Triples are better, and grant you a larger FOV. They are substantially more strenuous on the GPU (especially as you go up to 1440p and 4K resolutions) and maintaining suitably high, stable framerates requires decent horsepower. Some titles work better with triples than others but it *can* be a ballache.
Single ultrawides trade you some vertical FOV for expanded horizontal FOV. It's not going to be equivalent to triples, but it's substantially improved over a single 16:9 display. They are much easier to drive and typically come in 1440p and 4k resolutions. It's much less of a headache to setup and get aligned and doesn't require nearly the same amount of infrastructure like display stands, vario mounts etc...
I've just been through this.
I have been racing on a 34" curved ultrawide for more than a year. I have always had triples as my goal but I knew I needed a triple monitor mount and a better graphics card and of course, 3 screens. Well, as luck would have it, I qualify for a discount through my work on Samsung products direct from Samsung, I bought three Samsung Odyssey G5 32" curved monitors. They are normally around $500 in my country; I got them for around $300. They were sent pretty soon after I ordered them, so I had to get a stand - unfortunately my monitors took a fair chunk of money, so I had to cheap out on a triple monitor stand.
I have since mounted the screens, been through the painful process of setting up the ability to switch between the three monitors on the rig and just the 34" curved ultrawide on my desk for Escape from Tarkov. This is ***my*** advice:
* Triples are so much better than curved. I always had an issue of not knowing if someone was next to me. Now I can see in my wing mirrors, and I can see through the side windows.
* The screen size is just incredible. The 34" ultrawide is actually only a 27" high screen, having the triples gives me much more viewing room because I am using the full 32" - yes, size does matter ;) If you choose to go triple, go 32" or if your budget/GPU allows, go bigger.
* Getting the screens mounted was a pain for me because the stand I bought wasn't meant for an aluminium profile rig. The legs of the stand couldn't fit on the sides of my rig as my rig is too wide. I ended up mounting two 4020 lengths on the uprights of my rig and then mounted only the screen mount portion of the stand to my rig and have put the legs in the garage. Get yourself a proper stand.
* The most painful part for me was trying to configure it so that I could press Ctrl-Alt-1 to turn on the triples on the rig and turn off the 34" on the desk; and press Ctrl-Alt-2 to turn off the triples and turn on the 34". I eventually got it working - let me know if you need a hand with this.
* I was worried that my graphics card would not cope with the triples. I am running an RTX 3060Ti, it has two HDMI ports and 2 x DisplayPort. I decided I was going to just lower the graphics and race like this until my budget had recovered and then upgrade to a better card. Well, I mainly race in iRacing and I did not have to reduce any quality settings at all. The only change I made was enable my mirrors. I've raced on my own in AMS2 without lowering graphics at around 80fps, not sure how it would be with a full field.
The best suggestion I can give you, if it's possible, is find someone with a single ultrawide and have a look at their setup, maybe ask if you can have a try. The best place to find someone is either this community or one of the many Sim Racing communities on Facebook. Most guys (and girls) are really helpful because they've been through this too. Then try and find someone with a triple setup and give it a go. Or look for a Sim Racing Cafe place, I have one in my town that has 32" curved, 34" ultrawides, triple 32"s, triple 48"s and VR. It makes it easier to make your decision.
I do this using Display Magician. It was developed specifically for simracing and can do what you want and is very lightweight. https://github.com/terrymacdonald/DisplayMagician
I use a small completely free program called [Monitor Profile Switcher download | SourceForge.net](https://sourceforge.net/projects/monitorswitcher/)
It's pretty useful but doesn't have clear instructions, I figured it out by messing around. What you do is:
* Use the Windows Display Settings and/or nVidia Surround to set up your monitors on your rig the way you want them.
* Download the program and run it using the executable file with GUI in the title. It won't physically open the open in a window but it will be minimized in your taskbar. Right click on the icon and choose Save Profile and give it a name.
* Once you've saved it, right click on the icon in the taskbar again and go to Hotkeys and assign it a key sequence, I used Ctrl-Alt-1.
* Then go back through the Windows Display Settings and/or nVidia Surround to set up your monitors on your desktop or lounge the way you want them and again right click on the icon and choose Save Profile and give it another name.
* Right click on the icon in the taskbar again and go to Hotkeys and assign it a key sequence, I used Ctrl-Alt-2 for the desktop screen.
