Simlab SQ1 Sequential Shifter

For me, the quest for the optimal sequential sim-racing gearbox has been going on for almost five years now, like an eternal task embedded in my somewhat fanatical sim-racing hobby and something that has plagued me for long periods. There are plenty of really good sequential boxes in the sim-racing world. I like the Heusinkveld Magshift, Simagiq Q1, Oktane Design Seq Shifter, Moza SGP, Meca Evo, Aiologs Sim Shifter... but I don't like them as much as Simlab's new ones.

Simlab's latest handbrake was a quirky product with good adjustability and a cool design. It was easy to fit and gave a quality handbrake feel, but it was a bit too hefty compared to the Heusinkveld Handbrake in particular. A lot of those lessons have gone into the design of the SQ1 Sequential Shifter, which I think is the best you can buy under £1,000, across all categories, brands, models, and manufacturers. It is fantastically good.

For starters, the form factor here is ingenious. The SQ1 Sequential Shifter takes up half as much space (if that) as any of its competitors and yet manages to offer a more robust, tough and durable construction than much of anything else I've had the pleasure of testing. At the bottom of the gear stick itself is Simlab's typical aluminium crown (blue-anodised) and by turning it you can easily and quickly set the resistance you want in your shifts.

The shifting feel is brilliant. The SQ1 Sequential Shifter can take a beating and encourages hard shifting without mercy, right from the start. "Playing video games" with this in your fist won't work, as you'll miss valuable shifts. Instead, it's important to shift like a real race car, pushing the gears with force and it is noticeable that Simlab has excluded any use of plastic or composite materials to build a stick that can handle this. I like the travelling distance, how long the shifting movement is, and I like that it doesn't click as excessively as the Heusinkveld Magshift does. The "click" here is clearly more gentle, which together with the feeling of the movement itself and how it feels when the gear "steps in" is an excellent choice.

Assembling it is also super easy and here Simlab beats all competitors once more. The quirky form factor and square shape make it easy to begin with, but Simlab ships it with a brilliant little powder-coated steel plate made to allow the SQ1 Sequential Shifter to be mounted on a 40 millimetre wide aluminium profile, and this is the first sequential stick I've tested in our racing rig that I've been able to place exactly where I want it and which, via bulky body and flexible mounting, hasn't taken up space where my Heusinkveld Handbrake is already mounted.

Simlab has outdone themselves here, without any hesitation whatsoever. The SQ1 is a brilliant little gearbox that is also sold at an almost shockingly low price. £196 for this is downright perverse and considering that you have to throw up a lot for, among other things, Fanatec's rather lousy Clubsport SQ Shifter, it's easy for me to crown this as the new king of the product segment. If you're looking for the best sequential sim-racing gearbox on the market right now, Simlab's new one is the one to grab.