Asetek is the engineer's brand, and the Invicta is the purest expression of it - 27 Nm of industrial servo in an 11.3 kg chassis, with build quality that is on a different level to most of the category. On our rubric it maxes fidelity and build. But it also costs $600 more than the SC2 Pro and gives up ground on the axes that decide daily satisfaction: software, value and reliability, where the Simucube's years of True Drive polish still lead.
The SC2 Pro is the base everyone measures against for a reason. Six years in, it has not been beaten on build or software polish, its 25 Nm sits slightly above the practical sweet spot for most drivers, and its wireless wheel tech works with no latency penalty. It scores higher overall than the Invicta while costing far less - so unless you specifically want the most over-built hardware you can buy, it is the more sensible flagship.
So the split is temperament. If you are the sort who values raw engineering and wants the heaviest, most over-specified base on the market, the Invicta delivers exactly that and feels magnificent doing it. If you want the best-rounded flagship - great feel, the best software, proven reliability and much better value - the SC2 Pro is the pick, and the $600 you save is not a small thing at this level.