MOZA has recently revised their R16 wheel, and it boasts similar performance figures to the Fanatec ClubSport DD+. Which mid-range direct drive racing wheel is the better pick to buy?
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Two direct drive racing wheels that are pretty close in terms of performance are the relatively new Fanatec ClubSport DD+ and the recently updated MOZA R16. These wheel bases both use direct drive technology and produce 15Nm and 16Nm respectively.
When shopping for a powerful direct drive racing wheel, there are a lot of things to consider. Of course, performance is one of the key selling points, but compatibility and value for money are also both important.
In this comparison guide I’ll look at both the MOZA R16 and the Fanatec ClubSport DD+ and put them head-to-head in a variety of categories. I’ll compare the price of both racing wheels, and how the performance compares along with other key areas, to find which powerful direct drive racing wheel is the better buy.
Let’s kick off this comparison with a direct overview of both racing wheels. You’ll see in the table below the MOZA R16 on the left and Fanatec ClubSport DD+ on the right. I’ve highlighted a few important categories which in some instances are very similar, and others slightly more different.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| MOZA R16 | Fanatec ClubSport DD+ | |
| Price | £799 / $799 (pre-tax) | $999.95 (inc tax) |
| FFB Strength | 16Nm | 15Nm |
| Platforms | PC Only | PS4, PS5 & PC |
| Release date | 8th Dec 2023 | 19th Dec 2023 |
| Where to buy | Buy from MOZA | Buy from Fanatec |
You can see from the above that things look incredibly similar, if not on paper slightly better for MOZA. The peak performance is higher and the price is lower, although this is the pre-tax price compared to including tax for the Fanatec ClubSport DD+. This means the final price you pay will be much closer than it looks above.
Now I want to jump into looking at each wheel base in a bit more detail before putting them head to head in a detailed comparison.
I’m going to start with the Fanatec ClubSport DD+ as it is the newer of the two wheel bases. The ClubSport DD+ is the big brother of the ClubSport DD that launched a month earlier. It takes all of the technology that makes the ClubSport DD impressive and increases the performance from 12Nm to 15Nm.
It also adds compatibility with PlayStation consoles. Despite not officially saying so on the website, this racing wheel is also compatible with Xbox consoles as long as you have an Xbox-compatible steering wheel attached.
In the design department, the Fanatec ClubSport DD+ is incredibly similar to the ClubSport DD. It uses the exact same chassis and overall design with the only real difference being around the rear. Fanatec has started using different colours to differentiate between Xbox and PlayStation sim racing products.
This wheel features a blue ring at the rear to indicate the PS5 compatibility whilst the ClubSport DD has a yellow ring. Why it isn’t green for Xbox I do not know!
Racing Wheel – Fanatec ClubSport DD+
Compatibility – PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation
Price – From €/$999.95
Where to buy –
Buy from Fanatec EU /
Buy from Fanatec US
The MOZA R16 was the first racing wheel developed by MOZA when it first launched a few years ago. Since then, MOZA has released a whole ecosystem of sim racing products including a wide variety of racing wheels. In December 2023, MOZA re-released the R16 with a slightly tweaked design and a new force feedback algorithm.
This upgraded MOZA R16 V2 doesn’t carry a version number in its name to indicate that it is the improved version, instead being known as just the MOZA R16. The new algorithm has been lifted right from the R12 which was the first wheel base to introduce new force feedback filtering.
This improvement brings increased detail to the fore feedback whilst keeping the maximum torque performance capped at 16Nm. The MOZA R12 is one of my favourite wheel bases so seeing the improved technology feed into more powerful direct drive wheels is brilliant!
Racing Wheel – MOZA R16
Compatibility – PC
Price – £799/$799
Where to buy –
Buy from MOZA
Read our comparison of the MOZA R12 and Fanatec ClubSport DD to see how those two direct drive wheels compare.
The difference in price between the MOZA R16 and Fanatec ClubSport DD looks quite large initially. When you look a little closer, the prices are more similar than you think. When buying the MOZA R16 from MOZA’s website, it shows as costing $799.
| Wheel base | Price |
|---|---|
| MOZA R16 | £799/ $799 (pre-tax) |
| Fanatec ClubSport DD+ | $999.95 (inc tax) |
This is the pre-tax price, meaning you will be required to pay VAT or sales tax depending on where you are ordering from. Using the United Kingdom as an example, a 20% VAT will normally be invoiced once it reaches the UK or is delivered. This will increase the R16 price to £960.
This final price will differ depending on where in the world you’re ordering from as each country and state has different sales taxes. This means it could end up being less than the above price of £960 in your region, or it could be slightly more.
This brings both wheel bases pretty close in price at just under £/$/€1000 each. With that in mind, your preference on which to buy could come down to which ecosystem you prefer and the performance, which I’ll look at now.
Both of these direct drive wheel bases sit in an unusual category. They both offer performance that is above what I would consider mid-range. For that category of performance, I’d expect around 10-12Nm of torque, similar to the MOZA R12 and Fanatec ClubSport DD.
However, at 16Nm and 15Nm of peak torque, these racing wheels don’t quite stretch into the high-powered or premium category either. You have the MOZA R21 and Fanatec Podium range occupying that spot along with the Asetek Invicta and Simucube 2 Pro.