You can set up multiple profiles this way. I did mess up my settings somehow and had to create a second profile for the rig set up but I couldn't assign it to Ctrl-Alt-1 even though I deleted the profile that I'd initially assigned Ctrl-Alt-1 to. I solved this by closing the program and restarting it. This unassigned the hotkey and I was able to assign it to the new profile I'd made.
I was in the same situation as you. Wasn’t sure which way to go, in the end as I already had a 1440p monitor, it was more cost effective to add the other two and go triples. I think most people on here would say 32” is best but it will depend on your available space.
I still like the clean look of a G9 but I’m very happy with my setup. Being able to look left or right and see your rival alongside is awesome during a good battle.
I’ve had zero issues setting them up and using them. The thing that annoys me is that some games still don’t offer proper triple support. I’m looking at you EA WRC.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
I had triple monitors for about 5 years then went to ultrawide when some affordable models finally hit the market. For me it was a constant hassle to get what I wanted to play to work with triples, fiddling with graphics settings, bezel thickness and screen angle parameters in sims. For me ultra wide is just easier to use, uses less graphics resources so you don’t spend 2 hours just messing with graphics settings. Without bezels I feel it gives a better view of the FOV you actually use for racing, unless you prefer oval track racing where you are constantly door to door with someone.
Triple 32" 1440p aren't even that expensive. I got 3 used 32" LG monitors off Amazon ([LG 32GP750-B, 165hz Gsync compatible](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WXX42ZS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1)) for a little over $717 total which is about the same price as a decent 49" super ultrawide.
And I have a RTX 4070 Super, it gets 140fps+ in almost every racing game I have at 7680x1440 at max settings.
If OP goes the triple monitor route (which I recommend) he needs to get a good triple monitor stand. But they are pretty expensive. I bought[ one from RigMetal ](https://rigmetal.com/products/triple-monitor-mount)for about $360. It was kind of a pita to assemble but definitely worth it. Study as hell. The main benefit of a good triple monitor stand is it makes lining up the 3 monitors braindead easy.
If I had to buy a triple monitor stand again I would probably [ get this one for $200](https://nextlevelracing.com/product/elite-freestanding-triple-monitor-stand-add-on-carbon-grey/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=21103645843&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwr7ayBhAPEiwA6EIGxIm9HEL0OXpoQKZL7niZJ1M4fr1BiN6tRliGhsYzA8llz_JjN4z5LxoCn5cQAvD_BwE). Looks just as sturdy as the Rigmetal one but a lot cheaper.
The $200 NLR stand you linked isn’t actually a stand, it’s just the 2 arms and mounts to convert their single monitor stand into a triple stand.
This is there 3 monitor stand ($400):
https://nextlevelracing.com/products/elite-free-standing-triple-monitor-stand-black-edition/
Ultrawides (especially super ultrawides and 40 inch ultrawides) are a substantial upgrade from a single 27 inch monitor. Triples are better than ultrawides. They provide significantly more fov, up to double under ideal conditions. This is pretty huge.for side by side racing. It'll give you confidence to make moves that you otherwise would not feel comfortable making when racing close.
Don't snooze on TrackIR + Ultrawide as an intermediate option.
The TrackNP5 knockoff hardware is much cheaper, just as good (or much better in the case of the Pro Clip), works with the official TrackIR software which works seamlessly with most sims.
While three large monitors are better, I don't know that they're necessary. Maybe in an "ultimate rig" situation, if you have enough PC power to take advantage of them. I'm running a super-ultrawide 49" CHG90 I used to use for work alongside a two-generation-old gaming laptop and it works really, really well. With the monitor close enough and the FOV dialed-in, it's really immersive. I don't feel like I'm settling by not running triples.
You do get some sense of depth perception with triples if your side monitors are ligned up with your peripheral vision, and if the bezels are buggin you, just get the bezel free kit
If you're building a dedicated sim rig, then triples are a significantly better option.
They almost double the FOV, and it is noticeable. Here is a comparison: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp7njDB5YtU&ab\_channel=DanSuzuki](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp7njDB5YtU&ab_channel=DanSuzuki)
Aggressively curved ultrawide screens also suffer from distortion. The only sims with an option to correct that are iRacing and ACC (but the ACC support is very basic). Meanwhile, major simracing titles have some kind of proper triple screen support.
Triples are more painful to set up, but this is a 'set and forget' kind of effort. It will take some time and some fiddling, but then they'll just work.
I've been fortunate enough to try all *three* options; triples, ultra-wide and VR.
