That bit were you say don't get hung up on resolution is just so true, Especially in sim racing. There is so much snobbery in sim racing it hurts sometimes, I use triples but also have to dial the detail down a bit more than I would like due to a COVID bought GPU (I:E, My 550 quid should have gone further), But once in game and racing I don't see it and don't care. So hats off to saying there is nothing wrong with buying 3 cheap 1080p 60 hz 40" TV's for a triple screen setup, UA-cam is full of content creators that would never go near a statement like that .
I agree mate, there is a lot of snobbery and it's not needed at all, we all buy and use what we can and thats all that matters! As i said in the video I would not have half of this if it wasn't for LG and Race @ Home.
Because it doesn't make much sense in 2024 to buy 2006 tech, at that point you're paying more for the alluminum and plastic used to make the TV frame than you do paying for the TV screen. A 4k 40-50 inch tv goes for $150-200 at the low end and a 40-50 inch 1080p tv retails for about $130-150..
@KarlGosling something worth noting is while our FOV is quite wide, once we put a racing helmet on your fov is reduced quite alot. Put a lid on and play for a bit and your no screen area might not exist anymore 😅
@@TTRJoyrider I wear a helmet every week and thats not the case at all mate... But even if your helmet does, this is SIM racing, we don't have to wear a helmet so why sacrifice the advantage?
Similar experience for me. Tried the Quest 3 (great immersion but fiddly and not good for longer periods), tried a triple 32 inch setup (fantastic but too much space and not proportionate to real car) and a 57 inch 32:9 super ultrawide. Use the last of those HOWEVER lately I've been thinking of adding two smaller (24 inch x 1440p x 120Hz) monitors either side of it....
Visual quality on quest 3 is nowhere near as good as screens. Sending mine back today. Very disappointed. Motion sickness and less graphical quality. I prefer running at 4k on a screen with pinsharp graphics and 165hz.
@@demetrisyianni9175- I'll probably keep my Quest 3 as they do seem to be making efforts to increase the quality for PCVR usage but I agree, not as good or as consistent as a good monitor.
@@demetrisyianni9175 thats normal for vr depending on your hardware, and the game. i remember gt sport on psvr1 looking pretty bleh. as well as on my cv1 in the early assetto days not being that great on my hardware at the time 4790k/1080ti. i use an index as well as psvr2 for gt7 now, and i honestly think it looks pretty good. i am using a 3090ti\ and a 4090 on my pc setups so i crank the settings. index only gets a max of 120fps though. while my triples do 280hz, mind you they are 1080p. 1440p\4k displays wouldnt do that fps at the time i did my setup. my 3 1080p 280hz displays where 1300 for all 3, the 1440p models would have cost me 2.3k and only been 165hz, i play fps games as well and i prefer 200 and above on those. the new swift and lg 4k 240-/480hz 1080p displays are 1300 a piece. i cant see me playing 4 5k for three of them. hopefully the price drops a lot.
Another great Video Karl, good to see your channel getting bigger and if i dare say more proffesional but still with your grounded everyday guy attitude and style that comes a cross great to us everyday simmers. I'm a flight simmer myself with DCS world but nearly all you talk about with kit and setups translates to the flight sim world as well and your down to earth attitude is why i have followed you for so long. Keep on Racing!
I've got triple 27inch 1440p 144hz setup and home that I have been using past two years in ACC and last 12 months with 4090 FE. I got Pico 4 last September and currently only racing in VR using Virtual Desktop app and Open XR. Currently racing mostly F3 on LFM. The immersion and feeling of being on a track where I can see everything in 3d all is just brilliant. With 4090 I can run sims on very high settings and maintain stable 90 FPS which is max this headset supports. What I would like to say I would probably be absolutely happy running triples if I didn't get VR headset, but as it now stands I only race in VR
As someone with VR and triple 32s, I use the triples 90% of the time. VR is cool to let friends try it out and it's a lot of fun for flying games but you also lose out on a good part of your peripheral vision. So for serious sim racing, it's triples all day. What someone needs to do is make a racing helmet that has the visor as the VR, that would be sweet.
I used to ride a motorbike. Wearing a VR headset is similar to wearong a crash helmet. So, I actually prefare using VR as it feels more authentic, I guess, when racing in a car sim.
In a real car, it's not exactly desirable to have to turn your head that much. VR is realistic, but in its own way. I wasn't aware until now that the field of view was that narrow. I thought people on UA-cam were looking around so much just to show how cool it was.. I guess they're doing it because they have to
I have one 50" and am considering 2 more. VR poor fov us just a deal breaker, also the lack of comfort and annoying setup process has soured it for me I have quest 3.
@@johnmann7o2 I originally got into sim racing due to racing in real life and yea, in summer it was super uncomfortable (race suit/balaclava/helmet :-). Have a fan and a Q3, but in my Garage it gets super hot in summer Queensland Australia.
I've been running triple 27" screens for several years now. Spent a lot of time getting all the measurements right for a proper FOV (around 160ish). The center screen is tucked up closely behind my wheelbase and I've got a USBD480 dashboard screen hooked up to SimHub for additional telemetry. Testing it out back-to-back with a VR headset, the vastly improved peripheral vision was just too valuable, so I haven't used VR since getting the triples.
I accidentally knocked the power button on my left monitor last night and almost lost it thinking monitor was busted. Respect for whatever screen or vr setup folks can afford and have fun with, great vid Karl.
I have VR and triple 27's in a 1 bedroom apartment in Vancouver. Had to go the small screens for the space saving. Triples are truly great but I'd say you dont need them if you do rally only because you dont need the peripheral vision to watch out for competitors.
I'm currently running triple 48" (Gigabyte Aorus OLED's) and I could never go back to single monitors. I find the 48" setup is really good, set up right behind the wheel base you get a very realistic FOV, and with that distance and a 45 degree angle on the side monitors they cover exactly 180 degrees of my vision :) Would love to switch to VR, or at least do both, at some point but the tech needs to get better. Lighter headset with at least 150+ degrees FOV would be great. Would still keep the triples though, too difficult to have a beer while driving in VR 😅
You mentioned that with VR you have ‘tunnel vision’… but you didn’t mentioned that you can also just turn your head to see into the turns… you lose the peripheral view, but you can turn your head to see what you need to see… I’m not knocking triples… the feeling of open-ness you get from the triples is hard to beat… but also being able to look around your cockpit and see your world in 3D is hard to beat too… with triples, you still see your house when you look around… being able to turn your head and see a back seat, or look down at your passenger seat, (or road in some cars), or up and see the roof is awesome
I love the "1st person view" that doesn't display any car parts. I only play EA WRC Rally for fun so it's perfect for that. If I play F1 23 I sometimes use the cockpit view.
One thing I'll add that could help people who only have room for one display, is to look into head tracking options. There are some really good ones out there these days that don't cost a lot of money. I use a Grass Monkey Simulations unit myself. That combined with a 55" screen could be plenty good for a lot of people.
If you also like to play space and flight sims, you might want to go larger so your eyes feel like they are converging naturally on something much further away than a monitor would be. I went with multiple 4K projectors instead of monitors for this reason and a few others. Its 10ft × 50ft and a tight 180 degree curved screen so it doubles as a immersive movie theater for a bunch of friends at the same time - plus, by going with projectors, it lets it also all be 3D.
I also use projector but with a single 120 ‘’ (home theater room) at 80 inch away. but I also use a head tracking system (delan clip) so it is another oprion for large FOV
I've tried 120hz VR Quest 3 wired into PC and tripple 144hz 27" and I prefer by a country mile my tripples. VR seems to tire me out and if I use my tripples I also get to see my porsche wheel with all its lights going crazy. The thing with 27" tripples is if you play when it's dark it's much better or play with a custom built blackout cockpit - like I sometimes do.
Thats one drawback of VR, not being able to see any of your real world hardware. Yeah I agree, if you can get rid off the room around your rig (lights off or a booth) it's way better!
I use a 35" wide screen with TrackIR, it gives the look into the apex feel on a single screen, I don't really have the room for a triple set up - works well
@@DanDiMaggio I have VR too, but get motion sick if used for long periods - yes it's dated hardware but for me works well, and takes zero power consumption. :o)
Absolutely agree, I also use TrackIR and it’s literally been a game changer for me - no pun intended. The trick is to only have it set so you move your head slightly as real racing drivers are confined with the HANS device which prevents them moving their head too much.
This is an excellent, top notch video. A straightforward but thorough explanation in plain English of the why's and where-fours of triple screen set-ups. If I could, I would (but I can't) it's not to be for me but I can dream. Carry on the excellent work Karl.
I've gone with a single Samsung 49'' with Trakir due to space limitations, It's pretty good compromise and I can easily see into corners and where the competitors are just by turning my head ever so slightly. It feels natural enough but it's obviously not on the same level as triples.
At 11:00, this effect really isn’t as dramatic with an ultrawide as you can also reduce the FOV a little and encompass maybe 75% of the total view. Where triples really benefit you is immersion and being able to see those big mirrors or wheels in formula cars. I don’t think “depth perception” is really a thing with single monitors, and my lap times are often faster with unrealistically small FOV’s. The car appears smaller, that is (I guess FOV is technically larger?) It’s just a really nice luxury to have the FOV as large as yours (or Will’s) 👍 Thanks for another great video, Karl.
