Should you go with iRacing or Nascar Heat 4?
It’s a question that’s been on the minds of sim racing drivers for a while now.
While there are many different factors to consider, one thing is for sure: both of them are a lot of fun to play!
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the key differences between these two popular racing simulations.
Small disclaimer: if you’re serious about sim racing and want to race professionally, iRacing is the way to go, not Nascar Heat 4. That’s because iRacing is an advanced racing simulation software whereas NH4 is more of a fun arcade game.
So having said that, let’s get started.
Here’s a list of aspects we’re going to compare:
- Graphics & Physics
- Driving realism
- Game updates
- Cars and Tracks available
- Laser scanned tracks
- Online Multiplayer
- Prices
Let’s now have a look into each one of these in detail.
Table of Contents
Graphics & Physics: Does iRacing have better physics than NH4?
When it comes to graphics, iRacing is definitely the more impressive of the two.
The cars and tracks look incredibly realistic, and you can really tell that a lot of time and effort has gone into making them look as good as possible.
The lighting effects are particularly impressive, and the level of detail is simply incredible.
Also in terms of physics, iRacing is definitely the better option.
The cars handle realistically, and the way they interact with the track in terms of grip matches real-life very closely.
The sense of speed is also spot on, and overall the physics feel very polished.
Nascar Heat 4, on the other hand, doesn’t look and feel as good as iRacing.
The cars and tracks are not quite as detailed, and they don’t look quite as realistic.
However, it’s still a pretty decent game for those deeply into Nascar.
Driving realism: is iRacing more realistic than NH4?
When it comes to driving realism, again iRacing pretty much destroys Nascar Heat 4.
The cars feel very close to their real-life reproductions, and the tracks are also extremely accurate replicas.
This means that if you’re looking for an ultra-realistic driving experience, iRacing is the clear winner.
Nascar Heat 4, while not bad by any means, just can’t quite compete with iRacing in this category.
It just feels like an arcade racing game instead of a proper simulator, which iRacing is.
Game updates
iRacing is updated on a regular basis (every 3 months) with new cars, tracks, and features.
This means that the game is always fresh and there’s always something new to try out.
The development team is also very active in the community, and they often release new patches and updates in response to feedback from drivers.
Nascar Heat 4, on the other hand, is not updated as regularly.
In fact, the last major update was released in November 2017.
While this may not be a big deal for casual players, for those who want to stay up-to-date with the latest in Nascar technology, it’s definitely a drawback.
Cars and tracks available
iRacing has over 100 cars and 140 tracks available, which is an absolutely crazy amount.
This means that you’re never going to get bored, and there’s always something new to try out.
Nascar Heat 4, on the other hand, only serves the NASCAR Cup and Infinity cars with less than 40 circuits available.
While this is still great for NASCAR fans, it’s not as good for those who want to try out other racing series.
Laser scanned tracks
One of the coolest features of iRacing is that all of the tracks are laser scanned.
This means that they’re extremely accurate replicas of the real-life tracks, and they look and feel absolutely amazing.
Also NH4 serves some laser scanned tracks though I’m not quite sure whether all of them are.
Online Multiplayer
iRacing has a very active online community, with races happening 24/7.
There’s always someone to race against, and the competition is always fierce.
NH4, on the other hand, doesn’t have as many players online.
This means that finding a race can be more difficult, and the competition is not as fierce.
Prices
iRacing is a game on its own since doesn’t come with a price tag but with a monthly subscription fee of $9.99.
NH4, on the other hand, is a lot cheaper.
You can buy it both on Steam or on the PlayStation Store for $15 or for around $50 if you include all of the DLC packs.
Being a one-time purchase, NH4 is the clear winner when it comes to price as iRacing will cost you around $100 per year to renew it.
So what’s better: iRacing or Nascar Heat 4?
If you’re serious about sim racing then go with iRacing as it will give you a more realistic driving experience with laser scanned tracks and precise car replicas.
On the other hand, if you’re more price-sensitive and wanted to just have fun playing Nascar then NH4 is the better buy for you.
So there you have it! Those are the main differences between iRacing and NH4.
Thanks for reading and I hope this helped you out!
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