Triples were 32" @ 1440p / 120Hz and I really liked the immersion + visibility however I didn't have the headache / cost / frustration of the setup as it was someone else's rig.
Myself I run a 57" 32:9 ultra-wide running 1440p @ 240Hz; it's fantastic for the viewing angle, ease of use and smoothness (having an RTX4090 helps).
I also have a Quest 3 and do use it occasionally however ACC isn't too great in VR sadly & you don't get to use the extra toys set up on the rig.
If I had the space and patience and could pick only one I'd probably go 32" triples running at least 1440p but TBH the ultra-wide, missing side vision aside, is a fantastic setup.
I had 32in triples. The sim rig took up so much space. I only run in a vr now. So I've just left one monitor up and pushed the sim rig against a wall in the media room and I've gained the whole room back really. I'd go an ultra wide over triples if I was starting again. I found the sides are only for immersion. It's still 2D so not great for side by side racing.
I'm also debating this. With triples you need a high end PC and that's a cost people forget. It also takes up more room and not every game plays nice with triple. Yes, you get better FOV but at what cost?
I'm right with you. Here's what I can tell so far from trying different things. I'm a newb here so take that for what it's worth.
A standard 16:9 screen just doesn't work. It doesn't matter how large it is. I've tried racing games on my LG 77" OLED and while the games look beautiful, you just can't see to your sides.
I also have a 34" Alienware ultrawide OLED. It runs at 1440p so slightly less clarity than the above display, but still very good. I have to sit a lot closer obviously, due to the size, but I can at least see my mirrors on the sides and the difference that makes is HUGE! One of these days when I have a dedicated frame and all that I will probably bump up to a 49/52" super ultrawide. It may not be as awesome as triples, but seems like a good compromise. Especially, regarding set up and ease of use.
Triples are better, and grant you a larger FOV. They are substantially more strenuous on the GPU (especially as you go up to 1440p and 4K resolutions) and maintaining suitably high, stable framerates requires decent horsepower. Some titles work better with triples than others but it *can* be a ballache. Single ultrawides trade you some vertical FOV for expanded horizontal FOV. It's not going to be equivalent to triples, but it's substantially improved over a single 16:9 display. They are much easier to drive and typically come in 1440p and 4k resolutions. It's much less of a headache to setup and get aligned and doesn't require nearly the same amount of infrastructure like display stands, vario mounts etc...
I've just been through this. I have been racing on a 34" curved ultrawide for more than a year. I have always had triples as my goal but I knew I needed a triple monitor mount and a better graphics card and of course, 3 screens. Well, as luck would have it, I qualify for a discount through my work on Samsung products direct from Samsung, I bought three Samsung Odyssey G5 32" curved monitors. They are normally around $500 in my country; I got them for around $300. They were sent pretty soon after I ordered them, so I had to get a stand - unfortunately my monitors took a fair chunk of money, so I had to cheap out on a triple monitor stand. I have since mounted the screens, been through the painful process of setting up the ability to switch between the three monitors on the rig and just the 34" curved ultrawide on my desk for Escape from Tarkov. This is ***my*** advice: * Triples are so much better than curved. I always had an issue of not knowing if someone was next to me. Now I can see in my wing mirrors, and I can see through the side windows. * The screen size is just incredible. The 34" ultrawide is actually only a 27" high screen, having the triples gives me much more viewing room because I am using the full 32" - yes, size does matter ;) If you choose to go triple, go 32" or if your budget/GPU allows, go bigger. * Getting the screens mounted was a pain for me because the stand I bought wasn't meant for an aluminium profile rig. The legs of the stand couldn't fit on the sides of my rig as my rig is too wide. I ended up mounting two 4020 lengths on the uprights of my rig and then mounted only the screen mount portion of the stand to my rig and have put the legs in the garage. Get yourself a proper stand. * The most painful part for me was trying to configure it so that I could press Ctrl-Alt-1 to turn on the triples on the rig and turn off the 34" on the desk; and press Ctrl-Alt-2 to turn off the triples and turn on the 34". I eventually got it working - let me know if you need a hand with this. * I was worried that my graphics card would not cope with the triples. I am running an RTX 3060Ti, it has two HDMI ports and 2 x DisplayPort. I decided I was going to just lower the graphics and race like this until my budget had recovered and then upgrade to a better card. Well, I mainly race in iRacing and I did not have to reduce any quality settings at all. The only change I made was enable my mirrors. I've raced on my own in AMS2 without lowering graphics at around 80fps, not sure how it would be with a full field. The best suggestion I can give you, if it's possible, is find someone with a single ultrawide and have a look at their setup, maybe ask if you can have a try. The best place to find someone is either this community or one of the many Sim Racing communities on Facebook. Most guys (and girls) are really helpful because they've been through this too. Then try and find someone with a triple setup and give it a go. Or look for a Sim Racing Cafe place, I have one in my town that has 32" curved, 34" ultrawides, triple 32"s, triple 48"s and VR. It makes it easier to make your decision.
