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iRacing » VR in iRacing: Complete Guide
Virtual reality completely changes how you perceive any environment around you, and that is incredibly prevelant in the world of sim racing. I explore the pros and cons, costs and set up of VR in iRacing.
iRacing fully supports a wide range of VR headsets, allowing you to sim race in VR. Headsets such as the Oculus Quest 2, HTC Vive Pro 2 and more are all compatible with VR in iRacing.
Virtual reality was destined to be the next game-changing technology within gaming and the workplace. But so far, it hasn’t quite had the impact that was promised. Despite this, sim racing in particular is one aspect where virtual reality can have a huge impact.
With titles such as iRacing, Assetto Corsa Competizione and the F1 games all supporting VR, I thought it was time to look at the pros and cons of VR in iRacing. I’ll also look at the costs and set up process involved to help you make a decision on whether iRacing in VR is for you.
For many sim racers, the closest we’ll get to race a real race car is to increase the immersion while racing titles such as ACC and iRacing. Virtual reality helps increase the immersion while sim racing more than almost any other piece of sim racing gear you can buy.
While we can surround ourselves with triple screens, add a motion platform to our sim rig and buy the most realistic racing wheels. Virtual reality headsets are the one piece of technology that can transport us directly behind the wheel and into the cockpit of any race car.
It is this added immersion why virtual reality can have such a large impact on sim racing. iRacing is one of the most realistic driving simulators around, so adding a VR headset to your iRacing can result in one of the most immersive sim racing experiences available.
VR in iRacing is seamlessly integrated. You will require a monitor to launch the iRacing UI where you can choose your car, track or event. But as soon as you go to launch the session, you can switch entirely over to using your VR headset.
When launching a session you’ll have the option to do so in VR. If you select that, the in-game iRacing menu will be shown through your VR headset. You will be able to adjust various settings such as your field of view, and graphics settings directly through the iRacing menu. And then you’ll be able to go racing right away.
The debate between VR and monitors is a big debate, especially among sim racers. There are plenty of sim racers who exclusively race in VR, and would never not race in VR, as the increased immersion adds a lot to the overall experience.
Then there is those who much prefer single or triple screen monitors for iRacing. This approach removes the variables of having to configure a VR headset and any shaking or movement that comes from a VR headset.
This is the preferred approach for those who stream or record videos as it can be tricky to record and broadcast VR, and in many cases, it is easier to watch a 2D stream.
Using monitors is also good for those who suffer from VR sickness, or like to race in longer endurance races. It can be much more comfortable to do this using a monitor to ensure you don’t feel sick during a race.
The decision on whether you race in VR or use monitors comes down to personal preference. And for those who have never tried VR, I would recommend giving it a go if possible to experience it. The immersion is incredible, and I can still remember the first time I raced in VR, as it was almost game-changing for me.
There are a good number of VR headsets available now, including a range of different budgets. Headsets such as the Oculus Quest 2 offer decent performance at a lower price point, although the price of the Oculus Quest 2 has recently gone up by £100/$100.
Moving up towards the higher-performing VR headset range, you have offerings such as the HTC Vive Pro 2. That VR headset performs incredibly well but will set you back over £1,299/$1,399.
There are more balanced VR headsets available such as the HP Reverb and Valve Index. Those headsets sit between the Oculus Quest 2 and the Vive Pro 2 in terms of price and performance.
For a detailed guide on the best VR headsets for iRacing, I’d recommend reading our ultimate VR headset buyers guide. In that guide, I run through all of the best options for sim racing in VR, and provide recommendations across a range of budgets.
The set up process to get VR up and running in iRacing is relatively simple.
You can use the links below to shop for your favourite sim racing products, or for any products that we may have recommended. These links are affiliate links, and will earn us a small commission, with no additional cost for you.
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