Utrawide also gets your mirrors in too, but I still prefer a larger single screen for the extra vertical FOV as well as the horizontal, ironically they are usually cheaper too!
I've come to the conclusion that VR is destined to be a expensive unusable headache. Triple monitors are definitely the way to go. I'm hoping before I get to that point, someone comes out with a seamless curved triple monitor setup. When they eliminate the frame and the bend, I'm sold The single monitor view is definitely wider then what is shown on that center monitor, with the sides turned off. That's one third of the three monitor View
I like my triple screens (27"), they aren't quite that big so I don't get as close to full peripheral vision as you can but even just seeing movement from the side and getting a better sense of speed help, always having the mirrors also helps, but since I'm a long time flight sim fanatic I also had a TrackIR 2, and once I hooked that along with the triples... wow! Now I can shoulder check and with a quick glance get the missing sides, or in the open wheel setups I can actually shoulder check behind me it's wild! Head movement takes a little getting used to as you train your head to provide a bit of glance to swing the virtual head a bit more usually but having used VR before I found I got some eye strain and discomfort from the headset over long periods so for anyone who might be the same but want more FOV that might be a good bridging of the gap if you want a more immersive experience or just don't have the budget or room size to have 3 big 55" screens. Great video thx for sharing this breakdown.
Karl great review.. When I stood up my triples. I went with 48 LG C1s.. However after about 3 years - the 48s never gave me a true 1 to 1 relationship... Maybe the triple 55s would?? So i went and bit the bullet and got triple LG 65 C3s.. Have not did the swap.. But will keep you posted..
I just got triple monitors. Now I need to wait for GT Omega to restock and send me my pre-ordered monitor stand 😁 It is going to be the longest month of my life.
One thing that isn't mentioned much with triples is the importance of site line in relation to horizon. Not all games have an adjustment for this so what can happen is different drivers depending on height will see the side screens differently. For the person it was originally set up for it will appear to be perfect and level across all screens. But if a shorter driver uses the same setup the horizon on the same monitors will appear to rise the further away from the center screen you get. The same can be said for a taller drive but the opposite will be seen. This is very evident if something like a fence or wall crosses over the bezel or in this case the bezel free kit. The wall will appear to bend instead of being straight.
We need easy seat height adjustment... but to be fair shorter drivers can sit a little more upright and taller ones reclined a little, thats what I do with friends (my pedals and seat are on sliders too).
Right before I watched this video I watched the old one where you put your 50” 50kg plasma on a homemade alu screen mount. That was three years ago I think? Your rig really has come a long way since. Very informative video, I’m building my rig right now and because of budget I will start with tripple 27” monitors (because I already own two of them), but I’m definitely going to look into bigger screens in the future.
I can currently run iRacing on either in my Quest 2, or on my 27" 1440p 165hz monitor touching the back of my wheelbase, and in a big surprise to myself... I prefer the 27" monitor over VR. In terms of immersion, I'd rather see my real life hands and wheel over the virtual one in VR. I also find it easier to make out braking points based on road texture on the 27" monitor over the Quest 2 (I have a 4070 ti SUPER with the Quest 2 bitrate forced to 800Mbps, 1.5x resolution). So my current plan is to get triple 32" monitors. Interested to try VR headsets in the future with much wider FOVs.
I prefer VR, tho it's an immature solution with tons of room for improvement compared to triples, to me it feels miles apart in terms of immersion. There's also something to be said about being able to buy a $150 quest 2 on used markets and not needing a large monitor at all.
iRacing member for 10 years now and started single monitor, then 2 monitors different size, then triple monitors, then VR and now ultrawide 🙂 The ultrawide is the best for competitive oval racing, but VR is so much fun also.
Definitely, the spacial awareness it gives you, just can not be replicated on a flat screen. Having said that, I find the fov quite narrow the the current gen VR headsets, so there is not a lot of peripheral vision.
@@demetrisyianni9175 Just get the Quest3. Great peripheral vision due to best in class lenses, great resolution, you can use it without a face casket if you also buy a bobovr halo strap so its much less straining on your face during longer periods of play. Yeah there is some hardware overhead but i can run any simracing game with really decent optics without any framedrops on a 3080/ryzen5800x. If you want to do 12 hour endurance races you have to get a powered usb cable but other than that there is very little friction to use the thing. I turn on my pc, turn on vd or oculus wether i care for a cable or not, then start the game directly and i am in the car.
VR experience and immersion is INSANE. And it's also incredibly fun. But no shot it's better than triple screens for any gaming. Even the quest 3 looks like garbage compared to a 1440p 27-32 screen. Although I'd argue 27 is max for crispness. Maybe the 5090/6090 might change it with the Quest 4 or new VR models. But acting like vr is some holy grail for now is bit much. Even on maxed out settings and lower fps it looks like you're playing on 480-720p lol. The main benefit of vr is depth perception, and "fun" for awhile. But even on best current gen it looks like you'd play on a toaster compared to an actual high rez screen
Get one of those Elgato Stream Decks. This way you can add hot keys to each key that lets you open up and close games. Even control settings and volume with just the press of a button without fiddling around with a keyboard in the dark.
I debated triples when building my rig and I ended up with a singe Samsung 49" Ultrawide.. I think its a great mix of single to triple screen FOV. Maybe triples in the future?? Thank for the vid!
I’ve been using cockpit view since Need for Shift(2009) and up until I tried a proper VR headset it never felt legit. Personally I prefer VR as the feeling of being on track is 2nd to none.
From what I’ve seen it seems like anything bigger than triple 32s just means you can push the displays further away while maintaining the same FOV. If you don’t mind having the displays close to you I don’t see much advantage going bigger. It also means that 1080p can look sharper and you don’t need 4K and a $10,000 pc to run it.
Yeah going bigger and then moving them further away is pointless, leave them where you normally would and gain a much larger FOV :) Or in my case because I have motion they MUST sit a bit further away so going big is very important.
Anything is perfectly fine really mate, it's all down to personal preference and needs... Dave's main reasons where space saving, power consumption and heat (the last two are really just a pitch for the Benq monitors) so if they are important to you then all good! :) You're not quite sitting "inside" the displays so miss some peripheral FOV but still better than a single display :)
@@KarlGosling the bit that made me go triple 27” was when he was saying bigger screens makes things look out of proportion, is this not true ? I came from VR so wanted to do it the cheapest way possible just incase I didn’t like it so went with 3 27” 1440p coolmasters @ 100hz but if it’s not true then I will think about upgrading at some point in the future as I will never go back to VR now
Don’t forget his shorts. Below freezing in the UK currently and he still wears shorts. I bet if he went to football matches he’d be one of those not wearing a shirt 😊
I have triple 50s and VR and the triples are glorious. 4k on each screen looks so crisp compared to VR. Now when the Pimax 12K comes out, I might spend more time in VR but I bounce between both. Throw in a true 7.1 surround sound setup and it's a whole other level. 3D headphones do not compare to a true 7.1 speaker set up. I just got four amps and tied them into the realtek jacks in the back with surround sound speakers and it blows away my RAZER THX surround headphones.
@Bidle78 My screens are 60hz, so I V-sync to 60fps. But, if I turn V-sync off, I get around 70-80fps on all my sim racing titles. DCS is the same except for the Marianas Map. If the RTX 5090 releases this year, I'm going to grab one if they don't disappear before I can get my hands on it. Settings the money aside ahead of time in my budget. I like VR, but I keep coming back to triple screen.
Great advice and video Karl. I'd love a setup like yours but I just don't have the room in the house unfortunately, got the money, just but not enough room. Solution = I play in VR and it's great, however, there are times when I don't fancy popping the headset on if I'm a bit too hot, although that problem is solved with a portable aircon unit. Anyhoo, cracking info and setup you have. Cheers.
Great video as always Karl. I went for the 57" super ultra wide which has an aggressive 1000R curve so does wrap around you a little. Obviously not as good as triples, in hindsight I maybe should've got two more 32" curved 4K / 165Hz monitors to go with the one I had but it's done now - and the 57" IS incredible! VR next for me, maybe triples in the future.
Thanks mate, just remember an ultrawide is just a letterbox, you get no peripheral vision so cannot see cars coming alongside you or round the apex of sharp corners.
Thanks mate you’ve just convinced me to go with bigger tv’s rather than 32” monitors. I already have a C3 42” so will get two more. I have a 4080 so will probably need to run them at 1440. I will also need to get DP to HDMI adapters. Will I need anything else? apart from a bigger wallet, more space and a divorce solicitor. 😂
I would love to try a setup like this. For now I have a GTR Sim Cockpit, G29 Wheel, and PSVR2 for GT7. I love racing in VR which is funny because I've always hated the cockpit view and wondered in anyone ever used it.
I try to explain the FoV to people all the time and they just don't get it. To them, high FoV is king and nothing will change that. More power to them.
I've been a photographer for over 50 years. I have a hard time explaining FOV to people. Matching the same perspective of what your eyes see can be tricky.
Don’t be afraid of trying small screens. I have 23” triples 1080p, and it is also a very huge step according to single screen. The objects and cars size growht are fascinating. My eyedistance is 60-80 cm. The inside mirror and dashboard are completely visible most of the cases despite of the low screen hight.
I ran triples for three years until I put on a PSVR2. Now I can't put it down and have started GT7 from scratch just to experience it all over again. And I suspended my iRacing subscription since.