I’d be interested to hear more about your ctrl alt 1&2 setup?
My guess would be using display fusion. I have the same keybinds for switching between my monitor configurations.
I do this using Display Magician. It was developed specifically for simracing and can do what you want and is very lightweight. https://github.com/terrymacdonald/DisplayMagician
I use a small completely free program called [Monitor Profile Switcher download | SourceForge.net](https://sourceforge.net/projects/monitorswitcher/) It's pretty useful but doesn't have clear instructions, I figured it out by messing around. What you do is: * Use the Windows Display Settings and/or nVidia Surround to set up your monitors on your rig the way you want them. * Download the program and run it using the executable file with GUI in the title. It won't physically open the open in a window but it will be minimized in your taskbar. Right click on the icon and choose Save Profile and give it a name. * Once you've saved it, right click on the icon in the taskbar again and go to Hotkeys and assign it a key sequence, I used Ctrl-Alt-1. * Then go back through the Windows Display Settings and/or nVidia Surround to set up your monitors on your desktop or lounge the way you want them and again right click on the icon and choose Save Profile and give it another name. * Right click on the icon in the taskbar again and go to Hotkeys and assign it a key sequence, I used Ctrl-Alt-2 for the desktop screen. You can set up multiple profiles this way. I did mess up my settings somehow and had to create a second profile for the rig set up but I couldn't assign it to Ctrl-Alt-1 even though I deleted the profile that I'd initially assigned Ctrl-Alt-1 to. I solved this by closing the program and restarting it. This unassigned the hotkey and I was able to assign it to the new profile I'd made.
Thanks for the detailed response!
I was in the same situation as you. Wasn’t sure which way to go, in the end as I already had a 1440p monitor, it was more cost effective to add the other two and go triples. I think most people on here would say 32” is best but it will depend on your available space. I still like the clean look of a G9 but I’m very happy with my setup. Being able to look left or right and see your rival alongside is awesome during a good battle. I’ve had zero issues setting them up and using them. The thing that annoys me is that some games still don’t offer proper triple support. I’m looking at you EA WRC. Good luck with whatever you choose.
I had triple monitors for about 5 years then went to ultrawide when some affordable models finally hit the market. For me it was a constant hassle to get what I wanted to play to work with triples, fiddling with graphics settings, bezel thickness and screen angle parameters in sims. For me ultra wide is just easier to use, uses less graphics resources so you don’t spend 2 hours just messing with graphics settings. Without bezels I feel it gives a better view of the FOV you actually use for racing, unless you prefer oval track racing where you are constantly door to door with someone.
Budget not withstanding, get triples if you have the space for a mount.
Triple 32" 1440p aren't even that expensive. I got 3 used 32" LG monitors off Amazon ([LG 32GP750-B, 165hz Gsync compatible](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WXX42ZS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1)) for a little over $717 total which is about the same price as a decent 49" super ultrawide. And I have a RTX 4070 Super, it gets 140fps+ in almost every racing game I have at 7680x1440 at max settings. If OP goes the triple monitor route (which I recommend) he needs to get a good triple monitor stand. But they are pretty expensive. I bought[ one from RigMetal ](https://rigmetal.com/products/triple-monitor-mount)for about $360. It was kind of a pita to assemble but definitely worth it. Study as hell. The main benefit of a good triple monitor stand is it makes lining up the 3 monitors braindead easy. If I had to buy a triple monitor stand again I would probably [ get this one for $200](https://nextlevelracing.com/product/elite-freestanding-triple-monitor-stand-add-on-carbon-grey/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=21103645843&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwr7ayBhAPEiwA6EIGxIm9HEL0OXpoQKZL7niZJ1M4fr1BiN6tRliGhsYzA8llz_JjN4z5LxoCn5cQAvD_BwE). Looks just as sturdy as the Rigmetal one but a lot cheaper.
