CONCLUSION

    The La Prima is the very first direct drive racing wheel to arrive in the lab and as expected I was thrilled as I pushed the on/off button for the very first time. This is also why I ended up using the La Prima kit for almost 2 full months with games like Asseto Corsa Competizione, F1 2023, Forza Horizon 5 and Forza Motorsport. Yes, with some of these games you might need to go through the hoops in order to make them work with the La Prima (or any direct drive racing wheel for that matter) but the end result is definitely worth it. Speaking about end result although I don’t know just how stronger the Forte and Invicta models are I was very satisfied with the La Prima (will post a lengthy clip on YouTube and TikTok when I get the chance). Yes, it’s not a perfect match to the real thing (especially if we’re talking about the track) but it does come very close and yes, it’s a lot more accurate and stronger compared to regular racing wheels like the T248 by Thrustmaster. Of course, the extra weight, size and even the mounting holes means you many need to spend more to get the best out of the La Prima but let’s not forget that this product is aimed towards serious gamers. Again, if I could change one thing about the La Prima that would be placing the on/off button on the wheelbase thus requiring less space and looking better in the process (perhaps a louder startup sound as well to mimic that of a sports car). I’d also like to see a manual gearbox for the La Prima and all the direct drive kits Sim Sports has but I have no idea about whether or not this is in their roadmap.

    Direct drive racing wheels were developed for the most demanding gamers and eSports professionals and well, for good or bad that puts them in the niche products category. This also means they don’t come cheap and at the time of this review the La Prima 12Nm Wheelbase retails for USD679.99 / 787.49Euros, the La Prima Button Box retails for USD234.99 / 293.74Euros and the Round Black Leather Rim retails for USD99.99 / 124.99Euros (all directly from Sim Sports). This places the entire La Prima kit to around USD1000 / 1200Euros total and well, it’s certainly not meant for everyone out there. Price aside however I really enjoyed using the La Prima direct drive kit, it’s accurate and strong enough for most scenarios, the button box has more buttons that I could ever hope to use and as for the wheel rim it almost feels like the real thing when you grab onto it. Yes, there are “fancier” models out there that pack many more features (and cost significantly more) but the La Prima does what it was meant to do and it does it very well which is why it gets the Platinum Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Force / Accuracy
- Number Of Buttons
- ARGB LEDs
- On/Off Power Button
- RaceHub Software
- Available Rims / Handles

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Mounting Compatibility (Extra Brackets Available)
- Game Compatibility (Manual Setup Required)