There are many cockpit or chassis models on the Sim-racing market, but not all of them are of very good quality, despite their high prices. The European brand RSeatoffers a wide range of cockpits that have become very popular on the European Sim-Racing market

So we took a look at one of the brand’s models, presented as a hybrid between the racing cockpit and the flight simulator cockpit: the RSeat S1.

In this article we will reveal what our test of this cockpit revealed to us and what we thought of it. We will present you the list of its main characteristicswe will tell you what are its advantages and disadvantages, where you can get it and at what price.

Features of the RSeat S1

The S1 from RSeat is a fixed integral cockpit designed for racing simulation and for flight simulatorsfor personal or professional use.

We have listed its main characteristics here:

• The advanced design of the S1 allows you to set up your driving position in seconds and choose between a Rally or GT.

• The entire basic chassis of the S1 consists of a modular frame made of carbon steel and CNC bent round tubes.

• The RSeat S1 is equipped with a full fiberglass bucket seat with high density foam covered with high density foam and synthetic leather to make it an extremely comfortable and hard-wearing seat that slides back and forth with the slides.

• It is available in black, red, white or silver for its chassis and also in an Alcantara version. You can also buy the chassis separately.

• The S1 is extremely adjustableIt offers pedal plate adjustment from 0° to 30°, the seat is forward and backward, the angle and depth of the pedal board are adjustable in steps and the steering wheel mounting plate allows wheel height adjustment of ±120 mm. The 4 legs of the seat that rest on the ground are also adjustable (diameter 37mm).

• The slides are adjustable to fit people from 1.27 m to 2 m. The RSeat S1 can support players up to 140 kg.

• The chassis is designed to fit most dynamic systems and is compatible with the rSeat Shifter and rSeat HandBrake.

• The S1 offers broad compatibility as it is compatible with PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

• It is also compatible with all the systems and peripherals of the biggest brands on the market such as Thrustmaster, Fanatec or Logitech.

• The RSeat S1 was designed for Sim-racing players but can also be used as a flight simulator allowing the installation of Throttle and joystick (Thrustmaster HOTAS Ready, left and right) as well as pedals, speakers, buttkicker.
• All tools and screws to attach the steering wheel, pedal and shifter are included, as well as an assembly manual.

The advantages of the RSeat S1

We were able to test the RSeat S1 and discover what were the the advantages of this model which we present to you here.

First of all, the RSeat S1 is a really stable, solid and rigid cockpit. Thanks to its steering wheel support, the S1 offers remarkable lateral stability. The tube attached to each side of the frame even shows good depth stability.

You can really enjoy pressing the brake pedal of your pedalboard like crazy, whether it’s Load Cell or hydraulic, the bracket stays in place and doesn’t move. It’s the same result with the gear lever and the handbrake holder. You can pull the handbrake hard or downshift at full speed without worrying about damaging the support. And The stability offered by the RSeat S1 does not prevent the transmission of vibrations, which reinforces the realism during the race.

If the RSeat S1 is so robust, it is thanks to its quality construction and the materials used to build it. Both the frame and the seat are perfectly finished and the seams are solid and impeccable. We also find that the aesthetics of this model is really very successful. The steel of the chassis combined with the leather of the seat gives it a neat and very elegant look.

Another advantage of the RSeat S1 is that it offers a lot of built-in adjustmentswhich, in the end, allows for an optimal playing comfort. This model is easily adaptable to the size of all types of players, since almost everything is individually adaptable. The adjustments of the pedals as well as the seat (both on slides) are really simple and accessible. The steering wheel support offers fine tuning, with height, depth and angle adjustments, but allows us to maintain stability during play, even with high-powered Direct Drive steering wheels.

In addition, the RSeat S1 can even be transformed into a flight cockpit with the appropriate accessories, for fans of this type of simulation.

Finally, we found the assembly of the RSeat S1 quite simple. It comes with a manual that includes illustrated instructions, the necessary tools are provided and they are of very good quality. The whole thing is fairly easy to assemble if you follow the manual and the steps. Again, its construction is very sturdy, so some components are heavy, so you may need an extra pair of hands. But all in all, the RSeat S1 is a model you won’t spend hours putting together.

The disadvantages of the RSeat S1

The RSeat S1 is a model that really seduced us, but it still has some disadvantages which we will explain here.

One of the biggest flaws of the RSeat S1 is, unfortunately like most of this type of product its consequent price. Cockpits don’t come cheap and you have to be willing to pay the price when you want to buy one. The S1 is not the cheapest model on the marketEven if it is true that this is justified by its many qualities and advantages, if you want to add all the available options, the total price is very high and therefore requires you to have a really large budget.

Secondly, even though the RSeat S1 is supposed to combine both the racing simulator and the flight simulatorThe brand seems to have not really thought about the players who want to enjoy these two types of games by alternating regularly. Indeed, each time you want to switch from one to the other, you have to unscrew one of your accessories or one of the supports. It’s not exactly the most practical.

Finally, we regret that RSeat did not propose to include in the S1 a system for the passage of the cables in the tubes. It’s not a big problem but at the price of this model, it would have been nice if it had been redesigned to offer a more practical and higher-end cable storage.

Where to get it and for how much?

The RSeat S1 is available for sale on this site at the price of 1179 €, for the option that includes the frame structure and the bucket seat.

This model is available in red and white, but also in Alcantara (red, silver, white, black). You can find here all colors at different prices.

In brief / Conclusion

We were seduced by the RSeat S1 which is a elegant and robust model and which offered us all that one seeks when one buys such a cockpit.

The brand has not skimped on the quality of this model by offering a cockpit with an exceptional level of finish and design, using the highest quality materials and workmanship.

Its on-the-fly adjustments and stability even in the most hectic races, give you an incredible quality of play.

If you’re not sure, go for it, the RSeat S1 is certainly one of the best chassis on the market at this price. You won’t be disappointed!

However, if you are targeting this model to combine racing and flying, the RSeat S1 may not be the most suitable cockpit.