If you’ve been eyeing Simucube’s Active Pedal but couldn’t stomach the $2,000-plus price tag, the MOZA mBooster just might be what you’ve been waiting for. At $799, it’s the first real challenger in the active pedal space, and I’ve put it head-to-head against my daily driver, the Simucube Active Pedal, to see how it stacks up.

MOZA has been on a roll lately, releasing high-end gear that’s more accessible than ever. And the mBooster pedal is arguably their boldest move yet. It promises dynamic force feedback and deep software customization at a fraction of the cost of Simucube. So let’s break this down and see where it shines, where it falls short, and if it really is the "Simucube killer."

Active Pedals: Why They Matter

Most sim racers are familiar with load cell pedals. They’re great. But they’re still static, meaning once you set them up mechanically, you’re locked into one brake feel. Until, of course, you take them apart again, change the elastomers or springs, but that's always kind of a pain. Active pedals are different. They offer motorized resistance that’s controlled by software. That means you can simulate ABS, traction control, brake lockups, or even engine vibration, and swap between profiles without touching a wrench.

Simucube pioneered this space with their Active Pedal, and until now, it’s been unchallenged. The MOZA mBooster is the first to try and offer the same concept for under $1,000. That’s huge for the sim racing community.

Unboxing and Design

MOZA’s packaging is basic, but efficient. If you’ve bought any of their recent gear like the R12 wheelbase or CRP pedals, you know what to expect. Compared to Simucube’s premium unboxing experience, it’s clear MOZA focused on cutting costs where it wouldn’t affect performance. And honestly, I’m alright with that.

The pedal itself looks fantastic. Matte black housing, bronze accents, and a piston-style actuator give it a rugged, industrial look. The pedal face has a dimpled finish that mirrors the one on Simucube’s Ultimate model. If you're running MOZA's CRP2 throttle and clutch pedals, the mBooster visually complements them really well and MOZA even offers a bundle to complete the set.

Specs and Hardware Breakdown

Let’s look at the numbers. The mBooster comes with dual 200 kg load cell sensors, a 21-bit magnetic encoder, and a high torque-density motor. That’s serious hardware. MOZA also includes a 15-bit angle sensor for even more resolution. And while these specs sound great, the real story is how they translate in use.

In comparison, the Simucube Pro maxes out at 110 kg of pedal force, while the Ultimate hits 170 kg. MOZA outguns both on paper with 200 kg. But let’s be honest - most of us are never using that much. I max out at around 80 percent on my Ultimate, and that’s while really stomping on it. Still, knowing there’s headroom is nice, especially if you're using it for training or endurance racing.

Warranty and Durability Concerns

This is where MOZA shows its budget nature. The mBooster only comes with a 12-month warranty. Compare that to Simucube’s 3-year warranty on the Pro and 5 years on the Ultimate, and it’s hard not to feel a little uneasy. For a product that costs $799, a one-year warranty feels too short.

Build quality, though, feels solid. There’s no flex or rattle, and everything looks professionally finished. When I weighed it against the Simucube pedal, the difference was negligible, only about 1.5 pounds. Both feel solid on the rig.

Installation and First Power-On

I mounted the pedal to my Next Level Racing F-GT Pro cockpit, and setup was straightforward. One odd thing: the pedal doesn’t have an on/off switch. It powers up the moment it’s plugged in. And you’ll notice a faint hum coming from it, even when idle. It’s likely the motor or a fan keeping things cool. Not loud, but it’s there. MOZA later told me that they will be making some changes to reduce this noise, and a lot of it will come in the form of a firmware update. Simucube, on the other hand, is silent and includes a proper power switch.

MOZA’s decision to leave out the switch might seem minor, but when you’re building a clean sim setup, little quality-of-life details start to matter.

Software: Pit House vs TrueDrive

The Pit House software continues to improve, and the mBooster pedal interface is actually great. You can adjust brake curves, max force, travel, damping, friction, end stop feel, and more - all from a clean UI. You can even assign profiles for different cars and quickly swap them out before a race.

Simucube’s TrueDrive software still has the edge in terms of precision. You can adjust pedal offset, mechanical travel, and force floors with finer granularity. It also allows force to drop as low as 4 kg. MOZA bottoms out at 24 kg, which may be limiting if you’re trying to simulate really light braking like you'd get in a street car.

I also wish both brands expanded their preset library. Imagine being able to choose a profile not just for the 'type' of car, but for the actual car. And especially for normal street cars. I want to be able to choose the profile for a specific car, such as my own BMW M2 Competition, and know that I'm getting an instantly accurate brake feel. We’re not quite there yet, but we’re getting closer and will give Active Pedals a more defined edge that more people may be willing to pay more for.

Driving Feel and Effects: My Real Impressions

This is the part you probably care about most. I went back and forth between the MOZA mBooster and my Simucube Active Pedal, using the same car (BMW M2 CSR), track (Barcelona), and as close to the same pedal settings as I could configure.

Right away, the mBooster felt different - not in a bad way, just different. The force feedback is responsive, and the transition between soft and firm brake application feels natural. It’s immersive, consistent, and surprisingly refined for a first-gen product.

Where I noticed a gap was in engine vibration. With the Simucube pedal, I can feel the engine idling just by resting my foot. With the mBooster, there’s no feedback until I apply pressure. It’s subtle, but it affects immersion. That said, during actual driving, the vibration feels strong and convincing. It’s just not quite as sensitive at low inputs.

ABS, Brake Threshold, and Lockup Effects

This is where active pedals truly separate themselves from load cell ones. Both the mBooster and Simucube support effects like ABS vibration, brake threshold alerts, and brake lockup, and MOZA nailed it here.

The ABS cue is especially useful in iRacing, where activating ABS overheats the front tires. Instead of relying on a dash light, you feel the vibration directly in your foot, which builds muscle memory and lets you adapt in real time. It’s a genuine training advantage.

You can also set a brake threshold - say 90 percent - and get a cue when you’re about to over-brake. You can even use this feature for driver coaching or practice, dialing it to 50 percent so you can feel exactly where you’re applying light brake pressure and build consistent habits.

Back-to-Back in F4: Testing Lockups

To test more effects, I switched to an F4 car at Barcelona with no ABS and aggressive front brake bias. Locking up the tires triggers an effect on both pedals. It’s not critical for performance, but it adds a sense of realism. Both pedals felt equally convincing here. There was no real performance difference. It came down to immersion and both delivered.

The Verdict: Should You Buy the mBooster?

After spending time with the MOZA mBooster, I can honestly say this pedal blew me away. It’s not just good for the price...it’s good, period. MOZA nailed the core features, the effects feel natural, and the software is more than capable. Yes, there are trade-offs compared to Simucube. You lose the deep low-end tuning, the stealthy-silent operation, the long warranty, and a touch of refinement. But in real-world use, especially if you’re not doing a back-to-back test like I did, you’d never notice.

The only thing I really missed was the engine vibration sensitivity at rest. A somewhat minor thing, but it affects immersion. And for a pedal that costs $799 instead of $2,000, it’s honestly incredible how close MOZA has gotten to Simucube’s benchmark. This is a huge win for the sim racing community, and I’m thrilled to see more accessible high-end tech like this hitting the market.

So if you’ve been wanting to upgrade to an active pedal but couldn’t justify Simucube’s price, the mBooster is your answer. I’d recommend it. And if you have any questions or want to know more about how it feels in specific sims or cars, drop a comment and I’ll do my best to answer.