The 5 Best Sim Racing H-Pattern Shifters (Ultimate Guide)

H-pattern shifters are a fantastic choice for sim racers looking to add a new layer of immersion to their rig. However, to pick the right one, you need to know what to look for, which is why we’ve put together a list of the best sim racing H-pattern shifters on the market.

The 5 best sim racing H-pattern shifters are:

1. Fanatec ClubSport SQ Shifter
2. Pro Sim H-Shifter
3. Thrustmaster TH8A Shifter
4. SHH Newt Shifter
5. Logitech Driving Force Shifter

Below, we’ll take a closer look at each of the shifters on our list so you can decide which one is right for you. I’ll then discuss the kinds of things you should be looking for in a sim racing H-pattern shifter.

The 5 Best Sim Racing H-Pattern Shifters

1. Fanatec ClubSport SQ Shifter

Compatibility: PC / PlayStation / Xbox | Shifter Type: H-Pattern / Sequential

The Fanatec ClubSport Shifter is one of the sturdiest and most reliable shifters around. It’s made of a metal construction both on the inside components and on the outside casing. The shifter stick is also made out of metal. This is not a gear shifter that will break easily, and its metal design provides a great level of immersion.

An Immersive Shifter

The shifting feel is significantly better than most H-pattern shifters out there today, and it’s very responsive. It has a short-throw, meaning you don’t have to move the stick as far to select each gear. This may be seen as a good or a bad thing, but it depends on what you want out of your racing experience.

While the throw is short, it has adjustable resistance, which for some may resolve the issue of having a short throw. This shifter can also be used in sequential mode with the flick of a switch for those who want to change it up on the spot while racing.

A Bit Expensive

It may seem a little expensive, but a lot of this price comes from the fact that it’s completely made out of metal and therefore has a far superior build quality and lifespan than many other H-pattern shifters out there. Overall, it offers an incredibly immersive shifting experience for PC and console racers.

PROS:

• Great build quality
• Sequential at the flick of a switch
• Adjustable resistance

CONS:

• On the expensive side

2. Pro Sim H-Shifter

Compatibility: PC | Shifter Type: H-Pattern

Next up is one of the most amazing shifters I have ever seen. Unfortunately, its price tag makes it unattainable for most people looking to upgrade their setup. However, there’s no doubt about this shifter being up there as one of the absolute best!

Incredible Feel

The Pro Sim H-shifter is a six-speed shifter, with a reverse gear that you can access by pushing down on the gear stick and moving it either forward or backward depending on your preference. The whole device is made of anodized metal, so it’s particularly durable. The shifter has a very mechanical feel, and it perfectly emulates what it’s like to use a real shifter.

The shifter comes with an extender (which gives you a very generous amount of extended length) that you can screw the shifter knob onto. The tension on the shift rod (the main shaft that runs through the device) can be fully adjusted for your preferred resistance when shifting gears. The tension when moving the gear shifter from side to side through neutral can also be adjusted separately.

Learning how to adjust the tensions can be quite tricky, but there is a good manual included that explains it all, and there are plenty of online video tutorials on how to adjust the tension easily and effectively.

You Need To Hard Mount It

The Pro Sim H-Shifter does not have clamps so you must hard mount it to a surface of your choice or a mounting bar. Hard mounting it isn’t too difficult though, and it really is the best way to get the most stable shifting experience regardless of what shifter you use.

The shifter itself is constructed and assembled in a factory that makes gearboxes for real cars, so all the components are solid and sturdy.

Unbelievable Immersion

The immersion this shifter gives you is crazy good. Pro Sim truly did pay a lot of attention to the small details when they made this shifter. The mechanical clunk of each gear shift is very satisfying and it never fails to amaze me!

In my opinion, the price is a little steep (which is why it’s not at the top of our list), but for those who can afford it, this is a must-have. Overall, it’s a brilliant shifter and it does everything that you could possibly want from an H-pattern shifter.

