Moza R3 Bundle

Our rating : 9.5/10

The most popular manufacturers of sim-racing peripherals have been on the market for a very long time – over 20 years for some brands. Their market of choice has always been PCs, because this Microsoft platform remains the most powerful when you put the necessary money into it, in addition to its versatility.

Setting up a high-performance PC configuration is expensive, very expensive even if you’re the kind of person who wants the best components. Nvidia’s latest graphics card easily costs around €400, which is very close to the price of an Xbox Series X, for example. But there’s a catch: most manufacturers of sim-racing peripherals offer products that are only compatible with PCs, as is the case with Simagic , Simucube, Moza Racing and other brands.

The only popular sim-racing players with console-compatible products are Logitech , Thrustmaster and Fanatec This limits the choice of riders, especially when you consider that the first two brands don’t really offer high-performance products at low prices. Well, Fanatec remains an exception, but that’s about to change with Moza Racing’s new Direct Drive bundle for Xbox. This is the Moza R3 Bundleand we’ll look at it in more detail in this article.

Main and technical features of the bundle

• Direct Drive base with 3.9 nm of torque
• Infinite rotation angle
• Xbox-specific ES aluminum steering wheel
• Bundle compatible with Xbox and PC
• SR-P Lite crankset included in bundle
• Supplied with clamp and mounting plate

Design

Moza Racing and its bases are quite well known in the game, especially those developing less than 10 nm of torque. Their design doesn’t change all that much, with the only differences being in size. We therefore find a ” X “very characteristic of the R5 and R9, with a really compact size.

For the steering wheel, we’re talking about the Xbox version of Moza’s ES. The wheel is 28 cm in diameter, with PU leather that’s different from that found on the ES steering wheel in the R5 bundle, and that’s to be expected as concessions had to be made to lower the price of this bundle.

The crankset is the SR-P Lite, well known to Moza Racing. It’s beautiful, all black and with 2 pedals. Overall, the R3 bundle is in the same vein as the others from Moza Racing.

Customized assembly

Like the R5 bundle, the R3 includes a kind of clamp with a plate for mounting the base. The clamp provides a good hold on furniture, such as a desk or table, and the 3.9 nm of torque is not enough to make the whole thing move. As a result, the mounting is solid even when you configure the base to deliver its full power.

As far as chassis mounting is concerned, it uses the same fastening system as the R5 and R9, so you have a wide range of cockpits and stands to support Moza Racing’s little base.

For the ES steering wheel, it’s the complete opposite of what Fanatec does for its cheap products. The ES steering wheel’s QR is the same as all Moza’s, so it’s aluminum, taken directly from the competition, with a wireless connection to the base. It’s top quality, but the same QR is notoriously unreliable over the long term.

The crankset has rubber pads under the pedals, so it can be used on the ground without the risk of it going west under heavy braking, as it’s not made of Load Cell. Nevertheless, you can attach it to many chassis if you decide to upgrade.

Manufacturing and finishing

Although the R3 is even less expensive than the R5, this bundle uses aluminum for virtually all its components. The base housing is made of aluminum to save weight and optimize engine cooling.

The ES Xbox steering wheel is also made of aluminum to ensure rigidity in all circumstances, but with only a little PU leather around the rim. It’s a bit of a shame to see this, especially at a price that’s not really far off the competition. However, it’s well finished, except for a few buttons that are spongy to use, I must admit.

The SR-P Lite crankset is made of metal for rigidity. This device is very well made, and it’s more or less the same story for this whole bundle.

Getting started with the bundle

The ES Xbox steering wheel is 28 cm in diameter, which is a little small compared with Fanatec steering wheels, but this size is identical to Logitech’s G923, for example. Steering wheel ergonomics are excellent, with buttons on the sides of the faceplate and 2 paddles at the rear. Controls are easily accessible, but some buttons are spongy to the touch, which leaves something to be desired. Even though this steering wheel is supposed to be identical to the ES for PC, there’s still a noticeable difference between the two, especially in terms of buttons and finish.

For the crankset, we have the SR-P Lite with 2 pedals and their magnetic sensors, plus springs for resistance. On paper, this crankset is as basic as it gets for its category, and it’s upgradeable too. However, the two pedal springs are identical and there is no difference in feel. But the grip is good, with excellent pedal adjustability.

Sensations during play

First of all, you should bear in mind that the R3 baseplate develops 3.9 nm of maximum torque in Direct Drive mode. Power-wise, it’s up against a G923 and a Thrustmaster T248. However, in terms of feel, it’s a completely different story. The R3 is much more communicative than its belt- or gear-driven competitors.

Force feedback is very well proportioned on most of the sim-racing titles I’ve tried on Xbox, with the occasional blur. But then, this is the case with virtually all Moza Racing bases, and I think it’s down to the software. There’s plenty of feedback, and you can feel every move the car makes, whether on the track, off-road, in curves or even bumping into barriers and other cars. The feel is fine, even if the base model only develops 3.9 nm of torque.

As for the crankset, well, it’s the SR-P Lite, so there’s not much in the way of brake pedals. Incidentally, both pedals have the same foot feel, and that’s the downside of this crankset. However, this can be corrected fairly quickly with an upgrade kit available from Moza Racing.

Compatibility

This bundle is Moza Racing’s first offensive on Xbox, and is therefore compatible with Microsoft consoles as well as PC. For sim-racing titles, the list is rather long and can be found on the bundle description page. It covers just about every popular title on the market.

Value for money

This bundle sells for around €440, depending on the online retailer, and on the Moza site it’s not available, but you can be notified when it’s back in stock. The value for money of the R3 bundle is pretty good if you ask me, especially if you’re an Xbox-exclusive runner. Even if the R3 is still low-end compared to the R5, quality and premium are still there.

My verdict

This bundle is a good choice for gamers on Microsoft consoles (Xbox One and Series X and S). Native compatibility means it’s directly supported by Xboxes, so you’ll have no trouble setting the fastest times on Forza Motorsport or Asseto Corsa.

Even if the base only produces 3.9 nm of torque, it’s still Direct Drive, and light years ahead of Logitech and Thrustmaster. If you’re coming from a G923, for example, and are an Xbox-only user, I’d recommend the R3 without the slightest hesitation. But if you’re also on PC, the R5 bundle is a better option in my opinion, except for Xbox compatibility.