So you’re getting start with sime racing and you don’t know which racing software to choose between Assetto Corsa or rFactor2?
Both are great simulators, but each has its own pros and cons.
In this article, we will compare the two and help you out deciding which one is the better fit for you.
Our goal is to help you decide between these two racing softwares by looking at few different factors including:
- Driving realism
- Variety of cars and tracks
- Graphics quality
- Car handling
- Laser scanned tracks
- Prices and Download
So let’s now get started with our in depth comparison guide.
Table of Contents
- First, let’s take a look at Assetto Corsa.
- Pros:
- Cons:
- Now, let’s compare that to rFactor2
- Pros:
- Cons:
- How realistic is it to drive?
- Variety of cars and tracks
- Graphics quality
- Car handling
- Compatibility (PC, Xbox, Playstation)
- FOV (Field of view)
- Are tracks laser scanned?
- Online multiplayer
- Force Feedback (FFB)
- Prices and Downloads
- Time to wrap up:
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- Assetto Corsa Vs – Related Artices
- rFactor 2 Vs – Related Artices
First, let’s take a look at Assetto Corsa.
Pros:
– Great graphics that give a realistic driving experience
– Lots of tracks and cars available
– Officially licensed by the most important Gt3 car manufacturers
Cons:
– Requires high end hardware to run properly (especially if you want to drive with 60+ fps)
– Many features not included in the original version and need to be bought as DLCs (i.e. car customization, weather conditions, etc)
Here’s our in depth review about Assetto Corsa in case you were interested.
Now, let’s compare that to rFactor2
Pros:
– Very configurable controls
– Many features are customizable via plugins, allowing complete customization of the software (i.e. dynamic track, live telemetry, multiplayer options, etc)
– Many different types of cars available to download (rFactor 2 is mostly used for sim racing championships, so lots of teams and drivers share their cars with the community)
– Great dynamic tire model: you can feel like driving a real car.
– Physically Based Rendering (PBR) that adds realism to the graphics.
Cons:
– Not as many tracks available as Assetto Corsa (although this is being improved with the new releases)
– Lacks a career mode and lots of cars available to purchase
– Dirt on the car doesn’t clean as realistically as in Assetto Corsa
How realistic is it to drive?
The overall realism of sim racing softwares comes down to a combination of multiple factors such as car handling, graphic quality, sound quality, and more.
When it comes to Assetto Corsa, you can expect each of those aspects to be on point.
Additionally, other factors such as change of weather in the middle of your race will make driving in Assetto Corsa much more realistic.
rFactor 2 is considered as one of the most underrated simulators that we feel deserves more popularity.
Since it was first released, their overall aspects are more than good enough to be compared with elite simulators such as iRacing and Assetto Corsa.
For us, what sets them apart and makes them very realistic to drive in is their super intelligent AI that provides a realistic and competitive racing experience, even when you are racing offline!
Variety of cars and tracks
The common mistake made by a fraction of people is focusing solely on the numbers of cars and race tracks variety.
While having more options can be great, we recommend you to focus on the cars and track details and graphics instead.
For example, Assetto Corsa has more than 200 cars for you to choose from, but more importantly than those 200 cars, each and every car were made to specific details as they are officially licensed from their manufacturer, including Mercedes, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, etc.
With those cars, you can race in 19 different racing circuits and a total of 45 layouts you that you can choose from , with more race tracks available by downloading the premium DLC packages.
On the other hand, car options in Rfactor 2 are rather limited.
There are only 71 cars that you can race with.
Regardless, the cars are made and inspired by real life racing cars, so you can expect fine details and specifications with all the car options.
On top of that, Rfactor has one of the most abundant race track options with 233 track layouts..
Graphics quality
Considering how technology has advanced particularly in the world of sim racing, there are lots of sim softwares with high quality graphics.
However, Assetto Corsa still stands as one of the best racing simulations in terms of graphic quality.
As an example, you can see how detailed the graphic is when the raindrop changes in angle as you manoeuvre your car under the rain.
