). Shure SM7B mic + GoXLR. Multiple wheels: Simucube GT21, Taco wireless, Sim Line 720s GT3 wireless.
Published £23,000 lesson video — spent £28,442 total over 6 years. Grid MPX becomes "favourite steering wheel I have ever used." Established upgrade path philosophy: Pedals → Rig → Display → Wheelbase. "If you blindfolded me... I wouldn't be able to tell the difference" between Simucube 2 Sport and Pro.
New PC Specialist build: i9-14900K + 96GB DDR5 + RTX 4090 (~£4,329). ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero motherboard. Switched from triples to LG C3 48" OLED for single-screen content creation. "Racing on a single screen as a content creator is so much easier." Sim Lab P1X Pro cockpit. Asetek Invicta wheelbase for testing. Orouge Cold Fusion ventilated seat. PSE Pro Switch Panel added.
Moved from downstairs garage to upstairs spare bedroom. Room renovation cost ~£5,000. Brand new Sim Lab P1X Ultimate cockpit ("absolutely incredible finish"). Cable trunking throughout for clean look. Steel River Sounds acoustic panels. Room 10-15cm too narrow for two rigs side by side. Married Julie on Aug 3, 2025. DJI Osmo Pocket 3 camera added.
Bigscreen Beyond 2 convinced Dave to race VR 100%. "Racing in VR has ruined racing on a screen." Removed screens entirely. VR history: original Oculus Rift → Rift S (×2) → HP Reverb G2 → DPVR → Bigscreen Beyond 2. Added 2× Vive SteamVR base stations. Current endgame: P1X Ultimate + Simucube 2 Pro + Sim Lab XP1 + Grid MPX + Bigscreen Beyond 2.
🚪 The Sim Room
2019–2024: Dave's setup lived in a converted garage in Northeast England. The space included his main rig, his wife Julie's rig (with rose gold Skull Sim Gear button box), a treadmill, weight bench, and a compact bathroom with shower and laundry — "nice handy little space for a pop into the little loo room or having a shower after a stressful race." Wall art from World Race Circuits covered the room with iRacing track layouts. Blue LED accent lighting with white LEDs under the pedals.
2025 Move: Relocated to upstairs spare bedroom due to noise (tumble dryer heat) and traffic (laundry room thoroughfare). Room renovation cost ~£5,000 — replastering, electrician, plumber, new flooring. Cable trunking throughout for clean look. Steel River Sounds acoustic panels. Originally planned two rigs side by side, but room 10-15cm too narrow. Now bright, clean room rather than dark blue-lit cave. Mascot "Stiggy" (Stig-shaped shower gel bottle from friend Adrian) remains in view.
Dave Cam Setup FAQ
Why does Dave recommend upgrading pedals first?
Why did Dave switch to VR full-time?
Can't tell Simucube 2 Sport vs Pro apart?
What's the total cost if you follow Dave's advice?
What about Julie's rig?
What VR headsets has Dave owned?
Why aluminium profile over playseat-style rigs?
💰 How Much Does Dave Cam's Rig Cost?
Approx. total: £6,000 – £8,000 (excluding PC). Based on current retail prices.
Core VR Setup
With Extra Wheels & Shifter
Frequently Asked Questions
What sim racing setup does Dave Cam use?
Dave uses a Simucube 2 Pro wheelbase with the Bigscreen Beyond 2 VR headset on a Sim Lab P1X Ultimate cockpit. As shown in his July 2025 video: "Over my left shoulder there, you will see the brand new SimLab P1X Ultimate Cockpit... it's absolutely incredible."
How much has Dave Cam spent on sim racing?
In his "£23000" video, Dave totaled up: "In total I'd spent £28,442" over 6 years. His key advice: "If I have bought what I'm sitting in now... probably would have cost me about £5,000... learn from this idiot's mistakes."
Why does Dave Cam use VR for sim racing?
