In the premium segment of sim-racing peripherals, there are several brands sharing the market. We have players who have a bit of everything in their range, as is the case with Fanatec and Moza Racingoffering peripherals for both amateur and seasoned racers. And on the other side of the equation, we have brands that are active on the high-end end of the spectrum.

Other brands include Simagicwhich is a rather young manufacturer in the industry, but benefits from the expertise of professional drivers and racing enthusiasts. This manufacturer collaborates with Moza Racing on a number of products, including a Quick Release derived from the D1-Spec used in racing.

Simagic offers a fairly comprehensive sim-racing catalog, covering the essential peripherals. Mainly 3 Direct Drive bases, available in several power levels. But you’ll also find pedalboards, steering wheels and other sim-racing accessories. Speaking of pedalboards, our setup today features the P1000, Simagic’s mid-range pedalboard. This is a hybrid crankset, both Load Cell and hydraulic depending on configuration, and we’re going to see what it has to offer.

Main features and technical specifications of the crankset

• Entire structure in aluminum, including pedals, arms and stand
• Highly customizable peripheral with LC or hydraulic brake system
• Available in 2 or 3 pedal versions, with haptic feedback motors added to each pedal.
• Magnetic sensor on all pedals
• 100 kg braking pressure, with LC or hydraulic system
• Spacing and angle-adjustable pedals
• Compatible with PCs and all Simagic databases
• Compatible with virtually all chassis thanks to the use of the wheelbase, or mounting pattern

P1000 crankset design

The P1000’s design is sober, with a slight touch of bling. A single color dominates this device, and it’s a kind of dark gray on 90% of the pedalboard. The remaining 10% is in red, with a few brand logos here and there.

As I said, I think the P1000 is rather sober, and will go perfectly with all sim-racing setups. The pedals are independent of each other, so you can have a configuration with 2 or 3 pedals, depending on your preferences. There are also red accents on the pedals’ resistance mechanisms, and each has a different-sized pedal plate.

Customized assembly

To ensure that this crankset can be used on the widest possible range of cockpits, Simagic has adopted the wheelbase of the Fanatec ClubSport V3 for the bottom-mount system. Fanatec’s crankset is quite simply a reference in the industry, and many cockpit manufacturers use its mounting pattern.

Nevertheless, Simagic has added a side-mounting system with brackets to accommodate even more chassis. The assembly operation is fairly easy to perform, but you do need to be careful with the pedalboard, as many cables are visible, and in places that aren’t very strategic either.

Otherwise, you’ll be able to install this pedalboard on more or less any chassis available on the market, and in about fifteen minutes.

Manufacturing and finishing the P1000

Simagic uses aluminum for the pedals, and a metal plate almost 5 mm thick. The result is a P1000 of excellent build quality, with parts that fit together perfectly, leaving no gaps. The same goes for the paintwork, which is simply excellent, worthy of a premium product.

However, not everything is perfect on the P1000, and the finish demonstrates this. As I said in the “custom mounting” section, many cables are exposed, and in places where it’s easy to damage them. This also applies to the motherboard, which is under the main plate, with unprotected cables. Apart from this point, the overall finish of the P1000 is very good, in line with the brand’s principles.

Bottom bracket settings

Let’s move on to the settings aspect of the P1000. This crankset is highly customizable, with a choice of 2 or 3 pedal configurations, a Load Cell or hydraulic system, and haptic feedback motors on each pedal.

The pedals are adjustable on several points, such as spacing (within the limit of the plate size if you opt for 3 pedals), angle and resistance. And that’s for the hardware part, because the software allows you to take the P1000’s settings even further, with a position for the end stop, a reading of the force applied, the pedal curve, etc. SimPro Manager is really complete, and the software offers you the possibility of having several profiles according to the sim-racing titles. For example, you can have profiles for ACC, F1, RFacor, iRacing and so on, all of which can be set to activate with the launch of the title in question.

Sensations during play

Simagic’s P1000 crankset can be configured as a Load Cell or hydraulic crankset. The LC version is very convincing on simulation, with linear travel and an overall well-calibrated system. Thanks to the optional haptic feedback motors, you’ll feel more or less everything the wheels do, whether it’s ABS intervention, locking, loss of grip, and so on. However, these engines have proved to be rather fat in the sensations they return. This is not a drawback in itself, and you soon get used to it.

The hydraulic version operates on a hybrid system combining hydraulic fluid and elastomer. This means that the first part of the stroke is taken into account by the hydraulics, and as soon as you approach the end of the stroke, the elastomers take over. On its own, this works well enough to provide feedback and feel that’s realistic, much better than a competing LC crankset, but I didn’t notice any big differences from the standard P1000 version. Side by side, there’s a little extra precision for the hydraulic version, but it’s not glaring.

I must confess that I felt a rather strange behavior on the brake pedal, and that’s the return to the neutral position. In the hydraulic version, this phenomenon is presented as the effect of a spring returning the pedal on the last few millimeters of upward travel. You’ll feel a slight tap after you’ve taken your foot off the pedal, and it’s pretty weird I must say.

Let’s take a quick look at the accelerator pedal. It is adjustable in angle and spacing, and also in terms of the force it can take. The feel of this pedal is linear and very precise, giving you a natural driving sensation in all situations.

P1000 compatibility

The P1000 is compatible with all Simagic equipment currently available for purchase. As far as platforms are concerned, only PCs will be able to accommodate this sim-racing peripheral.

Value for money

Depending on the crankset configuration, the P1000 can cost between €600 and almost €1,200 with clutch pedal, RGB, hydraulics, elastomer kit, etc. As for value for money, it all depends on your choice of configuration; it can be good, or it can be bad if you tick all the boxes. After that, it all depends on your needs and driving preferences.

My verdict on Simagic’s P1000 pedalboard

I rather enjoyed sim-racing sessions with the P1000. It’s not the best crankset on the market, nor the worst, for that matter. Simagic’s hybrid approach is quite well executed in absolute terms, with sensations that are good for the target audience.

Admittedly, the P1000 does have its shortcomings, notably a brake pedal that gives you a high five every time you lift your foot, and also visible cables, but this is still a quality crankset, and I’d recommend it with a few options if your budget is limited.