I think VR is amazing atm but it requires the right set up. Dialed in settings and game mods, proper aftermarket mods (headstrap, batteries, face plates, etc), beefy PC, good router if you're going wireless. I imagine by the time we get next gen VR headsets it'll start to truly take over. We're so close already with the clarity of the pancake lens on the quest 3. Right now, the barrier to entry for an actual good VR experience is too much for most people.
I actually used VR for flight sim until I had my license (was only a few months) but totally agree about using physical inputs and being able to see them!
Triples are the best, but only if you have space, or a spare room to put it in. Unfortunately i do not have a room to do this, so i have to fit mine in my bedroom along with everything else, which limits me to a single monitor.
Great insight. I’m running triple 43” 4K (11520x2160). Interested to know your FPS rate and ACC graphic settings? Well worth mentioning that overall performance can be dramatically reduced if your PC isn’t capable of processing that many pixels at a satisfactory frame rate.
Maybe this is better, I could see it being pretty decent with eye tracking. I think the field of view argument holds up if you put a VR hat on and don’t turn your head at all during racing, then you get 100 degrees or so of vision. You look into the corners though, you look where you want to go, that’s the beauty of VR. Also the cost of running triples over time would be pretty expensive. My son bought the massive Samsung ultra wide, and sold it inside 6 months because of the higher electric bills using it created.
You don't need eye tracking, thats used for a single screen where you cannot physically look left/right as you have no displays. Looking into corners is fine with VR but you still have no peripheral vision so if you want equal situational awareness you will constantly be panning left to right... But there's pros and cons to both for sure :) Oh 100% the leccy bill will be way higher! lol
@@KarlGoslingthat was just one, admittedly enormous, display. That, on reflection, he was using all day every day for work as well as personal. Which isn't usual for racing, for me at least. I'm everyday for an hour or two, so the cost wouldn't be hideous. For me. I think I've decided though that a single ultra wide with an eye tracker is my thinking going forward.
This is a great video, thank you ! I am new to sim racing and have a single 27" inch monitor......trying to put all the details together and specifically what I need to go triples. I'm using your setup as a baseline. Maybe a video that goes from "zero to hero" would be something you'd like to do? Info on what to look for in a monitor/TV, cables, DP to HDMI adaptors, set-up, FOV, etc. would be super awesome. I watched your video from a couple years ago and that is also very helpful. Costco has some off-brand 55" 4K TV for $280...but I have no clue if they would be sufficient or not. Finally... concerning VR vs Triples....there are certainly pros and cons to both setups. With the Quest 2/3 being pretty affordable I'm not sure why folk are bickering....just do both ! VR is very cool but not as easy to just jump in and drive. But it is for sure the BEST when flying in BMS or other flight simulators. Anyway, thanks for all you do !
If you want VR, a DP port is recommended. I have Trippels and Pico4 play via USB cable. Trippels no lag and runs very smoothly and better picture, VR without DP I just notice compression and lack. Use my Trippels more than VR. VR immersion becomes less common after a while. And I don't like VR's general the vof and especially the vertical vof.quest3 has no dp and vertical of 96 vof is much too small.
I am planning to set up a triple display with a 77-inch OLED LG TV that will also serve as a monitor. I am currently using a 3DOF motion simulator, so I would like to use a larger screen. My graphics card is the RTX 4090, which has only one HDMI port and three DP ports on the back. Since the TV/monitor I am using only has an HDMI port, I will need to use an adapter to set up the triple display. I plan to use a model that supports 120Hz, but I am wondering if everything will function properly when connecting through an adapter for the triple display setup. Additionally, since I have enough space, I am considering going with the 77-inch display. If there are no issues such as significant screen distortion that might make the 77-inch less ideal compared to a 55-inch, I would prefer to go with the 77-inch setup.
I cover this in the video, yes 77" is too big (centre display specifically) you will lose a large portion of the cars interior or in a single seater maybe the front wheels altogether. You will need good quality/spec cables and active DP to HDMI adapters.
How do you personally like VR, as an alternate to triples. My preference is VR for the natural feeling of driving and depth of view that triples cant provide, but triples give a better visual fidelity.
I feel the main drawback to usng VR vs Triples is the lack of peripheral vision. Other than that, I love the 3D depth perception and full immersion virtual reality provides.
Peripheral vision and vertical FOV too, comfort (sweat), motion sickness, being unable to see your real hardware (button boxes, wheel inputs, etc.), instability... there's very much pros and cons to both and I love VR too! Just not for long sim racing sessions.
I mean it looks amazing, but even if I’ve never tried such a setup I’m not sure i would prefer it over vr personally. Im one of the “lucky” ones I suppose in that I can’t comfortably wear and use vr headset for hours without issue. No motion sickness headache etc
I would advise against 60Hz unless on an oled maybe. And from my experience 120Hz on a cheap panel can also be problematic as when you are very close to your display things like ghosting are more visible and as soon as you turn the car just slightly you go from sharp to blurry right away (bad motion resolution). That takes away from the emersion for me, I prefer motion clarity. You have to test for yourself. Just keep that in mind before buying the cheapest biggest TV you can find like I did.
@@KarlGosling I was just watching some video footage of the latest sim racing expo, I noticed a lot of the rigs had 49 inch ultrawide displays instead of triples. An ultrawide is an attractive option for many people as it would draw less power and only need one connection to the pc if say all you have is a gaming laptop. I'm curious how much of your view would be cut down using a curved ultrawide vs triples. Hmm Maybe a future video?
I run triple 2k 27s. Space and gpu are the reasons I didn’t go bigger. The thing I don’t really hear is the heat. I ran for years an ultra wide 49” didn’t really have an issues. Now with these I’ve had to rethink my ventilation and cooling for that side of the house. I wouldn’t take it back by any means. Just something to also consider.
I run a 4090 and would love a triple, I have a Varjo aero vr headset, but the FOV is limiting. The thing that has stopped me getting a triple is what screens to get its a nightmare, the more videos I watch the more confused I get 😂 I’m mainly in Microsoft 2020 flight sim.
I just got a 49" super ultrawide a few weeks ago and I'm completely happy with it at the moment. One thing I've been thinking of getting is a stand so I can move it closer to my rig because it is standing on a table at the moment. I wonder which would be better, a standalone stand or a monitor stand that I could attach into my rig? I only use the "1st person" camera view in racing games so I don't care about mirrors and stuff like that :)
Interesting video with good info overall! (Nice bonus info about that crash helmets actually have better FOV than VR headsets for example - that was good info!) Still though: 1) @13.40 is a bit of an unfair comparison: you would'nt put a 32 incher that far away from the cockpit. (as you're mentioning at @19:50 when talking about the triple screen setup) 2) Also, yes if you increase the FOV on a single screen beyond the calculations, then the scale will be off and the immersion will go down to some degree, and measuring distance can get trickier... I understand and agree with the basic premise of the video! *But* my honest opinion is that if you ARE limited to a relatively small monitor sitting relatively far away, it will feel more natural and you'll see more of your surroundings if you go for a higher FOV than what the numbers tell you. It won't be "correct" but with a little adaptation it will work and you'll see more of your surroundings. Judging distance and getting a feeling for the rotation of the car will be harder though, but you'll get used to it if you have to. Im not saying single screen is better or anything: I'm just saying the actual practical difference - if you tweak your settings - won't be as bad as this video makes it out to be. ... BTW it would be interesting to see a video of which games/sims actually *do* fully support triple screen in a good way, including calculating angles for the side screens, distances etc etc... and which games/sims that *doesnt*. (Or is there a video of this already? If so I apologize!)
Thanks mate! 1) It's an apples to apples comparison, if I moved it closer (which I can't) it wouldn't demonstrate the point. 2) Yeah IMO you are better off not using cockpit view in this situation (as you can see so little) and going with what gives the best experience and playability. IME All proper simulation titles bar rally have triple screen support along with flight sims too.
I've always ran a single , currently on an LG 34" ultrawide which I just got & love it > I only still feel like I'm missing more . I almost went triples because want 16:9 , the 21:9 feels cut off .
at 18:00 when he is talking about fov in VRheadset so if you go for relistic you have helmet that reduce you real fov and you have VRheadset that have 110 degree and that is like have real helmet on you and pepole never talk about that
I mention that later in the video and no it's not even close to the same... I where a helmet at least once a week and much more often in the summer for reference.
Tried quest 3... Sending it back. Can't compete with the sharpness and graphical performance of screens. Looking around is great but not worth it if the game looks looks like a PlayStation 2 game. VR is not ready yet.
@@demetrisyianni9175exactly this, everywhere you have these redditors spamming the superiority of VR compared to triples. No shot these people ever had triples before. Or maybe they played 1080 on a 55inch and just were used to absolute sht ppi. I've a 4070 super and a quest 3 and despite spending literally a hundred hours tweaking settings you will never even be close to an actual quality image. I can see how maybe the 4090 with a pimax could get closer.. But even then it just starts to have an acceptable image. 6090 Wil be the first card with hopefully better pcvr's to actually be able to replace screens. Although triple 4k 144hz oleds will also be a tough competition
Hi Karl I’ve literally just purchased 3 x msi 32in 1440p monitors. Then I found this video. I watch your videos a lot for reviews and I’m not sure whether to be disappointed or not. My main concern going from a large 4k tv to a smaller screen was indeed the size comparison but thought I’d adjust to the smaller screen. Especially given that I’ve gone from a single screen to triples. This video though makes me nervous about the cockpit view for ACC. I want to be excited about getting triples. Will I still be happy when I’m in the seat with the 32inch triples? For now I literally can’t go any bigger due to space. Thanks for the great videos and content you provide us with.
