Bundle Asetek La Prma

Our rating : 9.4/10

The offensive Asetek sim-racing offensive has begun with peripherals divided into 3 ranges: The Prima entry-level range, Forte for the middle and Invicta for ultra-premium. The first 2 ranges come complete with steering wheel, crankset and base. For the ultra-premium Invicta, it’s just a chainstay and hydraulic crankset for now, with the Forte steering wheel. But rumor has it that Asetek is preparing an Invicta wheel to complete its top-of-the-range range.

It has to be said that the Danish brand has struck hard with its products, even if it lacks experience in the field. But Asetek has a wealth of industrial knowledge and, above all, a healthy dose of cash on hand. When you don’t know anything about a subject, you turn to the best to gain access to their know-how. And guess who has signed a partnership with Asetek to exchange technologies, software and other goodies? Simucube ! Or rather the company Granite Device which owns Simucube, and it’s for this reason that Asetek has quickly established itself as a worthy competitor at the top end of the market.

In what follows, I’m going to introduce you to the brand’s “cheap” bundle, La Prima. The latter includes a Direct Drive base, a GT/F1-style steering wheel and, of course, a Load Cell crankset.

Main and technical features of the bundle

• 12 nm torque Direct Drive base with Kill Switch button
• Load Cell crankset withstands up to 180 kg of pressure
• Crankset and chainstay made of high-end aluminum for their structure
• Composite steering wheel and aluminum faceplate
• 12 buttons, 2 switches, 3 encoders on the front and 2 more near the thumbs
• RevLED on top of front panel
• PC-compatible bundle only

Design

Those who have already seen Asetek’s peripherals will immediately recognize the brand’s stylistic code. The steering wheel is virtually identical to that of the Forte range, except for the materials used. The result is a wheel with handles not attached to the frame, and a brushed aluminum faceplate. It’s very beautiful, I must say, and the racing look is enhanced by a few orange elements.

The La Prima crankset is more or less the same as the Forte or Invicta, at least in terms of design. The pedals are magnificent and look like they came from a Hyper Car. Black dominates this peripheral, with a few bright orange elements, which are very handsome indeed. As with other pedalboards, the pedals on the La Prima peripheral are vertical, which isn’t exactly ideal for ergonomics, except on an F1-type chassis.

Let’s finish with the La Prima base. The latter is identical in design to the other two Asetek models, only smaller, which is to be expected as it’s less powerful. The housing is a beautiful Gun Metal color, with lots of fins to cool the engine.

Customized assembly

There are 2 ways of mounting the La Prima base. You have the standard front option, either on a chassis that takes this into account, or via the bracket sold by the brand. And there’s a bottom-mounting option that allows this base to be attached to virtually any cockpit on the market. Installation is easy: just a few screws and you’re done. If you choose the front-mounted option, I must warn you that the front cover is made of plastic, and you will most likely have a gap between it and the bracket. Don’t worry, it’s purely aesthetic.

As for the crankset, well, it’s all the same for the mounting: on a frame and nothing else. I wouldn’t even say a steering wheel support, as the 180 kg of pressure will be rather difficult to cope with. You’ll need screws to secure the whole thing, and it’s pretty standard. And if you opt for the clutch pedal, it will be mounted right next to the brake pedal.

And finally, the steering wheel. The La Prima wheel uses more or less the same Simucube QR that allows the steering wheel to slot onto the base, ensuring a solid, flexion-free fit.

Manufacturing and finishing

Asetek doesn’t beat around the bush about its low-end bundle. I have to say that only the steering wheel is “low-end”, with its composite structure using carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, and a brushed aluminum faceplate. In terms of finish, it’s top quality, as you’ll find on the brand’s other products. I don’t have much to say about the steering wheel, except perhaps that the buttons occasionally get stuck.

The crankset, meanwhile, uses aluminum for all its parts, with machining carried out using CNC machines. It’s just perfect, in every way. This device is as close as you’ll get to a piece of goldsmith’s art, so well crafted is it.

The La Prima base is also an aluminum structure, but with plastic covers on the front and rear. The finish is perfect for aluminum, but a tad inferior for plastic. It’s just visual; the covers don’t line up perfectly with the cabinet, but the rest is spot-on.

