Moza R5 review

Simracing is a bottomless rabbit hole – the deeper you go, the more surprises await you. However, you don’t have to spend a fortune to have fun – at least that’s my opinion. Of course, you can spend $2,500 or $5,000 on a sim rig, but you can just as well stay within the budget of $250–$375 (although at such lower amounts I would rather lean towards used equipment).

For me personally, the optimal budget for the most important element, the base, is around $500–$625. In this price range, there are two most reasonable options: Fanatec CSL DD QR2 in the 8 Nm version and Moza R5 Racing Simulator. In today’s review, I will focus on the latter – I invite you to read!

Packaging

Moza R5 Bundle (because it is the only one available in this set) comes to us in a fairly large box. This also goes for the considerable weight – the whole thing weighs around 15 kg. The sides of the packaging are printed with the contents of the set, i.e. the base, the steering wheel (ES Steering Wheel) and the pedals (SR-P Lite). Unfortunately, the print of this last element can be misleading, because it shows three pedals: gas, brake and clutch. In reality, the set contains only the first two.

Inside the box, in cardboard inserts and plastic foils, we will find everything our heart desires. The overall quality of packaging is quite satisfactory.

However, for me, this test would not make sense without the third pedal – the clutch. This element is delivered in a compact box. On one side there is a single pedal, and on the other – the already assembled set. Inside, in a foam insert, there is the pedal itself and mounting screws.

Additionally, I also received a Performance Kit for the brake, which replaces the classic torsion spring (although we do not dismantle it) with a compression spring connected to an elastomer. The kit comes in a small box which, like the clutch, contains a foam insert with all the mounting elements.

Specifications

Moza R5 Base:

Compatibility: PC, Xbox (when purchasing a compatible wheel with the console)
Connectivity: Wired (USB-B)
Connectors: Power, USB-B, Pedal (RJ12), Dashboard, Shifter, Handbrake (all RJ11), Killswitch (RJ9)
Mounting: Desk mount, Bottom mount
Housing material: Aluminum
Quick Release: Present (Moza system)
Force Feedback: Present
Drive type: Direct Drive
Maximum torque: 5.5nm
Encoder: Hall Effect 15 bit
Maximum rotation angle (physical): No limit
Maximum rotation angle (firmware): 2700°
Cooling: Passive

Moza ES Steering Wheel:

Compatibility: PC
Quick Release: Present (Moza system)
External base support: none
Size: 11” (280mm)
Materials: Aluminum (frame, quick release), Faux leather (trim), Plastic (switch module).
Main switches: Membrane
Paddles: Two mechanical

Moza SR-P Lite

Connectivity: RJ11 connector
Encoder: Hall Effect
Materials: Steel (entire structure)
Reverse mounting possible: Yes
Extras: SR-P Lite clutch pedal, SR-P Lite Performance kit

Price for kit (without extras): 439$

Price for clutch: 43$

Price for performance kit: 29$

Specification comes from the manufactur e r’s website and our own observations.

Preparing the steering wheel for the game

It is best to start preparing the Mozy R5 by installing the pedals. This is a very simple process – especially if you do not plan to use an additional clutch. Then, all you have to do is place the pedals on the ground (or screw them to the frame), connect the cable and you are done. However, if you want to use the clutch, you must first unscrew the brake, then mount the clutch in its place, and move the brake closer to the center. Finally, connect the RJ9 cable. The spacing of the pedals themselves can of course be adjusted to your own preferences – as can the height of the pads. In the case of mounting the Performance Kit to the brake, the process is a bit more complicated. It requires inserting the metal shaft into the hole located in the pedal arm and the upper part of the set, assembling the whole thing and placing it in the intended place. By the way, I highly recommend dismantling the default brake spring if you plan to use the Performance Kit, the pedal works much better.

The next step is to assemble the base. If you plan to use a desk mount, you have to reckon with the rather tedious process of screwing it to the adapter and the mounting for the desk or other piece of furniture you want to mount it to. If you are using a frame, the same screws should be screwed in from the bottom of the base, attaching it directly to the structure.

Next, it is worth connecting all the cabling: the USB cable to the computer, the power supply to the socket, and the pedals to the dedicated RJ11 connector.

The penultimate step is to peel off the protective film covering the Quick Release contacts — both from the base and the wheel — and mount the steering wheel on the base. The last thing to do is to launch the software and calibrate all the elements.

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Software

Now that I’ve mentioned it, let’s take a quick look at the software. The Moza Pit House app is responsible for managing Moza’s simracing accessories — including the R5, which you might have guessed — and to be honest, if I were to go into detail about each of the available options, our beloved team of correctors would probably hate me even more. So I’ll keep it short: this software allows you to do almost anything your heart desires. It works very responsively and is clear even to a layman (which I still count myself among them, after all). To sum up — it works perfectly.

Moza also offers the Moza Racing mobile app, which also works flawlessly. Thanks to it, we can easily change the steering wheel settings “on the fly” without having to reach for the computer.

Feelings and observations

Starting out of order again, I’ll go straight to discussing the R5 base itself. As I mentioned earlier, it’s made entirely of aluminum (allegedly aircraft grade – although I have no way of verifying this). As a result, it’s very massive. I expected it to be not light, but in this respect it exceeded all my expectations. I also have to praise its cooling system. Initially, I was afraid that the lack of active cooling (i.e. a fan) would cause the base to limit the force feedback power after a longer period of time so as not to overheat. Imagine my surprise when, after a whole day of riding – almost non-stop, at maximum settings – the base was only slightly warm, and the force feedback power remained exactly as I had set it.

