The one-piece of sim racing equipment that can bring you a true step forward in your sim racing is your monitor. This single piece of your sim racing rig provides you with the most information of any of your gear. The screen relays the environment you race in, the positions of other cars on the track, technical information about your car and even flags and rules that are key to ensuring you have a penalty-free race. Without a suitable monitor, you could be losing critical information that could make or break your next big race.
What should I look for in a sim racing monitor?
Not all monitors are created equal and for sim racing, there is a very particular set of hardware features that can have a big impact on your experience:
- Size: this is something that can come down to preference but in the world of monitors you generally are looking for something that fits your particular set-up. A general rule is for any set up a monitor should be any smaller than 27”, this gives you enough size to sit at a comfortable distance and allows your FOV settings to not be too restrictive.
- Panel Type: this is essentially the screen in which you are looking at. Most commonly a monitor for sim racing will be an LCD, within this, there are different types of LCD panels the three most common are the Twisted Nematic (TN), In-Plane Switching (IPS) and Vertical Alignment (VA). TN panels provide affordable pricing with fast response rates but can be limited in their range of colours. IPS panels will provide the best overall experience with similar response times to a TN panel with a wider colour range but with this comes a substantial price increase. VA panel types offer a happy medium between the two but can often come with slower response types, so pay close attention to this detail on VA panels.
- Resolution: In this area, you are more than often dictated by the hardware you are running your sim games on PC, PS5 or Xbox One. Each of these systems will be able to consistently output a different resolution at a stable frame rate. For most sim racers 1440p is the sweet spot providing a sharp image but not requiring too much computational power to output a high frame rate. It must be noted that the new consoles such as the PS5 or Series X will output 4k resolutions but this will often lock your games to 30 fps
- Refresh rate: A higher refresh rate will allow information to be relayed to you more frequently and in general make the images on screen move much smoother. While 60hz is a standard refresh rate for a non-gaming monitor, stepping up to 144hz or 240hz may offer you a serious competitive advantage when driving on the limit, providing you have the precision to take advantage of it.
- Bezel width: Much of the preference in bezel width can come down to aesthetics with single monitor setups but with triple setups, this becomes much more important. When arranging the monitors side by side you want to eliminate the size of the space with no screen panel as information will be lost or the image may become distorted. Generally smaller bezels are better in all situations.
Single, Triple or Ultra Wide?
The variation in single and triple screens focuses on improving immersion. A single-screen can provide all the information needed to sim race but can be limiting in aspects such as FOV as this is limited due to the smaller viewing window into the virtual world. The advantages that a single screen provides are reducing the overall space of your sim rig as well as being relatively easy to set up within racing games such as Assetto Corsa Competizione or iRacing.
For triple screen what you get is essentially three times the information available to your eyes as you have extended your viewing window. If set up correctly triple screen can provide an experience that almost places you inside the virtual car which can be particularly advantageous when racing wheel to wheel. However, triple screens are often complex to set up and require dedicated sim rigs and space for effective use. If you have the space and ability to dedicate this amount of time to sim racing they can be a very good upgrade to your sim rig.
Ultra-wide monitors are the catch-all of a single monitor setup with the advantages of a triple screen setup. They offer much wider viewing angles than a traditional monitor baked into one panel, this is particularly good for sim racing as it provides a wrap-around experience and sucks you into the virtual environment. Disadvantages to these monitor types would be the lack of support among many games for unusual aspect ratios leading to black bars at the edge of the screen and they can be more difficult for normal use as the curvature makes them often more focused on immersive gaming than regular use.
Overall as with all technology price will dictate which monitor is best for you but here are some general guides for different types of sim racers
| Type of Sim racer | Size | Panel type | Resolution | Refresh rate |
| New to racing | 27” | VA | 1080p | 120-144 Hz |
| Experience | 30” | IPS | 1440p | 144 Hz |
| Triple monitor setup | 27” | VA / IPS | 1440p | 144 Hz |
| Ultra-wide | 34” | VA / IPS | 1440p | 144 Hz |
| Money no object | 42” | IPS | 2160p | 240hz |
Single Screen picks
For those looking for just a single monitor, it’s important that you pick a monitor that’s big enough to support a usable mathematically correct field of view, which for most people will be around 28°. To be on the safe side, we’ve chosen monitors that are 32 inches minimum, as any monitor smaller than that may become a very small window on some rig setups. Here are our recommendations.
Value: AOC C32G1
- Size: 31.50”
- Resolution: 1920×1080
- Refresh rate: 144z
- Price: £235
The AOC C32G1 is a perfect budget option for anyone looking for a high refresh rate single monitor setup. The 1080p resolution is completely adequate for its size with no noticeable pixelation from most viewing distances, and its price makes it perfect for anyone looking for a 32-inch high refresh rate single monitor without breaking the bank. Please note that the bezel thickness is deceiving, as there is a bit of dead display between the screen and the bezels, so this monitor may not scale well for a triple setup.
Mid-range: Acer ED323QUR Abidpx
- Size: 31.50”
- Resolution: 2560×1440
- Refresh rate: 144z
- Price: $339
For those wanting to step up to a higher resolution, the Acer ED323QUR offers a great value for a 32-inch monitor with a 144hz refresh rate and Radeon Free Sync. The bezels are also thin, making them potentially upgradable into a triple monitor setup. The 1440p resolution should improve image clarity at the expense of framerate, but with titles that support DLSS or FidelityFX, you may receive close to the same quality with a significantly lower framerate cost.