Instead, both of these wheels slot into a mid to high-performance range. The price of both wheel bases is still high, making them a premium product, and the performance is probably about perfect. With 15Nm and 16Nm of torque set at 100%, you’ll be getting a good workout. Those that like their force feedback around the 10Nm mark can detune these wheel bases whilst still making use of the wide range of force feedback detail.
Both MOZA and Fanatec have introduced new technology and force feedback algorithms into these wheels. Fanatec launched the ClubSport DD+ with FullForce and force feedback 2.0. In real terms, these names refer to the force feedback detail, response rate and thermal degradation.
The ClubSport DD+ is the first Fanatec wheel base that is referred to as having constant torque rather than peak torque. This means that the maximum performance won’t degrade over time due to heat as most direct drive wheels do. You’ll get a consistent 15Nm of torque across even the longest play sessions.
The slew rate on the ClubSport DD+ is also class-leading baosting incredibly quick response times. This leads to your wheel feeling truly connected to the car you’re driving like never before. In combination, these new technologies lead to force feedback that is better than any other Fanatec wheel base to date.
MOZA has also introduced a flashy new name for the force feedback algorithm that it has implemented in the R16. MOZA has labelled this new force feedback “NextGen Force 2.0”. In MOZA’s case, this refers directly to the algorithm that has been implemented.
The technology and algorithm in the R16 have been carried over from the R12 wheel base which was the first to use this new style of force feedback. I praise the R12 as one of the very best direct drive racing wheels around, and MOZA’s finest wheel base. This is due to the incredible force feedback detail that interlaces vibration effects and incredible granularity in its feedback.
With the R16 being MOZA’s first-ever racing wheel, they thought it was the right time to update it with the technology that has been improving since its launch. This is a very good move and leads to the R16 feeling just as incredible as the R12, but with much more power on offer.
Both Fanatec and MOZA have brought big upgrades to these two wheel bases. Racing them back to back, it is easy to see why someone might not be sure which to get as they both perform incredibly. I would give the edge to Fanatec due to its lightening fast response times that no other direct drive wheel base in this price range can match.
I do want to talk about the overall design of both wheelbase, as for many this is important. After all, you do have to look directly at or just past your wheel base while racing, meaning a bad design can really stand out!
The Best F1 24 Racing WheelsThe design of the MOZA R16 V2 hasn’t changed at all compared to the original R16, other than some new ports at the rear of the wheel base. These new ports let you connect all of your MOZA peripherals directly to the wheel base, whereas before you had limited options.
The design features a sleek wheel base with lines that have been inspired by a supercar. There are some side vents on the side which are purely for aesthetics and some bold yellow accents throughout. The chassis is constructed from metal with a two-tone black paint job. There is a mixture of gloss and matt paint with the gloss looking a little bit cheap.
I’ve never been a huge fan of this design since its inception and do much prefer the simplicity that the newer MOZA wheel bases bring. It is understandable why MOZA has not changed the overall design as this iterative approach really saves a lot of excess production cost.
Fanatec has also re-utilised an older design for its ClubSport DD+ wheel base. The design follows on from the GT DD Pro which was released a few years earlier. In fact, it leans so heavily into the design of that wheel that from the front they’re almost indistinguishable.
The ClubSport DD+ is longer than the GT DD Pro to really allow Fanatec to incorporate a larger motor and all the technology that makes this wheel base shine. The entirety of the chassis is constructed from metal and acts as one big heatsink drawing heat away from the motor inside.
The aggressive-looking grooves and fins on each side work to pull heat away which is partially responsible for the constant 15Nm of torque across long race sessions. They also give this direct drive wheel a strong aesthetic, making it one of the prettiest wheel bases currently available.
While MOZA has added ports at the rear for all of its peripherals to connect to, it hasn’t officially declared that the R16 is or will be console-compatible. Adding these ports does tick the box for ensuring all peripherals are directly connected to the wheel base which is a requirement for console support. We will have to wait to see if MOZA does add Xbox or PS5 compatibility in the future.
Fanatec on the other hand have made a big statement that their ClubSport DD+ is compatible with PlayStation consoles including the PS4 and PS5. Although not officially stating it, the DD+ is also compatible with Xbox consoles as long as you’re using an Xbox-compatible steering wheel.
If you only want Xbox support and don’t intend to use all of the 15Nm of performance, you could save some money by opting for the cheaper Fanatec ClubSport DD.
Picking a winner is tricky. Both of these direct drive wheel bases perform incredibly and offer similar levels of force feedback performance along with some new tricks. I would give the edge in performance to Fanatec as the ClubSport DD+ simply has class-leading force feedback currently.
The overall win will go Fanatec’s way as well. The DD+ has extra console support as well as slightly better force feedback fidelity and responsiveness (albeit less peak performance). These factors would lead me to recommend the DD+ over the R16 in most cases, despite both racing wheels being very good.
Racing Wheel – Fanatec ClubSport DD+
Compatibility – PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation
Price – From €/$999.95
Where to buy –
Buy from Fanatec EU /
Buy from Fanatec US
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Rich is the co-founder, and one of the main F1 setup creators and content writers for SimRacingSetups. With over a decade of experience as a graphic designer, marketing director, competitive sim racer and avid motorsport fan, Rich founded SimRacingSetup.com to share his passion and knowledge of sim racing and Formula 1 with other sim racers. Regularly writes for sim racing website SimRaceReviews.com
View all articles written by Rich
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