So You Want To Start Sim Racing? WATCH THIS first.

foreign racing Den as the title suggests you may have clicked on this video because you're either considering getting into SIM racing planning to upgrade your current setup or maybe know nothing about it but are curious this video will summarize some important things before diving in and purchasing your Hardware so why should you listen to me well listen I'm not an expert by any means but I have dedicated a lot of my time to sim racing over the last four years building my personal setup researching and keeping up to date with the latest Sim racing games and testing different hardware and accessories on the market I also struggled when I started out unsure of what route to go I've used both console or PC I've tried different display options struggled with what cockpit would be best to begin with OR what Hardware ecosystem to build out my setup with if I were to start all over again I would consider some different things that I'll share with you I'd say I've learned a lot along the way and made some mistakes too that ended up costing me more in the long run and hopefully this video will help you avoid some of those mistakes and in some way if you're just unsure or overwhelmed with where to start or what things to even consider this may serve as a helpful guide or checklist of course this won't be a buyer's guide telling you what products are best to buy but simply the things to consider before doing your research and purchasing I realize budget it will play a big part but ultimately what you want to get out of the Hobby and how to maximize your budget regardless of how much you want to spend this video will be on the longer side so sit back relax grab a drink or snack and enjoy first let me discuss the five categories that I'll cover here number one PC or console this is one of the first decisions you'll likely need to make and will dictate some of your Hardware choices everything starts here so I'll discuss some pros and cons of each number two wheelbase and manufacturer ecosystems this can be one of the most overwhelming decisions especially in 2023 with more players in the market now that the number of options has increased so I'll break down some of the key Brands and discuss cross-compatibility as well as belt driven wheelbases versus direct drive ones number three pedals these are often overlooked but are just as important as the wheel itself pedals directly affect your performance and ultimately your enjoyment of the hobby there are also several different types of pedal technology precisely when it comes to the most critical pedal the brake [Music] number four cockpits and mounting the foundation to which everything is mounted to there are many options here and things to consider and I'll discuss some thoughts I have around future proofing yourself the cockpit decision should often be considered after deciding on the wheelbase and pedals to ensure it's suitable for your desired equipment I'll discuss several scenarios here to consider number five displays lastly but equally important I will help you consider some essential questions when choosing a display like a gaming monitor or TV triple versus single screen what refresh rate is best flat curved or Ultra wide and also discuss stands and mounting options to consider one of the very first decisions you'll likely need to make when it comes to starting Sim racing is how you plan to play the games themselves and thus will also determine what equipment will be compatible several factors will likely influence this decision one being budget obviously and two being whether you already own a gaming PC or an Xbox or Playstation console some contacts for you first when I first started Sim racing I did not own a PC at the time I only had a Mac at home for productivity stuff but I did own an Xbox series X I wasn't sure how deep at the time I planned to go into this Hobby and also didn't fully understand the differences between using a console versus a PC for the purpose of sim racing I can tell you it wasn't long before I switched to a gaming PC and there are a few reasons why the first thing to note is that using a console will likely limit what racing titles you can play for example games like eye racing are only available on PC if this is a title you're interested in for its extensive online capabilities then you won't be able to play this on an Xbox or Playstation however there are several titles that are supported on both console and PC for example like F1 2022 a set of Corsa and even ACC still with a title like a set of Corsa you won't have the full ability to run mods using the very popular content manager program which in my opinion was a huge reason why I switched to PC as this game has so much more to offer from the addition of the graphics car and track mods a lot of which are free to use however you may be only interested in titles like Gran Turismo 7 on PlayStation or Forza Horizon for Xbox and in this case the console might be precisely what you're looking for but there's no doubt that for the most realistic simulation experience you will find this on PC something else to consider is performance of these titles as it relates to force feedback for example it's only sometimes consistent for example a PC can relay more detailed data and Telemetry about the Sim to the wheel and in turn provide a more detailed and realistic experience as well as the ability to further customize the feel if this is important to you another major thing to consider is that on a console you're going to be locked to a single monitor or TV display as support for triple screens is currently not available on either Playstation or Xbox so if this is something that you are either interested in now or later on you may want to consider using a PC it's important to note that not all wheels and pedals are compatible with consoles but many of them are from manufacturers like fnatic thrustmaster and Logitech to name a few they all offer versions of their wheelbases that work with either Playstation or Xbox but usually just one or the other in most cases all those same wheelbases are compatible with a PC if you decided to upgrade later on however I found you will be a bit limited when