Simucube ActivePedal Pro vs Ultimate Comparison: Which ActivePedal Should You Buy?

We compare the Simucube ActivePedal Pro and Ultimate pedals head-to-head to see which force feedback pedal is the better buy, and whether the cheaper Pro pedal is just as good as the original.

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Simucube ActivePedal Pro mounted alongside AP Ultimate

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Simucube has announced a new version of the incredibly well-reviewed ActivePedal, the ActivePedal Pro. This new pedal is cheaper due to a smaller feature set; however, it retains all of the original pedal’s most important aspects, such as the ABS, Traction Control, G-Force effects and infinite adjustability.

The new pedal is designed to be a more accessible and lower-priced version of the original pedal. But which pedal is the better buy? And what are the main differences between the Pro and Ultimate pedals.

In this guide, I’ll compare the two Simucube ActivePedals head to head, looking at the specs, value for money and overall performance to help you decide which pedal is the better buy for you.

Simucube ActivePedals Pro vs Ultimate Technical Spec Comparison

I want to start by reviewing the specifications for both pedals, as this will help us understand what each pedal offers and what has been removed from the cheaper Pro pedal. Below is a complete technical specification comparison of the new ActivePedal Pro and the original ActivePedal Ultimate.

Simucube ActivePedal Hero ShotSimucube ActivePedal Pro Hero
SpecActivePedal UltimateActivePedal Pro
Maximum pedal force170kg110kg
Extendable pedal armYesNo
Maximum pedal travel62mm / 79mm74mm
Pedal height adjustment20 mm20 mm
Pedal offset adjustment25 mmNo adjustment
Pedal angle adjustments18 degrees18 degrees
Dimensions
(W×H×D)
100 × 250 × 400 mm100 × 255 × 418 mm
Mounting hole pattern6xM5 slots6xM5 slots
Weight6kg5.8kg
Extensions supportTwo passive load cell pedal
inputs
Two passive load cell pedal
inputs
Included power supply360W PSU included280W PSU included
Daisy chaining of powerYesNo
Simucube Link Hub1 Link Hub includedNot included
Warranty5 years3 years
Buy ActivePedal UltimateBuy ActivePedal Pro

Watch our comparison review of the ActivePedal Pro vs Ultimate below


How much do the ActivePedals Pro and Ultimate cost?

Simucube developed and released the ActivePedal Pro primarily to provide a cheaper force feedback pedal, making it more accessible to a wider range of sim racers. This means it is considerably cheaper than the original ActivePedal Ultimate.

Below is a head-to-head price comparison of the original and new ActivePedal models.

PedalsInfoPrice (Ex VAT)
Simucube ActivePedal Pro HeroSimucube ActivePedal ProThe new pedal.€1402 / $1719
Simucube ActivePedal Hero ShotSimucube ActivePedal UltimateThe original pedal.€1999 / $2299

The big difference in price, lets the newer Pro pedal offer a lot more value. It still costs a lot compared to most sim racing pedals, however, it does lower the threshold price for a true force feedback pedal a lot.

You can also buy the ActivePedal Pro as part of a pre-configured bundle on Simucube’s website. This approach can help you lower your cost even further, as the bundles can represent an overall saving.

Below is an overview of how much the ActivePedal Pro costs when purchased individually or as part of a bundle.

PedalsInfoPrice
Simucube ActivePedal ProSimucube ActivePedal ProA single Pro pedal.€1402 / $1719
Simucube ActivePedal ProActivePedal Pro + Link HubA Pro pedal with the Link Hub.€1483 / $1799
Simucube ActivePedal Pro vs UltimateActivePedal Pro Set of 22 ActivePedal Pros€2934 / $3399
Simucube ActivePedals mounted to a sim rigActivePedal Pro + Simucube ThrottleA single Pro pedal + Simucube Throttle pedal.€1764 / $2168

What are the differences between the ActivePedal Pro and Ultimate?

With the ActivePedal Pro being around €500 cheaper than the original pedal, there must be some elements that are missing or not quite as good. This is true, as there have been a few omissions from the original pedal, although these don’t impact much of what the original ActivePedal offered.

With the Pro pedal, you still get access to 45 adjustable features which can all be changed using the Simucube Tuner software. These include the core features such as adjusting the pedal preload, force curve, max force, pedal travel and more.

Simucube ActivePedal Ultimate Review

Below is our video review of the ActivePedal Ultimate.

Simucube ActivePedal Pro Review

Below is our review of the cheaper ActivePedal Pro.

You also get access to the force feedback features that made the original ActivePedal perform so well. These let you set ABS and traction control effects to allow the pedal to rumble and move depending on your ABS and TC in game.

You can configure G-Force effects to simulate pedal movement forward and back as you accelerate and decelerate. Finally, you can change brake lock-up effects, clutch bit points and brake threshold vibrations.

