PXN VD Series Direct Drive Wheelbases: VD4, VD6, and VD10 Compared

Introduction

PXN has entered the direct drive sim racing market with a new VD series of wheelbases. The lineup starts with the VD4 at 4 Nm of continuous torque, steps up to the VD6 at 6 Nm, and tops out with the VD10 at 10 Nm of continuous torque. These are sharply priced products entering a highly competitive segment, so they need to deliver both a strong driving experience and a compelling reason to choose them over more established brands.

All three models share the same fundamental mechanical design, with the main difference being the power output of the motor. This review covers pricing, hardware, software, and the driving experience across all three bases.

Pricing and Market Position

At the time of review, the VD4 is only available as a bundle. It comes with a two-pedal set and a 280mm steering wheel for $299 plus shipping and taxes. The VD6 is available as a base-only option for $329, and the VD10 is available as a base-only option for $369. Various bundle configurations are also available for the VD6 and VD10.

For comparison, a Moza R3 bundle with 3.9 Nm of peak torque is priced at $299, while the Moza R5 bundle with 5.5 Nm comes in at $439. The Moza R9 is available base-only for $349, and the R12 for $469. These comparisons show that PXN’s pricing is competitive, though Moza has a more established ecosystem with a wider range of sim racing products.

All three PXN bases are PC compatible only. This means you can mix and match peripherals from other brands, but if you prefer to stay within a single ecosystem, that is an important consideration.

Hardware Design and Build Quality

All three wheelbases use the same style of electric motor internally: a 20-pole servo motor designed for low inertia and cog-free operation. The rotating mass of the shaft is light on all three models, and they rotate smoothly even when not powered. This design aims for responsive and smooth operation.

The quick release is a D1 or NRG style, and power and data are transmitted through the nose of the quick release via pins. This means you need to be careful about connecting third-party wheels, as their pin configurations may differ and could cause shorting. There are workarounds, such as blanking off the contacts or unplugging the PCB, but PXN currently lacks a USB pass-through adapter like the one Simagic offers. This would make it easier to use third-party wheels without running a cable back to the PC.

The housing is aluminum with plastic front and rear covers. Ridges on the housing add surface area for cooling, and none of the three bases got even lukewarm during extended use at maximum strength. There is no active cooling fan, so there are no moving parts that could wear out.

On the back of each base, there is a DC jack for external power, a momentary power switch, a port for an emergency stop button (though this is not currently listed on their website or included in the package), a USB-A port for external peripherals, and several USB-C ports for pedals, accessories, a shifter, and connecting to the PC. The mounting pattern is standard Fanitech, so these bases will mount on any cockpit compatible with Fanitech or Moza wheelbases. A metal table clamp is available for around $40.

The internal build quality is solid. The soldering is high quality, and the cables running to the motor are thick. A 100W braking resistor and capacitors are visible, with the encoder sitting behind the PCB. There is a small antenna on the board whose purpose is unclear, as the steering wheel communication goes through the quick release.

Steering Wheels and Pedals

The VD4 bundles come with the W steering wheel, a 280mm round wheel with a solid aluminum quick release. It has magnetic shifters and analog paddles with a bite point mode in the clutch. The button box is plastic, but the wheel rim is brushed aluminum. Ergonomically, it is comfortable, and the round design makes it versatile for rally, drifting, and formula-style driving. The smaller diameter makes the force feedback feel sharper and more responsive on the VD4. The wheel has a D-pad, ABXY buttons, an RPM strip, and two rotary encoders with push-button functionality. The faux leather wrap and stitching are acceptable for the price.

The WDSR2 wheel is 300mm in diameter with a D-shape design. It has the same aluminum quick release, analog clutches, and magnetic shifters. The stitching on the example reviewed was poor, and the buttons feel flimsy with some rattle during intense force feedback. The rotary encoders have an undefined detent, making them easy to knock out of position when driving with gloves. The wheel rim has a little more twist and flex than the smaller wheel, but it is still perfectly rigid. The D-shape makes drifting a bit more awkward, and the buttons passing through the middle of the rim make it difficult to swap out for a different rim.

The WCSR2 wheel is 330mm in diameter and has RGB backlit buttons that look nice but are permanent fixtures, making label changes awkward. It uses the same relatively low-quality rotary encoders and has a hat switch and a large horn button. The shifters have a little bit of rattle, and the wheel rim has more twist due to its larger diameter. The rear housing is plastic but relatively rigid. The design is visually busy compared to the other two wheels, which is a subjective point.

The pedals included with the VD4 bundles are a two-pedal set, while the VD6 bundles come with a three-pedal set. These pedals are basic, using Hall effect sensors and position-based operation with no load cell. They lack definition and finesse, and the two-pedal set has mechanically identical pedals. The three-pedal set includes an elastomer and spring stack that inserts into the rear housing, providing a bit more definition, but it is only rated to 10 kg of force to max out. The pedals also tend to slide around on carpet, as they lack carpet spikes.