Speaking of force feedback – is 5.5 Nm in the R5 a lot or a little? Honestly? Enough. Of course, if someone wants to play extreme simracing, then nobody stops them from buying a base with a torque of 32 Nm (because they do exist – and probably stronger ones can be found). However, in my opinion, the range of 5-8 Nm, up to 12 Nm, is the sweet spot for most users. More is often a triumph of style over substance – unless we plan to use a heavier wheel, then a higher torque may be justified.

Especially since we are dealing with a Direct Drive design here, which means that wheel is on motor axis and the feedback is sharp, direct and very precise – the smallest details of the surface are almost perfectly felt in the hands. It is worth mentioning, however, that the base does not provide these 5.5 Nm all the time – this is the peak value of the torque. Unfortunately, measuring the real force feedback strength is quite a complex subject, so I will skip it this time. Of course, at lower power, some details may merge with each other, but personally I think that at this power the feedback is already very detailed.

Unfortunately, to be honest, with this power of the base, getting a stand is almost a must. I spent a large part of the test period on the desk mount, but to be honest — I do not recommend this solution. At least in my case, despite the solid workmanship of the mount, the base did not hold the desk very stably and had a tendency to move while riding. Of course, as a last resort, you can reduce the power, but you do not buy a base with such potential to not use it.

Moving on to the pedals included in the R5 set — they are really good. Made entirely of steel, thanks to which they have a pleasant mass and stability. The stroke and angles of attack are comfortable (especially from the perspective of a person with limited foot mobility). The only thing I miss are slightly rounded or at least slightly protruding pads — so that the foot would fit better on them. If anyone is wondering how Moza managed to deal with the sensor drift problem in the SR-P Lite, it should be mentioned that there are small, factory dead zones at the beginning and end of the pedal stroke – impossible to remove. Unfortunately, my sensitivity to such nuances (developed during controller testing) caught them immediately. Fortunately, they are small enough that they have no real impact on the gameplay.

As I mentioned earlier, we have classic Hall Effect encoders here. It’s a pity that there was no option for an additional brake pedal based on a load cell sensor – especially since the competing Fanatec CSL DD QR2 offers such a possibility (admittedly for an additional fee, but still). It is worth adding that the pedals are not equipped with identical springs. The default brake spring is much stiffer than those used in the gas and clutch pedals (which in turn have identical characteristics).

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As for the Performance Kit for the brake pedal, it works very well. It significantly improves the feel of the pedal, making it more like a real car. But honestly: without the frame, I wouldn’t calibrate it properly with a stick, no matter what Tibetan rituals you use. Only after attaching the pedals to the frame do all the problems disappear. Well… except for the hardness – that can still be a challenge. For this reason, for comfort (and because of leg problems), I had to use a comically accelerated sensor curve and a ridiculously low travel. Alternatively, as I said, you can remove the default brake spring.

Finally, moving on to the wheel itself – the Moza ES is a steering wheel that is painfully straight. There are 28 buttons on it, including 2 paddles. The switches that are not paddles are membrane structures. All of them (apart from the “Start” and “Radio” buttons) feel the most like the membranes known from the GameSir Super Nova controller. The larger, central ones, however, have a unique character that is hard to compare to in any way — they don’t really resemble anything.

As for the paddles, the arms are made of metal, but unfortunately, there is no magnetic system used here. Instead, we have a mechanical switch supported by several fairly thick springs, which makes them work a bit mushy and unfortunately, there is no clear activation moment. For me, this is the biggest drawback of the entire steering wheel — magnetic paddles would significantly improve the feel. A little above the center of the steering wheel, we find an LED strip that can indicate the engine speed in percentage form (or classic rotational, although the former makes more sense in practice). All you need to do is properly configure the connection to the game and you’re done — it works flawlessly.

Let’s quickly discuss the rim. Its central part is made of aluminum, and the trim is made of very pleasant to the touch artificial leather. Despite this, I recommend using gloves — the seam where the material joins is so hard and protruding that it can slightly bruise your fingers when the steering wheel is pushed harder.

As for the size – personally, it’s a bit of a shame that the upgrade to 300 mm (or a GT/F1 styled rim) isn’t offered as standard. 280 mm isn’t a disadvantage in itself, but a larger diameter would be more realistic, especially if we plan on riding in street simulations rather than track simulations (although that’s obviously a matter of preference).

Finally, a few words about the Quick Release system from Moza. It’s painfully simple, but it works very effectively. It consists of several elements:

10 steel balls that fit into the appropriate recesses in the base,
an inner metal ring supported by a hard spring – this holds the balls in place until they’re connected,
an outer ring, also pushed by a spring – pulling it back loosens the lock and allows the wheel to be dismantled.

Communication between the wheel and the base is most likely via some variant of the I²C interface, as the steering wheel has its own MCU responsible for operating the switches, joysticks and (probably) the display. Overall, the system works very well. My only reservation is the initial installation of the wheel – it can be a bit troublesome, especially if you don’t set it in the right orientation. However, everything works fine afterwards.

Moza R5 Bundle Summary

So – did the Moza R5 live up to the hopes placed in it? Personally, I think so. At the price it’s currently at, it offers an almost unbeatable value for money. We get exemplary thermal efficiency, a great Quick Release system, very nice pedals and an extensive ecosystem, which – importantly – is not limited to racing (but that’s a topic for another time). Of course, there are some drawbacks. Quite average steering wheel paddles, a moderately comfortable desk mount or simple pedal covers are things that may bother some people. But the truth is that the competition in this segment is currently asleep — and it will be hard to find a real alternative without paying extra or making compromises elsewhere.

Yes, there is the Fanatec CSL DD QR2 — in both 5 and 8 Nm versions — but it too suffers from very similar issues. As a result, the Moza R5 is simply excellent.

Final verdict? I highly recommend it.

Review was possible thanks to Moza.

Orginal review source