PROS:

• Impressive build quality
• Decent level of adjustability
• Immersive and realistic

CONS:

• A bit expensive
• Quite heavy

3. Thrustmaster TH8A Shifter

Compatibility: PC / PlayStation / Xbox | Shifter Type: H-Pattern / Sequential

This shifter will always have a special place in my heart. Its incredible build quality and durability is almost unmatched for its price point. That durability, combined with its stability, ease of use, realism, and satisfying gear changes, makes it one of the best H-pattern shifters on the market, especially for beginners and console racers.

Easy To Use

Firstly, it has a steel gate with ramped edges on the outlets so that when you change gears, you simply roll from gear to gear with no hassle whatsoever. This prevents mis-shifts and makes its preferred H-pattern mode a dream to use.

There is a large amount of room – around two and a half inches – for the clamps to mount it onto any surface that fits. The mounting system also has a rubber grip to prevent the clamps from damaging your furniture. However, you can also use three screws to hard mount it to your rig.

This shifter also has the ability to be used in sequential mode. The sequential mode feels great, but in some racing sims it lacks the realism and immersion of an H-pattern shifter. However, it’s nice to have that option, although it’s not as quick a process to switch between the modes as it is with the Fanatec SQ shifter.

Durable Construction

The cable used to connect the shifter to your setup is threaded and guarantees that the cable will absolutely not slip out under any circumstances. The steel H-pattern gate has an inner plastic gate that takes most of the stress and abuse when shifting gears, and this prolongs the life of your shifter.

The TH8A shifter has a premium feel and feels super stable and sturdy when mounted correctly. The quality is phenomenal, the shifting feel is unreal, and the immersion you get as a result is what makes this one of the best value-for-money shifters on the market.

PROS:

• Incredible build quality
• Easy to mount
• Optional sequential mode

CONS:

• Large shifter design may not suit some setups

4. SHH Newt Shifter

Compatibility: PC | Shifter Type: H-Pattern / Sequential

The SHH Newt shifter is amazing. Most of the shifter is made of 3D printed ABS plastic, but it is extremely durable and sturdy. This H-pattern shifter can be easily turned into a sequential shifter with the flick of a switch, which is very convenient. The shifter comes with easy-to-install plates that allow you to use it as a 7-speed or a 6-speed with reverse gear.

Reasonable Build Quality

The shifter stick is made of aluminum and is not likely to break easily under stress. The resistance when shifting gear is fully adjustable and the shifter comes with a sequential knob and an H-pattern knob. Mounting the shifter is very straightforward, and the instructions manual is easy to follow.

Good Value For Money

Overall, I think this would be a great choice for people looking for a premium product with premium features and accessories that don’t want to spend a premium price.

The only reason this doesn’t make it higher on the list is because of the housing. I feel that, while 3D printing the housing may save costs in development, it was a poor decision as it sacrificed build quality in the process, and allows the housing to wobble quite a lot once mounted.

PROS:

• Not too expensive
• Adjustable resistance
• Sequential at the flick of a switch

CONS:

• Tendency to wobble
• Plastic housing

5. Logitech Driving Force Shifter

Compatibility: PC / PlayStation / Xbox | Shifter Type: H-Pattern

The Logitech driving force shifter is an excellent piece of kit. It is a six-speed shifter with reverse gear, and it’s made of an injection-molded plastic throughout its construction with a steel shifter arm and faux leather trim. Although the majority of its components are made of plastic, it feels like a premium product to the touch.

Very Beginner Friendly

This shifter has built-in clamps that make it very easy and approachable when it comes to mounting it on to a desk or shifter mount. It’s designed to be very beginner friendly, which makes this a good entry level choice for those creating their first sim racing setup. However, you can hard mount it too if you have a rig to support it.

Not The Most Immersive

While the Logitech shifter sells for a very low price, it lacks in quality and fails to give the greatly immersive experience you can get with any of the other shifters on our list. Plus, it’s only compatible with Logitech wheels without an adapter. But at its price point, there is no reason to complain, as you get what you pay for, and it certainly does the job!

