Introduction

The sim racing hardware market has seen intense competition in recent years, with established players like Fanatec, Simucube and Simagic facing new challengers trying to disrupt the status quo. One such newcomer is Asetek SimSports, a subsidiary of the Danish cooling solutions company Asetek. In late 2022, Asetek introduced their first direct drive wheelbase – the Forte. Priced as a mid-range model with 18Nm of torque, the Forte wheelbase promises to deliver a realistic and detailed driving experience.

As an avid sim racer, I was eager to get my hands on the Asetek Forte wheelbase and put it through its paces across multiple racing titles. Having tested a range of other direct drive bases before, I was curious to see how the Forte would stack up. In this in-depth review, I share my experiences with the Forte wheelbase after extended use, along with key details on its design, performance and software.

Highlights

Asetek SimSports Background

While Asetek debuted in the sim racing market only recently, they are far from newcomers when it comes to technology and engineering. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Denmark, Asetek made a name for itself developing liquid cooling solutions for PCs and data centers. Their products are used by major brands such as Corsair, NZXT and HP.

In 2020, Asetek’s CEO André S. Eriksen, a racing enthusiast himself, decided to leverage the company’s expertise in a new venture – high-end sim racing hardware. This led to the creation of Asetek SimSports as a subsidiary focused entirely on entering the sim racing peripherals market.

They made a splash right away in 2021 with the release of their flagship Invicta pedals. Lauded for their quality and adjustability, the Invicta pedals put Asetek on the map. This initial product was followed by the more affordable Forte pedals in 2022. With a solid foundation laid, Asetek expanded their ecosystem in late 2022 with a trio of direct drive wheelbases – the La Prima, Forte and Invicta models.

Unboxing the Asetek Forte Wheelbase

Given Asetek’s reputation for premium quality products, I was excited to unbox the Forte wheelbase and assess the overall presentation. The large shipping box contained two inner white boxes with Asetek SimSports branding. One box housed the wheelbase itself, while the other contained the front mounting bracket.

Removing the outer sleeves revealed gorgeous glossy black product boxes, with the Forte wheelbase vividly depicted on the front and specs on the back. Sliding off the lid uncovered a layer of soft black foam, followed by another layer securing the components.

Underneath was the wheelbase safely encased in laser-cut foam. Included with it were the power supply, USB cable, accessory cables, quick start guides and a sheet of vinyl decals. At 8.5kg, the Forte wheelbase has some nice heft to it right off the bat.

Overall, the unboxing experience was a delight and set a positive first impression reflecting Asetek’s premium ambitions. The elegant packaging should provide safe transport while making you eager to get the wheelbase onto your rig!

Design and Build Quality

Asetek seems to have crafted a distinctive design language for their sim racing products, as the Forte wheelbase shares conceptual similarities with their pedals. The overall aesthetic is sleek and retro, with rounded edges on a polished aluminum housing. While subjective, I find the visual design quite appealing.

Four illuminated strips on the wheelbase synchronize with colored LEDs on the steering wheel rim to provide rev lights, shift indicators or other effects. The plastic covers front and back are purely cosmetic.

Inside, the wheelbase utilizes a combination of components that inspire confidence. The power comes from a MiGE motor, a proven solution used across high-end wheels. This is paired with Simucube electronics, leveraging their years of experience with OSW designs.

Asetek has optimized the internals to deliver 18Nm of peak torque with overhead to spare. An impressive 6.7 Nm/ms slew rate translates to ultra-responsive and detailed force feedback. A high-resolution 22-bit encoder accurately interprets every input.

The quick release mechanism is easy and secure, allowing tool-free mounting of the wheel rim with one hand. Importantly, the QR contains open electronics, so that wheels from other brands can be directly mounted.

Separate power and killswitch buttons are thoughtfully provided for simulation safety and convenience during long sessions. The power brick and wiring are high quality with ample length.

Overall, the Forte wheelbase is clearly engineered to punch above its mid-range price point. The precise construction, premium components and robust electronics should offer reliability to match the performance.

Installation and Configuration

Asetek provides multiple mounting options for flexibility, including front, side and bottom brackets. I went with the front mount for a clean visual integration with my aluminum rig. The mounting process itself was straightforward, though removing the front plastic cover temporarily is necessary.

The side brackets could benefit from vertical slots for more tilt adjustment during installation. A drilling template for base mounting would also be handy. Otherwise, everything bolted up securely and centered properly on my rig.

Integrating the power and killswitch buttons into the front mount is convenient, though the exposed wires are a concern. Even light contact from tools or cables during installation could compromise the connections, so improved protection or connectors would be prudent.

Upon first connection, the wheelbase prompted me to update firmware in the RaceHub software. Unfortunately the initial updater failed, requiring me to manually install a separate version downloaded from Asetek’s site. This issue has since been resolved with a knowledge base article guiding users.

Configuring the wheelbase through RaceHub was straightforward. The interface provides both basic and advanced modes depending on your preferences. All of the critical adjustments like overall force, damping, friction and so on are there. Helpful tooltips explain what each setting does. Cool features like cornering force assist reduce clipping in long sweeping turns.

There are already recommended presets available for titles like Assetto Corsa Competizione. The LEDs, enabled effects and centerlock strength are also customized easily. Overall the software is well implemented for an initial release.

Driving Experience and Force Feedback

This is where the rubber truly meets the road. No amount of packaging, specifications or settings matter if the driving experience falls short. I’m pleased to say that the force feedback on the Asetek Forte wheelbase is excellent once tuned properly.

The first thing that became apparent is the abundance of power on tap. Even at 70% strength, the forces are already bordering on too much for prolonged sessions. This gives huge overhead for transient details. The torque delivery feels wonderfully smooth yet highly responsive.

The high slew rate truly shines when catching unexpected oversteer. The wheel communicates the onset instantly, allowing quicker reactions. Under heavy braking, you can feel the ABS pulses clearly without the wheelbase losing composure.

Compared to my prior belt driven wheel, the fidelity is night and day. Subtle nuances in the tire load, surface changes and curbs become much more apparent. The forces build and decay progressively as you turn in and unwind the wheel.

I was able to achieve remarkably realistic feedback in Assetto Corsa after tweaking settings like friction and damping. The wheel weight feels appropriate for open wheel Formula cars as it loads up through high speed sweepers.

Strong engine vibrations and curbs strike a balance between immersion and distraction. Road effects could be boosted a bit to feel in-wheel suspension activity during sequential compression and rebound. Damping controls the inertia well without losing response.

All in all, the Forte wheelbase performs admirably across multiple simulation titles and conditions. The adjustable power and sublime detail provide an excellent driving experience that should suit hardcore and casual users alike.

RaceHub Software

Asetek’s RaceHub software is as vital to the experience as the wheelbase itself. As discussed prior, the interface allows extensive customization of the force feedback and wheelbase behavior. One can tailor the characteristics to match their preferences and style of driving.

The basic mode provides fewer but simpler options for those relatively new to wheelbases. Helpful tooltips explain what each adjustment does. The advanced mode unlocks everything for the utmost control and fine tuning potential.

Preset profiles are already available for certain popular sim racing titles, giving users a starting point before tweaking to taste.