Getting started with the bundle

The La Prima steering wheel is 29 cm in diameter, as is the Forte, and their shape is virtually identical. The shape of the wheel is open at the bottom, providing excellent ergonomics on the handles. In fact, the latter are quite large compared to the competition, which makes them easier to handle.

The various buttons and other controls on this steering wheel are well placed, very close to your fingers. You’ll have no trouble using the buttons in the middle of a race, whatever the title in front of you. The same applies to the 2 rear paddles, which fit perfectly under your hands.

For the La Prime crankset, it’s more or less the same story as with its big brothers: adjustability is limited, and the pedals are almost vertical, which isn’t exactly ideal for long sim-racing sessions. You’ll quickly feel pain in your feet after more than an hour’s running, or even less for some runners. The only players who will find this crankset ergonomic are those with a typical F1 chassis.

Sensations during play

The base

Asetek’s budget-friendly base unit delivers 12nm of torque, and the feel is truly excellent. It has to be said that the Danish brand collaborates with the best in the segment, namely Simucube. The power is superbly modulated, whether on light effects or the strongest I could feel in the middle of a run. What’s more, the base is ultra-responsive on the track, whether it’s to changes in support, trajectory, bumps, road irregularities or just about anything else. Basically, it’s a less powerful Forte, but you’ll have a bit of clipping in certain situations, as the Prima only develops 12 nm of torque, especially with a steering wheel that’s quite heavy.

The steering wheel

As for the La Prima steering wheel, its composite and aluminum structure gives it a weight that’s not all that contained, but you don’t feel it much with the base of the bundle. The feel is very good, with every detail reproduced, which is largely due to the base, by the way. But then, this wheel is best used on Formula and GT titles. Personally, I wouldn’t use it in endurance racing, as the 2 rear paddles won’t do it much.

The pedals

Let’s finish with the La Prima pedalboard. By default, you have 2 pedals, but there’s a “Clutch” kit that lets you add a clutch pedal. The accelerator pedal is as light as a feather, coupled to a 16-bit Hall sensor. Result: as soon as you lightly touch it, it sinks in. Some will like it, some won’t. It’s a subjective preference, and I’m not going to go there.

As for the brake pedal, it’s in Load Cell from its big Forte sister. On the menu: a rather standard two-stage LC that can handle up to 180 kg of pressure. The hardware is just ultra-sturdy and won’t flinch at all under heavy braking. Sensations are mixed, just like on the Forte crankset. The second floor is very short, and right after that, it’s as if you’re trying to push a 45-ton boulder. The 2ème LC floor doesn’t move, yet is very hard on your foot. On the other hand, what’s great about using race cars as inspiration for your products is that the inputs are superbly balanced.

Compatibility

The La Prima bundle remains unchanged from Asetek’s current range, and therefore offers PC-only compatibility. When it comes to sim-racing titles, you won’t have any problems with iRacing, AC, ACC, rFactor, F1 and all the rest. Asetek peripherals are immediately recognized and will work perfectly with any racing title available on the market.

Value for money

On Asetek’s website, this La Prima bundle retails for €1,480 incl. VAT, which is a pretty steep price to pay for a 12nm DD base and a plastic steering wheel. In composite, sorry.

Of course, the quality of the workmanship is there for all to see, and the star of the bundle is the La Prima base and its sublime force feedback. But these are still elitist products that will only be adopted by a handful of people.

My verdict

On this bundle, there’s the very beautiful, the beautiful, and the average. Beauty is the basis. No doubt about it. The feedback and sensations will take you straight to the racetrack. It’s amazing how such a small base (in terms of power) is able to offer such a high level of immersion on the track. The La Prima base, I validate without hesitation.

Beauty is the steering wheel. The materials chosen are questionable, but the whole thing is well made, ergonomic and very useful on the track. And the medium is the pedals. Admittedly, the LC is remarkable for its braking precision, but the throttle is lighter than a joystick trigger, the pedals are vertical, so not too ergonomic in the long run, and the brake is ultra-hard (like the Forte crankset, by the way) once on the LC’s second stage.

As far as I’m concerned, the pedalboard is a blot on this bundle. If you can afford Asetek’s peripherals, buy the base and steering wheel, and get a pedal board from Fanatec or Simagicwhich, by the way, will cost you practically the same.