Your Sim Racing experience might not depend on your platform, but it does depend on your hardware. It is a relatively stress-free experience if you’re racing on a console, as you don’t have to worry about the specs over there. However, if you’re a sim racer that plies their trade on PC, your computer hardware specifications indicate your overall gaming performance, and we all know how important that is.
Importance Of A Competent Graphics Card
For sim racing, your hardware dictates the overall reliability of a game. Assetto Corsa Competizione, for example, is well-known for the massive amount of strain that it can put on your CPU. This is because your processor plays a massive role in simulating the physics of your car, systems, tracks and controlling the AI. Other sim racing titles place a similar emphasis on having a good CPU.
But your GPU is equally essential, if not more, in rendering everything that is meant to show up on your screen. Your graphics card is responsible for rendering the cars, tracks, weather effects and cosmetic and damage effects during any event. Not just that, the GPU also renders the textures, surfaces, shadows and lighting.
With that being said, let’s take a look at a brief guide on selecting the right GPU for you.
What Elements Are Important When Buying A Graphics Card?
Budget
Probably the biggest hurdle for most gaming enthusiasts is the prices of most graphics cards. Although prices are still gradually coming back down in 2024 after a spike in prices a couple of years ago.
For example, the latest Radeon RX cards may not be as pricey on the top end of the range as you think, while you are guaranteed to find cheaper alternatives at a slightly compromised performance limit. So, fix your budget well in advance. A good idea to gauge your exact budget would be to check the requirements you need.
Technology Offered
This aspect is entirely down to personal preferences. Your GPU and your display are related to each other, and your display requirements will define your choice. For example, if you wish to race in 4K at 60FPS (minimum), you will have to burn a massive hole in your pocket to get the top-end cards (if they are available). On the other hand, most cards on the market will do the trick if you are comfortable with 1080p gaming with 80-100FPS of performance.
Previously, it would also be possible to compromise on settings such as ray tracing, which leads to more realistic lighting and shadows, and supersampling, where the quality of textures is improved either through VSR (AMD) or DLSS (NVIDIA). Whilst you don’t have to purchase a graphics card that can run VR at ultra-highest settings, current sim racing platforms such as Assetto Corsa Competizione will run at their best if your graphics card can carry out real-time ray tracing as well as supersampling.
Bottleneck Specs
Lastly, it is vital to ensure you have a balanced PC configuration. A “bottleneck” occurs when one of your hardware devices is vastly underpowered than the other chipsets. For example, if you are running an RTX 3060 but have an Intel i3 processor, your CPU becomes the bottleneck, and you will not be able to extract 100% performance from your GPU. Similarly, you can have a 40-series GPU from Nvidia and an Intel i9, but they will be useless with just 4GB of RAM. So, build your PC wisely and as per your needs.
One quick point of reference we have found from experience also brings into play your PSU. A quick guide on power vs cards:
- 650W minimum for 20 series cards or equivalent
- 750W minimum for 30 series cards or equivalent
- 1000W minimum for 40 series cards or equivalent
Our Top Graphics Card Recommendations
With so much now on offer we will include recommendations at all price points with some other cards that may go under the raider that are cheaper alternatives but can still pack a big punch in performance. Here are our top picks for the best graphics cards for sim racing.
AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
AMD’s Radeon RX 6800 XT is a great budget solution that packs a similar punch to what you’d expect from a high-spec NVIDIA 20-series card or a good 30-series card. AMD recommend a 750W PSU to run it consistently well, and it represents a good value for money as well as a good card all-around.
With 16GB of memory available to you, which can run at up to 16 Gbps of speed, this GPU is very strong when it comes to running most modern games. AMD claim that it can run F1 games at over 120 FPS at 4K with maximum settings, meaning that it is a great option that leaves you plenty of headroom if you’re looking for a high-performance card.
Can the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT range run ACC/iRacing/rFactor2?
The RX 6800 XT can run all of the big sim racing titles affordably and effectively. It also supports a variety of AMD’s in-house technologies that take your sim racing experience to the next level, such as VSR or AMD FidelityFX™ Super Resolution. In terms of displays, the AMD FreeSync™ Technology is built-in with some cutting-edge modern-day monitors, and it is possible to run the RX 6800 XT in VR as well. However, if you are looking for a graphics card with the priority being to consistently perform in VR or even to stream VR sim racing, this option might not be best for you.
AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT
The RX 7800 XT is still one of the best graphics cards out there. It’s hard to find many other cards at its price range that pack a similar performance to this entry from AMD. It’s cost-effective and it’s energy-efficient, only requiring a minimum PSU rating of 700W for a level of output that is not far removed from the flagship models.
Whilst the maximum memory size of 16GB isn’t as headline-stealing as many of its rivals, it runs at up to 19.5 Gbps of memory speed with GDDR6 memory. It can support most of the headline games at over 60 FPS on high-end settings, giving you a beautiful experience without wondering where your bank balance has gone.
Can the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT run ACC/iRacing/rFactor2?
The RX 7800 XT builds upon what the RX 6800 XT does. It supports the same excellent AMD technology that the RX 6800 XT does and supports high-end DisplayPort and HDMI outputs. It can run VR effectively, being able to meet the demands of modern VR headsets handily without stutters or frame drops. You’ll be able to see more cars on track than with previous-generation graphics cards, stopping just shy of the flagship statistics but ensuring that you can get a great experience without splashing out the cash.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090/3090Ti
With the Ti packing 24GB GDDR6 RAM available, you’ll feel like Charlie getting that Golden Ticket if you get your hands on one. It requires a lot of power, with NVIDIA recommending an 850 KW PSU to complement the card, but given the behemoth of a GPU that you’re getting it will be an excellent choice.
The 3090 Ti runs at a higher clock speed compared to the standard 3090, with all of the bells and whistles that will still keep you up to date for years to come despite the temptation of newer-generation cards. Many of these graphics cards will last you a generation or two, but the 3090 Ti feels like one of those graphics cards that will last you a lifetime.
The RTX 3090 is still more powerful than the new 4060 and 4070 models GPUs from Nvidia and unless you are going to move up for the 4090, you are doing just fine with this card you have installed.
Can the GeForce RTX 3090 Ti run ACC/iRacing/rFactor2?
The RTX 3090 Ti will satisfy your gaming needs for years to come. With the latest technology in ray tracing and super-sampling, it’s going to be perfect for anybody who wants a computer that can do anything. You could easily stream high-quality VR streams at a lossless quality, as well as run all varieties of different applications on the side. This is, without a shadow of a doubt, still one of the best graphics cards out there right now for sim racing.
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX had a lot to prove when it hit the scene at the end of 2022, but it succeeded brilliantly in being the most powerful gaming GPU on the market for under $1,000 while outperforming Nvidia’s new RTX 4080 overall, which costs 20% more.
The new 2nd-gen ray accelerators in the RX 7900 XTX make 4K gaming on ultra settings with ray tracing a reality on an AMD card, something that the last flagship AMD card, the RX 6950 XT, couldn’t quite accomplish. Which was one of our top recommendations in 2022.
This is the one graphics card we would recommend to just about anybody who is looking to finally upgrade their GPU for top-end gaming after years of graphics card shortages.
Can the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX run ACC/iRacing/rFactor2?
On their website, AMD says that the Radeon RX 7900 XTX can handle any title in high/max settings and return upwards of 150FPS depending on the title. This means that this graphics card can run all of these games to your heart’s content, in some cases possibly simultaneously. If you’re looking at racing in VR, or other graphically-intensive uses such as streaming at 4K with triple monitors, this product more than fits the bill.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the ultimate GeForce GPU. It brings an enormous leap in performance, efficiency, and AI-powered graphics. Experience ultra-high-performance gaming, incredibly detailed virtual worlds, unprecedented productivity, and new ways to create. It’s powered by the NVIDIA Ada Lovelace architecture and comes with 24 GB of ultra-high-speed G6X memory to deliver the ultimate experience for gamers and creators.
Triple screens no problems, VR no problem, unlimited FPS no problem, but bank balance? – well that is a problem. This card will still set you back around $2,000, even in 2024, if you want one. But you will likely take the card to the grave with you. This graphics card exceeds the point of where gaming technology is currently at.
Can the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 run ACC/iRacing/rFactor2?
The 4090 is still a world-beater. Not only can it run the top sim racing titles at the highest settings without breaking a sweat, it can run VR without an issue and it can run multiple streams without any problem at all. Until the 50-series cards are on the market, this is the best thing that you can get for the moment.
Those are our best nominations in the GPU category that you should aim for if you want to have a comfortable and competitive sim racing experience. PC building is a slow and calm process. So, take your time to select each component. As always, Coach Dave Academy is here to help you with your racing needs. Check out the various competitions at SimGrid if you’re looking for some challenge or simply spend some time practising your skills over at Daily Racing. Happy racing!