With smaller displays you can bring them closer to you which will fill your field of view more so I don't think you will be disappointed, but of course there's no substitute for size and being able to look fully left/right as cars come along side you.
Nice Video Karl. Always good stuff. I have triples now and I love them. Will eventually go larger, however, I did get a Quest 3 for Xmas/Bday gift and after making some adjustments and taking advantage of my 4080, it is an enticing option as well. You get all the POV that is needed to see cars and perspectives. I think between the 2, I would rather have a proper triple setup, but VR is a lot of fun. Especially on tracks like Daytona. Cannot do Rally, I get motion sickness. Maybe with a motion rig that wouldn't be the case. Again, good stuff mate. Have a great 2024.
Yeah I can do circuit based racing in VR but not rally either for the same reason, but I also don't like the small FOV and often race with friends so swapping a sweaty VR headset between us, changing IPD and strap size every 10 mins is not ideal! lol
@@KarlGosling ahh makes total sense. I think having both if one can is really cool. Get the immersion of VR and simplicity of Triples. Thinking I’ll go 42 here soon but need my own space first. Gotta give the wife the dream house.
Triples every time for me. Tried many vr headsets quest 3 etc it’s ok for a 20 minute race but i much prefer triples. Happy new year also Karl! Ps what’s that keyboard ?
Seems like you never had vr for a long time if you can only use them for a 20 min race. You can easily use it for longer than an hour racing. Triples can be more relaxing, but you throw away a huge part of immersion.
@@Peterdeskater100 no have tried it for longer buddy. Triples can be as immersive depending on how far you want to go. Roof, psp button box, racelogic, grid side markers, evil vcore for flags, safety nets, hue lights inside the roof. I’ll guarantee it will put a smile on your face. Had motion and tactile feedback your in for a blast
Thank you i did find a calculator online and worked out the angles and for my triple 42" and seating position I need to position the angles at 60 ddegrees and unfortunatly I cant reach the angles on my motion rig maxed out at 50 my monitors are 3" thick and my brackets cant move in any more @@KarlGosling
On ACC i never really looked past the 1st 3rd of either outside screen, most of the time the car interior blocks the view out the windows and mirrors anyway!! My wish is that games could adjust pov for curved displays. Like a heavy curved 49" but the curve actually bends pov too. Also if only we could get 3d glasses free displays, then I'd come back to triples from VR
Wish i had room for triples. Im in an old long coal cupboard lol. Single or projector on the wall. I go on vr instead. Trade off so i could use buttkickers ect. Sound proofed it best i could. Some ppl are using a 49 inch ultra wide, that seems interesting. No room for that either. I could for a laugh, slap 3x portable motitors together, that would be a triple lol. 15 inch.
Distance from the screen is the most important part. I’ve only got a single 34” ultra wide, but it’s so close to my wheel, I getting a slightly better fov than you’re getting on the single 55”. Trips is still the move, though.
@@ewenblack4174what that wide is better than oversized? Course it is when on cockpit view its side to side 55" tv gives you up and down. Dont need/want that in a sim... if ultra wide was supported on console id go that route. Running 3 screens is just costly both on buying and running.
@@ewenblack4174 I mean, I can see most of my side mirror on the driver side. He can barely see the mirror at all on the center monitor. I'd take that as me seeing more. He can see his dash and his roof better. Vertical real-estate isn't as important as horizontal in simracing, though.
Karl is madness from your front room g29 to what you have now hat's off to you and hope you just get bigger and bigger could listen to you all day and if I ever had the money to do it I would see if I could pay for you to do it honest guy
if you dont have a gaming background you can maybe go for 60hz. But I have been playing with 100hz+ for 15+ years so I could never go back :/ I have 3x27 atm thinking to upgrade to 3x32 but I dont think the height is enough :( Great video Karl
Yeah I guess it's what you're used to, I've been gaming since the 80's but almost always at 60hz until this rig running 120hz... would be interesting to drop back to 60hz and see if I can feel the difference?! Bigger the better IME, I personally hate the letterbox effect you get with small displays.
Still people im in the mix aswell. On Acc on xbox in this case very quick!. So doesnt affect that (id love be able to side view an apex sometimes) only real advantage is like you say close racing and seeing car there. Have to rely on the radar.. jardier uses single screen!. One fastest in world on the sim..
He and all of the top sim racers know the tracks inside out and race from muscle memory, a lot even turn the FFB extremely low so they are not fighting with the wheel, also why motion is not good for competitive racing (it can actually make you slower!).
I wish i could!! Wish console supported it.. GT did it wayy back when aswell!. So can be done. Ok needed several consoles lol. Dont want a pc and the headache of one.
You still have no peripheral vision (for seeing cars come along side you) and only a single screen directly in front of you, not as immersive and you don't have that natural ability to look (turn your head) 90 degrees left of right to "look out the windows"
That bit were you say don't get hung up on resolution is just so true, Especially in sim racing. There is so much snobbery in sim racing it hurts sometimes, I use triples but also have to dial the detail down a bit more than I would like due to a COVID bought GPU (I:E, My 550 quid should have gone further), But once in game and racing I don't see it and don't care.
So hats off to saying there is nothing wrong with buying 3 cheap 1080p 60 hz 40" TV's for a triple screen setup, UA-cam is full of content creators that would never go near a statement like that .
I agree mate, there is a lot of snobbery and it's not needed at all, we all buy and use what we can and thats all that matters! As i said in the video I would not have half of this if it wasn't for LG and Race @ Home.
Because it doesn't make much sense in 2024 to buy 2006 tech, at that point you're paying more for the alluminum and plastic used to make the TV frame than you do paying for the TV screen. A 4k 40-50 inch tv goes for $150-200 at the low end and a 40-50 inch 1080p tv retails for about $130-150..
So true, 1080p, even at 60hz works very well because of the fps performance, particularly with a higher end racing PC.
@KarlGosling something worth noting is while our FOV is quite wide, once we put a racing helmet on your fov is reduced quite alot. Put a lid on and play for a bit and your no screen area might not exist anymore 😅
@@TTRJoyrider I wear a helmet every week and thats not the case at all mate... But even if your helmet does, this is SIM racing, we don't have to wear a helmet so why sacrifice the advantage?
Tried VR, triples and 49” ultra wide and by far I prefer the ultra wide. To each their own.
With ultra wide im feeling like I'm missing out, you miss a mirror at least. I don't like that.
Similar experience for me. Tried the Quest 3 (great immersion but fiddly and not good for longer periods), tried a triple 32 inch setup (fantastic but too much space and not proportionate to real car) and a 57 inch 32:9 super ultrawide.
Use the last of those HOWEVER lately I've been thinking of adding two smaller (24 inch x 1440p x 120Hz) monitors either side of it....
Visual quality on quest 3 is nowhere near as good as screens. Sending mine back today. Very disappointed. Motion sickness and less graphical quality. I prefer running at 4k on a screen with pinsharp graphics and 165hz.
@@demetrisyianni9175- I'll probably keep my Quest 3 as they do seem to be making efforts to increase the quality for PCVR usage but I agree, not as good or as consistent as a good monitor.
@@demetrisyianni9175 thats normal for vr depending on your hardware, and the game. i remember gt sport on psvr1 looking pretty bleh. as well as on my cv1 in the early assetto days not being that great on my hardware at the time 4790k/1080ti. i use an index as well as psvr2 for gt7 now, and i honestly think it looks pretty good. i am using a 3090ti\ and a 4090 on my pc setups so i crank the settings. index only gets a max of 120fps though. while my triples do 280hz, mind you they are 1080p. 1440p\4k displays wouldnt do that fps at the time i did my setup. my 3 1080p 280hz displays where 1300 for all 3, the 1440p models would have cost me 2.3k and only been 165hz, i play fps games as well and i prefer 200 and above on those. the new swift and lg 4k 240-/480hz 1080p displays are 1300 a piece. i cant see me playing 4 5k for three of them. hopefully the price drops a lot.
Another great Video Karl, good to see your channel getting bigger and if i dare say more proffesional but still with your grounded everyday guy attitude and style that comes a cross great to us everyday simmers. I'm a flight simmer myself with DCS world but nearly all you talk about with kit and setups translates to the flight sim world as well and your down to earth attitude is why i have followed you for so long. Keep on Racing!
Thanks mate, very kind of you to say!
I've got triple 27inch 1440p 144hz setup and home that I have been using past two years in ACC and last 12 months with 4090 FE. I got Pico 4 last September and currently only racing in VR using Virtual Desktop app and Open XR. Currently racing mostly F3 on LFM. The immersion and feeling of being on a track where I can see everything in 3d all is just brilliant. With 4090 I can run sims on very high settings and maintain stable 90 FPS which is max this headset supports. What I would like to say I would probably be absolutely happy running triples if I didn't get VR headset, but as it now stands I only race in VR
My phone has a bigger screen that that, lol.
