Motion Rig Monitors: Attached vs Detached, Tested

If you’re considering a motion system, one of the first setup questions is where your screens go. Some sim racers mount their motion rig monitors straight to the rig so everything moves together. Others keep them on a freestanding mount and let the seat move on its own. We wanted to stop guessing, so we put three sim racers on two 3DOF motion rigs, one setup each way, and asked them which they’d actually keep.

The short version: all three preferred detached overall. One of them found a case where attached worked better, and the reason why is worth knowing before you build your own rig. Watch the full test below, or read on for the breakdown.

Watch: 3 Sim Racers, 2 Rigs, One Surprising Verdict on Monitor Mounting

Why Motion Rig Monitors Are Such a Debate

This test grew out of Darin Gangi’s MOZA HMA150 motion system showcase(opens in new tab). At the end of that video, he promised a follow-up on a question a lot of people have when they’re considering a motion system: should the monitors ride along, or stay put?

Darin doesn’t hide where he stands. His personal rig has always run detached monitors, for two reasons. He doesn’t want to risk damaging his screens, and he feels the experience is simply better with them separate. He’s also quick to say it comes down to personal preference: if you like your monitors attached, that’s the right setup for your rig.

Since he’d already given his opinion, he handed the verdict to three sim racers on the Sim Motion team instead. The test was filmed at the Sim Motion shop, which has four motion rigs.

Meet the Three Sim Racers

The three testers cover a wide range of experience, including how much time each has spent on motion.

Driver Sim racing experience iRating Favorite combo Motion at home?

Mike Caminiti 30 years Sports car 1677 (plus a Pro license in Le Mans Ultimate, 51 driver rating) Lexus GT3 at Sebring Yes, with a detached monitor

Cole Hooper 10 years Sports car 3997, oval 6011 NASCAR O’Reilly car at the Charlotte Roval No, some time on the Sim Motion rigs

Devon Meier 5 years Sports car 1655, formula 1624 Ferrari GT3 at the Nordschleife No, very little motion experience

That spread matters. Mike already runs detached at home, while Devon had only been with Sim Motion for about two months and hadn’t spent much time on any of the shop’s motion rigs.

The Test Rigs, Cars, and Tracks

Both rigs run 3DOF motion, but the hardware underneath is very different.

Attached setup Detached setup

Motion system MOZA…