VRS are best known for their load cell pedals, driver development tools, and coaching systems — but their original DirectForce Pro 20Nm wheelbase also made a lasting impact, offering accessible high-end performance that set a benchmark for value in the early days of consumer-grade direct drive.
Now, they’re back with the DFP15 — a completely new product designed from the ground up. With 15Nm of peak torque, a sleek integrated design, and no need for an external control box, the DFP15 modernizes the VRS offering in a big way. It features an all-aluminium chassis, passive cooling, and a redesigned quick release with integrated USB passthrough — enabling wireless support for third-party wheels and reducing setup complexity.
Priced at $649 USD, the DFP15 targets a sweet spot in the market. But in a competitive space filled with strong alternatives from Simagic, MOZA, Asetek, and Fanatec, does this new contender do enough to stand out?
In this review, we’ll break down its real-world performance across build quality, force feedback, software, and overall ecosystem support — to help you decide whether the DFP15 deserves a place in your rig.
WHERE TO BUY:VRS DFP15
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VALUE 9/10
Mid-range money, near-flagship performance
At $649 USD, the DFP15 is extremely competitive for a 15Nm direct drive wheelbase. With a price-to-strength ratio of $43.27 per Nm, it undercuts much of the competition in this torque class. For sim racers seeking a high-strength, high-quality direct drive base without moving into four-figure territory, it offers serious value.
You will need to purchase the VRS wheel-side quick release with USB passthrough separately if you plan on powering third-party wheels through the base, but even factoring that in, the overall cost remains highly accessible within this segment.
FFB Quality: 9/10
Outstanding communication, just shy of polish
The DFP15 offers a deeply immersive driving experience, with force feedback that feels fast, direct, and exceptionally informative — particularly in how it communicates tire flex, suspension movement, and car balance. The standout here is the wheel’s ability to translate dynamic vehicle behavior with a sense of immediacy that few other bases in this price bracket achieve.
Where it slightly trails some of the more refined competitors is in fine texture and surface details. In its most responsive mode, high-frequency effects like curbing and contact feel can become overly sharp or even slightly robotic. This is compounded by the limited slew rate settings (Performance, Balanced, Quiet), which don’t allow for fine-tuned adjustment. While it’s possible to temper these characteristics using damping and filtering, doing so also risks dulling the exceptional clarity in more important feedback like suspension dynamics and slip angle.
Still, once dialed in to preference — using a combination of damping and one of the more responsive profiles — the DFP15 offers one of the best driving experiences in its class. It’s intuitive, reactive, and confidence-inspiring. Catching slides and understanding the limit of grip feels natural and immediate. There’s no excessive filtering or latency masking the feedback, and torque delivery remains strong and stable across the entire range.
Compared to similarly priced alternatives like the Simagic Alpha Evo bases, it lacks a little bit of polish in textures and tuning flexibility. But in terms of raw communication and how connected it feels, the DFP15 holds its own — even against much more expensive offering from the likes of Asetek and Simucube.
BUILD QUALITY: 8/10
Solid, industrial, and everything you need — nothing you don’t
The DFP15 is built around a fully enclosed, all-metal chassis with front and rear cast aluminium fascias and no external control box — a welcome shift from the original DFP20’s dated design. The result is a compact, self-contained unit that integrates cleanly into modern rigs without the clutter of bulky external components .
The exterior has a clean, industrial aesthetic. There’s no plastic anywhere to be found, and the mechanical tolerances — particularly around the quick release shaft and housing — are tight and confidence-inspiring. Internally, the design is simple and clean, with a cast and machined rear casing that doubles as a passive heatsink, eliminating the need for fans or moving parts and keeping the base quiet.
Mounting flexibility is excellent. The DFP15 supports standard front mounting patterns compatible with Simucube and Fanatec-style brackets, and also includes channels underneath for T-nut-based bottom mounting — a detail that shows good awareness of real-world rig integration .
