Playseat Challenge X review: This Logitech G Edition sim racing seat folds for easy storage

Earlier this year, we reviewed the Playseat Trophy – Logitech G Edition. While a fantastic setup for the Logitech G Pro (and other) Racing Wheel and Pedals, its main downfall is that it takes up a lot of space. Playseat and Logitech G have joined forces again to bring sim racers a more compact sim racing stand.

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

Our Playseat Challenge X – Logitech G Edition looks at a sturdy, collapsable sim racing stand that is comfortable and perfect for Logitech G and other racing wheels and pedals. Read on for our full review and see why it earned a Top Pick badge here at Techaeris.

The Quick Take

If you have a Logitech G racing wheel, like the G29/G920 or G923, and are tight on storage space, the Playseat Challenge X – Logitech G Edition is a solid, sturdy, collapsable, and more affordable sim racing stand. The grey, black, and blue colours match nicely with the Logitech G branding, and Playseat’s ActiFit™ Material is very comfortable and dissipates heat so you don’t get sweat, even after long gaming sessions.

Relatively lightweight, at only 25 lbs, it folds up easily, allowing it to be stored in a relatively small space. Not only that, but the seat also allows gamers to just as easily position the seat in six different positions, making it ideal for multiple users.

While it’s not as rugged as its Playseat Trophy counterpart, in a lot of ways it is a lot more convenient to use and store away. I don’t think I’d use it with the G Pro or other direct-drive wheels, but if you don’t have one, then I believe this is the better option. Not to mention roughly two-thirds the price.

Specifications

The Playseat Challenge X – Logitech G Edition we reviewed has the following features and specifications:

• FULLY ADJUSTABLE RACING POSITIONS: Enjoy the perfect balance between comfort and stability with the 6 seating positions of X-Adapt. Fine-tune positions of pedals and wheel to replicate the feeling of being in a car.
• STAY COOL, COMFORTABLE AND FOCUSED: Race in comfort with breathable ActiFit material. Its body-conforming design with adjustable rigidity offers superior support. Stay cool during long races with heat dissipation. Feel every input and enjoy optimal feedback.
• LIGHTWEIGHT AND EASY TO STORE: At only 11.5 kg (25 lbs) the seat can be easily folded and stored away – the ideal companion for drivers who want the full racing experience without the need for a dedicated space.
• EASY-ACCESS OPEN COCKPIT ENTRY: A convenient cockpit entry system lets you easily jump into the driver’s seat and lock in for an exhilarating experience.
• SHIFTER MOUNT INCLUDED: Drift or shift? No problem. The Playseat Challenge X – Logitech G Edition comes equipped with a gearshift mount, allowing you to upgrade your race experience with the Logitech G Driving Force Shifter.

Edition	Logitech G Edition
Foldable	Yes
Min-Max User Height	Min. 47.24 in (120 cm), Max. 86.61 in (220 cm)
Min-Max User Weight	Min. 44.09 lbs (20 kg), Max. 359.35 lbs (163 kg)
Compatibility	Logitech G25, G27, G29, G920, G923 and direct drive PRO Razing Wheels and Pedals, in addition to other makes and models of wheels and pedals
Colour	Grey, black with cyan accents
Material	• Frame: High Carbon Steel • X-Adapt Hinges: Flow forged aluminum • Included accessories: Carbon steel • Seat Front: Actifit™️ Material • Seat Back: Leatherette
Dimensions (in use)	55.12 x 23.62 x 41.34in (140 x 60 x 105 cm)
Weight (without wheel/pedals)	11.5 kg (25 lbs)
Warranty	2-year limited hardware warranty

What’s in the box

• Playseat Challenge X – Sim Racing Seat | Logitech G Edition
• Shifter Mount
• Tilting Pedal Bracket
• Cable Clips
• 10pcs Screws for Mounting Wheel/Pedal/Shifter
• Allen Key

Design

Based on the existing Playseat Challenge, the Playseat Challenge X — Logitech G Edition is just over 55″ in length, 23 1/2″ in width, and 41 1/4″ in height when fully assembled. The Playseat Challenge X is constructed from lightweight carbon steel tubing, powder coated in grey. The tubing is only about an inch in diameter (as opposed to the 1 3/4″ of the Trophy), but for the wheels it supports (G29/G920, G923, etc), it’s plenty sturdy enough when set up. The tubing for the top of the seat cover is wrapped in a thicker foam, which helps keep the ActiFit seat cover in place.

When looking at it from the side when set up, the legs form an X shape on both sides of the seat. Here the frame pieces are joined by a black piece with a blue lever, used for adjusting between one of the six available seat positions. Just in front of the bottom of the seat are a pair of black pieces, one on each side. On the left side (when sitting in the seat), this acts as a hinge. The right side twists towards the floor, allowing you to raise up the curved bar which holds the steering wheel plate, as well as the optional shift bar. This system allows easy access into the chair from the right hand side.

The front bar which sits on the floor has a small tube that extends out of the left side, to help offset balance issues when getting in and out of the chair with the steering wheel plate flipped up. Attached the main bar are a pair of thinner tubes which can be adjusted in length. The racing pedals are mounted to the end of these bars, completing the stability of the frame when folded out for use.

The seat itself is more of a cover that “floats” on the frame when attached. There is no bottom cushion or anything but the ActiFit™ Material throughout the front side with a soft pleather material on the sides and back is quite comfortable. Once the seat cover was strapped in and tightened to the frame, I felt no extra give when sitting in it and even when using the wheel for extended periods like a few hours. There is an adjustable lumbar support as well that can be adjusted for maximum comfort.