it comes to pedals but usually just those in the higher end Market as they need to connect directly via USB to a computer also as it relates to accessories things like shifters and handbrakes there are many that offer console support but again the higher end units will be reserved to be used on a PC only as well as additional things like button boxes or Dash displays all these accessories are typically reserved for the PC user only now I realize not everyone has the budget to blow on building a brand new gaming PC and the cost of parts has definitely increased over the last couple of years but I would say if you already own a decently spec computer for gaming I would stick with this if you think this is going to be more than just a casual hobby as you'll definitely have more options when it comes to titles customizability and Hardware support down the road now that being said this doesn't mean you're going to have less fun using a console a lot of fun can be had with reliable equipment and one of the latest gen consoles but it's best to decide what you want to get out of the Hobby in the long run me personally using both and coming from using a console to a PC I definitely got more out of my equipment and the access to other titles was definitely appreciated from using a computer now there are several things to consider when it comes to selecting a wheelbase and the various manufacturer ecosystems of steering wheels available to you may be a bit confusing but I'm going to try to break it down as simple as possible for you at the entry level you're typically going to find belt driven wheels these use a belt and a motor essentially to simulate the steering effects and force feedback some are better than others at doing this and can provide a little more detail the detail is critical to understand how your vehicle is reacting things like understeer oversteer or the surface of the track itself however for the best experience a direct drive wheel is going to give you a much more realistic feeling and that additional detail if your budget can afford it I would definitely recommend looking at a direct drive wheel you're certainly not going to regret it the market now has many great affordable options from companies like fnatic Logitech thrustmaster and Mazda racing just to name a few but here's where it gets a bit more complicated as Within These direct drive Wheels you have different Peak levels of torque which is measured in newton meters this ultimately affects the strength of the forces the wheel can replicate Wheels in this market typically range from 8 Newton meters at the entry level all the way up to 35 newton meters on the most high-end wheels from manufacturers like semi-q for most I've heard The Sweet Spot is around 12 to 16 newton meters but if you want maximum simulation you're going to want to look at a wheelbase that can produce 20 newton meters and up I personally went with a fnatic dd1 with a peak torque output of 20 newton meters as I wanted to have the most realistic experience as possible my best advice is to buy the best your budget can afford or wait and save a bit if you feel like you're someone who's going to enjoy Sim Racing for the long run and you want to get the most out of it it likely won't be long before you wish to upgrade if you start with a belt driven wheel so my best recommendation is to potentially future proof yourself a bit here that doesn't mean you need to rush out right away and buy a semi-cube pro wheelbase as you can have just as much fun on belt driven wheelbases too but you will be missing out on some additional features and a more realistic Driving Experience if that's what you're after something essential to consider When selecting a wheelbase obviously outside of if you're using a console or PC is what steering wheels will be compatible which is critical because many manufacturers only offer support for specific wheel rims in the case of say thrustmaster or Logitech you'll typically be limited in most cases to the wheels that come with the bases or ones that they sell fnatic on the other hand has a vast number of rims or hubs that you can then Mount different wheel rims to but will always require that you have one of their Podium hubs or Universal hubs as the starting point still you can purchase higher end wheels that connect through USB and use them with your fnatic wheelbase via that Hub this is an excellent option if you want several different wheels for different cars or games this works the same way with semi-cube but in their case they also have wireless support for third-party Wheels to eliminate the USB cord newer players in this market like ASA Tech Sim Sports have their wheels but also offer hubs that allow you to connect other compatible wheels and they say they're working on future deals with third-party wheel companies if only multiple Wheels is something you want consider the ecosystem of the wheelbase that you're buying first and what wheels are supported next up is pedals and often overlooked but this can affect the experience and your performance sometimes more than the wheelbase so I recommend potentially investing more of your budget here for significant benefits because being accurate on the brakes and throttle can make a difference in your lap times so here are some things to consider again compatibility and budget will obviously be your first consideration and remember not all pedals are compatible with consoles typically those pedals that are included with wheelbases that have console support are in turn going to work with your Playstation or Xbox and those pedals typically attach directly to the wheelbase itself fnatic for example with their clubsport V3 pedals can connect directly to their wheelbases or a PC directly meaning they're compatible with both console or PC depending on how you connect them but hoisinvelt pedals for example are only compatible with PC and require a dedicated USB connection to the computer now there are a few different categories for pedals so let's review the first is what I would call high-end pedals typically you're going to see much more mechanical and a robust build quality here to handle some pretty high braking forces that are close to what you'd see in a