@@Despiser25 really 😂 1080p display😂😂😂
As someone with VR and triple 32s, I use the triples 90% of the time. VR is cool to let friends try it out and it's a lot of fun for flying games but you also lose out on a good part of your peripheral vision. So for serious sim racing, it's triples all day. What someone needs to do is make a racing helmet that has the visor as the VR, that would be sweet.
Yes
Did you at least have good VR though?
I used to ride a motorbike. Wearing a VR headset is similar to wearong a crash helmet. So, I actually prefare using VR as it feels more authentic, I guess, when racing in a car sim.
In a real car, it's not exactly desirable to have to turn your head that much. VR is realistic, but in its own way. I wasn't aware until now that the field of view was that narrow. I thought people on UA-cam were looking around so much just to show how cool it was.. I guess they're doing it because they have to
@@heinous70 doesn't that depend on the head set? i thought the newer pancake lenses improve fov
I have 3 x 50 inch and they are great. Have VR, but the triples are just so much more comfortable to use.
I agree, also I race with friends so constantly swapping a sweaty headset is not the one! lol
For me comfort is the big thing. I enjoy VR every now and then but I find it uncomfortable for long sessions so nearly always use my triples.
I have one 50" and am considering 2 more. VR poor fov us just a deal breaker, also the lack of comfort and annoying setup process has soured it for me I have quest 3.
Try racing in real life, but you couldn’t since it’s uncomfortable. Comfort solved with a fan and a lightweight headset like the pico 4
@@johnmann7o2 I originally got into sim racing due to racing in real life and yea, in summer it was super uncomfortable (race suit/balaclava/helmet :-). Have a fan and a Q3, but in my Garage it gets super hot in summer Queensland Australia.
I've been running triple 27" screens for several years now. Spent a lot of time getting all the measurements right for a proper FOV (around 160ish). The center screen is tucked up closely behind my wheelbase and I've got a USBD480 dashboard screen hooked up to SimHub for additional telemetry. Testing it out back-to-back with a VR headset, the vastly improved peripheral vision was just too valuable, so I haven't used VR since getting the triples.
Thanks for the video, mate! Now, whenever someone asks why I prefer triple screens over VR, I'll just link them to this video😁 Cheers! 🙌
Wait a sec, I know you🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️
I accidentally knocked the power button on my left monitor last night and almost lost it thinking monitor was busted. Respect for whatever screen or vr setup folks can afford and have fun with, great vid Karl.
lol an easy mistake mate and yes I totally agree, we're all in the hobby for the enjoyment whatever we have!
I'v had 32" triples since 2015, now looking at your 55" triples, 32's now seem trite! Great insight.
I have VR and triple 27's in a 1 bedroom apartment in Vancouver. Had to go the small screens for the space saving. Triples are truly great but I'd say you dont need them if you do rally only because you dont need the peripheral vision to watch out for competitors.
And of course there are no rally titles that support triples.
@@KarlGosling good point Karl! its still fun stretching the screen but not the real triple experience like the road titles have
I'm currently running triple 48" (Gigabyte Aorus OLED's) and I could never go back to single monitors. I find the 48" setup is really good, set up right behind the wheel base you get a very realistic FOV, and with that distance and a 45 degree angle on the side monitors they cover exactly 180 degrees of my vision :) Would love to switch to VR, or at least do both, at some point but the tech needs to get better. Lighter headset with at least 150+ degrees FOV would be great. Would still keep the triples though, too difficult to have a beer while driving in VR 😅
Do you have any issues with gsync ? Can you enable on all displays at once ?
@@corzabourne2101 Not had any issues so far, running G-sync on all three via Display Port from my 4090 :)
You mentioned that with VR you have ‘tunnel vision’… but you didn’t mentioned that you can also just turn your head to see into the turns… you lose the peripheral view, but you can turn your head to see what you need to see… I’m not knocking triples… the feeling of open-ness you get from the triples is hard to beat… but also being able to look around your cockpit and see your world in 3D is hard to beat too… with triples, you still see your house when you look around… being able to turn your head and see a back seat, or look down at your passenger seat, (or road in some cars), or up and see the roof is awesome
I think triples are great if you want to use the cockpit view. I don’t have triples yet and for that reason, I use the front bumper view.
I used to use bumper view on a single also, great feeling of speed!
Or the roof top view pointing to the bonnet is actually great for someone who uses single screen also 👍
I love the "1st person view" that doesn't display any car parts. I only play EA WRC Rally for fun so it's perfect for that. If I play F1 23 I sometimes use the cockpit view.
front bumper or front of the hood view gives me my fastest times
Thanks, This video explains everything I have been trying to find out about triple screens
One thing I'll add that could help people who only have room for one display, is to look into head tracking options. There are some really good ones out there these days that don't cost a lot of money. I use a Grass Monkey Simulations unit myself. That combined with a 55" screen could be plenty good for a lot of people.
If you also like to play space and flight sims, you might want to go larger so your eyes feel like they are converging naturally on something much further away than a monitor would be. I went with multiple 4K projectors instead of monitors for this reason and a few others. Its 10ft × 50ft and a tight 180 degree curved screen so it doubles as a immersive movie theater for a bunch of friends at the same time - plus, by going with projectors, it lets it also all be 3D.
Yeah good shout!
I also use projector but with a single 120 ‘’ (home theater room) at 80 inch away.
but I also use a head tracking system (delan clip) so it is another oprion for large FOV
I've tried 120hz VR Quest 3 wired into PC and tripple 144hz 27" and I prefer by a country mile my tripples. VR seems to tire me out and if I use my tripples I also get to see my porsche wheel with all its lights going crazy. The thing with 27" tripples is if you play when it's dark it's much better or play with a custom built blackout cockpit - like I sometimes do.
Thats one drawback of VR, not being able to see any of your real world hardware.
Yeah I agree, if you can get rid off the room around your rig (lights off or a booth) it's way better!
I use a 35" wide screen with TrackIR, it gives the look into the apex feel on a single screen, I don't really have the room for a triple set up - works well
Man it's been a long time since I've seen someone talk about TrackIR. That was the original "VR" back in the day lol
@@DanDiMaggio I have VR too, but get motion sick if used for long periods - yes it's dated hardware but for me works well, and takes zero power consumption. :o)
Now you're gonna make me go dig around in my "old" electronics boxes and find mine lol @@racing393
@@DanDiMaggio I use Trackir as well. Works great.
Absolutely agree, I also use TrackIR and it’s literally been a game changer for me - no pun intended. The trick is to only have it set so you move your head slightly as real racing drivers are confined with the HANS device which prevents them moving their head too much.
Depth perception is kind of important too. Seeing some one is important but knowing how far away they are is even more important.
Hence why correct geometric setup is a must!
Vr says hi
Another excellent review! I've been debating a triple monitor setup, so thanks for the in-depth explanation.
No worries!
This is an excellent, top notch video. A straightforward but thorough explanation in plain English of the why's and where-fours of triple screen set-ups. If I could, I would (but I can't) it's not to be for me but I can dream. Carry on the excellent work Karl.
Thanks mate!
I've gone with a single Samsung 49'' with Trakir due to space limitations, It's pretty good compromise and I can easily see into corners and where the competitors are just by turning my head ever so slightly. It feels natural enough but it's obviously not on the same level as triples.
At 11:00, this effect really isn’t as dramatic with an ultrawide as you can also reduce the FOV a little and encompass maybe 75% of the total view. Where triples really benefit you is immersion and being able to see those big mirrors or wheels in formula cars. I don’t think “depth perception” is really a thing with single monitors, and my lap times are often faster with unrealistically small FOV’s. The car appears smaller, that is (I guess FOV is technically larger?)
It’s just a really nice luxury to have the FOV as large as yours (or Will’s) 👍
Thanks for another great video, Karl.
Utrawide also gets your mirrors in too, but I still prefer a larger single screen for the extra vertical FOV as well as the horizontal, ironically they are usually cheaper too!
Yeh right? He's got it setup for triples it's not fair to turn the side ones off and say "this is how it will look with one display" because it is t
I've come to the conclusion that VR is destined to be a expensive unusable headache. Triple monitors are definitely the way to go. I'm hoping before I get to that point, someone comes out with a seamless curved triple monitor setup. When they eliminate the frame and the bend, I'm sold
The single monitor view is definitely wider then what is shown on that center monitor, with the sides turned off. That's one third of the three monitor View
I like my triple screens (27"), they aren't quite that big so I don't get as close to full peripheral vision as you can but even just seeing movement from the side and getting a better sense of speed help, always having the mirrors also helps, but since I'm a long time flight sim fanatic I also had a TrackIR 2, and once I hooked that along with the triples... wow!
Now I can shoulder check and with a quick glance get the missing sides, or in the open wheel setups I can actually shoulder check behind me it's wild! Head movement takes a little getting used to as you train your head to provide a bit of glance to swing the virtual head a bit more usually but having used VR before I found I got some eye strain and discomfort from the headset over long periods so for anyone who might be the same but want more FOV that might be a good bridging of the gap if you want a more immersive experience or just don't have the budget or room size to have 3 big 55" screens.
Great video thx for sharing this breakdown.
Karl great review.. When I stood up my triples. I went with 48 LG C1s.. However after about 3 years - the 48s never gave me a true 1 to 1 relationship... Maybe the triple 55s would?? So i went and bit the bullet and got triple LG 65 C3s.. Have not did the swap.. But will keep you posted..