Top-end: Acer Predator CG437K Pbmiiippuzx
- Size:42.00”
- Resolution: 3840×2160
- Refresh rate: 120hz
- Price: $1499.99
With a 4k resolution, 120hz refresh rate, and a 42-inch display, the Acer Predator CG437K is the perfect choice for anyone that likes racing on a TV but doesn’t want the input lag or low refresh rate associated with them. Just make sure your pc can handle it, as 4k at a smooth 120fps on titles such as Assetto Corsa Competizione, will be very difficult to achieve without the top-of-the-line hardware.
Triple Monitor picks
For the ultimate non-VR immersive experience, triple screens are the standard for a reason. They allow a wide field of view that wraps around your field of vision and makes the use of your vision and spotting apexes much more natural than it is on a single monitor setup. Here are our recommendations for monitors that will be suitable for a triple-screen setup.
Value: MSI Optix G271
- Size: 27.00”
- Resolution: 1920×1080
- Refresh rate: 144hz
- Price: £218 (x3 = £654)
At such a low price, this 144hz 1080p monitor is an excellent choice both as a single monitor if you can seat it close enough, and as a triple setup as it has thin bezels. This is also an IPS panel, making the colour reproduction very high quality in contrast to many other budget displays that use VA technology. With a high 144hz refresh rate, three of these monitors will go very nicely in your sim setup.
Mid-range: Acer XV272U Pbmiiprzx
- Size: 27.00”
- Resolution: 2560×1440
- Refresh rate: 144z
- Price: $299.99 (x3 = $899.97)
If you’re looking for a 1440p high refresh rate monitor, the Acer XV272U is our pick. It has thin bezels and is at a competitive price point. This panel has Nvidia G-Sync, which requires an Nvidia graphics card. This can prevent screen tearing at high refresh rates, as can AMD’s equivalent, Radeon Freesync, found in other monitors and compatible with all graphics cards. A high refresh rate plus 1440p is a winning combination, although your PC will need to be able to pump out this quality.
Top-end: Alienware AW2721D
- Size: 27.00”
- Resolution: 2560×1440
- Refresh rate: 240z
- Price: £699 (3x £2.097)
For those looking for the ultimate performance out of their rig with no sacrifices, this 1440p 240hz monitor with thin bezels is our pick. Just make sure your hardware can take advantage of the 240hz refresh rate across all 3 screens. This is also an HDR 600 panel, making its colour range much wider than most monitors. This is also plenty suitable as a single monitor if you want the bigger colour range without spending 2 Large on a triples setup.
Ultrawide picks
If you’re looking for some of the advantages of triples without the bezels getting in the way, consider an ultrawide monitor. Here are our picks.
Value: Gigabyte G34WQC
- Size: 34.00”
- Resolution: 3440×1440
- Refresh rate: 144z
- Price: £438.95
While not the flashiest monitor in the ultrawide market, the Gigabyte G34WQC offers a 21:9 aspect ratio which allows you to turn up your field of view a fair bit, and at a price that may not completely break your bank. Keep in mind that the size may be a little small compared to other ultrawides, so you may find your mathematically correct FOV to not be as big as you may be aiming for in an ultrawide setup.
Mid-range: Asus ROG Strix XG49VQ
- Size: 49.00”
- Resolution: 3840×1080
- Refresh rate: 144z
- Price: £782.89
At a 32:9 aspect ratio, the ASUS ROG Strix XG49VQ effectively combines two 1440p displays into one seamless ultrawide monitor, albeit with a slightly lower horizontal resolution. If you’re looking for an ultrawide for maximum field of view and immersion, this will be the best bang for your buck.
Top-end: Samsung Odyssey G9
- Size: 49.00”
- Resolution: 5120×1440
- Refresh rate: 240z
- Price: £1,098.95
For those looking for an ultrawide that makes zero compromises, the Samsung Odyssey G9 has a 240hz refresh rate and a 32:9 aspect ratio with an even higher horizontal resolution than the Asus. If you want to reap every ounce of power from your graphics card for an ultra-smooth 240hz ultrawide experience, the Odyssey G9 has you covered.
Monitor stands
With every monitor, you are going to need somewhere to mount it and there are a host of different options when it comes to sim racing. The basics of what you need are a stable mounting position and adjustable distance from your rig, these two factors will allow you to tweak and change your setup as your other gear changes.
Here are some recommendations for different types of setups.
Triple monitor: Sim Lab Triple Monitor Mount
This is a free-standing triple monitor compatible with both triple and single monitor setups. The stand will take up to 42” screens and has up to 75 degrees of sidearm adjustment. This stand is perfect for anyone looking to add triple monitors to their setup without having to purchase a new complete sim rig. The range of adjustability and free movement will ensure that this can be made to fit perfectly within your setup.
Sim Lab Single TV / Monitor Stand
This stand is a great budget option for anyone just starting to build their first full sim racing setup. The stand is free moving so can be positioned as desired and will support any size of screen or tv. This ensures that no matter what your upgrade path you can be confident that your stand will be compatible.
Next Level Racing F-GT Elite Single Freestanding Monitor Stand
The next level racing F-GT is a stand that has a great list of features for sim racers without the most conventional sim racing setups. The stand can support up to a 65” screen and ensures that any of the new ultrawides will be just as secure. In addition to this, the stand comes with adjustable width letting you get the screen much closer to your wheel no matter the setup. This stand is the perfect one time purchase as its adjustability will ensure it will fit your setup for years to come.
Conclusion
As always before any big purchasing decision for your sim racing setup, do your research and make sure it will work for you. Read/watch as many reviews as you can and check the market to see if something else may suit your needs better, especially in such a competitive market. However, these monitors will be solid picks for a long time to come and will suit your Sim Racing needs