While not necessarily known for its graphic quality, we have to say that Rfactor 2 has excellent graphic quality.
While it may not be as refined as the likes of Assetto Corsa and iRacing, there really is nothing to complain about the graphics in Rfactor 2.
In fact, the environment details in Rfactor 2 are quite spectacular considering how often Rfactor 2 is overlooked by most sim racers.
Car handling
Out of both racing software, Assetto Corsa is more realistic to drive in terms of car handling.
However, this means that car handling in Assetto Corsa is relatively harder compared to Rfactor2. Regardless, most sim racers find it easy to adapt to after a few laps of driving.
On the flip side, the car handling in Rfactor 2 is actually quite easy and adaptable.
While most sim racers think that it is slightly less realistic, we look at it as a strong feature where beginners can easily have a quick lap without having to spend much time racing beforehand.
Compatibility (PC, Xbox, Playstation)
Assetto Corsa is a versatile racing software that can be run on PC, Xbox, and Playstation.
In contrast, Rfactor 2 is only available for PC users. While it would be great if Rfactor 2 is available with the console, it is totally understandable as the PC is capable of delivering better performances than the console (under the condition that the PC has high specs).
FOV (Field of view)
After examining the FOV in both racing softwares, we can safely say that both Assetto Corsa and Rfactor 2 have done a brilliant job in maximizing the user’s FOV.
More importantly, the FOV in both softwares is equally realistic and can be adjusted to your own preference through the setting menu.
Make sure you check out our new FOV Assetto corsa and rFactor 2 calculator!
Are tracks laser scanned?
Assetto Corsa has a rather limited number of race tracks that are mostly based on real life racing venues.
Thus, it is not hard for the developers to make sure that all the race tracks are laser scanned to provide maximum details.
As for the hundreds of race tracks in Rfactor 2, the majority of real life venues are completely laser scanned. The only tracks that are not laser scanned are those inspired by fictional and historical racing venues.
Online multiplayer
Online multiplayer is a huge part of sim racing. While offline racing and beating your own personal best time is always fun, there is nothing more challenging than a competitive online multiplayer race.
When you are racing with Assetto Corsa, you can participate in one of the best online races in Assetto Corsa Online Racing League, where you can race with racers of different skill levels.
Meanwhile, Rfactor 2 also provides a versatile and highly enjoyable platform for online races.
Similar to most online games, you can create your own series and invite your friends for quick custom races. Additionally, you can also race in a variety of online racing events held by Rfactor 2.
Force Feedback (FFB)
As one of the most realistic racing simulation to drive in, it is only natural for Assetto Corsa to have a realistic and detailed force feedback system.
Of course, you can only feel the best experience when you pair your racing setup with a good quality steering wheel.
On the other hand, the force feedback in Rfactor 2 feels slightly lighter than most racing softwares including Assetto Corsa.
Regardless, both Assetto Corsa and Rfactor 2 allows you to adjust the force feedback setting according to your own preference, so feel free to find your favourite setting!
Prices and Downloads
Here are the prices and download links for Assetto Corsa:
|
Device |
Price |
Link |
|
Playstation |
$39.99 | Playstation download |
|
Xbox |
$24.00 |
|
|
PC (Steam) |
$19.99 |
PC (Steam) Download |
rFactor 2 is exclusively available on steam for only $31.99
Download rFactor 2 here instead.
Time to wrap up:
There we have it, an in depth comparison between Assetto Corsa and Rfactor 2.
I’ve to say that both racing softwares are very realistic and enjoyable to drive, but here’s my personal opinion without sugarcoating the facts.
If you are a casual racer who enjoys having fun or you’re just getting started with sim racing, don’t be shy to invest some money on Rfactor 2.
It doesn’t cost you much, and it boasts a huge list of tracks for your enjoyment.
On the other hand, if you are a hardcore racer who wants to experience the most realistic racing simulation out there, Assetto Corsa is the clear winner.
Otherwise you could even end up using both of them if you want! 🙂
Hopefully, this article will help you choose which racing simulation is more suitable for your needs.
As always, happy Racing!
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