4k, triple screen set-up or VR?

[Nigel Brankston]

Hi all.
I currently drive on a single screen 4k at 3840 x 2160.
I'm about to become single yet again.
What is the best way forward in the graphics department currently?
Triple screen or VR?
If VR, Vive or Rift?

 

[Peter Klawitter]

VR is great immersion and depth feeling and especially for racing, gives one absolutely more feeling for the road/ tracks! VR for me still not clear enough, resolution not high enough and big disadvantages in regards to wearing that VR thing on the head, sweating becomes an issue and heat inside the goggles, all of them. (which many don't mention at all) also, with VR i would personally miss my button box, and generally seeing all my hardware for my rig and simracing, including dash/ apps/ telemetry and etc on additional displays and tablets.

Triples is still fantastic, just more expensive and takes up a lot of space, and 4k triples you will need massive GPU and CPU might to run it, that's a lot of pixels to run and upkeep while simracing. (1080p is still best @60hz, or you go 1440p with the newer screens @100/144/165hz, 27inches to 34/35inches curved - all triple setup, but i would not go 4k if it was me)

 

[Nigel Brankston]

That's exactly the kind of response I was hoping for.
I'm thinking of downgrading from 4k purely for triple screen that works well.
I'm still unsure after reading about VR whether that's better.
I know people bang on about the immersion but I'm not keen on losing the higher resolution.

 

[Nevini]

I run a single 4k Monitor with a CV1 and the immersion is top notch. I also have a 3 monitor setup which I no longer use, since I purchased the rift. Games without rift support AMS and rFactor 2 I use the single 4k monitor and trackir 5.

I honestly cannot go back to running triples and watching a flat screen, to be honest its hard to play any driving game without rift support.

 

[Rupe Wilson]

Triples in 3D give me all i need at the moment.. i cant get to grips with track ir and end up with neck ache..and that was after i took away some of the movement and adjusted the sensitivity. After half a hour of racing im to sweaty for VR.Its bad enough with the 3D glasses at times..

 

[Zero7159]

I have used all three set ups, single 4K TV, triple screens (1080p and 1440p) and the Oculus Rift CV1. All are great but I prefer the triple 1440p monitors. The immersion is very good, as are the visuals. I like being able to see my wheel, pedals and shifters. Yes, it's not quite as immersive as the CV1 or as pretty as 4K but my triple set up strikes the best balance.

 

[Peter Klawitter]

I have used all three set ups, single 4K TV, triple screens (1080p and 1440p) and the Oculus Rift CV1. All are great but I prefer the triple 1440p monitors. The immersion is very good, as are the visuals. I like being able to see my wheel, pedals and shifters. Yes, it's not quite as immersive as the CV1 or as pretty as 4K but my triple set up strikes the best balance.

which 1440p did you use or are you using?

 

[Neil Farren]

I've got all three. A 55" 4K OLED, 40" 1080P 60Hz Triples and a Vive. Vive is best for immersion, 4K is best for resolution and triples are currently the best for the combination.

VR will be the only choice to make once resolution and image clarity improve. So maybe 2nd or 3rd generation headsets. It's very difficult to explain just what VR adds to immersion, as their is nothing comparable on a flat screen. It's really something you have to try.

4K obviously looks the prettiest but you really need a big screen to get anywhere near the immersion of triples or VR.

Triples are probably the best compromise, and it is a compromise, at the moment. I'd say my 1080P triples are a little to low resolution wise, 1440P should be your aim.

Another thing to consider is what the games you play support. I play many more sims that support VR than support triples properly. And running triples on a game that doesn't correctly support them is just not worth it IMO. I'd much rather play the game in VR than on unsupported triples.

Currently given the choice I play in VR particularly as I have just got a motion rig and VR along with motion just takes my sims to a whole new level but I understand why people feel VR is not quite ready yet.

