World’s #1 Racing & Flight Cockpit Brand
Sim racing is one of the most exciting hobbies out there but it can also be intimidating when you look at the price tags of some high-end rigs. The good news? You don’t need to spend thousands to give a gift that makes a serious impact on someone’s racing experience.
Next Level Racing has built a reputation for offering innovative, high-quality gear across all budgets. In this guide, we’ll highlight the best sim racing gifts under $500USD (including a couple under $100USD) perfect for birthdays, the upcoming holiday season, or even a sneaky treat for yourself.
The HF8 Pro adds game-synced haptic feedback, letting sim racers feel the road, curbs, and collisions. It’s one of the most affordable ways to massively boost immersion.
A small but smart upgrade. The NLR XL Floor Mat keeps rigs stable, protects flooring, and reduces vibration noise.
Essential for racers who tweak setups or jump between racing and desktop use. This stand keeps things ergonomic and tidy, and due to its freestanding nature, even works with other manufacturers’ cockpits… but you didn’t hear it from us.
Next Level Racing’s latest innovation, the ERS3 Hypercool Ventilated Seat is the perfect gift for the sim racer that has everything. Taking the world renowned design, comfort and dual locking recliners of the ERS3, the Hypercool adds 6 active cooling fans in the seat and backrest, helping to cool sim racers cooler for longer. If you’re sick of the sim racer in your life smelling like they just ran a marathon after they race, this is a must have gift.
Shop ERS3 Hypercool Ventilated Sim Racing Seat
A perfect entry-level stand for anyone wanting a serious sim racing setup without committing to a full cockpit. It’s compact, stable, and upgradeable, and all for under $300!
This cockpit includes a comfortable, double reclining seat, seat sliders, and a flexible GT-style seating position, perfecting for the sim racer with the space for a permanent setup, but not needing the advanced features of an Elite series cockpit.
The ultimate in affordable cockpits, the GTLite Pro and Formula Lite Pro are lightweight, portable, foldable, but still strong enough to handle direct drive wheels and load cell pedals. Perfect for those who need a seat, pedal mount and wheel mount, but want to be able to fold them away when they aren’t in use.
Just like its big brother, the GTLite Pro, the GT Lite Junior is a foldable, portable all-in-one sim racing cockpit, scaled down for the budding junior racer in your life.
You don’t need to drop thousands to impress a sim racer. With Next Level Racing’s lineup of affordable gear—from immersive add-ons like the HF8 Pro Haptic Pad to full rigs like the GTRacer2.0—there’s something for every budget up to $500.
Whether you’re buying for a beginner or upgrading a seasoned racer, these gifts deliver quality, functionality, and immersion without the premium price tag.
👉 Pro tip: Pair the Wheel Stand 2.0 with the Floor Mat for a compact, affordable setup starter kit that works with an existing office chair.
⚠️Note: all prices correct in the US at time of publishing and are subject to change / regional price differences.
Founded in 2009, next level racing has revolutionized the simulation industry with its unwavering commitment to innovation and unique design. As a multiple award-winning company, we have always aimed to provide our customers with the most realistic and immersive racing and flight simulation experiences.
