Speed racing: how to create the ultimate in racing sim immersion

Tuning cars and tuning GPUs isn’t so different. It's when you manage to combine the two that a special place in the center of the universe is filled with cats and unicorns. And supercars. Much like the newly rekindled space sim, racing sims can offer some exceptionally immersive experiences. So if you want to find out how each of the 350+ cars in feel in Forza Horizon 3, read on.

Custom kit

There are some impressive looking racing titles due this year, including two Gran Turismo titles, F1 2016 which is already available, and Forza Horizon 3 that was just released. If you truly want to get the most out of the high speed thrills they offer though, you’ll need a slightly more in depth set up than your everyday gaming rig.

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While choosing a GPU is normally a case of simply going for the best value to power ratio in your budget, the ‘ultimate racing experience without actually driving a real car’ requires more careful selection. This is thanks to a secret weapon (drum roll): The Triple Monitor Setup. You’ll also want some specialist control devices like steering wheels and throttle control/pedals (and a bucket seat, for the truly authentic experience, of course).

Wing mirrors

If you want to run a three monitor setup, then certain cards are better suited than others. You’ll need a card that has enough ports for all of your monitors. Either the ROG Strix GTX 1060 or the RX 480 would be a good place to start for your virtual mean machine, providing both the power and ports for a immersive racing experience.

Monitor-wise, these cards also work well with the ROG PG248Q and PG278Q, both of which are designed for serious gaming. Both feature G-SYNC, refresh rates up to 180Hz (PG248Q), 1ms response time, and easy to adjust, sturdy mounts. A 24 or 27 inch display with thin bezels is also enough to pull you right in as you weave round those tricky corners. Alternatively, the ASUS MG278Q features adaptive sync, and display widget for easy adjustment.

Any of these are a solid choice, and while they are 4K ready, full HD will likely be more than enough as you’ll be pinned to your seat in an adrenaline rush (ie not so close to the screens in general if you really want to put the surround displays to proper use). The added bonus is you can put the money saved towards higher-end graphics cards.

Power steering

Of course, the ultimate visual experience will mean nothing if you’re trying to drive with WASD. Nothing less than a steering wheel will do, and there are some great options out there. You could opt for just the wheel itself, something like the Drift OZ, which is a very affordable option.

The more hardcore among you might want something more like the Logitech G27, which features a setup almost identical to the real thing, with gear stick, pedals, and wheel (the smell of gasoline and burning rubber is extra). Here's a list of compatible wheels for Forza Horizon 3 and F1 2016. Whatever you decide on, don’t forget to share your setup with our lively community or Flipboard.

 

By Simon Marshall