Best Accessories to Enhance Your Simulation Experience With – Racing & Flight
Even though modern gaming on LED monitors is still prevalent, and is likely to be in the foreseeable future, simulation games are quickly taking over global gaming charts due to the level of unparalleled immersion and realistic experience they provide over flat-screen monitor games.
That said, you can experience the “core” essence of sim racing or sim flight, with only a couple of hardware peripherals that won’t cost you more than a couple of hundred bucks. However, if you’re in for a top-notch simulation experience, then be ready to let loose your wallet. And trust me, every single penny will be worth it!
To get started, in this article, I’ll be showing you the best accessories to enhance your simulation experience with. These will be categorised in separate headings for sim racing and sim flight.
Upgrading Your Simulator Setup
Assuming you’ve got a monitor and a gaming PC or console, after you’ve built your first basic sim racing setup (consisting of wheels and pedals) or sim flight setup (consisting of merely a joystick) and invested a couple of hours into it, you feel the need to upgrade your setup to the next level. Why? Because you’ve already experienced the tip of the simulation-berg and can’t wait to experience more. Don’t worry, it’s natural.
That’s where the best accessories to enhance your simulation experience come in. While both setups share some common advanced peripherals, others are better categorised into their respective niches. In the following sections, I’ll now be showing you the best racing simulator accessories and the best flight simulator accessories.
Best Racing Simulator Accessories
Once you've got your basic sim racing setup running, it's only a matter of time before you want more. More control. More realism. More immersion. That’s where the best racing simulator accessories come in—and trust me, each one adds a whole new layer to your experience.
Racing Cockpit
A racing cockpit is a specially designed frame that holds your seat, wheel, pedals, and more in one solid structure. Unlike regular chairs or makeshift stands, cockpits offer better stability and positioning, just like a real race car. The Next Level Racing GTLite is a great foldable option for smaller spaces, while the Playseat Trophy or GT Omega ART series offer more premium comfort and adjustability.
Handbrake and Shifters
If you’re into drifting or rally games, you’ll need a handbrake and a shifter. Most wheels come with paddle shifters, but a proper gear stick brings a much more realistic feel. The Thrustmaster TH8A or Fanatec ClubSport Shifter SQ are solid choices. Pair it with a realistic handbrake like the Fanatec ClubSport Handbrake V1.5, and you're ready to tear up the dirt tracks.
Cockpit Button Box
A button box may not sound exciting at first, but it’s actually super useful. Instead of navigating menus or reaching for a keyboard, you can assign buttons to things like lights, ignition, pit controls, or traction settings. Products like the BBJ SimRacing Button Boxes add a professional touch and keep your hands focused on the race.
Racing Gloves
Yup, gloves. It might sound unnecessary at first, but racing gloves improve grip, protect your hands during long sessions, and give you that real motorsport vibe. Brands like Sparco or Sim Hound make gloves specifically for sim racing.
Motion Platform
Want to feel every bump and turn? A sim racing motion platform is what you need. A motion platform moves, shifts, and tilts your seat to match what’s happening in the game. While high-end models like the DOF Reality H3 can be pricey, they deliver next-level immersion you can literally feel.
Dashboard App
Though optional, you can also enhance your sim racing experience with a dashboard app. These apps display telemetry data—speed, gears, lap times, etc.—on a phone or tablet. Apps like SimHub or DashPanel are widely used and easy to set up.
Best Flight Simulator Accessories
Same story as before, once you’ve logged some hours in your basic flight simulator setup, you’ll thinking, “This is great — but I want more realism.”
So, to really feel like you’re inside the cockpit of a commercial airliner or fighter jet, you’ll want to explore some of the best flight simulator accessories available today.
Yoke / HOTAS System
A great replacement for the traditional joystick, a yoke feels like a real airplane steering system, perfect for commercial flight sims. The Honeycomb Alpha Yoke is one of the most loved mid-range options.
On the other hand, if you prefer flying fighter jets or space planes, a HOTAS setup like the Thrustmaster Warthog gives you full control and realism. It’s heavy, strong, and feels like it came out of a real military cockpit.
Throttle Quadrant
For full control of your aircraft's power, a throttle quadrant is a must. These usually come with multiple levers for throttle, mixture, and propeller control. The Honeycomb Bravo Throttle Quadrant is my favourite because it works well for many types of aircraft.
Rudder Pedals
Rudder pedals are optional, as you can fly without them. However, having them in your sim flight rig adds a whole new layer of realism and immersion. In that, they help with taxiing, takeoffs, and landings by allowing you to control the aircraft's yaw (side-to-side movement). Good options include the Thrustmaster TFRP or Logitech Pro Flight Rudder Pedals. Once you try them, you’ll wonder how you ever flew without them.
Cockpit Button Boxes
Just like in sim racing, button boxes play a big role in flight sim too. You can map buttons for emergency procedures, checklists, or anything you need quick access to during flight. Companies like WinWing offer flight-specific button panels with a realistic look and feel.
Instrument Panels
If you want that full cockpit feeling, then adding flight instrument panels can make your setup feel like a real cockpit. These panels show real-time data like altitude, speed, heading, and engine RPM. The Logitech Flight Instrument Panel is a great option. It is both modular and beginner-friendly. To put the cherry on top, you can even stack multiple panels to build your very own custom cockpit.
Switch Panels and Autopilot Modules
Switch panels and autopilot modules are similar to Instrument Panels but… they serve different purposes. In that, they let you control lights, landing gear, magnetos, and even autopilot systems without touching the keyboard. The Logitech Flight Switch Panel and Multi Panel are popular for plug-and-play use with Microsoft Flight Simulator and X-Plane.
Radio Stack and Navigation Panels
A radio is an integral part of any type of aircraft because prompt communication with air traffic control towers is crucial. As such, adding a radio stack in your rig lets you manage communication frequencies, navigation aids, and transponders. The Logitech G Pro Radio Panel is a great place to start.
Shared Accessories to Enhance Your Simulation Experience
Some accessories don’t belong to just one camp; they work wonders for both sim racing and sim flight. If you're serious about realism, these accessories to enhance your simulation experience are worth considering.
VR Headsets
A VR headset puts you inside the cockpit, whether you’re tearing around a racetrack or cruising above the clouds. In sim racing, VR gives you better depth perception and spatial awareness, helping with cornering and overtakes. For flight sims, it allows full 360° head movement, perfect for looking around the cockpit or checking wing views during landing. The Meta Quest 3 and HP Reverb G2 are great options for this.
Triple Monitor Setup
If you prefer screens over VR, then a triple monitor setup will let you wrap your view across three displays for a wider, more natural field of vision. In sim racing, it helps you see cars beside you. In sim flight, it offers a panoramic view of the runway and horizon. It’s not as immersive as VR, but it’s great for people who prefer screen clarity and comfort during long sessions.
Surround Sound System
I think we can all agree on this. A surround sound system makes everything feel more alive. From engine roars in racing to wind noise and cockpit alarms in flight, 3D audio adds depth and realism that headphones alone can't always provide.
Final Thoughts
And that wraps up our list of the best accessories to enhance your simulation experience. What do you think? Share your thoughts with us and let us know in the comments down below!