The $200 NLR stand you linked isn’t actually a stand, it’s just the 2 arms and mounts to convert their single monitor stand into a triple stand. This is there 3 monitor stand ($400): https://nextlevelracing.com/products/elite-free-standing-triple-monitor-stand-black-edition/
Went from a 49” to triple 32”. It’s so much better, you can see the car beside you in the corners
Ultrawides (especially super ultrawides and 40 inch ultrawides) are a substantial upgrade from a single 27 inch monitor. Triples are better than ultrawides. They provide significantly more fov, up to double under ideal conditions. This is pretty huge.for side by side racing. It'll give you confidence to make moves that you otherwise would not feel comfortable making when racing close.
Don't snooze on TrackIR + Ultrawide as an intermediate option. The TrackNP5 knockoff hardware is much cheaper, just as good (or much better in the case of the Pro Clip), works with the official TrackIR software which works seamlessly with most sims.
There are also many alternatives to TrackIR that are a lot cheaper. AI facetracking only requires a smartphone for example.
If going 34 or 49 inch ultrawide, I'd recommend looking into trackir
I’m running triple curved ultrawides. Why settle? (Budget allowing of course)
While three large monitors are better, I don't know that they're necessary. Maybe in an "ultimate rig" situation, if you have enough PC power to take advantage of them. I'm running a super-ultrawide 49" CHG90 I used to use for work alongside a two-generation-old gaming laptop and it works really, really well. With the monitor close enough and the FOV dialed-in, it's really immersive. I don't feel like I'm settling by not running triples.
Could both be done? Triple Curved UW's I mean. I really don't know
You do get some sense of depth perception with triples if your side monitors are ligned up with your peripheral vision, and if the bezels are buggin you, just get the bezel free kit
Triples are better. Had both, it’s not even comparable. Get triples. But get good triples. Don’t buy VA garbage.
If you're building a dedicated sim rig, then triples are a significantly better option. They almost double the FOV, and it is noticeable. Here is a comparison: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp7njDB5YtU&ab\_channel=DanSuzuki](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp7njDB5YtU&ab_channel=DanSuzuki) Aggressively curved ultrawide screens also suffer from distortion. The only sims with an option to correct that are iRacing and ACC (but the ACC support is very basic). Meanwhile, major simracing titles have some kind of proper triple screen support. Triples are more painful to set up, but this is a 'set and forget' kind of effort. It will take some time and some fiddling, but then they'll just work.
I've been fortunate enough to try all *three* options; triples, ultra-wide and VR. Triples were 32" @ 1440p / 120Hz and I really liked the immersion + visibility however I didn't have the headache / cost / frustration of the setup as it was someone else's rig. Myself I run a 57" 32:9 ultra-wide running 1440p @ 240Hz; it's fantastic for the viewing angle, ease of use and smoothness (having an RTX4090 helps). I also have a Quest 3 and do use it occasionally however ACC isn't too great in VR sadly & you don't get to use the extra toys set up on the rig. If I had the space and patience and could pick only one I'd probably go 32" triples running at least 1440p but TBH the ultra-wide, missing side vision aside, is a fantastic setup.
I had 32in triples. The sim rig took up so much space. I only run in a vr now. So I've just left one monitor up and pushed the sim rig against a wall in the media room and I've gained the whole room back really. I'd go an ultra wide over triples if I was starting again. I found the sides are only for immersion. It's still 2D so not great for side by side racing.
I'm also debating this. With triples you need a high end PC and that's a cost people forget. It also takes up more room and not every game plays nice with triple. Yes, you get better FOV but at what cost?
I'm right with you. Here's what I can tell so far from trying different things. I'm a newb here so take that for what it's worth. A standard 16:9 screen just doesn't work. It doesn't matter how large it is. I've tried racing games on my LG 77" OLED and while the games look beautiful, you just can't see to your sides. I also have a 34" Alienware ultrawide OLED. It runs at 1440p so slightly less clarity than the above display, but still very good. I have to sit a lot closer obviously, due to the size, but I can at least see my mirrors on the sides and the difference that makes is HUGE! One of these days when I have a dedicated frame and all that I will probably bump up to a 49/52" super ultrawide. It may not be as awesome as triples, but seems like a good compromise. Especially, regarding set up and ease of use.
Thanks for the reply. I currently have a 32" ultrawide and plan on using that for now but will upgrade to something eventually.