Most notably, the quick release is a standout. It’s mechanically robust, tight-fitting, and incorporates a USB passthrough for wheel-side devices, with smart alignment features to prevent damage during installation. It doesn’t feel like a budget compromise — it feels like something you’d expect from a flagship-tier product.
In summary, the DFP15 is a compact, durable, and thoughtfully constructed base. It doesn’t try to impress with visual flair — instead, it delivers rock-solid engineering and clean execution that focuses on what actually matters to sim racers. It’s not overbuilt, it’s well-built.
SOFTWARE: 6/10
Functional, but lacking polish and flexibility
The VRS Config Tool provides all the essentials for configuring the DFP15. It supports multiple profiles, basic tuning parameters, and device-wide settings in a clean and intuitive interface. Key controls like strength, damping, interpolation, and friction are accessible and easy to understand. There’s also support for three preset slew rate modes — Performance, Balanced, and Quiet — which help users quickly tailor the base’s behaviour to their preference.
While the interface is functional and user-friendly, other alternatives such as Simucube offer deeper filter configurability. For sim racers who value software flexibility and tuning precision, this could be a point of frustration.
Once dialled in, the DFP15 doesn’t require much day-to-day interaction — but some advanced options for futher customisation of filters would allow users to tailor the experience further and bring out the device’s full potential.
ECOSYSTEM: 4/10
Excellent base, limited surroundings
While the DFP15 is a strong performer in isolation, the broader VRS ecosystem remains limited compared to most of the competition. Outside of the wheelbase, two wheels and VRS’s excellent load cell pedals, there’s currently no VRS branded shifters, handbrakes, or button boxes.
That makes VRS more of a modular option rather than a cohesive ecosystem. Sim racers will need to mix and match third-party gear, which isn’t a dealbreaker but does mean juggling separate configuration tools and USB mappings.
The included quick release system is highly compatible, supporting standard D1/NRG fitment. And with the additional USB passthrough wheel side hub, many third-party wheels will work — assuming their power draw doesn’t exceed the base’s 600mA current limit. This limit will mean power thirsty wheels, with extensive RGB lighting and integrated dashes may need to have their brightness turned down, or be unable to use the USB passthrough, and still require a separate connection back to your PC.
Ultimately, while the DFP15 itself is a very complete product, those looking to build an all-in-one ecosystem with matched accessories and software may be better served by platforms like Simagic or Fanatec.
The DFP15 delivers one of the most engaging, reactive driving experiences available in its class. At 15Nm, it strikes a sweet spot for the vast majority of sim racers — powerful enough to provide immersive force feedback and detail, without crossing into diminishing returns. It communicates suspension movement, tire flex, and slip angle with exceptional clarity, even outperforming more expensive systems in that specific regard.
While the DFP15 isn’t flawless — its software is behind the curve and the ecosystem remains limited — these compromises don’t overshadow the core driving experience. The consistency across sims could be a touch better, and the lack of advanced tuning tools may frustrate some users. But once dialled in, the hardware delivers a level of connection to the car that’s hard to beat at this price point.
If you’re entering the VRS ecosystem for the first time, the DFP15 represents a far more polished and modern offering than the DFP20, and unless you truly need more torque, there’s little reason to consider the DFP20. For those shopping in the mid-to-high end of the direct drive market, the DFP15 is well worth considering.
OVERALL RATING: 8/10
Top-tier force feedback, not quite a complete package
Pros
- Exceptionally communicative force feedback with strong suspension and grip detail
- Compact and fully integrated chassis with great mounting solutions
- High-quality all-metal construction and finish
- Outstanding quick release with USB passthrough
- Silent passive cooling
- Excellent value for 15Nm torque
Cons
- Basic software with limited tuning depth
- Ecosystem lacks matching accessories and unified support
- USB passthrough limited to ~600mA — not suitable for high-draw wheels
- Consistency across sims not quite as refined as some competitors