The features you can adjust on the ActivePedal Pro include;

ConfigurationAdjustments available
Pedal behaviorPedal preload, force curve, maximum force,
travel, end stop feeling for front & back stop
Pedal outputSimulator input mapping: force input range,
and input curve mapping
Mechanical forcesDamping on/off, and amount when pressed
and released. Friction on/off, and strength
Motor vibration (RPM)Motor vibration effect on/off, vibration
frequency multiplier, vibration intensity, and
balance between low and high RPM
ABSABS effect on/off, ABS frequency, intensity,
and smoothness
Traction controlTraction control effect on/off, traction control
intensity, and frequency
G-ForceG-Force effect on/off, G-Force movement
speed, max pedal movement, texture
strength, and texture smoothness
Brake thresholdBrake threshold vibration effect on/off, brake
threshold trigger input level, threshold
intensity, effect frequency, and fade amount
after the initial bump
Brake lockupBrake Lockup effect on/off, Brake Lockup
intensity, frequency, and activation sensitivity
Clutch bite pointClutch bite point effect on/off, bite point
effect strength, frequency, and trigger
smoothness

What is missing in the ActivePedal Pro?

With all of the functionality above available in the cheaper Pro pedal, what has been removed or is missing compared to the more premium Ultimate pedal?

The first and possibly most notable difference between the Pro and Ultimate pedals is that the cheaper Pro pedal has a maximum pedal force of 110kg. The original pedal has increased to the maximum force, bringing it up to 170kg in high-force mode.

There are also a few adjustments that aren’t available in the Pro pedal. These include the inability to extend the pedal arm when mounting the pedal in an inverted position or racing in an F1 or LMP seating position. On the original ActivePedal, this is a physical adjustment that you can make by loosening a bolt and repositioning the pedal arm.

Simucube ActivePedal adjustments

You’ll also find that the maximum pedal travel has been reduced from 79mm to 74mm, and there is no pedal offset adjustments available.

Another big difference is that the ActivePedal Pro does not come with the Simucube Link Hub as standard. This Hub is a great tool for when you are connecting multiple Simucube devices. It can act as a single point for all of your Simucube products to connect to, reducing the amount of clutter heading to your PC.

One difference between the two pedals that appears to be quite a small change but actually is pretty big is the removal of the ability to daisy-chain pedals. With the original ActivePedal Ultimate, you can use a single PSU and daisy-chain up to 3 ActivePedals from it. This reduces the number of PSUs you need, which makes for a pretty big reduction in space, as a Simucube PSU is a pretty chunky boy.

The new Pro pedal requires a single PSU for each pedal you use. If you’re only using one, it’s fine; however, if you use an Ultimate and Pro pedal together or more than one Pro pedal, you’ll need multiple PSUs. This can get slightly annoying if you are running two or three ActivePedals.


Our verditct: Which pedal should you buy?

With all of the pros and cons of the ActivePedal Pro and ActivePedal Ultimate listed, if you’re still considering an ActivePedal, which one is right for you? That is a great question, as both pedals come with a lot of the same features, and both carry an extremely high price tag.

The benefit of the new ActivePedal Pro is that you get fundamentally the same performance and experience as you would from the more premium Ultimate pedal, all for around €/$500 less. If you are only planning on buying a single ActivePedal or the lack of daisy chaining PSUs doesn’t bother you, then I would highly recommend the Pro pedal as you get all of the frills for much less.

However, if you are looking to maximise your sim racing setup with the very best hardware, and you plan on using multiple ActivePedals. Then the Ultimate may be the way to go. You get much more physical adjustments with the Ultimate pedal, making it a fair bit more versatile.


ActivePedal Pro vs Ultimate pros and cons

ActivePedal Pro

The ActivePedal Pro offers the same performance and incredible force feedback, along with the same level of build quality as the more expensive Ultimate, making it a strong contender as the best value option.

Pros

  • Cheaper price than the Ultimate pedal.
  • Build quality is just as high.
  • All the same core functionality and force feedback.

ActivePedal Ultimate

The ActivePedal Ultimate goes above and beyond the Pro with additional adjustments and customisation. You also get slightly better cable management and the ability to mount the pedal inverted.

Pros

  • Higher maximum force of 170kg.
  • Inverted mounting is possible.
  • Daisy chaining PSUs can save space.

Cons

  • Individual PSU required for each pedal.
  • Fewer physical adjustments available.
  • No inverted mounting.

Cons

  • More expensive for generally the same experience.

Buy the Simucube ActivePedal Ultimate


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Author Profile Picture

Article written by Rich

Founder of SimRacingSetups.com

Rich is the founder, F1 car setup creator and content writer 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

Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. We may earn commission from any sale after clicking a link. Read our affiliate policy.
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