PROS:

• Fairly cheap
• Easy to mount
• Nice, simple appearance

CONS:

• Plastic build materials
• Not the most immersive

Summary Of The Best H-Pattern Shifters

Shifter	Best For
Fanatec ClubSport SQ Shifter	Console racers and those seeking the option to quickly switch to sequential mode
Pro Sim H-Shifter	Anyone looking for the ultimate level of immersion (with a bigger budget)
Thrustmaster TH8A Shifter	Those on a smaller budget looking for a larger shifter (with sequential mode too)
SHH Newt Shifter	Anyone on the market for a value-for-money choice that’s still adjustable
Logitech Driving Force Shifter	Beginners and those on console looking for the cheapest option

What To Look For In A Good Sim Racing H-Pattern Shifter

Build Quality

Build quality is an important part of a good H-pattern shifter. If the product is of poor build quality then it most certainly won’t last as long as a similar gear shifter of metal construction or offer as immersive an experience. Luckily all of the products on this list are of excellent build quality so any of these would be a great choice in that regard.

Note: We have included one plastic shifter on our list, the Logitech Driving Force, as a budget friendly choice

I would recommend a shifter of metal construction as it provides not only the assurance that it won’t break under heavy use, but also the immersion necessary for a great racing experience. There are of course some very strong and sturdy ABS plastic designs out there, but metal is usually best.

Compatibility

You want to make sure that the H-pattern gear shifter you decide to buy for your setup is compatible with your other equipment. Some gear shifters are an add-on for specific wheels and aren’t compatible with others. This makes researching the product you are considering purchasing invaluable.

For instance, the Fanatec ClubSport shifter is compatible with all racing wheels and racing peripherals when used on a PC, but when used on a console, it is only compatible with a Fanatec wheel.

Stability

It’s also important that the gear shifter you choose is stable. If it is wobbly when in the neutral position, then that’s a sign of poor build quality. Of course, all gear selectors will have a bit of wiggle room, but if it’s flopping from side to side with no form of tension control or adjustability, then that’s not good enough.

Metal shifters are generally heavier and more stable. They are also much more immersive, which brings us to our next point.

Immersion

Gear shifters of metal construction will always feel more realistic and keep you more immersed during your race. H-pattern shifters are generally more immersive by design than sequential shifters, as most manual transmission vehicles in the real world use H-pattern gear shifters. However, many race cars, like those used in NASCAR and the WRC, are sequential manuals.

Ease Of Use

Shifters that use clamps to mount onto a desk or any surface are usually much easier to set up than a shifter that requires you to hard mount it, such as the Pro Sim Shifter. However, hard mounting a shifter will offer more stability, so if you have a rig capable of taking a hard mounted shifter, we always recommend hard mounting any peripheral where possible.

Adjustability

A gear shifter with adjustable tension on the throw is very convenient, as it allows you to personalize your setup in ways that can seriously improve your performance in your races. If you frequently suffer from mis-shifts, then an adjustable tension feature could fix that, as increasing the tension limits the possibility of mis-shifts by forcing you to be more precise and deliberate about your movements.

For example, the Pro Sim H shifter allows you to adjust the gear stick’s length by screwing an extender to the top of it. Other shifters have interchangeable knobs that you can screw on to make the throw shorter, meaning you have to move the gear selector a shorter distance in order to switch between gears.

KEY POINTS

• Always opt for a shifter made from solid materials that offers plenty of stability

• Ensure it’s compatible with the rest of your rig

• Ideally choose one that’s adjustable, so that you can customize your experience

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of great H-pattern shifters out there. If you are on a budget then the one I would recommend to you for sure is the Logitech Driving Force shifter. If durability is what you’re looking for in an H-pattern shifter then the Fanatec ClubSport shifter is definitely the one for you, as it offers plenty of immersion in an incredibly sturdy piece of kit.