When it was first released to the public, Virtual Reality was considered as one of the most groundbreaking technological advancements.
Oddly, we haven’t yet seen it develop into anything significant.
Most people who buy VR usually use it to watch a couple of movies or play a few games until they decide that the VR is rather overrated.
Of course, it does not apply to all VR users.
In fact, VR can be such a game changing technology when used for suitable purposes, especially sim racing.
In this article, we will guide you through the use of VR in Sim racing, including how you use it, which VR to choose for Sim racing, and many more, stay tuned!
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Sim Racing VR vs Monitor
It is no secret that sim racing requires a lot of hardware and equipment.
Each equipment has its own contribution which will determine your overall racing experience.
To me, every aspect of sim racing is equally important, especially when it comes to a high performing racing setups.
However, you could argue that visuals are one of the most crucial aspects of sim racing.
To get the best visual, you will need a high quality racing software and a compatible device to support the overall graphic quality.
After getting both aspects on point, what’s left is for you to pick the best display for your race, a VR or monitor.
Before VR was as popular, most sim racers had no other choice than using a monitor, which is not bad by any means.
After all, monitors are more than capable of delivering a highly immersive racing experience, especially when you are using a wide screen HD monitor or an adequate triple monitor setup.
After VR was adapted into sim racing, it definitely unlocked new possibilities for avid sim racers around the world.
As you know, using VR will put you directly into the perspective of the racers.
Despite any limitations within the software or the VR itself, some racers have made it one of their utmost requirements for sim racing.
Is VR Good for Sim Racing?
The short answer is yes, VR is excellent for sim racing!
Just like the majority of sim racing equipment, you can still have a great racing experience without VR, but using it will definitely elevate your experience to a whole new level, one that you might not even know exists in the world of sim racing.
Most importantly, using VR can improve your performance regardless of your skill levels.
With that in mind, here are several reasons of why VR is good for sim racing:
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Immersion
When you are racing on iRacing or ACC with a complete sim racing setup, you will be able to experience what we refer to as the ultimate sim racing experience.
Once you achieve that level of immersion and realism, the only way to elevate your overall experience is by using VR.
If you think racing in a complete sim setup feels realistic, imagine using a VR, where you can literally adjust your frame of view as you move your heads.
When using VR, you will practically live and breath the racing experience!
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Better FOV (Frame of View)
FOV is one of the most important factors that will determine the level of immersion.
As discussed previously, using a VR will improve your frame of view in a way that it will adjust itself according to your head movements.
On top of providing a much more immersive experience, virtual reality’s FOV will actually increase your performance.
How exactly? First of all, using a VR will make it much easier for you to adapt with the tracks you are racing on.
Second, being able to adjust your view as you move your head will increase your awareness especially when you repeatedly race on the same track
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Sensitivity
Alongside a good specia awareness, improving your sensitivity is also crucial to improve your overall racing performance.
While it is possible to develop high racing awareness with triple/ultra-wide monitors, using a VR will make it much easier and adaptable for you.
Whether it is towards the track details or the other racers, you will experience a drastic improvement in your racing sensitivity
How Do You Use VR in Sim Racing?
Using a VR in sim racing is fairly simple, VR is a small and compact device that you can fit in comfortably into your head.
The only difficult task lies in connecting it with your devices for the first time.
However, this should be very simple to learn compared to setting up some of the other racing hardware.
First and foremost, you need to find a headset that is sim racing compatible.
After that, you’ll have to pair your device.
Similar to pairing up a wireless speaker/headphones, you will be notified by an audible sound once your VR is connected.
From here, you can start to run your simulation and race with your VR!
The steps really are easy to follow, and there are usually steps/tutorials available on the VR itself.
If there is anything hard in this process, it is probably to adapt with the overall experience especially when it is your first time.
Which VR is Best for Sim Racing?
There are so many high quality products that it is pretty difficult to say which VR is the best for sim racing.
However, you can always look for the following features when looking for a sim racing VR:
- FOV (Field of View)
- Compatibility
- Ergonomic designs
- Display quality
- Sound quality
- Motion range
- Price
If you find it rather hard to decide, we highly recommend the Oculus Quest 2 ($399) or the HP Reverb G2 ($624.98) for the best of the best!
Is Sim Racing Easier in VR?
Sim racing can be rather hard depending on the level you are racing at.
While using a VR will improve your skill and performance, it does not necessarily make it easier, especially when you are racing at the highest levels.
In terms of breaking your own records and personal best, yes it will be much easier as you adapt with your VR, but now that most racers are also using a VR, more racers are getting better at sim racing, resulting in a much higher standard particularly on online multiplayers.
Is Vr Racing Compatible on PC?
Yes it is! What we like about VR is its versatility and high compatibility.
While you can pair it with most PCs, the quality will definitely differ according to the specs of the PC you are using.
In comparison, running on VR requires the same specs to run a pair of 1440p monitors at a minimum FPS of 90.
There are no set requirements, but you should not be worried if you have a high performing PC setup with decent GPU and CPU.
If you want to maximize your VR experience, consider upgrading your PC with the following hardwares:
- Intel Core i7-9700 Desktop Processor ($352.27)
- ASUS TUF Gaming AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT OC Edition Graphics Card ($1299.98)
- ASUS ROG Strix B550-F Motherboard ($194.99)
Is it Compatible on Console?(Xbox/Playstation)
Another yes! VR is compatible for consoles but you would want to check beforehand as not all VRs are compatible with either Xbox or Playstation.
One of our favourite VR for consoles has to be the GOOVIS Cinego G2 ($639).
You can try to find cheaper alternatives but as it applies to buying other pieces of your racing equipment, we highly recommend investing in higher-end products for its quality and better durability.
