What PC for simracing

[Stilojon]

Hi all.

after many years of playing racing games on ps4 and xbox1 i want to start sim racing on PC. ive never had a gaming PC and want a top quality gaming PC ideally off the shelf.

Can anyone recommend what to get and where to get it.

Looking for something powerful enough to run a proper sim racing set up with 3 screens etc.

any help appreciated.

 

[Sl8er]

Hi all.

after many years of playing racing games on ps4 and xbox1 i want to start sim racing on PC. ive never had a gaming PC and want a top quality gaming PC ideally off the shelf.

Can anyone recommend what to get and where to get it.

Looking for something powerful enough to run a proper sim racing set up with 3 screens etc.

any help appreciated.

I don't have any suggestions, but the first thing you'll be asked is:
What is your budget?

( I'm sure there'll be some good folks along shortly to make suggestions )

 

[Ancalagon]

Yeah, you need a budget. I'd say that for a decent gaming PC, you would be looking at around R20k - excluding monitor.

As to whether to build or buy - I'd do a bit of both. Select the parts you want from Rebeltech (including Windows!), and add them to your cart, along with their Build and install OS option, which costs around R300. They will then build it for you. You get the advantage of selecting your own parts with having them build it for you.

Personally I would recommend an AMD Ryzen 2600X, a B350 motherboard, and an Nvidia GTX 1070 or 1070Ti. You would also need fairly expensive memory - budget R3500 for 16GB. And you would need 16GB.

 

[MEIOT]

In addition I would highly recommend an investment in a good VR headset. SIM racing on VR - absolutely next level

 

[Ancalagon]

In addition I would highly recommend an investment in a good VR headset. SIM racing on VR - absolutely next level

What games support that though? As far as I know, not many do, and motion sickness is an issue.

 

[MEIOT]

Project Cars 2 for one. Amazing. Worth buying the headset just for that :crylaugh:

Motion sickness is subjective. A percentage of people experience it - most don't. I guess try before you buy would apply.

Wow - that rhymes nicely

 

[Ghost729]

I currently play Forza 7 and Assetto Corsa with an i5-4690K, 16GB DDR3 1866 and a GTX 970 on a single display. Forza is more graphically demanding and with all settings maxed, I can hit 60FPS consistently at 1080p.

Don't get VR. While is really nice for looking around the car, at this point I feel like there's still too many issues with the ergonomics of VR headsets that ruin the experience.

More importantly, what wheel and pedals are you going to get? Are you getting a frame to mount it on?

As far as PC specs go, for 3 screens, look at getting a GTX 1080 (Ti) if you want to run at max settings on 3 screens. A GTX 1070 might be able to handle it as well. Or you can't wait for the next gen Geforce cards to come out.

For the rest of the specs, I'd go with an i5 or Ryzen 5 with 16GB RAM and whatever else tickles your fancy.

A word of advice though, Sim Racing is a lot more difficult than the arcade racers available on console. It is very rewarding once you get used to it, though.

I wouldn't call myself a veteran sim racer, but you're welcome to PM me if you have any questions about Sim Racing.

 

[Stilojon]

thanks for all the responses guys.

im prob willing to spend arou d 50 _ 75k to have everything. but if i cam do it cheaper that would be a bonus.

i cant find any decemt seats and rigs though.

would love one with all the actuators on to mpve you around and everything like that.

 

[Ghost729]

im prob willing to spend arou d 50 _ 75k to have everything.

Wow. You're really serious about this to put up that much capital.

My advice would be to first get a racing wheel and pedals, mount it to a desk and practice some. See how you feel about Sim Racing and what would make you're experience more comfortable in terms of the hardware.

A full frame with actuators will not make you a better racer. It just enhances the experience. So, rather not drop R75K and realise later that you enjoy racing with a controller more or you didn't needs some of the more expensive components.

A good wheel to start with is the Logitech G920/G29. That's what I'm using and it is good enough for pro sim racers, even if it lacks some of the features that more expensive wheels have. You can also look at the Thrustmaster TMX/T150.

 

[igeorge]

Don't get VR. While is really nice for looking around the car, at this point I feel like there's still too many issues with the ergonomics of VR headsets that ruin the experience.

Can't agree less - if you have the budget, VR with a wheel is a leap on from normal monitor simming. With decent hardware the chances of nausea is very small.

There is nothing else that will give the same amount of immersion. Which is the whole point, ne?
Ian

 

[eye_suc]

Assetto Corsa is a better sim than Project Cars 2, but both are fun to play. Get both, both have their merits.

But VR is non-negotiable. For racing sims, Rift seems better thanks to the ASW, but getting either Rift or Vive is fine. Once you have raced with VR you cannot go back.

 

[Ghost729]

Can't agree less - if you have the budget, VR with a wheel is a leap on from normal monitor simming. With decent hardware the chances of nausea is very small.

There is nothing else that will give the same amount of immersion. Which is the whole point, ne?
Ian

Yes, VR is more immersive. But the lack of resolution hurts the immersion. The ergonomics I was referring to is the fit and weight of the headset. Also the cables are a nuisance and the optics aren't quite perfect (looking around with eyes instead of the head shows how fixed the focus is to a single point).

