Computer for iRacing

I would like first class computer for iRacing (I buy computer every 3 years, but it must be first class). Anybody knows which graphic card (Nvidia or Ati) and which processor. Is 4 MB of memory enough. Any other issue? For example, it'll be top graphic card. I'll prefer a single card. I heard that GTX 590 overheat. Anybody knows is this so? Any issues with SSD? Also I would like top processor. It'll be for one HDTV, but later possibly to update with another two HDTVs. Of course, regarding price, I expect to pay high price, but my second name isn't Rockfeller, so, if something is 2% better, but 50% more expensive, well, I am not in such a high class, : ). Thanks

On 01/08/2011 22:20, Mario Petrinovic wrote:

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> I would like first class computer for iRacing (I buy computer every 3 > years, but it must be first class). > Anybody knows which graphic card (Nvidia or Ati) and which processor. Is > 4 MB of memory enough. Any other issue? > For example, it'll be top graphic card. I'll prefer a single card. I > heard that GTX 590 overheat. Anybody knows is this so? > Any issues with SSD? > Also I would like top processor. > It'll be for one HDTV, but later possibly to update with another two HDTVs. > Of course, regarding price, I expect to pay high price, but my second > name isn't Rockfeller, so, if something is 2% better, but 50% more > expensive, well, I am not in such a high class, : ). > Thanks

Having used both ATI and nVidia I am very happy with an ATI 6970 running eyefinity and 3 screens which has proven more reliable than my previous GTX285 wth a TH2Go. Processor wise I use an Intel i7 920. I get good results with iRacing with this combo running three screens. Won't HDTVs possibly induce some lag? Not sure these days. Using a 64 bit OS and 6Gb RAM allows for replays to be saved in entirety though I think there is a spooling option now so this may not be an advatntage. Good luck Tony

Tony R:

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>Mario Petrinovic: >> I would like first class computer for iRacing (I buy computer every 3 >> years, but it must be first class). >> Anybody knows which graphic card (Nvidia or Ati) and which processor. Is >> 4 MB of memory enough. Any other issue? >> For example, it'll be top graphic card. I'll prefer a single card. I >> heard that GTX 590 overheat. Anybody knows is this so? >> Any issues with SSD? >> Also I would like top processor. >> It'll be for one HDTV, but later possibly to update with another two >> HDTVs. >> Of course, regarding price, I expect to pay high price, but my second >> name isn't Rockfeller, so, if something is 2% better, but 50% more >> expensive, well, I am not in such a high class, : ). >> Thanks > > Having used both ATI and nVidia I am very happy with an ATI 6970 running > eyefinity and 3 screens which has proven more reliable than my previous > GTX285 wth a TH2Go. > > Processor wise I use an Intel i7 920. I get good results with iRacing with > this combo running three screens. > > Won't HDTVs possibly induce some lag? Not sure these days. > > Using a 64 bit OS and 6Gb RAM allows for replays to be saved in entirety > though I think there is a spooling option now so this may not be an > advatntage.

Thanks Tony. Well, I am used to Nvidia, never used ATI before, I hope they look the same on screen. I need at least 100 fps on three screens, I think I'll go for two cards (ATI 6950, or GTX 560) with possible addition of another one, if I decide to go 3 HDTVs. Regarding procesor. I'll go for the best, i7 2600. I'll go for 2x4GB of RAM, and 120GB SSD. Right now I have 416 GB free on my, IIRC, 500GB disk (says 465GB in Windows), so this should be enough. Regarding lag, I don't know if you know, but some kind of lag menagement is built in iRacing. This is "cockpitLookDeadZone" in app.ini file, and the default is 0.050000. Well, I am all over the place with this lag, but I managed to determine "the right" lag for my system, and it isn't actually far away from iRacing's default. It is 0.062000. Regarding all this, too bad that I have to find everything by myself. Why don't somebody inform people a bit. This way or that way, yes, I researched all this, and yes, I FOUND the answers I was looking for. Without anybody's help. Regarding everybody else, well I can say that, who didn't look for answers, well, he didn't find them. Thanks again, : ) Mario

[email hidden] (Mario Petrinovic) wrote: > Well, I am used to Nvidia, never used ATI before, I hope they > look the same on screen. I think fanboys exaggerate the differences. When I moved from Nvidia to ATI I noticed no obvious differences. They both work. I think anal retentive types might disagree, but this machine has my old GTX260 in it, and my games machine has a 5870. The biggest difference between the two machine is the quality of the monitors, not the graphics cards. > I need at least 100 fps on three screens, I think I'll go > for two cards (ATI 6950, or GTX 560) I'm not sure how well iRacing deals with two cards. In general I always think you are better going with one faster card than two slower ones. Life is so much simpler then, because driver support is guaranteed. > Regarding procesor. I'll go for the best, i7 2600. Remember you want the K version of whatever processor you buy, for overclocking. Personally I'm not convinced there's any need for the i7. The only time I'd appreciate it is probably when editing video. > I'll go for 2x4GB of RAM That seems sensible. I have 12Gb in my machine because I thought it might give me more room when editing, but in truth I have never seen more than 4.1GB of RAM being used at any time. Fortunately RAM is very cheap now, so I don't mind the fact my extra 8GB was a waste of money. :-) > and 120GB SSD. I remain unconvinced by SSDs for most use. Nice luxury item, but you can get a much cheaper boot speed increase by reinstalling Windows regularly. :-) I have an SSD (bought in a moment of weakness!), but I took it out of my desktop and put it in my CULV laptop, where it made a much bigger difference to my normal use. On my desktop machine I just don't need applications or iRacing tracks to load more quickly. They all load quick enough already. But obviously SSDs are nice to have. They're just not -- in my experience -- worth the money yet. > Right now I have 416 GB free on my, IIRC, > 500GB disk (says 465GB in Windows), so this > should be enough. You might want to consider a Z68 motherboard, buy a 64Gb SSD, and use that for caching your 500GB drive. Essentially the 64GB drive disappears and you gain a much faster 500GB drive once caching drive had learned your patterns of data use. Andrew McP