Wondering if iRacing is more CPU or GPU intensive? Well, you’re at the right place for an elaborate answer! iRacing is completely dependent on online servers and also needs a stable network connection to run. You may already be familiar with iRacing’s tantrums regarding network instability. Well, any video game which depends on online servers is needier of CPU resources. Of course, iRacing features well-designed race tracks and cars which look very close to real life, and to experience such advanced visuals, you’ll require a dedicated GPU at the very least. But again, iRacing is definitely more CPU intensive.
With that being said, iRacing is capable of running on most modern systems. If you do have an old build, all you may require is a GPU upgrade. But you’ll still require a CPU of at least four cores to run the game at the minimum settings. An older CPU may be able to run the game, but it will not be a very good iRacing experience. Keep reading to know what the popular online racing sim demands of your system.
What are the system requirements for iRacing?
The developers have listed all system requirements in detail, even for peeps with potato machines. However, the minimum specifications are, in fact, the ‘bare minimum’. You’ll just be able to run iRacing, but don’t expect the racing experience to be thrilling on a potato machine. If you are looking for an upgrade, referring to the recommended specs is a better idea. We will also be listing official ‘high-end’ specs for iRacing!
The following is the list of recommended specs for iRacing-
CPU: A processor with six cores (Examples: Intel Core i7-8700K @3.70 GHz or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X)
GPU: GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD RX 580
System RAM: 16GB
VRAM: 6GB (dedicated)
As you can see, the game is pretty demanding of CPU, system RAM, and even VRAM. The above set of specs is great for running the game at ‘medium’ settings (both dirt and asphalt tracks). For a better set of specs, take a look at the ‘high-end’ recommendations-
CPU: A processor with eight+ cores (Examples: Intel Core 9-10980XE @ 3.0GHz or AMD Ryzen 9 3900X)
GPU: Nvidia 2080 TI or AMD Radeon VII or better
System RAM: 32GB or more
VRAM: 8GB or more
The ‘high-end’ specs are enough to run the game at ‘high’ settings.
Also Read: Is Rust CPU or GPU Intensive?
Concluding, it’s all about a good CPU-GPU pair. If your CPU is underpowered, it will bottleneck your GPU’s performance and vice versa. A perfect gaming rig is all about choosing a balanced set of specs. With that being said, iRacing is more CPU intensive, so you shouldn’t compromise on the CPU at any cost.
