G-Force Simulator Seat: GS4 or GS5?

If you’re new to sim racing, finding the right product for your sim racing rig can be a difficult task. But you must have heard fellow sim racers raving about the G-Force simulator seat. The G-force simulator seats by SimXperience are worth the hype, but the players of the e-sport are often confused between GS4 vs. GS5 debate. So, which one should you pick?

This article will find a detailed comparison between the two G-force simulator seats to see which one is better for sim racing.

The First Outlook

By taking a single look at both the GS4 and GS5 seats, you can tell that GS5 is the newer and more polished version of the GS4 seat. The GS4 has a mechanical, industrial look, but the GS5 has the same DNA, only with a more evolved look.

General Seat Impression

The GS4 has a custom series 16 economy drag seat. On the other hand, the GS5 uses a road race seat with a custom series 47. Even though both GS4 and GS4 are Kirkey racing seats, the GS5 offers better comfort and aesthetics.

If you analyze the seats from a racing angle, the GS5 seats are winners. They offer shoulder and side support, and if you upgrade from GS4 to GS5, you will fall in love with the GS5 seat.

Motors

The GS4 uses 16 RC servo motors that are small in size. The 16 motors were divided into four panels, with each panel containing four motors. And all the motors within the panels must synchronize for optimum performance.

On the other hand, the GS5 uses four stepper motors that are massive in size. The motors come with planetary gearboxes. In this case, the need for synching four motors per penal has been eliminated. Instead, there is one big motor in each penal. These motors provide more power and torque. Without counting the weight of the gearboxes, each motor weighs approximately 1.2 kgs.

Lift Mechanism

The lift mechanism for the GS4 simulator seats is quite flimsy. It uses pushrods and a lever arm. But the GS5 has an upgraded lift mechanism that gives much smoother movements.

It uses a roller bearing and cam arrangement. Besides enhancing the performance, it also offers effective space utilization.

The lift mechanism does not take much space, unlike the pushrod and lever arm mechanism of the GS4 seats. Because of this, massive motors can be installed under the panels.

Panels

In GS4 sim racing seats, it feels like you’re sitting on a penal rather than a seat because of their straight shape. The GS4 panels have mounting holes that allow you to install 4 Dayton shaker pucks. This feature is also available in the GS5 seats. The only difference is that the panels in GS5 sim racing seats are curvier and elongated. This ensures that you get more leg and back contact with the seat, so it feels like an actual seat instead of getting the feeling of a panel.

Torque and Power

The GS4 seat is more like a gentle press than a high-power seat in terms of torque and power. But in the GS5 seat, you can make a switch from the default to extreme strength in an instant.

Since the motor size is enhanced and the lift mechanism provides a smoother operation, both the power and torque of the GS5 seats are amazing. If you ever feel like enjoying an intense workout while sim racing, you can crank up the speed according to your preferences. You can pick from various power levels. The extreme level is enough to give anyone sore limbs.

Recreation

While the GS4 is great at recreating road bumps, its detailing doesn’t even come close to GS5 simulator seats. Of course, if you stick to using the GS4 seat without ever using GS5, you won’t notice the difference. But if you switch from GS5 to GS4, you’ll see how much you’re missing out on.

The GS5 seats have enough power and speed to react to the road bumps and recreate them for the player to feel them. But that doesn’t mean you don’t feel anything with GS4 seats. Instead of feeling the bumps, pressure is felt instead. However, the GS5 offers more detail, and in the battle of GS4 vs. GS5, the GS5 easily takes the cake.

Structure and Strength

The GS4 simulator seats have small motors and linkages, making the seat seem fragile. Its built quality is not as great, and many felt concerned over its structure. Players who have used the GS4 seat worry about the seat bending or the motors burning out because of the lack of strength.

But in GS5, there is no such concern. It is built similar to a tank, so there is no need to worry about its structure or strength.

Comfort

The GS4 seat lacks an ergonomic design. It is a very uncomfortable seat because of the panel design and lack of padding. On the other hand, with the curved design of GS5 seats mentioned above and excess padding, the comfort level is off the charts. You can easily do stints for as long as four hours in the GS5 seats without feeling any discomfort. The best part is that the GS5 seat also offers moldings for leg support.

G Forces

The sensation of G forces on the GS4 simulator seats is quite decent, but they lack recreational abilities compared with the GS5 seats. The GS5 seats are on a whole other level when it comes to replicating the pressure of G forces. You can continue to feel the pressure even after turning it into a corner. This is a feat that ordinary motion simulators can’t achieve.

Noise

The GS4 RC servo motors create a buzzing noise, which can get annoying when used for a long time. But in the case of GS5 simulator seats, the noise has been eliminated. Of course, there is bound to be a little noise when driving, but you can’t hear it over headphones or speakers.

The Final Verdict

In comparing GS4 vs. GS5, the GS5 will easily bag the trophy. But that doesn’t mean that the GS4 is a bad simulator seat. Not at all. It is a great sim racing hardware, but the GS5 is an advanced version of the GS4.

Overall, all the features of GS4 have been enhanced and evolved into GS5, which is better in every aspect. If you haven’t used either, you can still find the GS4 to be useful, and it can easily become one of your favorites; however, if you move from GS5 to GS4, you’ll start finding faults in the GS4 seat.

In short, it would be safe to say that the GS5 is the better G-Force simulator seat today. It has a better appearance, offers more comfort, and has a better lift mechanism. Overall, all the specs are better than the GS4 seat.