Las Vegas - At home, I have a Logitech G29 wheel mounted on a Trak Racer DS3 wheel stand I use it primarily to play Gran Turismo Sport and Dirt Rally 20 Nothing fancy, but a good, relatively inexpensive combo for someone who likes racing games and doesn't take the hobby too seriously

This week, however, I visited Razer's CES 2020 booth to drive around in an untitled driving simulator It's going to be really hard to go back to a modest rig like my Brooklyn apartment

The Razer driving simulator was developed by the gaming hardware company in cooperation with Vesaro, a professional simulator expert, and Simpit Technologies, the company responsible for the display projection It features direct-drive Fanatec force-feedback wheels, a 202-degree, 128-inch projection surface that wraps around the driver with two projectors, a hydraulic triple pedal system, a three-point harness with built-in tensioners that respond in real time to the G-forces acting on the car, and Of course, it consists of a motion platform that tilts the body in all directions, allowing the driver to feel every gear shift with his or her spine

Project Cars Pro ran on this rig in a demo at the Razer booth It piloted a Porsche 911 GT3 RS against three classic 917 prototypes and an Aston Martin Vantage (road going)

It was a gut-punch from the start Brands Hatch is a notoriously difficult track, but it is understandable why Razer chose it The circuit is located in a natural bowl, with elevation changes over the course of 15 minutes per lap The first corner, Paddock Hill Bend, is essentially a high-speed blind crest free-for-all that compresses your body as you exit the corner and speed toward the tightest corner on the course In order to make this hairpin turn with any momentum, the driver must drop down to second gear

This section of the circuit showcases the best features of Razer's driving simulator in 10 seconds Feeling the left side of your rig thud as you approach the curve at the bottom of Paddock Hill and feeling your belt tighten as you violently break into the druids is virtual racing at its finest When I made a big mistake in the middle of Surtees - a corner I have never and will never understand - I bounced around like a kitten, skipping and scraping, pounding and shunting, and was reunited with the familiar tire barriers

I have only two complaints about the Razer machine: first, the rig's projection display system was not up to the task Perhaps it was the lighting inside the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, but at times the image was very white, making it very difficult to see the road ahead The idea of a wraparound "screen" was good, but the video was so dull

Second, I was surprised by the lack of tactile sensation of the road surface due to the Fanatec wheels I am not talking about force feedback That part coming from the direct drive wheels was great Rather, the smoothness of the steering seemed to be at odds with the intense physicality of the motion system and belts, etc Razer clearly wants the player to feel the forces acting on the driver's body, but the same level of detail was not incorporated into the wheel The haptics would have allowed the player to feel more of a connection with the asphalt Then again, it is quite possible that the company intentionally set the steering wheel to be comfortable for CES attendees who do not want to break their wrists at the tech convention

According to a Vesaro representative, the chassis, seat, and motion platform itself cost about £2,500, but that doesn't include wheels, pedals, a projector, a PC, and a copy of your favorite racing sim, when you add all the necessary puzzle pieces for the Razer rig, The cost quickly balloons to more than 13,000 pounds (Compare this to professional rigs on Vesaro's website The company's most expensive configuration costs £54,000)

Given the price tag, it is not surprising that Razer is unsure how or whether to market its driving simulator As Sony's Gran Turismo FIA World Championship shows, there is interest in exploring racing esports, and Razer would consider selling the rig directly to consumers - although there are definitely no guarantees at this stage

Personally, I'd like to see Razer move forward with this concept, even though I'll never be able to afford it myself; CES put too many smiles on people's faces to leave this rig on the show floor forever Besides, my best time of the day was 3 seconds off my best time of the day

For all the news and hands-on impressions coming out of Las Vegas, be sure to visit our CES 2020 hub