Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro
Next Level Racing, founded in 2009 and based in Australia, focuses on developing high-quality sim racing products. The company is known for its sturdy and well-designed cockpits, seats, and accessories, catering to both hobbyists and professional sim racers. Their products blend innovation with quality, aiming to deliver a realistic racing experience without costing a fortune. Next Level Racing has built a solid reputation in the sim racing world.
With the launch of the Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro, a cockpit designed for sim racers and gamers seeking more immersion, they’ve created a product that appeals to a wide audience. When Next Level Racing asked us to review the Formula Lite Pro cockpit, we didn’t hesitate for a second.
The Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro cockpit is available for €299.00, excluding shipping. Next Level sells its products through retailers, including our partner Simrace Webshop. You can also expand your setup with various accessories, such as a monitor stand, keyboard and mouse stand, and a Haptic Feedback Gaming Pad, allowing you to customize your setup to your exact preferences.
Packaging & Contents
We receive a large brown box with Next Level branding, shipped from a Next Level Racing logistics warehouse in Europe. From the time it was sent, it took five business days to arrive. As mentioned, Next Level Racing sells through retailers, so you’ll likely receive your package faster through them.
Upon opening the big brown box, we immediately see an attractive product package with the product name and a full-color image. There are also some catchy phrases here and there on the box, which is always a nice touch. In our opinion, it’s a well-designed package that makes us excited to start unboxing.
Opening the product box, we find the Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro wrapped in a sturdy plastic bag. As we slide the cockpit out, we see the frame and seat stacked, with profiles, mounting materials, and tools in between. There’s also extra hardware included for mounting the equipment. Lastly, we find the manual, so we can start assembling everything step by step.
Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro
The Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro is an entry-level cockpit, specially designed for sim racers who want to replicate the unique driving experience of a Formula 1 car. With a sturdy steel construction, this cockpit provides, according to Next Level Racing, a solid and stable base, even during intense racing sessions with direct drive wheelbases and load cell pedals. Thanks to its universal mounting points, the cockpit is compatible with a wide range of wheelbases and pedals from brands like Logitech, Thrustmaster, Fanatec, and many others.
The seat also offers extensive adjustability for comfort, including adjustable distance between the wheel and pedals, as well as the seat angle. This allows every sim racer to find the ideal, low-lying racing position, similar to that of a professional Formula 1 driver. Weighing around 25 kg and with compact dimensions, the Formula Lite Pro is also suitable for smaller spaces. The seat has a maximum load capacity of 130 kg, making it suitable for most users.
Assembly & Use
We start by attaching the profiles to the seat, so we can secure it to the frame. These profiles also allow for height adjustment, letting us fine-tune the backrest to fit our body. Using the included bolts, we then attach the seat to the frame. Once everything is unfolded, we mount the profile to the back of the cockpit. With the seat ready, we can attach the pedal frame.
Next, we install the wheel deck and secure the tension straps between the seat and wheel deck, and between the wheel deck and pedal frame. These straps keep everything tightly connected and make it easier to fold up the cockpit. After completing all the steps, the Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro cockpit is fully assembled, and we can attach our equipment. The entire build took us about 20 minutes.
We’re going to use the Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro as we believe it’s intended: with a console in front of the TV. We set it up by our TV and use a PlayStation 4 with F1 ’24 as our racing game. For equipment, we mount the Fanatec ClubSport Racing Wheel F1 and the Fanatec CSL Pedals, both compatible with PlayStation 4 and 5. Since the Formula Lite Pro is compatible with wheelbases up to 10Nm, we’ll dial down our 15Nm wheelbase to around 10Nm.
Once everything is set up, we adjust the Formula Lite Pro cockpit to fit our body. This process is quite straightforward since, after assembly, almost everything is infinitely adjustable with just a few simple steps. Unfortunately, we do have to get in and out a few times to fine-tune, which isn’t always the easiest task—but more on that later.
Our racing experience in the Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro starts off mostly positive once we sit down. The design offers enough space to get in and out, though the low seating position can make it a bit tricky. When getting in, we find ourselves leaning on the seat, which feels slightly awkward due to its flexibility, adding to the challenge.
Thankfully, adjusting the seat and wheel is easy. Although the steering angle has limited adjustment options, we’re able to set up the cockpit to our liking and are ready to race comfortably in no time. While driving, we notice that the cockpit is generally stable, although there’s a bit of flex in the wheel deck. This can affect stability during intense racing sessions slightly. Despite this minor drawback, the overall setup remains sturdy, and we don’t experience any issues with stability while racing.
The foldable design is convenient for small spaces, but storing the cockpit can be tricky when equipment is still attached. We need to remove the Fanatec F1 steering wheel from the wheelbase before folding the setup. Even so, the cockpit offers a good level of adjustability and comfort. The seat is clearly designed for longer racing sessions, with good ventilation and ample support.
Overall, we’re pleased with the performance of the Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro. It provides enough space and support for an enjoyable racing experience and is versatile enough for various accessories, which is essential for a successful sim racing setup.
Conclusion
The Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro offers us excellent value for money. We find it affordable and easy to move, making it ideal for console use by the TV. The foldable and collapsible design is perfect for limited spaces, and its compact dimensions make it easy to store. Additionally, the cockpit is highly adjustable, making it suitable for a wide range of drivers of different heights and sizes. The comfortable and well-ventilated seat ensures long-lasting comfort, and the compatibility with all common racing accessories provides great versatility.
However, there are a few downsides to consider. The flex in the wheel deck can affect stability, and it’s not easy to store compactly when the equipment is attached. The low-to-the-ground seating position makes getting in and out a bit challenging, especially due to the seat’s movement and flexibility. Folding it can be cumbersome, and the steering angle has limited adjustment options, which can impact our driving experience.
Overall, we’re satisfied with the Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro and will certainly use it again for a race on one of our favorite F1 ’24 circuits. Are you excited after reading our review? The Next Level Racing Formula Lite Pro cockpit is available for €299.00, excluding shipping costs. Next Level sells their products through various retailers, and it’s available from our partner, Simrace Webshop.
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