Sim racing · head‑to‑head
Choosing between the Asetek Aluminum Button Color Kit and the ButtKicker Gamer PLUS V2 is a choice between fine-tuning your wheel's physical touchpoints and adding physical haptic feedback to your entire rig. One is a premium cosmetic touch-up for a specific wheel ecosystem, while the other is a universal immersion booster with some notable hardware quirks.
The ButtKicker Gamer PLUS V2 amplifier is prone to clipping and overheating, which can cause it to shut down during intense sessions. It can also produce loud metal-on-metal rattling noises if it is not isolated properly or is pushed past its limits.
The Asetek kit does not include matching aluminum thumb rotaries, which some users feel leaves the wheel customization looking incomplete. Furthermore, the $89.00 price tag is tough to justify if you drive primarily in VR where the visual upgrade is invisible.
If you already own an Asetek wheel and want to replace cheap plastic caps with premium metal, the $89.00 Aluminum Button Color Kit delivers excellent tactile grip despite its high price. However, if you want a transformative upgrade to your actual driving immersion, the $369.99 ButtKicker Gamer PLUS V2 is the way to go, provided you bypass its buggy software for SimHub and manage its thermal limits.
| Aluminum Button Color Kit | ButtKicker Gamer PLUS V2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Asetek | ButtKicker |
| Ecosystem | Asetek | Universal |
| Starting Price | $89.00Best | $369.99 |
| Price trend | Unchanged over 90 days | — |
| Type | steering wheel customization kit | Haptic Transducer |
| Connectivity | none | USB, RCA, 3.5mm |
| Compatibility | all Asetek SimSports steering wheels | PC, PlayStation, Xbox |