Triple Monitor vs Single Ultrawide: The Sim Racing Guide

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Many sim racers opt for one ultrawide screen, while others prefer to go for a triple monitor setup. Both can provide different levels of immersion, but it’s important to understand the benefits and drawbacks of ultrawide and triple monitors for sim racing.

A triple monitor setup is generally more immersive than an ultrawide monitor for sim racing. But whether a triple monitor setup is better than using a single ultrawide monitor depends on your own preferences, space, and hardware capabilities, but many prefer the triple monitor setup for sim racing.

There are a lot of things to consider when deciding between a single ultrawide screen and a triple monitor setup for your sim racing rig. Below, we’ll go into everything you need to consider, and we’ll provide a few of our favorite options for both setups.

Some Things To Consider When Comparing Triple Monitor vs Ultrawide

Price

As with any product for your sim racing setup, it pays to do your research, and you really have to think about what is right for your own particular situation. The first thing that most people consider is the price. This definitely plays a part in the decision between a single ultrawide monitor and a triple screen setup, and so you should definitely think about your budget before you go shopping.

However, we always recommend going for the best that you can afford when buying sim racing gear. This is because small increases in the quality of the equipment can lead to major increases in the quality of your experience and level of immersion.

Space

You also have to consider the space you have for your monitor(s). If you have a large, permanent sim racing setup with plenty of space for multiple screens, then you won’t have to worry too much about this. However, if your setup is only temporary, and you want to be able to pack it away relatively easily, then space might play a more important role in your decision (and you might prefer a single-screen setup).

Software & Hardware

You also have to think about your software and hardware. Not all graphics cards are created equally, and so you may have to do your research to see if your hardware can cope with the resolution of multiple screens, or indeed one high resolution ultrawide screen. You don’t want to put too much strain on your computer, as this will inevitably hinder your sim racing experience.

FOV

You also have to think about more specific things like the field of view (FOV) that you will be able to experience, as well as the bezels or borders on the screens (especially if you’re looking to create a triple screen setup). We will cover these factors in more detail below, but it is important to remember that there are more subtle differences to think about besides the price and space needed.

Compatibility

You also have to think about whether or not the games you are playing will support each type of setup. Many games out there don’t support multiscreen setups, and ultrawide screens can distort some images as well. So, bear this in mind before you buy screens that you can’t play your favorite games on!

In order to make sure that you pick the right screen for your setup, you need to consider all of these factors. Monitors can be expensive, and you want to make sure that you don’t waste your money. Knowing more about each of your options will help to make the decision much easier.

The Best Triple Monitor Setups For Sim Racing

The Best Choice
Good Budget Choice
    • • Great value for money
    • • Decent refresh rate
    • • High resolution and rapid response time
Cheap 4K Option
    • • Budget friendly
    • • Stunning 4K resolution
    • • Wide viewing angles
The Best Choice
  • • High resolution and refresh rate
  • • Low response time
  • • Very thin bezels
Good Budget Choice
  • • Great value for money
  • • Decent refresh rate
  • • High resolution and rapid response time
Cheap 4K Option
  • • Budget friendly
  • • Stunning 4K resolution
  • • Wide viewing angles

The Best Ultrawide Monitors For Sim Racing

The Best Choice
A Close Second
Good Budget Option
The Best Choice
  • • Huge screen
  • • Great resolution
  • • Super high refresh rate
A Close Second
  • • Good screen size
  • • High refresh rate
  • • Lots of ports
Good Budget Option
  • • Budget friendly
  • • Compact option
  • • High refresh rate and resolution

Triple Monitor vs Ultrawide: The Price

The first thing most people consider when buying any new product is the price, and monitor setups are no exception. You can spend a lot on one monitor, or you can get several on a tight budget. It all depends on your own personal preference and to some extent your experience level. If you are just starting out with sim racing, your money may be better spent on a good wheel or set of pedals.

However, if you are set on buying a new screen setup, then your first step may be to consider the price of each. You can spend anywhere from $200 to $1,000 or more on an ultrawide monitor, which may be out of reach for many sim racers. However, a standard-size monitor can cost just $100, but high-end ones can run into several hundreds of dollars as well.