I just got triple monitors. Now I need to wait for GT Omega to restock and send me my pre-ordered monitor stand 😁 It is going to be the longest month of my life.
lol
One thing that isn't mentioned much with triples is the importance of site line in relation to horizon. Not all games have an adjustment for this so what can happen is different drivers depending on height will see the side screens differently. For the person it was originally set up for it will appear to be perfect and level across all screens. But if a shorter driver uses the same setup the horizon on the same monitors will appear to rise the further away from the center screen you get. The same can be said for a taller drive but the opposite will be seen. This is very evident if something like a fence or wall crosses over the bezel or in this case the bezel free kit. The wall will appear to bend instead of being straight.
We need easy seat height adjustment... but to be fair shorter drivers can sit a little more upright and taller ones reclined a little, thats what I do with friends (my pedals and seat are on sliders too).
Very true. That's what I used to do for friends that would use my setup when I had triples @@KarlGosling
Right before I watched this video I watched the old one where you put your 50” 50kg plasma on a homemade alu screen mount. That was three years ago I think? Your rig really has come a long way since. Very informative video, I’m building my rig right now and because of budget I will start with tripple 27” monitors (because I already own two of them), but I’m definitely going to look into bigger screens in the future.
Yeah a lot has changed mate thats for sure!
3x LG 60" Oled baby! Missus wanted to leave, but she saw the light end of the tunnel 😂
lol Thats excellent!
What graphics card/s are you running to use the 3x 60" Oleds? Also, are your in game settings 4K, Ultra etc. ?
I can currently run iRacing on either in my Quest 2, or on my 27" 1440p 165hz monitor touching the back of my wheelbase, and in a big surprise to myself... I prefer the 27" monitor over VR. In terms of immersion, I'd rather see my real life hands and wheel over the virtual one in VR. I also find it easier to make out braking points based on road texture on the 27" monitor over the Quest 2 (I have a 4070 ti SUPER with the Quest 2 bitrate forced to 800Mbps, 1.5x resolution). So my current plan is to get triple 32" monitors. Interested to try VR headsets in the future with much wider FOVs.
I prefer VR, tho it's an immature solution with tons of room for improvement compared to triples, to me it feels miles apart in terms of immersion. There's also something to be said about being able to buy a $150 quest 2 on used markets and not needing a large monitor at all.
iRacing member for 10 years now and started single monitor, then 2 monitors different size, then triple monitors, then VR and now ultrawide 🙂 The ultrawide is the best for competitive oval racing, but VR is so much fun also.
VR is the way to go for me. Had a buddy try it and we both gave up our screens
Definitely, the spacial awareness it gives you, just can not be replicated on a flat screen.
Having said that, I find the fov quite narrow the the current gen VR headsets, so there is not a lot of peripheral vision.
It would have to be VR for me, too. Give me 3d over 2d, everytime.
What vR setup are you running?
@@demetrisyianni9175
Just get the Quest3. Great peripheral vision due to best in class lenses, great resolution, you can use it without a face casket if you also buy a bobovr halo strap so its much less straining on your face during longer periods of play. Yeah there is some hardware overhead but i can run any simracing game with really decent optics without any framedrops on a 3080/ryzen5800x. If you want to do 12 hour endurance races you have to get a powered usb cable but other than that there is very little friction to use the thing. I turn on my pc, turn on vd or oculus wether i care for a cable or not, then start the game directly and i am in the car.
VR experience and immersion is INSANE. And it's also incredibly fun.
But no shot it's better than triple screens for any gaming. Even the quest 3 looks like garbage compared to a 1440p 27-32 screen. Although I'd argue 27 is max for crispness. Maybe the 5090/6090 might change it with the Quest 4 or new VR models. But acting like vr is some holy grail for now is bit much. Even on maxed out settings and lower fps it looks like you're playing on 480-720p lol. The main benefit of vr is depth perception, and "fun" for awhile. But even on best current gen it looks like you'd play on a toaster compared to an actual high rez screen
Get one of those Elgato Stream Decks. This way you can add hot keys to each key that lets you open up and close games. Even control settings and volume with just the press of a button without fiddling around with a keyboard in the dark.
I debated triples when building my rig and I ended up with a singe Samsung 49" Ultrawide.. I think its a great mix of single to triple screen FOV. Maybe triples in the future?? Thank for the vid!
I’ve been using cockpit view since Need for Shift(2009) and up until I tried a proper VR headset it never felt legit. Personally I prefer VR as the feeling of being on track is 2nd to none.
From what I’ve seen it seems like anything bigger than triple 32s just means you can push the displays further away while maintaining the same FOV. If you don’t mind having the displays close to you I don’t see much advantage going bigger. It also means that 1080p can look sharper and you don’t need 4K and a $10,000 pc to run it.
Yeah going bigger and then moving them further away is pointless, leave them where you normally would and gain a much larger FOV :)
Or in my case because I have motion they MUST sit a bit further away so going big is very important.
@@KarlGosling absolutely if you need the clearance for motion then going bigger and having the displays further away is advantageous!
17:35 I spent my first two years sim racing in VR. Ended up going to triples and never used my headset again.
Big screens are also necessary, for the dimensions to better match the sizes of you, the wheel, etc.
Triple 27” are perfectly fine as well, I was going to go 32’s but watched Dave cam video on why he choose 27” and it made perfect sense
Anything is perfectly fine really mate, it's all down to personal preference and needs... Dave's main reasons where space saving, power consumption and heat (the last two are really just a pitch for the Benq monitors) so if they are important to you then all good! :)
You're not quite sitting "inside" the displays so miss some peripheral FOV but still better than a single display :)
@@KarlGosling the bit that made me go triple 27” was when he was saying bigger screens makes things look out of proportion, is this not true ? I came from VR so wanted to do it the cheapest way possible just incase I didn’t like it so went with 3 27” 1440p coolmasters @ 100hz but if it’s not true then I will think about upgrading at some point in the future as I will never go back to VR now
No Karl we do NEED all of those things:)
I watch Karl for 3 reasons - 1) love the t shirts , 2 great content and 3 it’s honest ( loved that screen saver btw )
Keep up the good work brother
Thank you mate, very kind words!
@@KarlGosling what’s your take on fanatec supply and customer service currently- it looks like it’s got worse not better
Don’t forget his shorts. Below freezing in the UK currently and he still wears shorts. I bet if he went to football matches he’d be one of those not wearing a shirt 😊
I watch Karl for his biceps
I have triple 50s and VR and the triples are glorious. 4k on each screen looks so crisp compared to VR. Now when the Pimax 12K comes out, I might spend more time in VR but I bounce between both. Throw in a true 7.1 surround sound setup and it's a whole other level. 3D headphones do not compare to a true 7.1 speaker set up. I just got four amps and tied them into the realtek jacks in the back with surround sound speakers and it blows away my RAZER THX surround headphones.
What frame rate do you get?
@Bidle78 My screens are 60hz, so I V-sync to 60fps. But, if I turn V-sync off, I get around 70-80fps on all my sim racing titles. DCS is the same except for the Marianas Map.
If the RTX 5090 releases this year, I'm going to grab one if they don't disappear before I can get my hands on it. Settings the money aside ahead of time in my budget. I like VR, but I keep coming back to triple screen.
@@theshawnmccown That's nice, I currently have 27inch 1440 Oled and love the frame rate.
Space concerns are the only thing for me. Going to move to a 34" ultra wide for now, triples will be a target for the future.
Yeah you can't get away from the space it takes up!
Great advice and video Karl. I'd love a setup like yours but I just don't have the room in the house unfortunately, got the money, just but not enough room. Solution = I play in VR and it's great, however, there are times when I don't fancy popping the headset on if I'm a bit too hot, although that problem is solved with a portable aircon unit. Anyhoo, cracking info and setup you have. Cheers.
If you use smaller monitors you can often set them much closer which helps a bit with POV.
Sure does.
I’ve always played with either triples or VR. I couldn’t imagine going back to a single flat screen, even a 21:9 or 32:9 screen.
I agree and ultrawide's are still just a single screen in front of you so no side view at all.
Great video as always Karl.
I went for the 57" super ultra wide which has an aggressive 1000R curve so does wrap around you a little.
Obviously not as good as triples, in hindsight I maybe should've got two more 32" curved 4K / 165Hz monitors to go with the one I had but it's done now - and the 57" IS incredible!
VR next for me, maybe triples in the future.
Great Vid Karl. Using a Quest 3 ATM but like the look of triples, or even an ultrawide. love your vids. Keep up the great work.
Thanks mate, just remember an ultrawide is just a letterbox, you get no peripheral vision so cannot see cars coming alongside you or round the apex of sharp corners.
Thanks mate you’ve just convinced me to go with bigger tv’s rather than 32” monitors. I already have a C3 42” so will get two more. I have a 4080 so will probably need to run them at 1440. I will also need to get DP to HDMI adapters. Will I need anything else? apart from a bigger wallet, more space and a divorce solicitor. 😂
Thats all you'll need mate, just make sure you adapters and cables are good quality.
I would love to try a setup like this. For now I have a GTR Sim Cockpit, G29 Wheel, and PSVR2 for GT7. I love racing in VR which is funny because I've always hated the cockpit view and wondered in anyone ever used it.