If we're just taking immersion, then I'd say that immersion means different things to different people. For example, since sim racing is about realism, I could say that Forza is more immersive than Assetto Corsa, because the cars look more realistic.

But VR is non-negotiable.

No, it's not. People have been sim racing before VR came around and there are still pros that go without it.

It's terrible advice to tell someone to dump a ton of money into something they're starting out at. Throwing money at it doesn't make a person better at it. Just ask Pastor Maldonado.

If the OP wanted advice on getting VR, then sure, recommend it.

 

[igeorge]

If you look at the original and following posts, the poster is clearly wanting to set up a top end system. He should try a decent VR racing system before spending any money and decide for himself. A 3 monitor setup will cost as much as a VR setup, and it would be terrible if he spent a ton of money, only to spend it again...

 

[Ghost729]

If you look at the original and following posts, the poster is clearly wanting to set up a top end system. He should try a decent VR racing system before spending any money and decide for himself. A 3 monitor setup will cost as much as a VR setup, and it would be terrible if he spent a ton of money, only to spend it again...

Now there, we can agree.

That's why I suggested OP first get a wheel and pedal set to start. He can build a full racing rig around that afterwards, without making any regret purchases.

Essentially OP needs to build a PC with a single screen setup and the wheel and pedal set. Once he gets racing on that, he can then realise himself that he either needs/wants a 3 screen setups or VR and check it out. He will also realise whether he needs a rig to mount everything on. Maybe even build the rig himself.

 

[eye_suc]

Yes, VR is more immersive. But the lack of resolution hurts the immersion. The ergonomics I was referring to is the fit and weight of the headset. Also the cables are a nuisance and the optics aren't quite perfect (looking around with eyes instead of the head shows how fixed the focus is to a single point).

If we're just taking immersion, then I'd say that immersion means different things to different people. For example, since sim racing is about realism, I could say that Forza is more immersive than Assetto Corsa, because the cars look more realistic.

Your opinion is valid. However, all the things you mention do not affect me or anybody who has tried my Rift.

No, it's not. People have been sim racing before VR came around and there are still pros that go without it.

It's terrible advice to tell someone to dump a ton of money into something they're starting out at. Throwing money at it doesn't make a person better at it. Just ask Pastor Maldonado.

If the OP wanted advice on getting VR, then sure, recommend it.

Fair enough, but people have also been driving horse drawn carriages for centuries. I think we should stick with that as well.
[MENTION=277357]Stilojon[/MENTION]: you are welcome to come demo my setup. I just don't have a racing chair.
Also, instead of "off the shelf" perhaps consider talking to https://www.wootware.co.za/. They will give you much more bang for buck for your PC than Incredible Yeast Infection or Computer Mania.

 

[igeorge]

Interesting comment re resolution and immersion. I've been using a Rift and seat with a G25 wheel/pedal/shifter setup for several years now. First the DK2 and then CV1. The resolution (or lack of it) is noticeable, particularly when a following a car some ways ahead. But there is NO way I'd ever go back to using a monitor, because that is really an immersion killer

The CV1 has a single cable carrying audio to the headphones as well, and its long enough not to be an issue when in the seat. The DK2 was more problematic.

Finally, the fact that you are cut off from the outside world visually, and using the Rift's headphones, only helps the immersion. Problem when the SO wants to speak to me and I'm racing

 

[igeorge]

Since I posted this, Project cars 2 DLC, Spirit of Le Mans was released. I've been spending a lot of time driving the 70's version of the track with the Porsche 917/Ferrari 512 combos. It is completely awesome to sit in and drive those cars down the Mulsanne Super intense!

Looking at a decent VR system:
PC i7, SSD etc (R15000)?
Radeon RX 580 8GB + Oculus Rift Kit (R12500 for both via Amazon)
Logitech G29 Wheel,Pedals + Free Shifter via Firstshop (R3700)
Seat: Depends on budget (R5000+)

Well under the budget...

 

[Ghost729]

Full disclosure from my side: I haven't actually used VR for sim racing. I demo'ed a couple of games about 2 years back and wasn't very impressed. Maybe it works well for sim racing.

However, I stick to what I said. First get started on sim racing then upgrade the rig with VR, etc, if you feel it's necessary.

 

[igeorge]

I used to do a bit of 'gentleman' racing 10 years back. Had a Noble M400 and did trackdays, hillclimbs etc. I've always simraced, but VR has completely changed things for me. My real racing days are over, and VR racing has replaced the itch. Cheaper!, safer and less time consuming than the real thing. Sure it's not the same, but VR racing allows such a freedom of choice that I could never get from the the real thing. One thing that VR does really well is create a sense of speed.

Ghost, I'm out in Noordhoek...if you ever want to give it a bash, give me a shout.

 

[Ghost729]

I can imagine that it gets really expensive to race real cars. Sim racing it nice for the reasons you mentioned with the trade off that you can't feel the G's.

Thanks for the offer, igeorge. I take you up on it some time in the future.