Personally if I was looking to build a new rig at the moment I would wait and see what happens with VR. If it's going to be a while before 2nd gen headsets are released it will probably be worth going 1440P triples but if it's only a year or so until 2nd gen VR headsets it might be worth picking one up.

Also check out Mr Pix's website for his journey to achieve immersion. It might help you decide. http://www.projectimmersion.com/index.php

 

[Mr Latte]

I dont get why more of you 4K large screen owners are not using 21:9 custom resolutions. Getting approx 1/3 of the left/right screen is still good enough over 16:9 ratio.

This year we will likely see some TV models even support 120Hz native and with fairly low (20ms) response times. So its possible a decent mid-priced 4K model will offer:

Big screen size @ 4K res
21:9 size/scale beyond 34" monitors and cost less money
Improved HDR performance
Better image quality than many monitors

I feel I want the above for the rich visuals, excellent high resolutions, brilliant usage of HDR (GT Sport example) in future (@Paul Jeffrey find out if PCars 2 is HDR?) What PC developers regards racing sims are going to patch/update or start using HDR 10? Deserves an article I think.

Yet Im about to step into VR as everyone is saying the downsides of the screen visuals are far outweighed by the benifits of 3D, scale and immersion. I could be wrong but I feel triple screens days are numbered, be it people using more 21:9 or VR.

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

(@Paul Jeffrey find out if PCars 2 is HDR?)

Yeah no worries, doing an interview with Ian Bell soon so I'll add it to the list

 

[Zero7159]

which 1440p did you use or are you using?

27 inch Dell S2716 1440p monitors with Gsync and 144 hz. Absolutely love them!!!

 

[Mr Latte]

I like my Hz too but in tactile not so much visuals.

 

[Michael Lowe]

I have a 34inch 21:9 monitor and a cv1. I loved the monitor for racing, but then I got a dk2, then the cv1. I enjoy a game of f1 2016, but it's so lifeless now. I stick to rift games, assetto, raceroom recently, iracing, etc. The monitor is the reserve of non vr games these days.

 

[Chouck]

How much better are 120Hz over 60? I play Dirt Rally and have 3x1080p 60hz and feel blur at high speeds

 

[Emery]

How much better are 120Hz over 60? I play Dirt Rally and have 3x1080p 60hz and feel blur at high speeds

You'll notice the difference most when you go around a hairpin and the trees go whizzing past OR if you're using a headtracker like TrackIR. At 60 Hz, you'll see a stutter because a single object might take only 2-3 frames to transit the screen and at 90+ Hz, it will be fluid. Post-processing motion blur might help at 60 Hz, but it won't be accurate compared to what a movie/video camera shows.

Youngsters are more likely to notice a response time improvement to help their reflexes. As I'm middle-aged and rapidly nearing "senior citizen" status, I doubt I would. However I do notice the video stutter at 60 Hz.

120 Hz TVs might not actually do 120 Hz refresh for games, even when in gaming mode. Tread carefully if shopping for one compared to monitors!

 

[Turk]

It's a tough choice. Triples and VR are close, if you can get 3D on the triples it get's even closer. Triples do require a lot of space from what I can see of other peoples setups. It's not just the cost of screens but mounting them and having enough space to dedicate to a rig that large. Your also looking at flat panels rather than a semicircle where every part of the screen would be the same distance from your face.

I'll be getting my rift in about a week so I can also report back, I just have no reference when it comes to triples. I did try watching a 260 youtube video with a playstation VR headset and it removed some fears I had with VR. In videos I see on youtube the windscreen area of the image looks really small and I was a bit worried about the windscreen being small or really pixelated but it really wasn't an issue. The windscreen part of the image is right in front of your eyes and pretty much fills your vision when looking forward, you only see the rest of the image if you point your eyes down at it.

I think it would be hard to be disappointed with either setup to be honest. Triples give you all the information you need and more, sort of the same for VR. It's just a different approach. When it comes to triples though I think you should consider what it will be like living with a monster setup like that. If you think it would be an issue VR is probably the best choice. If it's not an issue your back at square one.