So, in terms of price, there can be a lot of variation. One more thing you should consider price-wise is where you are putting the monitor(s). If you have three, you may need to buy yourself a triple monitor stand, which can cost anywhere from $40 to $150 or more. This could be an extra expense that you need to factor in if you opt for multiple screens.

Triple Monitor vs Ultrawide: The Space Requirements

In terms of space, one screen will tend to take up less room than three. Ultrawide can mean anything from 29” to upwards of 49”, which is a lot of screen. However, triple monitor setups usually consist of three 21-24” screens, and so they tend to take up a lot more room. Pair that with the need for a stand or wide desk, and your space requirements quickly grow.

There is no doubt that triple monitor setups have the capacity to take up even twice as much room as one ultrawide screen, but you do have the ability to place them where you want. If you want to save some space, and benefit from some extra immersion by tuning your field of view, you can angle your monitors to your liking.

This means that although one ultrawide monitor might take up less space, you do have more control over your FOV with a triple monitor setup, and you can move them around to suit the rest of your sim racing setup.

Triple Monitor vs Ultrawide: Compatibility

When it comes to compatibility, ultrawide screens tend to bring about fewer problems than triple monitor setups. One large screen will still require a decent processor and graphics card to run your racing sims smoothly, but most games support it natively as it doesn’t tend to put too much strain on your hardware. However, the wider you go, the more attention you will have to pay to compatibility.

Triple screens can cause some problems when it comes to compatibility. Running three separate monitors at high enough resolutions can cause your graphics card to struggle, and some games just simply do not support triple screen setups. Some do in part, stretching an image over three screens, and some games use three separate camera views for the three screens.

In most cases, an ultrawide monitor is a safe bet for weaker GPUs and a wider variety of games. But if your game and PC can support it, it’s worth opting for the triple setup.

Note: If you're on console, you won't be able to use triple monitor setups, and some ultrawide screens may not be compatible either. This applies to both Xbox and PlayStation users.

Triple Monitor vs Ultrawide: FOV & Realism

The last section briefly touched on FOV, and it is a very important factor to consider in terms of realism. Ultrawide monitors can yield impressive FOV control, especially with the advent of curved screens as well. Simply positioning yourself at the right distance from the screen and making use of a very large screen can lead to some truly immersive sim racing.

However, a triple screen setup, with its adjustability, can allow you to change the angles of the two outer monitors. This can give the effect of the screens wrapping around you, giving you a more immersive experience with a wider, yet still effective and not distorted, FOV.

Triple Monitors & The Issue Of Bezels

Finally, with a triple monitor setup, you also have to remember that the three monitors all have their own frame around them. This means there are visible borders between each one, which is what splits your view into three chunks. These borders are often called bezels, and they can be important to consider for some sims when choosing which monitors to go for.

Obviously, a single ultrawide monitor will only have one outer frame, which means there is nothing obstructing your view of the screen. With a triple monitor setup, you will have to put up with the extra lines splitting up the display. Most racers find them easy to ignore, but for some people they might get in the way and become distracting if they’re too thick.

If you are looking to spend a little extra money, you will be able to find individual monitors that have very thin bezels. This can lead to a more seamless setup, but if you want a truly uninterrupted view, then an ultrawide monitor will obviously be the better option.

KEY POINTS

• Triple monitor setups and single ultrawide screens can both offer lots of immersion

• Triple screens tend to be the preferred option, but they’re usually pricier and put more strain on your PC

• A good ultrawide monitor can provide enough immersion for most racers

Final Thoughts

There are lots of differences between single ultrawide monitors and triple screen setups for sim racing, and the main deciding factor for many people is the price. But there are high-end ultrawide monitors on the market along with expensive triple monitor setups, and both can also be bought on a budget. So, you need to consider all of the other factors when making your decision.

Some setups will suit an ultrawide monitor better than three separate ones, and depending on the sim and console/PC you are racing on, you may be limited to ultrawide screens from the start. The important thing is to take all of these factors into consideration and choose the right option for your particular sim racing setup.