The sim racing community is home to some hotly contested debates, with monitor sizes often causing conflicts of opinion. With 27” and 32” screens often being the two favored sizes for sim racing monitors, it may lead many to wonder which one of them is the best.
32 inch monitors are the best choice if you are running a single monitor sim racing setup, as their larger size will feel more immersive than a 27 inch screen. If you choose to use a triple screen setup, then 27” screens are more effective as they are less overwhelming and will fit into most setups.
A lot of the debate comes down to personal preference, with a lot of sim racers having different ideals when it comes to monitor features and sizes. In this article we will discuss the positives and negatives of using both sizes, as well as outline how to choose the right monitor for you.
Is A 27 Or 32 Inch Monitor Best For Sim Racing?
Even though both 27” and 32” screens fall between what can be considered the ‘sweet spot’ for sim racing monitor sizes, those opting for a single screen setup will likely find 32” screens to be the better option. 32” will naturally give you a wider field of view, leading to more immersive racing. This doesn’t make 27” screens a bad option, as they will still allow for an enjoyable experience.
Versatility
32” screens are the most versatile of the screen sizes, suiting all budgets and needs. You can find 32” screens at the entry level, with the lowest resolutions and refresh rates just as easily as you can find 32” screens with 4K resolutions and top-level technical specifications. You’ll even be able to find curved 32 inch screens.
Field Of View
Changes to field of view settings are far more noticeable with a larger 32” screen. This will allow you to optimize your depth perception, improving the accuracy of your racing. You’ll also be able to see more of your surroundings. While you can still change these settings on a 27” screen, increasing the field of view can leave the details in the center of the screen appearing warped.
As wider field of view settings are essentially expanding the view on screen to fit more in, you’ll find yourself straining your eyes to see the smaller details a lot more than you would on a 32” screen.
Personal Preference
Ultimately, the answer to this question will come down to personal preference. Some may find a 27” screen easier to manage because of its reduced size, while some may prefer the wider field of view that you get with a 32” screen. The amount of space available should also be considered, as some may not have an adequate amount of space to fit a 32” screen into.
It also comes down to whether you want to run a single screen setup or if you want to use a triple screen setup.
27 Or 32 Inch Monitor For Triple Screen Setup?
If you want to use a triple screen setup, then the recommended screen size to use would be 27 inches. You can use three 32 inch screens as part of a triple screen setup, but you may find the added size to be slightly overwhelming, and they may be too big to fit into your setup.
27” screens are perfect for triple screen setups as you won’t be stretching your neck too far to see the extremities of the left and right screens.
Using three 27” screens will also put less pressure on your PC to perform at its highest level. The greater pixel density will also feel crisper when you are closer to the screen as you would be if you want to get the most out of a triple screen setup. Being so close to three 32” screens will leave you noticing color bleeding and blurriness, putting more strain on your eyes.
An issue that will arise when setting up a triple screen setup is the amount of space that they take up. Even though the difference between 27” and 32” may not seem too significant, three 32” screens will require about 1.25 ft (38 cm) of extra space in order to fit them into a setup. The larger screen size will also mean you have to sit further back to avoid eye strain, which needs to be considered.
KEY POINTS
• 27 inch and 32 inch monitors can be great for sim racing
• Which one is best largely depends on personal preference
• However, for triple screen setups, 27” is usually the better option
How To Choose The Right Monitor For Your Sim Racing Setup
Things To Look For:
- Setup type (single vs triple screen)
- Screen resolution
- Refresh rates
- Response time
Things That Aren’t As Important:
- Price (the features should come first)
There are multiple factors to consider when choosing the right monitor for your sim racing setup. You’ll want to consider how much the screen will add to the immersion of your experience, and whether it can do your games justice. Technical features such as refresh rates, aspect ratios and response speeds are also important, as they will determine whether your game feels smooth to play or not.
Setup Type
The type of setup you go for, whether it be a single or triple screen setup, will have a huge bearing on the overall outcome of your experience. While single screen setups are often the cheaper option and can display some of the highest resolutions on the market, they are not usually the best option for sim racers.
Ultrawide and triple screen setups will offer you much greater peripheral vision, which can improve your performance, as well as offer more immersion. The feeling of being able to look to your side and see where the other cars are in comparison to you simply cannot be replicated on a single screen setup (unless it’s a curved ultrawide monitor), which is why it is be the least preferred option.
Screen Resolution
Screen resolution is one of the most instantly noticeable features of a monitor, as it will determine how crisp and visually impressive your game will appear. There are currently three main levels of screen resolution widely available: 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Screen resolutions are measured in pixels, with more pixels meaning a sharper image.
1080p
1080p, or Full HD, was once the desired definition for gaming monitors. While it has since lost that honor to 1440p and 4K screens, it will still offer a decent picture, as well as requiring less PC power to operate smoothly. 1080p resolutions are now ever present in cheaper monitors, which demonstrates the high level of image quality you can get for reasonably low prices.
1440p
1440p is currently the mid-range resolution as well as the most common among mid to high-end monitors. Containing a considerably increased number of pixels compared to 1080p monitors, you’ll instantly be able to notice the difference between the two, with 1440p monitors able to produce far crisper and more detailed images.
4K
4K is currently the highest resolution that the mainstream market has to offer. With unrivalled picture quality, you’ll instantly be immersed in the action. Do be aware that 4K monitors are the most expensive option and will require you to have a powerful PC capable of powering the monitor to its full potential (or three of them in a triple setup).
Refresh Rates
When choosing your monitor, you’ll want to look out for as high a refresh rate as possible. A monitor’s refresh rate is the number of times per second that new images can be displayed on screen. Refresh rates are measured in Hertz (Hz), with 60 Hz being the recommended minimum. A good refresh rate would be anything from 144 Hz and above, with 240 Hz generally being the best on the market.
Response Time
Response times are important to take into consideration as they will be responsible for making sure the colors displayed on your monitor don’t appear blurry. This is important for sim racing due to the speed at which colors change as you race around the track. A good response speed for sim racing would be 5 ms or below.
Price
When choosing your sim racing monitor, price will naturally be a large factor in your decision. However, it should always come secondary to the features that the monitor has to offer. Obviously you will have your own clearly defined budget, but with any piece of sim racing gear, we recommend you buy the best you can afford.
Final Thoughts
27 and 32 inch monitors can both be great for sim racing. 32” screens are perfect for single monitor setups because of their ability to display a wider field of view. The more compact 27” screen is better for triple screen use as it won’t become overwhelming and won’t stress your PC as much.
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