[woodcote]

Welcome Lurcher  

And a great question... You certainly have the basis for three excellent digital systems there - which one to go for?

I have to say that I am a fan of all three.

• The APB + RCS64 offers the most complex and 'grown-up' game play available. It never fails to delight me. The APB + RCS64 combo does require more technical know-how and confidence to set up and to trouble-shoot any problems, but no digital system is truly plug & play. The controllers are old, but okay. There are options to upgrade, such as the Truspeed SSDIII throttles which are very good value at £45 each.
  
• ARC Pro really impresses me as a fully-featured out-of-the-box entry-level digital system. In terms of race management, the ARC app is much simpler than RCS64, but easier to use. The Magic app is more complex, but not so user-friendly. It still isn't anywhere near RCS64. I really like the ARC wireless hand controllers and extra throttles are about £20 each.
  
• Carrera Digital is solid and robust - and big. The cars are very tough and fun to drive. It's a good entry-level system, but can be expanded a long way with official Carrera accessories and third-party stuff like the SmartRace app and the Truspeed Carrera-D VI 'trigger' controllers. I'm not a huge fan of the standard thumb controllers, but they do the job. You're right that the power levels are set in the Control Unit - a better arrangement than the APB and ARC Pro. Although ARC Pro's power adjustment goes from 1 to 100%, it is set in the software and only available during a race.
  

I am assuming that you're in the UK. That means picking up Carrera parts is more of a challenge, but not impossible to find bargains - as you have found. Buying new in the UK means paying full price from the few retailers that stock Carrera track and accessories. However, finding new Carrera bargains from German retailers is very possible via eBay - they will often split sets and sell the components unboxed. Or look out in the UK for another cheap used set.

I also assume that you are fully 2020-compliant with a nice big iPad or Android tablet. If so, that sets you up for the Scalextric and Magic apps for ARC Pro, plus the excellent SmartRace (link here) for Carrera Digital. Your Night Contest set would need the AppConnect Bluetooth dongle. I have heard of people running RCS64 on a Mac with a Windows emulator, but I would always be more comfortable using it on a Windows PC - it could even be an old XP laptop.

One thing I will say is that, ultimately, you'll need a pit lane and race management system to fully enjoy the digital experience - whatever system you choose. The strategy around pit stops is a big part of the digital game play. If you already have a pit lane with your Scalextric set, that's good. The Scalextric pit lane track is cheaper than Carrera, but is still a significant investment.

It's very true that you can fit more Scalextric track into the same space. If you are thinking of a permanent or semi-permanent layout, that will be a consideration. If you're racing on the floor for an afternoon or weekend, it is probably less of an issue.

Thinking about the future and expanding your digital system, it's important to remember there are the official manufacturer-released accessories and then a range of enthusiast-developed hardware and software upgrades. Both the APB and Carrera Control Unit have been around for a decade or more, ARC Pro is just two years old. The third-party accessories for ARC Pro are limited. For example, there are no pit lane sensors yet (nice, but not the end of the world) and the only controller upgrade is the expensive  Slot.it SCP3 (or SCP 2 + oXigen cartridge). ARC Pro seems to be selling well, so I suspect more third-party upgrades and accessories will appear over time.

It's also worth saying that the early ARC Pro powerbases have been upgraded to iron out some glitches, so it is important to check what you are getting (see here).

So what's my suggestion? I would be tempted to thrash that £90 Carrera set for a while. It's ideal for younger digital racers and might be the best way to get them into racing. You will probably only need to get an extra car and controller so all three of you can race.  A few months down the line, you could then decide whether to stay with Carrera - and buy a pit lane and the AppConnect and SmartRace app - or go forward with Scalextric. If you decided to go for the simplicity of ARC Pro, I am sure you could sell the APB for a decent amount of money. Keep the power supply as it will fit ARC Pro as a second power supply for running four to six cars. If you decide to go with Carrera, it doesn't need to be more expensive - do your research and hunt systematically on UK and German eBay.


Any help?