Simagic DS-8X Shifter Review | The BEST Sim Racing Shifter?!
This is the Simagic DS-8X, and I'm going to be upfront with it: it's really good. Compact in design, made from full metal housing, widely adjustable, and serving as both an H-pattern and sequential shifter, Simagic has blown it out of the park with this product, but there are several important things you should know before purchasing. So today, I'll be reviewing the Simagic DS-8X, telling you all the good, the bad, and why this may or may not be for you.
Kindly sent over by Simagic for review, the DS-8X has far and away been one of the most heavily requested products for me to review. Retailing at $389, it's certainly not cheap, and even though you can get 3% off using the code "OCRacing" at checkout, it is pricier than most mid-range shifters on the market, but significantly cheaper than the highest-range competitors. So, how does this fit in, and what's up with its price?
Well, before I answer that, it's worth noting what the DS-8X is all about, so let's go over its specs and features.
Specs & Features
Very compact in design, the DS-8X certainly punches above its weight class. It's made entirely from an aluminum alloy housing and can be, with a flip of a switch, interchanged between H-pattern and sequential driving modes.
On the H-pattern setting, a total of eight forward gears are available, including a separate slot for reverse. Unlike nearly all competitors, which require you to push down and over in order to access reverse or the higher gears, the DS-8X only requires you to momentarily pull up on the shaft, giving you quick access to those gears. Though I don’t know of any real-world gear shifters that work like this, what I can confidently say is that it’s much more reliable and quick to do than pushing down, which I’ve always lost time doing on track. Of course, you won’t be able to accidentally access reverse or the 7th or 8th gear without pulling this part of the shaft up.
As mentioned, switching over to sequential mode is quick and easy, and the sequential mode does what it's supposed to do. Keep in mind that at the higher resistance settings, the sequential mode won’t work as well as the gear doesn’t instantly rebound to the center and tends to get stuck in gear. As such, when wanting to switch over to sequential mode, I would recommend slightly loosening the resistance.
And how do you adjust the resistance? Well, that would be by using the included Allen key on the insert on the back. Turning right will push the bolt in, thus increasing the resistance, and turning left will loosen it. More about the difference in feel, sound, and performance in just a bit.
Before that, it's worth noting that the gear knob can be easily interchanged, although you will need to buy a third-party one separately. The one that comes included I feel very happy with; it’s made of metal, feels premium in the hands, and fits very comfortably like any gear shifter in a real car would.
As standard, the DS-8X can only be hard-mounted either from the bottom with the M6 mounting points or with T-nuts and bolts with these extrusions. No side mounting is available directly from this unit. Rather, in order to achieve side mounting, you will have to buy the optional Simagic L-shaped bracket, which I feel should come included considering the premium price point of this product.
Finally, this shifter plugs in via USB where it connects on the back and can be routed to either your PC or a compatible Simagic wheelbase. Keep in mind that, just like 99% of sim racing gear, no, it will not work on PlayStation or Xbox consoles.
Though this shifter is plug-and-play and won’t need any dedicated software to work, using the Simagic Sim Pro Manager software could be useful if you’re having trouble calibrating. The software doesn’t really do anything other than that when it comes to the shifter, but there is a funny message that says if you’re money shifting, try recalibrating.
Now with all that said, let’s talk about its in-game performance, how it works in both H-pattern and sequential modes, and how substantial the difference in resistance settings really is.
In-Game Performance
Starting off with the H-Pattern configuration, there is very little to complain about. The shifting feels extremely smooth and realistic, and flowing through all the gears feels intuitive and satisfying to do. The length of the throw is not adjustable but is exactly what I would expect, and shifting through all 9 of the gears felt consistent with no noticeable difference in tension between them all.
On the absolutely lightest setting, the resistance of the shifter is almost non-existent and frankly identical to that of the Logitech shifter. I don’t like needing to have the correct Allen key on hand to make the adjustments, but doing so only takes a few seconds, and once upping the resistance to a more “medium-light” setting, it feels identical to what you would find in an entry-level sports car like the MX-5 or something comparable. Adding some more tension to a more medium-hard setting, the difference is extremely apparent, and this feels more like the shifter in a Cayman GT4, with much more resistance and a bit of a tactile clunk when engaging and disengaging the gear. All the way at its highest resistance, there is certainly a substantial amount of force needed to actuate the gears, but something I noticed is that even at its absolute max resistance, it still didn’t get close to the highest available in the BDH shifter, which I’ve been using recently. Granted, I don’t know why someone would want to fight with the shifter when up or downshifting, but that is a big difference I did notice.
As per sound, slightly more is heard as you up the resistance, but in general, this is an all-around noisy shifter; take a listen for yourself.
Switching over to the sequential setting, it’s immediately obvious that the DS-8X is primarily intended as an H-pattern, but the sequential mode isn’t too shabby either. Although I would recommend a longer shaft and a different knob if you’ll be primarily using it as a sequential, what you have here ultimately does the job, and it does it consistently. My main complaint about this unit as a sequential shifter is that it feels a bit too “springy” rather than tactile, which is definitely something you won’t find in a dedicated sequential shifter. Increasing the resistance does help with this, but overall, I definitely didn’t feel as engaged with this product on its sequential setting, but that’s expected, seeing as the H-pattern mode is its primary strong suit. Another thing I noticed was the loud noise this shifter makes in its sequential setting, especially if you’re somebody who presses and immediately lets go of the shifter when rallying or drifting.
I know a lot of you guys are wondering how this product stacks up to the comparable Fanatec ClubSport shifter. Although I don’t have the ClubSport shifter and haven’t used it in months, I am planning on purchasing one and comparing these directly to each other. However, what I can say off the bat is that the size factor and reliability of the Simagic DS-8X is a clear advantage. As for which feels better, stay tuned, as a separate video talking just about that is in the works.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Simagic DS-8X is a strong contender in the mid-to-high range of sim racing shifters, especially for those seeking a dual-function device. Its compact design, full metal housing, adjustability, and the unique feature of switching between H-pattern and sequential modes make it a standout product.
The H-pattern mode, with its smooth, realistic feel and convenient access to all gears, is particularly impressive. The sequential mode, while reliable, might not completely satisfy those who are primarily looking for a dedicated sequential shifter. It's also worth noting that while this shifter excels in versatility and quality, its premium price point and the potential need for some optional extras should be considered.
My ultimate assessment is that if your primary interest lies in an H-pattern shifter with the added convenience of a sequential option, the DS-8X is an easy recommendation. However, if you're primarily in the market for a sequential shifter and only occasionally plan to use the H-pattern, I wouldn’t go with this, and it’s for that reason that Simagic also offers a variety of dedicated sequential shifters.
