Single Screen vs Triple Screen vs VR For Sim Racing
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The monitor vs VR debate has been crucial for the immersion of sim racing over the past few years. So which is best: single monitor, triple monitor, or VR?
Is VR Worth It?
For most people, the question arises, "Why not just use VR?" After all, on paper, VR is the most immersive form of sim racing. Strap a pair of VR goggles to your eyes, and you get infinite immersion and a realistic, sweaty experience while sim racing. VR is 110% the future of gaming.... However, a couple of significant issues occur.
Unoptimized Games
When racing on older games, such as Assetto Corsa, that no longer have studio support, you run into a lack of optimization. Although content manager and custom shaders patch are fantastic additions to software in Assetto Corsa, there are common issues with unoptimized gameplay. What this means is that there are additional textures or highly processed content that your computer needs to analyze. With VR already taxing on your computer's GPU, unoptimized tracks and cars will further tank your performance. Although it is not as prominent, games like iRacing also have some issues.
Common Issues
Some common issues with VR's include:
- Eye Strain: VR headsets can cause eye strain, fatigue, dry eyes, and blurry vision. These symptoms are similar to computer vision syndrome (CVS)
- Motion Sickness: VR can cause motion sickness because the eyes see movement, but the ears don't
- Discomfort: VR can cause discomfort that can persist for hours after use
Particularly with Motion Sickness, this is the major turn-off for VR. And from a competitive standpoint or even a training standpoint, you need something reliable. Although VR is cheap (even though you need a monstrous PC to run decent graphics and somewhat stable frames), VR during 2025 is not your best bet for a reliable, competitive, and immersive simulator setup.
So, we've addressed the ideals and issues with VR, so what about monitors?
Monitors While Sim Racing
Monitors are the answer when it comes to sim racing. Reliability, lack of motion sickness, and lack of discomfort are some of the talking points when it comes to sim racing at a high level, and monitors do just that. So, which monitors should you go for?
Single Monitors While Sim Racing
Single monitors for sim racing are fantastic. They are the ol' reliable when it comes down to it. The ultra-wide monitors are the best option for a single screen. Ultrawide monitors are either flat or curvature to avoid getting too technical. The curvature is measured by xR (number followed by R); the closer the number is to zero, the more curve there is, with 800R being the most. When it comes to ultra-wides, there are also quite a few options:
21:9 Aspect Ratio: When you break it down, the 21:9 aspect ratio monitors are that perfect budget sim racing monitor. Starting at the $200 price point, having more field of view (FOV) and more real estate is perfect. The starting length for these monitors is usually 34" to 45" with different curvature ranges.
32:9 Aspect Ratio: This is where the widescreen game levels up. Regarding a 32:9 Aspect Ratio monitor, this aspect ratio signifies a commitment to the ultrawide life. The sizes range from 49" to 57" (I can only assume bigger in the future). These monitors start at around $800. A 32:9 Aspect Ratio monitor is the way for space saving and immersion.
Now, in the realm of ultra-wide and single-screen monitors, we feel the best is either a single 45" LG Ultragear or a 49" Samsung Odyssey G9. However, those monitors are quite expensive, with the G9 starting at $800 and the Ultragear going for a heart-stopping $1500. So why would you go ultrawide?
Single Monitor Pros
Space Savings: When going with an ultrawide, especially a more expensive variant, you likely should go with a triple-screen setup. However, maybe you like the simplicity of an ultrawide or the space-saving it might save. Although it's not a ton of space saved, you'd want all the room you can get when you have a setup in a small room or apartment. The more space an ultrawide will take up is about a 5' x 4' footprint or about 20 square feet.
Immersion On A Budget: Although single monitors do not offer the level of immersion of a VR or even triple screen, having a wider aspect ratio than 16:9 allows you to get more eye real estate. This will enable you to look into corners and further look into the virtual world. And with it starting around $200, you can't beat it.
Convenient: Setting up a widescreen is simple. It is seamless with only the power cord and HDMI/DP cord to plug in. When aligning FOV, measure where the screen is centered and use a handy online FOV calculator to find your ideal FOV (and, of course, adjust to your comfort).
