All the different options for sim racing setups can be overwhelming, especially when starting out. Here's an overview of the advantages of different screen sizes and a few accessories!
Remember the days of PCs using a single 17-inch CRT screen as your only option? Those days are long gone, with many different options being available now - but that makes picking the right one a bit more difficult, too. For sim racing in particular, there are advantages and drawbacks to certain types of screen setups.
In our office, we are running a variety of them for this exact reason. Our rigs also feature accessories to make streaming easier for us, thanks to certain hardware provided by Elgato - but more on how that could help improve your experience later, even if you are not into streaming!
First, let's dive into the world of screen sizes, curves and setups. Here are the most common setups for sim racing rigs.
16:9 Single Screen
The most-used screen setup in our community according to a poll we ran a while ago, 16:9 screens are basically the norm on many office PCs and even TVs. As a result, they are easy to come by, and they are a good entry point to sim racing, especially since many of them come with native 4k resolutions these days.On our Trak Racer rig in the office, we are running a 43-inch TV screen since we also use the rig to run a PlayStation 5. While screens like this are usually more affordable, do pay attention to the refresh rates - many TVs come with 50Hz, so if you can, you should opt for the 60Hz version as that is usually considered the minimum for a fluent experience in a fast-paced environment like sim racing.
21:9 Ultrawide
The next step up is a 21:9 ultrawide screen, which you can usually find in a size of 34 inches. These screens may not extend your field of view by too much, but the extra visibility on the sides does help already, especially since it is curved. For instance, you will likely see apexes of tight corners such as turn 1 at the Nürburgring's GP circuit a bit better, making it easier to consistently find the correct line in such instances.21:9 monitors also use less space and are more affordable than a super ultrawide monitor, so they are a good sweet spot. At a resolution of 3440x1440, these screens often come with refresh rates of up to 144Hz, and while they will use a bit more of your GPU's power, they are still quite manageable regarding hardware resources.
32:9 Super Ultrawide
If you want an even wider field of view, you have two options - a triple-screen setup, or a super ultrawide monitor. In our case, this is a 49-inch screen mounted to an integrated monitor holder on one of our SimLab P1X Pro rigs. It features an OLED panel and a refresh rate of 240Hz, so running a sim at maximum detail using the native 5120x1440 resolution, you will need quite a beefy PC.However, this is offset by a very low response time and a much-improved field of vision. You will be able to see more of your cockpit and the track, so keeping an eye on what is happening is easier. It is one of the pricier options, though, and even more so should you opt for the bigger 57-inch version that ups the resolution to 7680x2160 pixels - and the price, accordingly.
Triple Screens
The ultimate solution for maximum field of view, and not necessarily the most expensive one, is a triple-screen setup. In our case, we are running three 16:9 monitors with a slight curve on our high-end rig, which offers the most visibility of the virtual car and track.Of course, this also means that your GPU will have to work three screens at once, so running sims at their highest visual settings is even more challenging for your hardware than on a 32:9. Some compromise may be needed as a result. Compared to the super ultrawide, we tend to lose 30 to 40% in the FPS department, depending on the sim and scenario.
What is a pro, however, is the price. Of course, buying three monitors at once will not exactly be cheap, but compared to the 32:9 examples mentioned above, you can still get there for less money. Of course, this is the solution that requires the most space as well, so if your sim rig is tucked away into a corner of a room, make sure to take measurements before buying!
FOV
You will hear the term 'field of view' or FOV in short quite frequently when it comes to sim racing setups. This does refer to in-game settings rather than your physical monitor placement, but it does have something to do with it.Technically, there is only one correct FOV for any rig. Think of sitting in a blacked-out car, with only your monitors acting as windows in the position they are in - that is what you would see in the sim as well. The closer your monitors are to your eyes, the better, at least to a certain degree. If you can mount them right behind your wheel so that you can still comfortably turn it, you are in as good a spot as it gets.
Then, you can measure the distance from your eyes to your monitor. Input this measurement as well as the size, aspect ratio and, if applicable, curve of your monitor into an FOV calculator, and you will get the setting you can use for a 1:1 view that you would have in a real car.
Why is this helpful? Well, it makes judging distances easier, as you use the same FOV you would use in real life, just restricted by the boundaries of your monitor. Of course, you can adjust the setting a bit if the 'accurate' FOV means you can hardly see anything, too - it is also a matter of preference, like so many things in sim racing.
Keep in mind, however, that if you run your FOV much wider than the calculator suggests, your perception of distance will be much different, so battling cars around you might be more of a challenge.
Accessories For Streaming & More
As you might have noticed in some of the images, videos and live streams, there are more accessories on our rigs in addition to the peripherals needed for racing. Whether or not you are looking into streaming yourself or simply for a handy piece of hardware that is rather versatile, we found that the devices provided to us by Elgato were very helpful. For our dual-PC streaming setup, we use an Elgato 4K Pro capture card, too.Elgato Stream Deck Mk.2
The Elgato Stream Deck Mk.2 is not just a very capable helper for streaming our sim racing endeavours, it can also be used as a button box alternative. Its programmable buttons also support 'folders', so you can program in many more functions than there are buttons, which is one of the device's biggest strengths.In fact, SimHub even supports the Stream Deck, which makes it possible to assign in-game functions to the device. No need to figure out where to put the starter, ignition or wiper functions on the limited button real estate of your wheel itself - you can just do that via the Stream Deck. There is also an iRacing plugin for it, which makes it possible to control many more aspects of the sim, such as the chat, for instance.
Elgato Wave:3
To transmit our voices when streaming, we use the Elgato Wave:3 USB microphone coupled to the Shock Mount to reduce unwanted noise from vibrations when driving, for instance. It is straight-forward to use and comes with the built-in capability of filtering out background noises. Its software also allows for plenty of adjustments to achieve the result we are looking - or rather listening - for.Elgato Facecam Pro
Recording yourself in high resolution is also desirable for a stream, of course, and for this, we use the Elgato Facecam Pro. This little device offers a 4k resolution at 60Hz, which you usually only achieve with a proper camera mounted to a tripod, for instance. The Facecam Pro is much more compact than this and can simply be placed atop your monitor or in similar spaces.If you are interested in buying one of the Elgato products mentioned, head over to their store where they are running a Black Friday sale as of the time of writing. And if you use our affiliate code ZZ-Overtake when checking out, you will get an extra discount on your order!
Which screen setup do you prefer for sim racing, and which accessories have made your sim racing experience more enjoyable? Let us know in the comments below!
