Ever since the GT7 game release back in March 2022, sim racing drivers have been debating about which game was better between Forza Horizon 4 and Gran Turismo 7.
While they both have their pros and cons, it can be quite challenging to decide which one will be the perfect racing game for you based on your preference and PC/Xbox/PS compatibility.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the key differences between these games by looking at few different factors including:
- Driving realism
- Variety of cars and tracks
- Graphics quality
- Compatibility
- Laser scanned tracks
- Prices and Download
So let’s now get started with our in depth comparison guide of FH4 vs GT7!
Table of Contents
- Which game is more realistic to drive?
- Which game has more cars and tracks?
- Which game has better graphics?
- Compatibility (PC, Xbox, Playstation)
- FOV (Field of view)
- Which game has laser scanned tracks?
- Which game is better in online multiplayer racing?
- Which game has better force feedback?
- Prices and Downloads
- Gran Turismo 7 prices
- Forza Horizon 4 prices
- Which game is better for you?
Which game is more realistic to drive?
Both FH4 and GT7 are actually pretty similar in terms of driving realism despite Gran Turismo 7 having a slight edge over Forza Horizon 4 when it comes to car physics and accurate tire behavior.
In fact, according to most sim drivers, Forza Horizon 4 lacks some of the very important physics, and car dynamics that you would get in real-life racing making it more difficult to drive than Gran Turismo 7.
In addition to that, another area where GT7 excels over FH4 is in its tire grip model which provides a more accurate and predictable level of grip which is crucial to finding the limit of the car.
This makes it slightly more difficult to master but it eventually provides a more immersive driving experience than FH4, which is what truly matters.
For that we’ve got to give credits to Gran Turismo 7 developers which, despite their recent game release in March 2022, have already been working hard on bringing fresh updates to improve their car physics even further in order to hopefully match iRacing and ACC outstanding driving realism.
Which game has more cars and tracks?
In terms of cars and tracks available, Forza Horizon 4 loses out with “only” 460 cars and 17 real-world tracks (+ 9 fictional tracks) compared to the 520 cars and 35 tracks (+25 layouts) that you’ll find in Gran Turismo 7.
So yeah, GT7 has got slightly more tracks but way quite a few more cars than Forza Horizon 4.
But hey, remember that quantity doesn’t always mean quality so don’t take your decisions purely based on that.
In terms of the quality of cars, both FH4 and GT7 offer a mix of licensed and unlicensed vehicles which will require a certain amount of credits to purchase.
All in all, the car details and specs in Gran Turismo 7 are pretty impressive, but they could definitely add a bit more realism from the onboard cockpit view which is outstanding in games like iRacing, ACC, RaceRoom and rFactor 2.
Which game has better graphics?
Forza Horizon 4 has got really incredible graphics that we can hardly find any flaws in it.
Both the car exterior and interior are very realistic and you can see how they pay close attention to every single detail, even to the point where you can realistically see the hands of the driver gripping the steering wheel when cornering.
As long as you’re using a PC with a powerful GPU and processor, be ready for the ultimate graphics experience!
Similarly to FH4, Gran Turismo 7 is also known for their excellent graphics quality.
It has been one of their strongest points since their 2022 release, and their official Playstation license makes it even more accessible for console gamers to enjoy the great graphics.
All in all we can say that both games have very similar graphics and so there are no clear winners here.
Compatibility (PC, Xbox, Playstation)
In terms of device compatibility, Forzza Horizon 4 is the clear winner with its Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S support.
In addition to that you can play FH4 also on a PC with an Operating System of Windows 10 or more.
Unfortunately though, you won’t be able to run Forza Horizon 4 on both your PS4 and PS5.
Since playing racing games on PC usually tends to yield the best graphics experience thanks to powerful GPUs, this gives Forza Horizon 4 a great advantage over console-only racing simulators such as GT7.
With that in mind, racing with consoles should not always be overlooked, especially when you’re racing with Gran Turismo 7 which is only available on Playstation (PS4 & PS5) and not also on PC and Xbox as Forza Horizon 4 is.
In fact, especially for Playstation users, we usually recommend Gran Turismo 7 over FH4 as it really is one of the few and best racing games that you can run on Playstation 4 and Playstation 5.
FOV (Field of view)
FOV is one of the most important factors that will determine the immersion of your overall driving experience.
As it applies with most professional racing games, you can very often adjust your FOV in the settings menu.
In the case of Forza Horizon 4 and Gran Turismo 7, we believe that both games have excellent FOV even when used by default and so you won’t really have to change it that much.
Having said that, make sure to check our free FOV calculator that we’ve recently released!
Which game has laser scanned tracks?
Laser scanning is something that will not directly affect your racing performance, but it is highly regarded by sim racers as one of the most important factors to get on point for sim racing games.
In Forza Horizon 4 there is no clear evidence that any of the tracks have been laser scanned.
This is a great advantage for GT7 as it gives them an edge over Forza Horizon 4.
In fact Gran Turismo 7 has got around half of its tracks that are based on real life venues, and a few of these are laser scanned to provide users with the most realistic details from the kerbs and bumps on the road.
However, the majority of tracks that are not laser scanned in Gran Turismo 7 are the ones based on fictional and historical racing venues.
Which game is better in online multiplayer racing?
When it comes to online races both games offer a decent selection of multiplayer features.
For instance, these games come with a pretty sophisticated licensing system where you’ll be able to participate in racing events with drivers of a similar skill level.
Both Forza Horizon 4 and GT7 apply these kinds of measures to make sure their online races are kept competitive and fun for racers of all levels, but realistically, their online races are nowhere near as competitive and professional as iRacing or Assetto Corsa Competizione.
Which game has better force feedback?
In terms of force feedback realism, Gran Turismo has a slight edge over Forza Horizon 4.
This is because the GT7 uses a more sophisticated physics engine that takes into account multiple variables, whereas Forza Horizon 4 FFB feels a bit more like an arcade open-world game.
However, most drivers would most likely be fine racing with the default settings, but you can always adjust the in-game FFB according to your own preference in the wheel settings menu, to either make the wheel feel a bit “heavier” or a bit “lighter”.
Other than that, in order to elevate your performance in both games make sure that you use a professional steering wheel From Fanatec, Logitech or Thrustmaster instead of playing on a controller.
Prices and Downloads
Gran Turismo 7 prices
|
Device |
Price |
Link |
|
Playstation |
$69.99 |
Playstation Download |
Forza Horizon 4 prices
Forza Horizon 4 is a slightly cheaper option than GT7, with prices starting at only $59.99 for the standard game version.
Though if you plan on purchasing all the extra FH4 DLCs you will end up paying something like $170.
Which game is better for you?
As you may have discovered, both Forza Horizon 4 and Gran Turismo 7 are great choices depending on what you are looking for in a sim racing game.
If you’re looking for the best graphics and multi-platform device compatibility to race on PC as well as on Xbox, then Forza Horizon 4 is the better choice.
However, if you’re looking for a more immersive and realistic driving experience with incredible physics and plenty of laser scanned tracks, then Gran Turismo 7 is the right choice for you.
In an ideal world with unlimited time and budget, we would highly recommend that you buy and try both games to make your own judgement.
But if you’re stuck on which one to choose, then make sure to check out our in-depth analysis of both games to help you make your decision!
See you on track! 🙂
