Now that most gamers have even more time to play during COVID 19, they are constantly looking for new games and new ways to play. Of course, it’s boring to have to play the same game all the time. That’s why the trend of sim racing has increased even more during this period and more and more gamers are trying it out.
What is sim racing?
Sim racing is the abbreviation of “simulated racing”. It’s the concept that gamers play a racing game but not in the normal way. They don’t play this game like most games with a controller but it’s like driving a car by using a steering wheel, pedals, gears, etc. It’s the abbreviation of “simulated racing”. The idea of sim racing is taking the race games to a more serious and realistic level. Designed to replicate real-world physics variables such as tire grip, traction, suspension geometry, aerodynamics, and more, a simulator creates the most accurate representation of driving dynamics possible.
On the other hand, getting all the equipment to run your sim race simulator could cost you a lot of money. Of course you have different kinds of gear from beginner hardware to high-end hardware. It depends on how much you would like to spend on it. You can get a low-end sim racing package for 1000-1200 euro what is still quite expensive. However, If you compare it with a test drive on a real racetrack that costs like 300-600 euros a day it starts to look a more appealing and cheaper option.
What do I need to start sim racing
PC or console
To start of the most relevant thing to start a sim race is having a pc or console. Most of the sim racers need a pc to be able to run and to install some software. Nevertheless, it’s worth saying that you’ll probably need a more advanced pc to get the best performance as simulators are quite a big thing to run.
It’s recommended to run these simulators on 60 fps to have the full experience of the game. This means that there’s no stuttering in the game and that it runs quite smoothly. A PlayStation 5 or Xbox One X usually runs on 120 frames so you don’t have to buy anything else to get those 120fps.
What pc hardware is recommended to get these 60 fps or higher? Look for a pc with a good,mid-range quad processor, 8Gb of ram and a good graphic cards. Next to that a solid SSD could also help loading times.
If you don’t want to spend a lot on your pc you can also try to lower the settings of your simulators. This could increase the fps as well but the quality will be lower then.
The seat
As a sim racer you need a comfortable chair that you can spend hours in without having any pain in your neck or back. That’s why we made a list of the best gaming chairs for sim racers in 2021. These chairs are very ergonomic and sit so comfortably.
The steering wheel
Something very important to start sim racing is having a steering wheel. You have a lot of different ones all with their features and size. Some are more expensive than other ones. Some are more responsive and have a bigger vibration when hitting a wall for example than other ones etc. We’ve made a list with the top 5 steering wheels you should buy for sim races:
- Thrustmaster T300 RS
- Thrustmaster TMX PRO
- Logitech G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel
- Logitech G920 Driving Force
The pedals
Something else you can and should buy to start sim racing are the pedals. Mostly the pedals will be included into a package with the steering wheel but if you want to buy it separately we’ve made a list with those you could buy:
Shifters
Aside from the wheel and pedals, you will most likely want a way of changing gears. Some of the steering wheels already have shifters on it but you can also buy these shifters separately if you want a more realistic and better experience. We’ve found 2 ones that could be interesting for you as a starting sim racer:
Monitor
If you’re passionate about playing racing games you might look for a monitor with a high refresh rate and most of the people also look for a curved screen for these simulators. It is recommended to choose at least 144hz to have the full experience of the simulation
We’ve made a list with the top 5 monitors of 2021 we recommend buying for sim races:
- Samsung 49″ 144hz Curved Gaming Monitor (CHG90)
- ASUS ROG Swift Gaming Monitors
- Acer 24.5″ 240hz Monitor (XF250Q)
- Acer Predator 43″ 4K 144hz Monitor (CG437K)
The rig
As you probably thought, you can also buy a package where everything is included (Steering wheel, pedals, shifters, and the seat). This can be interesting if you just want to get started directly and that you don’t have to install all the components separately. The cheapest rig will be around 1000 euros while you also have high-end ones that cost around 5000 euros and if you want an ultra-competitive one the costs can be as high as 35.000 euros.
Games
You also need some games to start sim racing. These games can be bought on the platform itself (Ps4, Xbox, Steam) or in different game shops. We’ve listed the 4 best games to start sim racing:
Conclusion
Finally, you can decide which setup you want, you can go as expensive as your budget allows, but with a cheaper setup it should also be possible to get acquainted with sim racing.
With this guide, we just wanted to give you an explanation of all the accessories you can buy to start sim racing and hope this can help you in some way.
PS: You just started sim racing but you don’t know the tracks yet? Why not buy one of these racetracks to decorate your room?