Just to note, as far as I am aware you cant have PS5 over three screens. Only PC.
I try to explain the FoV to people all the time and they just don't get it. To them, high FoV is king and nothing will change that. More power to them.
I've been a photographer for over 50 years. I have a hard time explaining FOV to people. Matching the same perspective of what your eyes see can be tricky.
Don’t be afraid of trying small screens. I have 23” triples 1080p, and it is also a very huge step according to single screen. The objects and cars size growht are fascinating. My eyedistance is 60-80 cm. The inside mirror and dashboard are completely visible most of the cases despite of the low screen hight.
Size growth?
@@soundscaperecordings1111
Maybe I am wrong. But it feels like that.
@@kenicsiro maybe they aren't set up / calerbated correctly
I see cars are bigger on triples. I think because of the fov. But for me it is an advantage.
I ran triples for three years until I put on a PSVR2. Now I can't put it down and have started GT7 from scratch just to experience it all over again. And I suspended my iRacing subscription since.
Hey Karl, great video very informative. Can you share the details of your bezel free kit and how you put it together?
Absolute excellent overview Karl. Many thanks.
No problem.
I think VR is amazing atm but it requires the right set up. Dialed in settings and game mods, proper aftermarket mods (headstrap, batteries, face plates, etc), beefy PC, good router if you're going wireless.
I imagine by the time we get next gen VR headsets it'll start to truly take over. We're so close already with the clarity of the pancake lens on the quest 3. Right now, the barrier to entry for an actual good VR experience is too much for most people.
Agreed mate, plus of course some of us are prone to motion sickness or race with friends so using a VR headset is just not practical.
I also prefer triple TVs instead of VR for flight simulation. I want to see and feel my real switches instead of clicking virtual ones in the air
I actually used VR for flight sim until I had my license (was only a few months) but totally agree about using physical inputs and being able to see them!
Triples are the best, but only if you have space, or a spare room to put it in. Unfortunately i do not have a room to do this, so i have to fit mine in my bedroom along with everything else, which limits me to a single monitor.
Yes 100% mate.
This is outstanding Karl . . Many thanks 🏎 🏎 🏎
Glad you enjoyed it
Did the triple screen thing for years. VR is the future for me. Nothing against it, do what makes you happy!
Yeah pros and cons to both mate.
Great insight. I’m running triple 43” 4K (11520x2160).
Interested to know your FPS rate and ACC graphic settings?
Well worth mentioning that overall performance can be dramatically reduced if your PC isn’t capable of processing that many pixels at a satisfactory frame rate.
Maybe this is better, I could see it being pretty decent with eye tracking.
I think the field of view argument holds up if you put a VR hat on and don’t turn your head at all during racing, then you get 100 degrees or so of vision.
You look into the corners though, you look where you want to go, that’s the beauty of VR.
Also the cost of running triples over time would be pretty expensive.
My son bought the massive Samsung ultra wide, and sold it inside 6 months because of the higher electric bills using it created.
You don't need eye tracking, thats used for a single screen where you cannot physically look left/right as you have no displays.
Looking into corners is fine with VR but you still have no peripheral vision so if you want equal situational awareness you will constantly be panning left to right... But there's pros and cons to both for sure :)
Oh 100% the leccy bill will be way higher! lol
@@KarlGoslingthat was just one, admittedly enormous, display. That, on reflection, he was using all day every day for work as well as personal. Which isn't usual for racing, for me at least. I'm everyday for an hour or two, so the cost wouldn't be hideous. For me. I think I've decided though that a single ultra wide with an eye tracker is my thinking going forward.
Greay video! Appreciate the examples! Got triples then went VR. Now my triples are dust collectors.
This is a great video, thank you ! I am new to sim racing and have a single 27" inch monitor......trying to put all the details together and specifically what I need to go triples. I'm using your setup as a baseline. Maybe a video that goes from "zero to hero" would be something you'd like to do? Info on what to look for in a monitor/TV, cables, DP to HDMI adaptors, set-up, FOV, etc. would be super awesome. I watched your video from a couple years ago and that is also very helpful. Costco has some off-brand 55" 4K TV for $280...but I have no clue if they would be sufficient or not.
Finally... concerning VR vs Triples....there are certainly pros and cons to both setups. With the Quest 2/3 being pretty affordable I'm not sure why folk are bickering....just do both ! VR is very cool but not as easy to just jump in and drive. But it is for sure the BEST when flying in BMS or other flight simulators.
Anyway, thanks for all you do !
If you want VR, a DP port is recommended. I have Trippels and Pico4 play via USB cable. Trippels no lag and runs very smoothly and better picture, VR without DP I just notice compression and lack. Use my Trippels more than VR. VR immersion becomes less common after a while. And I don't like VR's general the vof and especially the vertical vof.quest3 has no dp and vertical of 96 vof is much too small.
I am planning to set up a triple display with a 77-inch OLED LG TV that will also serve as a monitor. I am currently using a 3DOF motion simulator, so I would like to use a larger screen. My graphics card is the RTX 4090, which has only one HDMI port and three DP ports on the back. Since the TV/monitor I am using only has an HDMI port, I will need to use an adapter to set up the triple display. I plan to use a model that supports 120Hz, but I am wondering if everything will function properly when connecting through an adapter for the triple display setup. Additionally, since I have enough space, I am considering going with the 77-inch display. If there are no issues such as significant screen distortion that might make the 77-inch less ideal compared to a 55-inch, I would prefer to go with the 77-inch setup.
I cover this in the video, yes 77" is too big (centre display specifically) you will lose a large portion of the cars interior or in a single seater maybe the front wheels altogether.
You will need good quality/spec cables and active DP to HDMI adapters.
@@KarlGosling thanks you:)
How do you personally like VR, as an alternate to triples.
My preference is VR for the natural feeling of driving and depth of view that triples cant provide, but triples give a better visual fidelity.
I love VR but not for long sim racing sessions, flight sim it's all I would use though!
I feel the main drawback to usng VR vs Triples is the lack of peripheral vision.
Other than that, I love the 3D depth perception and full immersion virtual reality provides.
Peripheral vision and vertical FOV too, comfort (sweat), motion sickness, being unable to see your real hardware (button boxes, wheel inputs, etc.), instability... there's very much pros and cons to both and I love VR too! Just not for long sim racing sessions.
i've had triples, i prefer the super ultrawides personally, just much easier and no need for games to support triples
Simplicity is definitely a plus, I'd still go large single over ultrawide, have the same width but gain a ton of vertical too!
I mean it looks amazing, but even if I’ve never tried such a setup I’m not sure i would prefer it over vr personally.
Im one of the “lucky” ones I suppose in that I can’t comfortably wear and use vr headset for hours without issue. No motion sickness headache etc
what budget friendly monitors would you recommend for triples? Thinking going 42” or 48”. 🙏 Thanks!
I've never spent any time researching different displays to answer that mate sorry!
I would advise against 60Hz unless on an oled maybe. And from my experience 120Hz on a cheap panel can also be problematic as when you are very close to your display things like ghosting are more visible and as soon as you turn the car just slightly you go from sharp to blurry right away (bad motion resolution). That takes away from the emersion for me, I prefer motion clarity. You have to test for yourself. Just keep that in mind before buying the cheapest biggest TV you can find like I did.
Yeah you do need to use a little common sense and look at the specs so you don't buy something with horrible specs.
Very informative for a complete novice. One day ill get one :)
Yeah it's good to see what you miss with just a single screen.
Great video. I really appreciate the way you demonstrated all of this.
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@KarlGosling I was just watching some video footage of the latest sim racing expo, I noticed a lot of the rigs had 49 inch ultrawide displays instead of triples. An ultrawide is an attractive option for many people as it would draw less power and only need one connection to the pc if say all you have is a gaming laptop. I'm curious how much of your view would be cut down using a curved ultrawide vs triples. Hmm Maybe a future video?
I run triple 2k 27s. Space and gpu are the reasons I didn’t go bigger. The thing I don’t really hear is the heat. I ran for years an ultra wide 49” didn’t really have an issues. Now with these I’ve had to rethink my ventilation and cooling for that side of the house. I wouldn’t take it back by any means. Just something to also consider.
My TV's produce a fair bit of heat but not enough where by I have to do anything about it.
I run a 4090 and would love a triple, I have a Varjo aero vr headset, but the FOV is limiting. The thing that has stopped me getting a triple is what screens to get its a nightmare, the more videos I watch the more confused I get 😂 I’m mainly in Microsoft 2020 flight sim.
I just got a 49" super ultrawide a few weeks ago and I'm completely happy with it at the moment. One thing I've been thinking of getting is a stand so I can move it closer to my rig because it is standing on a table at the moment. I wonder which would be better, a standalone stand or a monitor stand that I could attach into my rig? I only use the "1st person" camera view in racing games so I don't care about mirrors and stuff like that :)
Interesting video with good info overall!
(Nice bonus info about that crash helmets actually have better FOV than VR headsets for example - that was good info!)
Still though:
1) @13.40 is a bit of an unfair comparison: you would'nt put a 32 incher that far away from the cockpit. (as you're mentioning at @19:50 when talking about the triple screen setup)
2) Also, yes if you increase the FOV on a single screen beyond the calculations, then the scale will be off and the immersion will go down to some degree, and measuring distance can get trickier... I understand and agree with the basic premise of the video!
