Should you go with iRacing or Forza Heat 4?
This is a question that many sim racing drivers have asked themselves in the past, and there is no easy answer.
Both games have their pros and cons, which we will explore in this blog post. So, which one should you choose?
It really depends on what you are looking for in a driving simulator. Let’s take a look at some of the key differences between these two racing games.
Small disclaimer: if you’re serious about sim racing and want to race professionally, iRacing is the way to go, not Forza 4. That’s because iRacing is an advanced racing simulation software whereas FH4 is more of a fun arcade game to play.
Here’s a list of aspects we’re going to compare:
- Graphics & Physics
- Driving realism
- Cars and Tracks available
- Laser scanned tracks
- Online Multiplayer
- Game updates
- Prices
Let’s now have a look into each one of these in detail.
Table of Contents
Graphics & Physics
Both games have excellent graphics, but iRacing is just another level.
The cars and tracks look incredibly realistic, thanks to the use of laser scanning technology.
Also its physics are top-notch and extremely realistic. This is one of the main reasons why iRacing is used by professional drivers for their daily training.
Forza 4 on the other hand, isn’t as detailed and polished as iRacing but it still looks pretty decent.
Driving realism
Again, iRacing takes the lead when it comes to driving realism.
All of the cars feel different to drive to each other, and you really need to learn the tracks before you can expect to be fast, which is exactly what happens in real life racing.
This is precisely what you would expect from a PRO driving simulator software.
FH4 instead lacks the feeling of grip and the driving feedback that you would get when driving a real car.
Cars and tracks available
Both games have a large selection of cars and trucks to choose from, but Forza 4 has got more than most racing games out there.
With its impressive roster of over 720 cars, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to which car you want to race with. Also in terms of tracks, you have the chance to race around 530 discoverable roads making it pretty tough to get bored.
iRacing on the other hand has “only” got only 100 cars and 140 tracks available.
However, most of the tracks in iRacing are laser scanned making them ultra-realistic.
Laser scanned tracks
As we’ve mentioned above, one of the main advantages that iRacing has over Forza 4 is the use of laser scanning technology.
This makes the majority of tracks in iRacing look incredibly realistic, as they are an exact replica of the real tracks.
This also means that the track conditions change over time, just like in real life. This is a clear advantage for iRacing.
Online Multiplayer
Both games offer good online multiplayer races, but iRacing takes the lead here.
The reason for this is that iRacing offers a more serious and competitive racing environment, which is perfect if you’re looking to race other drivers who are also training to become professional sim racers.
FH4 instead is more suitable for casual and fun online multiplayer races.
Game updates
iRacing is constantly releasing new cars and tracks, as well as working on improving the game’s physics and graphics. This means that the game is always evolving and getting better.
It does that every three months or so making it a pretty solid investment for the long term expecting high-quality updates.
FH4 on the other hand is also releasing new content but at a slightly slower pace and perhaps less quality.
Prices
When it comes to prices, iRacing is a game of its own since it requires a monthly subscription to play.
At $9.99 per month, your total iRacing cost will add up to around $100 a year, without including extra cars and tracks that you’ll have to purchase separately.
Forza 4 on the other hand is a slightly cheaper option, 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.
That’s of course not as cheap as other games like Assetto Corsa or ACC.
So what’s better: iRacing or FH4?
iRacing is better. If you’re looking for professional sim racing experience with realistic physics and laser scanned tracks, then iRacing is the game for you.
It’s also great for online multiplayer racing against other drivers who are serious about training and becoming top professional sim racers.
But if you’re looking for a more casual racing game experience with fewer rules and regulations, then Forza 4 is also a great option.
It has more content than most other racing games and is constantly updating with new cars and tracks. But don’t expect the same level of realism as you would find in iRacing.
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