real-life race car you tend to find pedals in this category with hydraulic dampers installed at the very top of that budget range when hydraulic damping is executed right it can feel amazing hydraulic compression is something that elastomer and rubber dampers and other pedal sets can't reproduce the second type is prevalent in many mid to high end tier pedals which are load cells also known as forced transducers unlike a potentiometer which is found on more entry-level pedal sets you can put much higher loads through a load cell measuring the force as an electrical signal that is then Amplified by the pedal electronic board now at the entry level most pedal sets that come with entry level Wheels utilize a potentiometer that produces an analog voltage proportional to a displacement they're used in virtually all gaming input devices like joysticks and Gamepad analog sticks except for some higher end devices now I know this may sound overwhelming if you're new to this still the critical thing to remember is that often spending more on pedals will result in better build quality and more accuracy when it comes to throttle but specifically to the brake as this is the most critical pedal in Sim racing and in real life if you can stretch your budget I would look for a set with at least load cells as this will give you more accurate control and produce a more realistic brake feel through rubber dampers many groups in this category will also come with extra dampers and Springs to tailor the pedals to your liking whereas entry level sets you're often stuck with what comes out of the box for a one size fits all I can't stress enough that pedals do make a big difference better break Troll and the ability to Trail brake into a corner more precisely and then control the exit throttle more accurately will positively impact your lap times I can speak from experience using different pedal sets over the years so don't skimp on this category cockpits or rigs frames chassis whatever you want to call them come in different shapes and sizes and designs and there are endless choices but let's break down some of the categories at the top of the budget our aluminum profile cockpits often referred to as 80 20 cockpits these are built for maximum rigidity to contain Flex from powerful wheelbases and braking while allowing for more adjustability and placement of the hardware although not are all equal and some offer more or less of these attributes the second is tube frame cockpits or alternate types of frames which come in many different forms not necessarily cheaper but built for more specific reasons and lastly lighter or foldable cockpits are designed typically for use in a living room or space where you need to put them away when done in use and lastly stands which don't have a seat and are intended to be used with an office or a gaming chair or couch deciding which one is best for you takes many factors into consideration one do you have a dedicated space or room to set up your rig if space is limited there might be better options than an aluminum profile rig for example if you're planning a single monitor setup a tube frame might be a good option an example of this is the track racer tra Pro which sports an integrated monitor stand and takes up less space and is a bit lighter the second thing to consider is what type of wheelbase are you planning on getting if you're opting for a direct drive you'll likely want to avoid a standard desk setup as the forces these wheels can generate need something stable to be mounted to or you're likely going to use some lose some of that feedback and get a lot of flexor movement ultimately lessening your experience that works the same way with pedals so if you're using a stiff brake pedal that requires a lot of force you'll need a cockpit with a firm pedal Mount to absorb these forces if your budget in space can allow it you can't go wrong with an aluminum profile cockpit this will be a significant investment in your sim racing journey and enable you to use various Sim hardware and accessories but if you're planning a more casual or living room setup with a belt driven wheelbase an aluminum cockpit will likely be Overkill a solid cockpit is a wise investment buying something you can grow into and expand is better than getting something that you'll outgrow quickly you'll avoid having to own two cockpits in the long run I sometimes wish I had just bought an aluminum profile from the start instead of my tr8 as I'm already in need of an upgrade to handle my growing number of sim accessories and higher end pedals and wheelbases as well as my need to have more control over the wheel the pedals in the seating position for added Comfort since I find myself using my setup more often than when I first started last but certainly not least is the display and this can come in many forms either a gaming monitor TV or even VR so here are some things to consider one is space again a triple screen setup and a stand will take up additional real estate where a single monitor or even an ultra wide monitor can fit nicely into a corner of a bedroom or office VR on the other hand gives you more options but comes with its own pros and cons I'll focus more on physical displays since honestly I don't have any experience with VR so it wouldn't be wise for me to offer my opinion but just know that it's an option you should explore if it's something you're interested in and from what I've heard it can be a fantastic experience now if you're using a console like Xbox or Playstation you're going to be limited right now to a single display setup with HDMI support which I would say most modern TVs and monitors have still the question will be around the type of display technology the resolution and Max frames that you want to achieve if you're using a modern console that supports 4K going with a 4k monitor or TV will give you the best looking picture and I would look for something that has at least 60 hertz refresh rate as racing is fast paced you wouldn't want to be racing at 24 or 30 frames per second with consoles not all support and Ultra wide monitor natively right now so that's something to consider you're best to look at a gaming monitor or any modern TV for the best experience