*But* my honest opinion is that if you ARE limited to a relatively small monitor sitting relatively far away, it will feel more natural and you'll see more of your surroundings if you go for a higher FOV than what the numbers tell you. It won't be "correct" but with a little adaptation it will work and you'll see more of your surroundings. Judging distance and getting a feeling for the rotation of the car will be harder though, but you'll get used to it if you have to.
Im not saying single screen is better or anything: I'm just saying the actual practical difference - if you tweak your settings - won't be as bad as this video makes it out to be.
...
BTW it would be interesting to see a video of which games/sims actually *do* fully support triple screen in a good way, including calculating angles for the side screens, distances etc etc... and which games/sims that *doesnt*. (Or is there a video of this already? If so I apologize!)
Thanks mate!
1) It's an apples to apples comparison, if I moved it closer (which I can't) it wouldn't demonstrate the point.
2) Yeah IMO you are better off not using cockpit view in this situation (as you can see so little) and going with what gives the best experience and playability.
IME All proper simulation titles bar rally have triple screen support along with flight sims too.
I've always ran a single , currently on an LG 34" ultrawide which I just got & love it > I only still feel like I'm missing more . I almost went triples because want 16:9 , the 21:9 feels cut off .
Yeah thats a bit of a letterbox and there's a lot missing as you say mate.
at 18:00 when he is talking about fov in VRheadset so if you go for relistic you have helmet that reduce you real fov and you have VRheadset that have 110 degree and that is like have real helmet on you and pepole never talk about that
I mention that later in the video and no it's not even close to the same... I where a helmet at least once a week and much more often in the summer for reference.
Hey! can you please be so kind in telling me what sort of bezel kit you use?
Asus ROG x2
Since I got quest pro I don't use anymore my triple setup - vr is the only way for racing - now with the cheap Quest 3 is amazing
How you setup acc on Quest to be good?
@@BurisTechZone I play only iRacing -
Tried quest 3... Sending it back. Can't compete with the sharpness and graphical performance of screens. Looking around is great but not worth it if the game looks looks like a PlayStation 2 game. VR is not ready yet.
Agree
@@demetrisyianni9175exactly this, everywhere you have these redditors spamming the superiority of VR compared to triples. No shot these people ever had triples before. Or maybe they played 1080 on a 55inch and just were used to absolute sht ppi.
I've a 4070 super and a quest 3 and despite spending literally a hundred hours tweaking settings you will never even be close to an actual quality image.
I can see how maybe the 4090 with a pimax could get closer.. But even then it just starts to have an acceptable image. 6090 Wil be the first card with hopefully better pcvr's to actually be able to replace screens. Although triple 4k 144hz oleds will also be a tough competition
Hi Karl I’ve literally just purchased 3 x msi 32in 1440p monitors. Then I found this video. I watch your videos a lot for reviews and I’m not sure whether to be disappointed or not. My main concern going from a large 4k tv to a smaller screen was indeed the size comparison but thought I’d adjust to the smaller screen. Especially given that I’ve gone from a single screen to triples. This video though makes me nervous about the cockpit view for ACC. I want to be excited about getting triples. Will I still be happy when I’m in the seat with the 32inch triples? For now I literally can’t go any bigger due to space. Thanks for the great videos and content you provide us with.
With smaller displays you can bring them closer to you which will fill your field of view more so I don't think you will be disappointed, but of course there's no substitute for size and being able to look fully left/right as cars come along side you.
@0:12
Karl: "Okay, okay: nobody needs triple screens...."
Me: "EVERYONE needs triple screens!" 😄
Nice Video Karl. Always good stuff. I have triples now and I love them. Will eventually go larger, however, I did get a Quest 3 for Xmas/Bday gift and after making some adjustments and taking advantage of my 4080, it is an enticing option as well. You get all the POV that is needed to see cars and perspectives. I think between the 2, I would rather have a proper triple setup, but VR is a lot of fun. Especially on tracks like Daytona. Cannot do Rally, I get motion sickness. Maybe with a motion rig that wouldn't be the case. Again, good stuff mate. Have a great 2024.
Yeah I can do circuit based racing in VR but not rally either for the same reason, but I also don't like the small FOV and often race with friends so swapping a sweaty VR headset between us, changing IPD and strap size every 10 mins is not ideal! lol
@@KarlGosling ahh makes total sense. I think having both if one can is really cool. Get the immersion of VR and simplicity of Triples. Thinking I’ll go 42 here soon but need my own space first. Gotta give the wife the dream house.
Dirt Rally 2 in VR nearly finished me off altogether. I was so ill 😂
Triples every time for me. Tried many vr headsets quest 3 etc it’s ok for a 20 minute race but i much prefer triples. Happy new year also Karl! Ps what’s that keyboard ?
Seems like you never had vr for a long time if you can only use them for a 20 min race. You can easily use it for longer than an hour racing.
Triples can be more relaxing, but you throw away a huge part of immersion.
@@Peterdeskater100 no have tried it for longer buddy. Triples can be as immersive depending on how far you want to go. Roof, psp button box, racelogic, grid side markers, evil vcore for flags, safety nets, hue lights inside the roof. I’ll guarantee it will put a smile on your face. Had motion and tactile feedback your in for a blast
@@matthewscarborough4920u can’t beat the feeling of inside the car in vr. U just won’t get that in triples.
Vr is the future of sim racing I think.
@@davidcupra4913 I can only tell you buddy of a user of both.
Great video Karl, as always very detailed thank you, question? do you have an theory on the best monitor angle?
It has to be calculated based on your centre display size and the distance your eyes are from it... it's not something you choose.
Thank you i did find a calculator online and worked out the angles and for my triple 42" and seating position I need to position the angles at 60 ddegrees and unfortunatly I cant reach the angles on my motion rig maxed out at 50 my monitors are 3" thick and my brackets cant move in any more @@KarlGosling
On ACC i never really looked past the 1st 3rd of either outside screen, most of the time the car interior blocks the view out the windows and mirrors anyway!! My wish is that games could adjust pov for curved displays. Like a heavy curved 49" but the curve actually bends pov too.
Also if only we could get 3d glasses free displays, then I'd come back to triples from VR
Wish i had room for triples. Im in an old long coal cupboard lol. Single or projector on the wall. I go on vr instead. Trade off so i could use buttkickers ect. Sound proofed it best i could. Some ppl are using a 49 inch ultra wide, that seems interesting. No room for that either. I could for a laugh, slap 3x portable motitors together, that would be a triple lol. 15 inch.
Where have you found the bezel-free kit that large? Or did you somehow combine two sets
I joined two yes.
Distance from the screen is the most important part. I’ve only got a single 34” ultra wide, but it’s so close to my wheel, I getting a slightly better fov than you’re getting on the single 55”. Trips is still the move, though.
Find that hard to believe
@@ewenblack4174what that wide is better than oversized? Course it is when on cockpit view its side to side
55" tv gives you up and down. Dont need/want that in a sim... if ultra wide was supported on console id go that route. Running 3 screens is just costly both on buying and running.
@@ewenblack4174 I mean, I can see most of my side mirror on the driver side. He can barely see the mirror at all on the center monitor. I'd take that as me seeing more. He can see his dash and his roof better. Vertical real-estate isn't as important as horizontal in simracing, though.
@@tyleryoung5040 sorry I was talking from my triple 32”s perspective, I see everything. His fov is not set up correctly in my view
Karl is madness from your front room g29 to what you have now hat's off to you and hope you just get bigger and bigger could listen to you all day and if I ever had the money to do it I would see if I could pay for you to do it honest guy
Very kind words mate thank you!
Hi Karl, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences. I would like to know what the specifications of your PC are.
@KarlGosling how are your display port to hdmi adapters holding up? Startech i believe you said you were using when you did a video on them.
Yeah all good, still using them mate..
if you dont have a gaming background you can maybe go for 60hz. But I have been playing with 100hz+ for 15+ years so I could never go back :/ I have 3x27 atm thinking to upgrade to 3x32 but I dont think the height is enough :( Great video Karl
Yeah I guess it's what you're used to, I've been gaming since the 80's but almost always at 60hz until this rig running 120hz... would be interesting to drop back to 60hz and see if I can feel the difference?!
Bigger the better IME, I personally hate the letterbox effect you get with small displays.
Still people im in the mix aswell. On Acc on xbox in this case very quick!. So doesnt affect that (id love be able to side view an apex sometimes) only real advantage is like you say close racing and seeing car there. Have to rely on the radar.. jardier uses single screen!. One fastest in world on the sim..
He and all of the top sim racers know the tracks inside out and race from muscle memory, a lot even turn the FFB extremely low so they are not fighting with the wheel, also why motion is not good for competitive racing (it can actually make you slower!).
I wish i could!! Wish console supported it.. GT did it wayy back when aswell!. So can be done. Ok needed several consoles lol. Dont want a pc and the headache of one.
how wide is your 55 incs triples ? I mean the widest spot. I'm planning to build my game room and I would like to know if 55 incs triples fits or not.
Single monitor and Tobii. Would not that be pretty close?
You still have no peripheral vision (for seeing cars come along side you) and only a single screen directly in front of you, not as immersive and you don't have that natural ability to look (turn your head) 90 degrees left of right to "look out the windows"
@@KarlGosling true!