Help with new desktop spec's

red bullet · Jul 13, 2017

I’m looking for some advice regarding a new desktop (or laptop) for sim racing (mainly rfactor2).

At the moment I use a laptop, with Geforce GT710M card, which proves to be insufficient (20-40fps depending on situation and track with low-medium settings) for Rfactor2. Since a few months I use a 32” monitor. So I have no intention to go to triple screen any time soon.

My monitor has a max refresh rate of 75hz, so getting 60-75fps is more than ok for me. With a lot of AI or with large grids in online races I would love to get at least around 45fps. Settings shouldn’t be on ultra, but high graphics settings must be possible for those fps.

As far as I’ve understood, it’s cheaper to get a decent desktop than to get a laptop with similar performance. And changing components in a laptop is more difficult or even impossible. Or am I wrong here?
I don’t plan on buying all the components separately and building the rig myself. With your answers regarding spec’s I’ll make a BTO config with a local shop or buy from a large IT reseller, which has a wide range, including computers aimed at gaming.

So what CPU, GPU (is a GTX1050 ok?), RAM (is 8GB ok?) … do I need for these goals? Depending on the price I find etc, I will only be buying the rig at the end of August/September…

Thanks a lot for your advice.

RasmusP · Jul 13, 2017

In short:
1060 or 480 are the best bang for the buck! The xx50 of nvidia are always not really for gaming.
CPU I would go for a new AMD or a i5 with a "k" so you can gain a lot with easy overclocking in a few years.

If more for the Budget go for one of the higher i3 or a xeon

And always Desktop PC, not a Laptop! Temperature Problems, not really reparable etc. Only reason for a Laptop is if you really need the easy transport!

red bullet · Jul 13, 2017

Is the 3GB version of the 1060 ok or should it be the 6GB?

RasmusP · Jul 13, 2017

red bullet said:
Is the 3GB version of the 1060 ok or should it be the 6GB?

I don't know how much more the 6 GB is for you but I would go for it!
You don't really need it because if a game uses so much vram, the 1060 will only produce around 30 fps. For 4k console like 30 fps gaming it's nice, but in a sim it's 60fps or nothing

But a friend of mine has a 670 with only 2 GB and in a few games it's not enough and he gets massive stuttering.

In the end you don't need the 6gb at this moment but I won't risk it as it's crucial when the 3gb are filled up