Iracing / Sim Racing Gaming Build with triple monitors?

[Adrian Simpson]

Hello everyone,

I have been digging around the internet all day looking for builds that may suit me, I've stumbled into old outdated posts and the likes, plus stuff thats not quiet what i need, anyways I am here and i need advice.

ok Im new to PC gaming, been waiting for a great sim racer on the consoles for years that offered more than the GT and Forza series, anyhow i neglected to look at PCs for cost plus complexity of some of it, things have come along way over the years and i cant deny PCs anymore as for what i want is simply unachievable on current consoles.

I would like advice on components for the complete tower + screens, Im building a Triple screen Sim Rig for IRacing (mostly), rfactor 2 or any other race sim that might come my way.

All i know is i want 3 maybe 27" (up to 32" max for r3volution monitor stand) monitors for gaming with a narrow bezel for triple screen set up (must be clear crisp low to no blur image), space is not an issue for the tower, I think unless recommended otherwise id like a full size tower. water cooling to make quiet? or is that over the top?

im assuming Windows 8 is the norm now? IRacing is Linux Friendly but limits me towards other games etc... but open to opinions, I'm certainly not against Linux i love Mint etc...

i want to run the graphics cranked so its as visually appealing as possible with high FPS etc

soundcard? 5.1?

I have already have the

Sim Rig:
Obutto Revolution

Wheel:
Fanatec Clubsport Wheelbase / BMW M3 GT2 Rim (delivery expected next few days)

Pedals:
ClubSport Pedals V2 AU (delivery expected next few days)

Shifter / HBrake:
Frex Shift Comp (being assembled should be delivered in a few weeks i hope)

cost? I'm unsure, id rather spend more now than be unhappy with the screens in 12 months time for eg... or in 6 to 12 months wish i got that better graphics card etc, but at same time find that thin line of not blowing money needlessly, maybe cap the tower at about $2000 Australian.

feel free to throw many ideas around with multiple potential builds as i think the more input the better end result.

ranting on here sorry, but please any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Adrian

 

[manofchalk]

Windows 7 and 8 are the common OS' used, which one to go for largely comes down to personal preference as they both perform the same. Most opt for 7 due to 8's new [strike]Metro Interface[/strike] Start Screen UI, which among desktop enthusiasts is quite unpopular.

Water-cooling, depends what you mean by this. If your looking at something like a Corsair Hydro, dont bother, they perform and sound the same as air coolers for a fair bit more (especially down here in Aus). Custom water-loops, yeah it will outperform everything else and if done right can be very quiet, but is a fairly significant cost and an extra layer of complexity that probably isn't a good move on your first rig. I would just stick with air-cooling.

Sound card, depends on your audio setup. If its pretty extensive, yea spend a bit on a sound card, if not then dont bother with a card above ~$30.

For monitors, I would go for something like this.
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=558_1368&products_id=23310&zenid=3e1620d702a9db00a294c2efcbbbe900
One of the thinner bezels and has VESA 100x100mm mounting (which I would assume your racing setup can accommodate, doesnt really say). Its a bit expensive due to its size and because of the IPS panel, but I feel that's a good choice as IPS panels have far better viewing angles than a cheaper TN as well as better colour reproduction. Its 1080p, nothing special, but going for 1440p would make costs balloon like crazy.

As for the rig itself, unless the sim is particularly CPU intensive it will pretty much be your typical gaming rig (maybe a bit amped up for the 5760x1080 resolution).
Most difficult part to decide would be the graphics card. For a setup like this, the obvious choice would be a GTX780, however in Australia Nvidia are pretty over-priced. The 780 is about $200-250 more than US prices, which kills its value. A better option IMO would be dual 7970's (which gives you a bunch of games as well) given the price.
So for the rig I put them in, but it is worth also considering the R9 290X, the next-gen equivalent of the 7970 from AMD that would be releasing (estimated) in about a month. If its demo at AMD's Hawaii event is any indication it would be able to handle what your after on its own, avoiding potential Crossfire and Micro-Stuttering issues that are introduced with two cards.

I also picked a case that I thought complemented the look of your racing "desk" and will give you room to expand if you ever did want to do water-cooling or something like that. Feel free to change it, cases are largely personal preference.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($272.00 @ PCCaseGear)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U9B SE2 37.9 CFM CPU Cooler ($65.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87X-D3H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($199.00 @ Scorptec)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($92.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($119.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($75.00 @ Scorptec)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($399.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card (2-Way CrossFire) ($399.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Case: NZXT Switch 810 (Black) ATX Full Tower Case ($199.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Power Supply: Silverstone Strider Plus 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($155.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($109.00 @ PCCaseGear)
Total: $2083.00
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-09-29 19:39 EST+1000)

 

[Adrian Simpson]

cheers for you detailed and fast response. Ill look around for a sound card that suits, I actually liked the case you picked in theme of sim rig, Im also partial towards NZXT Phantom 630 (Matte Black), but anyways, you have helped a lot.

Cheers

(edit) just ordered the entire order through PC Case Gear (monitors & tower) i did stretch the extra $20 on a 2TB hdd rather then 1TB and went with the NZXT Phantom 630 in a Matt black which should look brilliant with my desk/sim rig, oh i also didn't bother with a sound card for the moment, I'm unsure ill need one.

cheers again mate ill let you know how I go.

Adrian