Software and Configuration

The PXN sim racing software manages all PXN hardware connected to the PC. The layout is similar to other manufacturers’ software, with tabs on the left side for navigation and tabs along the bottom to select different peripherals.

The home screen shows latest news, wheel center adjustment, maximum steering angle, force feedback strength, and a representation of the pedals for calibration checks. There is a game launcher and a driver’s license section that asks for an email address and password, but logging in is optional and does not unlock advanced features.

The settings screen includes typical options like launch on startup and DPI scaling. There is a help tab that embeds the company’s channel with guides and tutorials, and a firmware updates tab that works with a one-click solution, which is simpler than some other ecosystems.

The games tab allows assigning different profiles for wheelbase, steering wheel, and pedals to each game. There are pre-baked profiles that serve as a good baseline, and you can set profiles to apply automatically when launching a game. There is also an integrated dashboard feature that works by scanning a QR code, which opens a web browser on your phone connected to the same network, displaying a dash on the local IP address. There are a few different dash profiles available, though they are not customizable.

The devices tab allows creating, saving, exporting, and importing profiles. For pedals, you can reverse the output of each pedal and adjust output curves for nonlinear responses. However, there is no calibration or dead zone adjustment, which are fundamental features for any sim racing pedal set. You can map pedals to other forms of output.

For steering wheels, you can adjust button mapping, including mapping buttons to keyboard commands, which is a nice touch. There is a calibration tool for the joystick on the wheel. The RPM lights section allows adjusting thresholds for each light, changing between modes, and adjusting brightness. The analog paddles section includes a linked clutch mode with a bite point setting.

The wheelbase settings include wheel center calibration, bump stop strength, lock angle (adjustable from 360 degrees for formula cars up to 2600 degrees for truck sims), and maximum rotation speed. The force feedback strength acts as a gain adjustment, and the mechanical max torque should generally be left at 100% to utilize the full dynamic range. Mechanical inertia, friction, and damping are subjective settings that simulate the physical connection of the steering wheel, but adding too much can dull granular details. The advanced settings tab allows adjusting game damping, self-aligning torque, and game friction, as well as filter level, force feedback detail, and mechanical centering.

For the VD4 and VD6, the available adjustments were sufficient to dial in a good overall feeling. The VD10 felt like it needed more fine-tuning options.

Driving Experience

The expectation was that these wheelbases would be smooth and precise given the motor characteristics, and that was mostly the case. There was no cogging or torque ripple, putting them in the same ballpark as the competition. They handled rapid direction changes, chicanes, and drifting well, with no disconnect between inputs and the wheelbase’s ability to keep up. They were consistent across different sim racing titles.

The VD10, however, did not give a good overall impression. While smooth and responsive, the finer details like track textures and suspension movements felt robotic. Adding filtering to remove this feeling dampened the effects needed to sense what the car was doing. Changes of direction felt sloppy, and suspension movements lacked definition compared to other products at this price point. Direct comparisons were made against the Moza R12, Simagic Evo Sport, and the CSL DD with the 8 Nm boost kit.

The VD6 surprised positively. It did not have the same robotic characteristic as the VD10, and the granular details felt more clearly defined. While not outstanding, it was on par with the bases it directly competes with, such as the Moza R9 and CSL DD with boost kit. The driving experience was well-refined overall.

The VD4 provided a pretty good experience, similar to the VD6 but weaker. The detail was there to drive quickly and consistently. In direct comparison to the Moza R3, which has 3.9 Nm of torque, the VD4 feels a bit stronger, but Moza has a wider ecosystem and Xbox compatibility.

Overall, there is nothing fundamentally wrong with any of these products. However, comparing each model against its direct competition, they do not offer a specifically compelling reason to choose them over more established brands. The VD4 and VD6 could be recommended if PXN is significantly cheaper in your region. The VD10 needs to evolve, and firmware updates may improve its feeling in the future.

Overall Buying Advice

The PXN VD series offers competitive pricing and a solid hardware foundation. The VD4 and VD6 provide good driving experiences for their price points, with the VD6 being the standout of the three. The VD10, while not a bad wheelbase, has shortcomings compared to competitors at a similar price.

If you are looking for an entry-level direct drive experience and PXN is significantly cheaper in your region, the VD4 or VD6 are worth considering. The included wheels are decent for the money, though the pedals are basic and would benefit from an upgrade. If you prioritize a wider ecosystem with more wheel options and console compatibility, other brands may be a better fit.

Conclusion

The PXN VD series brings more competition to the direct drive market, which is ultimately good for sim racers. The VD4 and VD6 deliver solid driving experiences at competitive prices, while the VD10 shows potential but needs refinement. These are good products overall, but they do not yet offer a compelling reason to choose them over more established alternatives.