Ever since the GT7 game release back in March 2022, sim racing drivers have been debating about which game was better between Nascar Heat 5 and Gran Turismo 7.
While they both have their pros and cons, it can be tough to decide which one will be the perfect racing game for your preference and PS/Xbox console.
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 NH5 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
- Nascar Heat 5 prices
- Gran Turismo 7 prices
- Which game is better for you?
Which game is more realistic to drive?
Both NH5 and GT7 are actually very similar in terms of driving realism despite Gran Turismo 7 having a slight edge over Nascar Heat 5 when it comes to car physics and accurate tire behavior.
In fact, according to most sim drivers, Nascar Heat 5 lacks some of the very important physics and car dynamics that you would get in real-life racing.
In addition to that, another area where GT7 excels over NH5 is in its tire model which provides a more accurate and predictable grip level which is crucial to finding the limit of the car.
This makes it slightly more difficult to master but ultimately provides a more realistic driving experience than Nascar Heat 5.
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 on bringing fresh updates to improve their car physics even further in order to hopefully match ACC and iRacing outstanding driving realism.
Which game has more cars and tracks?
In terms of cars and tracks available, Nascar Heat 5 loses out with only 40 cars and 34 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 more cars than Nascar Heat 5.
In terms of the quality of cars, GT7 offers 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 quite 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 F1 2021.
Which game has better graphics?
Nascar Heat 5 has got pretty good 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 high attention to every single detail, even to pit crew.
As long as you’re using a PC with a powerful GPU and processor, be ready for the ultimate graphics experience!
Similarly, 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, Nascar Heat 5 is the clear winner with PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S support.
In addition to that you can play NH5 also on a PC with an Operating System of Windows 10 or more.
Since playing on PC usually tends to yield the best graphics experience thanks to powerful GPUs, this gives Nascar Heat 5 another 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 Nascar Heat 5 is.
In fact, especially for Playstation users, we usually recommend Gran Turismo 7 over FH5 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 always adjust your FOV in the settings menu.
In the case of Nascar Heat 5 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, mak sure you 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 5 though, we haven’t really got a clear idea whether its tracks are laser scanned or not.
On the other hand, Gran Turismo has got 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.
In fact both games come with a pretty sophisticated licensing system where you will be able to participate in racing events with drivers of a similar skill level.
Both Nascar Heat 5 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 Nascar Heat 5.
This is because the GT7 uses a more sophisticated physics engine that takes into account multiple variables, whereas NH5 FFB feels more like an arcade 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 “heavier” or “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
Nascar Heat 5 prices
Nascar Heat 5 starts at $29.99 on the Xbox store.
Gran Turismo 7 prices
|
Device |
Price |
Link |
|
Playstation |
$69.99 |
Playstation Download |
Which game is better for you?
As you may have discovered, both Nascar Heat 5 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 Nascar Heat 5 is the better choice.
However, if you’re looking for a more immersive and realistic driving experience with better 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! 🙂