Single Monitor Cons
Lack of Immersion: Now,, yes, although this is slightly contradictory, the lack of immersion that the widescreen gives you is still prominent, especially when you get into that $800+ territory. With these wide screens, you don't get the wraparound you'd get with triples or being immersed in the virtual world like VR. This is the deal breaker when choosing between ultrawide and triples.
Expensive: Once you get to that 49"+ range, the price compared to triples, especially VR, can seem unreasonable. If you have the space and that sort of budget, going with triples will be your better bet. And here's why...
Triple Screens While Sim Racing
Triple screens provide more immersion than single screens and retain reliability. From triple 27" monitors to triple 55" monitors and beyond, there are many variations when it comes to triple screens.
Triple Screen Variations
Widescreen + 16:9 Panels: One widescreen, two monitors or one monitor, two widescreens are not advised. The amount of money you're spending and your lack of immersion are not worth it. If you're looking to save money, a single 27" with two 34" on the side is the only variation I would go with. However, we do not advise using this setup.
27" Triples: This is like peanut butter and jelly. It's not exceptional, but it works. It's been tested and perfected and is the most common triple-screen configuration. There's nothing wrong with it, but it can be better.
32" Triples: This is like a turkey sub-satisfaction, and it works. This is a step up from the 27" triples, which are a little more expensive and a bit more real estate. For 2024 and 2025, this has been the go-to for a lot of sim racers. You can find a set of 3 32" triples for around $700, and 140-160 degrees of immersion is the next level.
34" Triples: This is a newer concept of triples, especially in the sim racing space. It takes up relatively the same space as a 32" triple and has a few more degrees of immersion. That 180 degrees of immersion is what you want, as it comes closer to your body to feel as if you're wrapped around in a car. This might be the new "affordable" triple king.
39" Triples: These are great, fantastic even. But when spending this money on screens, why not go for the king of triples, 45's?
45" Triples: With the price ranging from $3500 to $5000 for just the monitors, this setup is not for the faint of heart. However, this gives you the highest levels of immersion regarding monitors. The 45" height and width (specifically the LG Ultragear) are right on the brink of being "too big". They are perfect. When set correctly, the triple 45" Ultragear gives 220 degrees of immersion and is like no other monitor setup. When utilizing this triple setup, the beautiful OLED panels and that perfect size make it feel as if you are engulfed in the car you are driving.
55"+ Triples: These are awesome on paper but pose a big problem. From our experience, a triple 55" is too large for its own good, especially Samsung Odyssey Ark's. The curvature of the monitors makes it feel too close to you, making your surroundings feel extremely large. This gives a particularly odd feeling and can be disorienting.
Triple Monitor Pros
Immersion: You truly cannot beat a triple-screen setup's immersion. With setups practically giving you a big hug, it truly represents how monitors can be immersive. Of course, with adequately set monitor positions, monitor angles, and in-game FOV, you can have immersion similar to VR without sweat, discomfort, sickness, and unreliability.
Reliability: Immersion is one thing, and reliability is another. With triples, you will have the reliability of a single but the immersion of VR. Some monitors (the ones that incorporate Smart TV technology) will make you hate your life, so make sure to do your own research before purchasing a set of three monitors.
Ease of Setup: Setup can be a simple yet lengthy process with turnkey services and YouTube. As long as you follow the steps of people who have done it before you, you will be fine. From start to finish, setup can take anywhere from 3 to 8 Hours.
Triple Monitor Cons
Too Much Space: You need to be careful not to get carried away with your setup. Your monitors can take up a whole room if you have the budget. Even with the 5' by 5' footprint of a 32" triple, it can be too much for someone who is space-restricted.
Anger: Yes, anger. The setup of triples can be a grueling task, especially if it's your first time doing so. As they say, patience is a virtue. Furthermore, incorporating these "smart TV" tech monitors will be your biggest regret in triple-screen setups. The simpler, the better.
Conclusion
We hope this article gave you the proper information and guidance regarding what sim racing monitors you should use. If you have any questions in terms of your next monitor purchase, text us at 678-974-1190 or email us at info@boundlessracing.com