out of the box now if you're using a PC you have many more options from single Ultra wide or a triple monitor setup and depending on your PC you can use 1080P 1440p or up to 4K resolution when it comes to options this is going to be tied to what your GPU can handle like with other gaming the higher the resolution typically the sacrifice and Frames unless they're running some serious Hardware but the point is is that you have many more options here and budget will likely be the only thing holding you back remember that you'll lose some perspective on a single monitor setup you won't fully view the cockpit or what's coming up on your left or right side AI this can make competitive racing a little more of a challenge but certainly won't hold you back in any way there are plenty of competitive fast Sim Racers on single or Ultra wide monitors it comes down to what kind of immersion or experience you want to have the triple screen will increase your field of view and ultimately be more immersive The Sweet Spot for me is a triple monitor setup at 1440p resolution with my high-end PC I get close to 160 frames per second but really if you're over 60 or close to 100 for racing this is going to be plenty and look realistic one piece of advice maybe would be to start with one monitor if your budget is limited you could always add two more down the road to achieve that triple screen setup provided they're the same monitor as it's not advised to mix and match or start with an ultra wide for some extra screen real estate you won't be missing out on much and it's still a great experience if budget is not an issue at all you could always look at higher end gaming monitors in 4k or even three OLED TVs if you want to go crazy the options are essentially endless here but a few extra things to consider around displays think about how you're mounting it first before buying something does your cockpit of choice come with a dedicated monitor stand and check what visa Mount size it supports to make sure your monitor TV will fit and is compatible if you're using a standalone monitor stand make sure it supports the screen size you want I prefer a separate monitor stand as it allows for more independent adjustments outside of the cockpit and you can get some vibration or movement slightly from forces output from the wheelbase or pedals consider the height and distance from your eyes if you're using a TV or display on another surface like a TV stand or desk you may have heard of the term fov before and I can tell you that if you care about the best experience this is not something to take lightly getting the right fov can affect your lap times and immersion a dedicated monitor stand will allow you to get the screen closer to your eyes and the wheel at the correct height a lot easier the last thing I should touch on is Curve screen versus flat really this is not a huge deal but curved screens will give you slight illusion of the car's cockpit surrounding you and increase that immersion but I wouldn't worry too much about it this will come down to personal preference I personally enjoy my curved monitors it gives the feeling that I'm sitting in a car more but this may be subjective so if you're going with a curve monitor look for something that's a thousand r or 1500 R curvature the last thing I want to say about the display is that remember this is your view of the game so make sure it's something you're comfortable looking at over long periods of time you don't need to necessarily worry about having the best 4k monitor 1440p looks excellent and the extra frames that you gain are worth more than the different resolutions when it comes to sim racing so if you don't have a 40 90 stick with 1440p you're not going to be missing out on much so that covers some of the essential things to consider there is much more obviously to look into like shifters handbrakes and other accessories but I think this covers the basics of building a Sim racing setup the rest are a lot easier decisions remember whatever you buy in the end it's about having fun and it doesn't mean you need to have the best of the best to do that spending more money isn't always going to translate to faster lap times practice will do that regardless of what equipment you're using but find a balance invest wisely research watch reviews here on YouTube there are many great Youtubers with more experience than me that have put many products through the paces and have honest and valuable opinions lastly take your time if you want a higher priced piece of equipment save your money and wait you'll likely be happier in the long run there's no perfect Sim racing setup it's what works best for you at the end of the day so please let me know in the comments if you have any questions I'll do my best to respond directly to everyone also let me know what you're planning for your setup or maybe you're planning an upgrade I would love to see what you bought and why and I'm sure we can all benefit from the feedback here I hope you found this video helpful and if you're considering getting into this Hobby and love cars and racing I don't think you'll regret it there is much fun to be had in a community full of like-minded people that are extremely passionate and knowledgeable so I encourage you to reach out and get involved in groups online thanks for watching stay safe and happy racing

Channel: The SimRacing Den

Views: 361,166

Keywords: ams2, asetek, asetek simsports, assetto corsa competitzione, assetto corsa competizione, automobilista, automobilista 2, budget, dave cam, f1 simulator, fanatec dd2, gt7, heusinkveld, heusinkveld ultimates, iracing, jardier, playseat, raceroom, rf2, rfactor, rfactor 2, rfactor2, rumble motors, scca, sim cockpit, sim racing, sim racing setup, sim racing setups, sim rig, sim rig setup, simlab, simracing, simucube, simucube 2, simucube 2 pro, sparco, thurstmaster, xero play, f1, cube controls, acc

Id: URe6LyLR1GY

Length: 23min 7sec (1387 seconds)

Published: Tue Jan 17 2023

Reddit Comments

[u/ashibah83]

Nah, dont think i will

Rule 6

[u/djfil007]

"so you want to start"... thumbnail shows expensive high end rig (all it's missing is motion servos)... yup, we're very welcoming and non-intimidating hobby 😅