Moza mBooster Active Pedal

Our rating : 9.4/10

Not so long ago, we had the great pleasure of testing Simucube‘s ActivePedals, an all-electric pedal designed to provide feedback for riders. The advantage of such technology is that the pedal becomes virtually limitless in terms of adjustment, feedback and haptic feedback, since an electric motor manages it all.

Against this backdrop, Moza Racing, still a young brand in the Sim-racing landscape, is seeking to establish itself in this highly competitive market. It’s clearly aiming for the Fanatec segment, but to go even higher, into the territory of Simucube or Heusinkveld, is daring.

And until now, Simucube’s ActivePedal has reigned alone in its category. But the situation has changed with Moza’s mBooster Active Pedals. This is an active pedal that wants to go head-to-head with Simucube’s, for almost 3 times less. The question I asked myself when testing this mBooster from Moza was whether the sensations would be 3 times less? Well, let’s find out.

Main and technical features of the pedal

• 21-bit magnetic encoder
• 2 Load Cell load cells, each weighing 200 kg, for inverted applications
• 15-bit angle sensor
• Aluminum alloy structure
• Available in 3-pedal configuration
• PC and Pit House compatible, plus a dozen sim-racing titles
• Haptic feedback available with native ABS support on some sim-racing titles
• Compatible with Moza CRP2 crankset

Design

Let’s start with the mBooster’s design. Compared to Simucube’s ActivePedals, Moza’s solution is busier in terms of parts, but I find it much more sober. The dress is all black, with a few bronze accents and the brand’s logos in the same color. The mBooster looks much more like a sim-racing pedalboard than Simucube’s product, in my opinion.

On the other hand, in terms of size, it’s big, just like its competitor. And that’s to be expected, too, since we mustn’t forget that there’s literally an electric motor inside the cylindrical part. This will have an impact on the use of several mBoosters, despite the fact that Moza offers a base that can accommodate 3 of its active pedals. It’s going to be super tight, that’s for sure, but I can’t get too far ahead of myself on that, as I’ve only tested one pedal.

Customized assembly

Naturally, the mBooster is mounted on a chassis. This active pedal can also be installed on the new CRP2, or directly on a cockpit. Moza also offers an additional bracket for the mBooster if you wish to use several pedals on your rig.

Installation is fairly straightforward, with just a few screws to secure everything. However, the cable management will be slightly problematic, as the cables for the USB and RJ11 connections are on the side of the mBooster, and will certainly touch the pedal next to it if your setup incorporates 2 or 3 of them. As I said above, if you’re planning to use 3 pedals, it’s going to be very tight with the mBooster. Please keep this in mind.

Manufacturing and finishing

Not surprisingly, the mBooster’s construction is based on an aluminum alloy structure, because not only is the pedal active, but it can generate up to 200 kg of braking force. You need a very solid frame to handle that.

As far as the finish is concerned, you can see the difference in budget between the mBooster and Simucube’s ActivePedals. I’m not saying it’s cheap, no, far from it. But it’s a notch below the competition, I must admit.

However, the parts are very well machined, as is their assembly. But visually, and especially in your hands (it’s heavy, by the way), there’s a noticeable difference in quality between the two products.

Bottom bracket adjustment

Let’s take a look at the mBooster’s possible settings. As far as physical adjustments are concerned, there aren’t many, as practically everything is done via the software. You can adjust the pedal angle (up to 15°), as well as the stroke (up to 25°). Those who aren’t Sunday tinkerers, or who don’t like to spend hours adjusting their crankset, will find what they’re looking for with the mBooster.

As far as software settings are concerned, well, it’s paradise. Pit House, which supports the mBooster, is currently in beta version, but it’s really complete as far as I’m concerned. You can configure pedal travel, feedback, hardness, curve, ABS, rebound, friction and so on. It’s really complete, even if the mBooster isn’t technically compatible with SimHub, but honestly, Moza’s software is enough to do more or less what you want regarding settings.

Sensations during play

After the various introductions to Moza’s mBooster, what about its performance? At the time of writing, there’s only one competitor to Moza’s Active Pedal, and that’s Simucube’s ActivePedal. So the match will inevitably turn into a comparison between the two, but I’ll try to keep my distance, as this isn’t Simucube vs. Moza.

As for the feel of the mBooster, it’s a great active pedal for sim-racing, especially in the brake position. The degree of realism offered by this pedal is very high, approaching that of its Simucube competitor.

When it comes to feedback, or rather force feedback, the mBooster holds its own against the competition. Take wheel lock, for example, which is supported by several sim-racing titles, notably AC and ACC. Sensations are ultra-realistic on these two, with an almost immediate feeling of locking. The feeling on some titles is progressive, and you’ll feel in your foot that the wheels will lock if you keep braking so hard. Over time, this will turn into very effective muscle memory, I must say.

Let’s move on to ABS, or any other vibration felt in the foot. It’s there, but the realization is rather bizarre in the sense that you’ll feel the vibration at a high level, then it will drop to reach the right frequency. I imagine this can be corrected via software, and I hope it will be.

And for those who don’t want to drive with extra feel, the mBooster is an excellent Load Cell pedal. The motor, and the sensors too, are capable of simulating up to 200 kg of pressure, which is quite a lot for sim-racing. The pedal is precise, flexible and easily adjustable via Pit House. Even when used without electrical intervention for vibration, the mBooster remains an excellent LC pedal.

Compatibility

In terms of compatibility, the mBooster is a real winner: the pedal is compatible with all Moza bases, as well as Direct Drive bases from other brands, as the connection is made via USB directly to the PC.

As far as sim-racing titles are concerned, you currently have Assetto Corsa, Assetto Corsa Competizione, Automobilista 2, EA SPORTS WRC, iRacing and RaceRoom, at least as far as ABS and vibration are concerned. In LC mode, the full range of titles is supported.

Value for money

Ah, let’s talk price. The mBooster retails for €999, and honestly, that gives it superb value for money against the competition. The construction is good, the quality is up to scratch and the sensations are superb under your right foot.

My verdict

With the mBooster, Moza has taken up the challenge of offering a high-performance active pedal that’s accessible and well integrated into its ecosystem. Compared to the Simucube ActivePedal, it is clearly a more affordable alternative, without sacrificing the essential sensations.

So, how I see it: if you already have the Moza ecosystem and want to boost the realism of your setup without blowing the budget, the mBooster is an excellent option with a much more reasonable price tag.

But if your goal is to build the ultimate, no-compromise setup, Simucube’s solution comes out on top… but at a much higher price.