After testing the Bigscreen Beyond 2, Dave was converted. In his VR video: "I've actually taken the triples off the rig because racing in VR has ruined racing on a screen... In VR, you're there. It's three-dimensional and everything is perfectly scaled."
What pedals does Dave recommend?
Dave considers pedals the most important upgrade. In his advice video: "The first upgrade in my opinion should be your pedals. That's where your lap times are going to come from." He runs both Heusinkveld Ultimate+ and Sim Lab XP1 pedals.
What is Dave's recommended upgrade path?
From his "£23000" video: "Pedals number one, rig number two, screens number three, wheelbase number four." He emphasizes buying once: "Don't buy something if you think down the line you might want to upgrade it. Just wait."
Where does Dave Cam race from?
Dave operates from a converted garage in the north of England. In July 2025, he moved to a spare bedroom: "This was a spare bedroom and it's been a bit of an investment... probably cost about 5,000 quid" to get the room ready.
What PC specs does Dave use?
From his 2024 tour: "Intel i9-14900K, 96GB of Corsair Vengeance DDR5, RTX 4090" from PC Specialist. He runs 4K 120fps with HDR: "This thing's literally going to last me for a few years."
📚 Sources & Verification
Tier 1: "Beyond the Webcam" Room Tours (Annual Documentation)
- • "Sim Racing in Virtual Reality 100% of the time" (Sep 2025, 49K views) — Bigscreen Beyond 2 deep dive, VR conversion, triples removed
- • "I'm back! But moving Sim Racing stuff is not fun!" (Jul 2025, 27K views) — Sim Lab P1X Ultimate build, room move to spare bedroom, £5K renovation
- • "Beyond the webcam in 2024! Sim Racing Room Tour!" (May 2024, 35K views) — PC Specialist i9-14900K/4090 build, LG C3 48" OLED, dual rig setup
- • "Is my sim racing setup finally complete? Beyond the webcam in 2022!" (Aug 2022, 25K views) — Dual rig era, Simucube 2 Pro, BenQ Mobius monitors
- • "Beyond the webcam | Sim Room Tour October 2020" (Oct 2020, 56K views) — Fanatec DD1 era, Heusinkveld Ultimates, custom aluminum profile
- • "Beyond the webcam | Rig Tour December 2019" (Dec 2019, 47K views) — Accuforce V1, original rig design, ViewSonic 32" triples
Tier 2: Philosophy & Advice Videos
- • "If I had my Sim Racing time again, I would save myself £23000!" (Jan 2023, 93K views) — Complete upgrade philosophy, tiered product recommendations, £28,442 total spent
Key Verified Quotes (with Timestamps)
- • Total Spending: "In total I'd spent £28,442... the aim of this video is to stop you making the same mistakes that I did." — £23000 Video @0:42
- • Buy Once Philosophy: "If I had bought what I'm sitting in now... probably would have cost me about £5,000. Now that's a lot of money... but it's a lot less than £28,442." — £23000 Video @13:54
- • Upgrade Priority: "Pedals number one, rig number two, screens number three, wheelbase number four." — £23000 Video @13:38
- • VR Conversion: "I've actually taken the triples off the rig because racing in VR has ruined racing on a screen... In VR, you're there. It's three-dimensional." — VR Video @8:52
- • Beyond 2 Verdict: "Hands down the best VR headset that I've ever used... there's been nothing on the market which ticked all the boxes until now." — VR Video @10:00
- • P1X Ultimate: "The brand new SimLab P1X Ultimate Cockpit... it's absolutely incredible. The finish on the rig is incredible." — I'm Back @3:00
- • Room Investment: "To get this room ready, it's probably cost about 5,000 quid because it needed replastered... electrician in... plumber... new flooring." — I'm Back @12:58
- • PC Specs: "Intel i9-14900K, 96GB of Corsair Vengeance DDR5, RTX 4090... £4,329 including VAT." — 2024 Tour @16:11
- • Pedal Love: "Heusinkveld ultimate pedals which I love... they have not missed a beat. They have been absolutely perfect." — Oct 2020 Tour @9:43