By Robin Owens 10 days ago, Hardware
The best computers for iRacing on the market.
Sim racing is becoming more and more popular these days, and even though you will have to spend some amount of money on equipment, it’s just a part of what you would pay for real racing. I tested dozens of the best PCs for iRacing and selected the 7 best computers.
Each computer for iRacing presented on this list can run it on triple-screen setups and in VR mode. You can also install other racing simulators on these PCs.
CPU: Intel Core i7-9700F | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 240GB SSD + 1TB HDD | Weight: 31.5 pounds
This is the best computer for iRacing as it provides great performance and is affordable, which is good if you want to build your gaming rig. It offers a variety of configurations to meet your gaming needs and features a 9th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics to provide enough power to run the newest games.
Besides gaming, you can use this computer for creating content, entertainment and office work.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X | GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD | Weight: 38.5 pounds
This PC for iRacing boasts the newest features to meet the latest requirements for gaming. Its main advantage is that it’s quite cheap for such amazing functionality and great performance. It is perfect for gamers but a little too expensive for regular users.
CPU: Intel Core i9-9900K | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 | RAM: 32GB | Storage: 1TB | Weight: 29.2 pounds
This computer for iRacing doesn’t have any flashy extra features but offers robust performance with almost no fuss. It’s super handy, as you can quickly plug it in and play AAA games in 4K resolution within a few minutes. While you might need to upgrade it in the future, today, it’s a great option to consider.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 500GB | Weight: 28 pounds
If you pay attention to the price and the latest trends in PC gaming, you will understand that this is the best computer for iRacing. If you’re looking for a modern, functional, upgradeable and affordable machine, this is exactly what you need.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 TI | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 500GB | Weight: 21.8 pounds
This PC for iRacing is silent, you won’t hear any distracting noise. Due to the 120mm fans in the back of the case, the temperatures will always remain low. You will appreciate the design of the case and dim lighting, as nowadays there are too many models with flashy RGB lighting. This is a great machine, which works perfectly with 1080p and can cope with 1440p.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD | Weight: 24.3 pounds
The majority of gamers will be satisfied with the overall performance of this sim racing PC. It provides high speed and an excellent user experience. Besides, it doesn’t overheat and can beat other similar computers when it comes to operating under high load. However, it doesn’t have a lot of connectivity options. You need to take this into account when choosing your PC.
CPU: Intel Core i5-9400F | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 512GB | Weight: 17.26 pounds
This is a great gaming PC for mainstream buyers, ranking just below mid-range and above the entry-level computers. It provides first-class performance and reliability for 1080p gaming and can quickly solve basic tasks. If you like its design, want to save space, or its features suit your needs and wishes, then it will be a good option for you.
| IMAGE | NAME | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
iBUYPOWER Element
Our Choice
|
CHECK PRICE → | |
|
HP Omen Obelisk
Premium choice
|
CHECK PRICE → | |
|
Acer Nitro
Budget choice
|
CHECK PRICE → |
For many computer games, a GPU is of great importance. It does all the hard work to make games look amazing. However, for iRacing, the CPU is just as important as it does a lot of calculations to make cars look good. iRacing requires at least a quad-core processor, such as an AMD FX-6300 or Intel Core i5-4430. As for a GPU, iRacing requires 2 GB of video memory, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or ATI Radeon HD 7850.
Virtual reality is another thing that can go wrong. Thanks to VR, you can enjoy a more immersive experience. Besides, because of low resolution, your computer doesn’t need to work that hard to provide consistent frame rates.
The best computer for iRacing should have 8 GB of RAM, but I recommend getting 16 GB. Of course, you can also go with 32 GB but, based on my experience, the game won’t need so much.
You should have at least 10 GB. However, iRacing developers claim that you will need 40 GB if you want to get a lot of cars and tracks. If you can, use an SSD as it delivers faster performance and you won’t be stuck at the start if your computer takes too long to load before a race.
You don’t need to get a professional wheel-and-pedal system that costs thousands of dollars. You can get a full wheel/pedal/shifter system for about $300.
The iBUYPOWER Element is the best option to consider.
If you want to buy all the extensions available in iRacing, it will cost about $1190 without promo codes. The price can vary depending on particular aspects. However, this is not what you should pay attention to. You have to pay for the tracks where your favorite series runs.
It’s worth it if you invest time in it. If you purchase many extensions and don’t race often, then no. It depends on how frequently you’re going to use it.
iRacing was created for PCs, and the majority of modern computers are powerful enough to run it. However, some laptops can handle it too. The main requirement is Windows 7, 64-bit, or newer.