As mentioned previously, where the Challenge X — Logitech G Edition differs from the Trophy is that it can be folded up for more compact storage. There is a blue knob on the underside of the steering wheel plate which allows the steering wheel to drop down towards the seat. Once that’s done, push the stabilization bar on the front in and shorten the foot pedal tubes as much as you can. Finally, pull on the side levers and pull the chair upwards, collapsing the wheel into the seat. Tighten the side levers to hold the chair in that position. Finally, pull the foot pedals up, unclip the strap underneath them and clip it together around the bottom front bar of the chair. At first, the pedals wouldn’t fit under the bar due to how I attached them to the chair. Once I took a closer look, I noticed a second set of holes closer towards the chair. I moved the pedal assembly down one and lo and behold, the pedals fit under the bar as supposed to. When collapsed in this way, the seat becomes roughly 12″ deep by 23″ wide by 50″ in height. As you can imagine, this makes it much easier to tuck against a wall or other smaller place out of the way while not in use.

As far as branding is concerned, the Logitech G logo is stitched in grey in the front of the headrest. The same logo with the Logitech wordmark is stiched into the back. The Playseat logo is printed in a grey rectangle up the left side of the seat.

I did mention the lack of rubber feet for the Playseat Trophy and, while not rubber, the Challenge X does have plastic feet at the end of the front and back bars. While I used it mostly on carpet, it did feel solid when placed on laminate floor and gave no indication it would slip around while sitting in it.

The Challenge X weighs around 25 lbs (without the wheel), with a G923 attached that brings it up to around 36lbs — much lighter than the combined 48 lbs you would have with the Trophy. While still somewhat heavy, it is light enough to carry and move around without much issues.

Like the Trophy, the Playseat Challenge X — Logitech G Edition is sturdy, comfortable, and makes for a fun racing experience.

Assembly

Assembling the Playseat Challenge X — Logitech G Edition took me about an hour to assemble, including attaching the G923 pedals and wheel to it. The instructions were bang on and I had no issues following them. The seat consists of 18 pieces in total, as well as two Allen Keys, 22 bolts, and 6 cable management clips.

I won’t go over the assembly in detail but it consists of snapping all the frame pieces together, placing the ActiFit seat cover over the back and lower frame, attaching the foot pedal and wheel plates, then attaching the wheel and pedals to those plates. Once assembled, the wires are fed along the left side (again, while sitting in it) of the sim racing seat and then clicking the clips in place. The clips were a bit tricky to get into place, but once in place they hold the cables where you want them and don’t slide around at all.

Adjustment

There are four ways to adjust the positioning of the chair. The first is via the two side levers, allowing you to raise or lower the seat back in six different positions. As mentioned previously, simply pull up on the levers, adjust the seat to the desired position (making sure to match the numbers on both sides), then push the lever back down, clamping it into place. The second adjustment allows you to easily adjust the angle of the wheel via the aforementioned blue knob underneath the wheel tray.

The pedal assembly has three means of adjustment. The first allows you to extend or shorten the distance of the pedals based on your leg length. The second adjustment allows you to adjust the angle of the pedals by removing a bolt on each side and using a second set of holes. Finally, the third way lets you extend the pedals a bit further if you are a bit taller than most. If you do, however, while it will still fold up, it won’t fold up quite as compactly anymore.

You can also adjust the firmness of the seat cover as well. The two underside velcro straps can be loosened or tightened while the back lumbar strap can be adjusted for optimal comfort.

Performance

As I mentioned in the Trophy review, if you’re a huge racing game fan and have a wheel and pedal setup, a sim racing seat setup is well worth it. In the past, I’ve gotten away with a simple wheel stand and based on the wheels I was using, it was more than suitable — especially considering it folds away relatively compactly. While the Playseat Trophy is an outstanding racing seat setup, unless you have a direct drive wheel, the Playseat Challenge X offers the best of both worlds: a solid sim racing seat with the collapsibility of a wheel stand for easier storage.

Even though it’s not a full-on seat, I had reservations about the floating design when I first setup the Playseat Trophy. As I found with that setup, the seat with the Challenge X is very comfortable, doesn’t feel like it’s going to give at all, and is adjustable. As mentioned above, the ActiFit Material also dissipates heat and I never felt my back getting sweaty while racing for a few hours.

While this next bit isn’t really performance-related, the Playseat setups definitely add an enjoyment factor. Not only for myself but for everyone who tried it including my teenage kids and their friends, and the Challenge X with its easier adjustability makes it more suited for multiple users.

Price/Value

Collaborations usually cost a bit more than the standard version of any product. That does hold true here, but also for good reason. While the Playseat Challenge retails for $259.99, the Challenge X — Logitech G Edition retails for $299. Aside from the obvious Logitech G branding, the Challenge X also switched over to a lever style adjustment instead of straps which, I suspect, will be sturdier over the long run.

As far as seats go, the Playseat Challenge X is pretty reasonably priced, especially when compared to the Trophy. Not only does it have a sturdy construction and build quality, but it is also “lightweight” (all things considered) and can be moved around fairly easily. The fact that the pedal plate, wheel plate, and seat back are adjustable also adds value, making it a seat that multiple people can use.

Photo Gallery

Wrap-up

If you have a non-direct drive racing wheel and pedals, the Playseat Challenge X — Logitech G Edition should be at the top of your list when considering a sim racing seat. Not only is it relatively affordable, but it is sturdy, very easily adjustable, the ActiFit material is comfortable, and it folds up for easier storage. For these reasons and more, the Challenge X easily earns a Top Pick of 2023 Award here at Techaeris!

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Last Updated on March 13, 2024.