How much data does iRacing use?
Online multiplayer games like iRacing can eat through limited fixed mobile data and mobile hotspot plans, especially if you’re playing on a crowded server. While iRacing doesn’t use as much internet data as some massively multiplayer and battle royale game modes, you might still need to monitor your data use if you play the game on a capped internet connection.
How much data does playing iRacing use?
iRacing uses about 50 MB of data per hour of play. The exact data use will vary based on factors like the number of players on the server and the specifications of your gaming system.
How much data does it take to download iRacing?
| Platform | File size |
| Microsoft Windows | <25 GB |
Download size is a compressed version of file size, so the download will be smaller. Archive formats used for downloads – like “.zip” or “.rar” – are about 50% smaller than file size.
How much data does it take to update iRacing?
iRacing updates can exceed 300 MB a pop, so it’s important to keep an eye on these if you’re trying to save data. For the most up-to-date information on game patches, see the iRacing Patch/Hotfix Release Notes. Keep updates from eating up too much data by turning off auto-updates in the game or console settings and manually updating iRacing instead.
How to reduce iRacing data use
To keep your iRacing data use as low as possible, there are a few things you can do:
Play with fewer players. The more players in a race, the more online data like player movement and stats your local network has to share with other players. To keep this number low, play on emptier servers or in modes like Arena with fewer maximum players.
Play iRacing without voice chat. Voice chat can increase your data use to 110 MB per hour, so it isn’t great if you have limited data. Here’s how to turn off the iRacing voice chat.
Play on a slower server. Most game servers have a tick rate of either 64 or 128 Hz. A 64 tick server refreshes the game 64 times a second, or approximately once every 15 milliseconds. A 128 tick server syncs with clients 128 times a second or once every 8 milliseconds. It also uses about twice as much data. To save data, choose community servers with lower tick rates.
Limit your client update rate. Client update rate is how many times per second your computer can process the updates it gets from the server. Your game update rate will be either your server tick rate or client update rate, whichever is lower. Limit your client update rate in your settings to reduce online data use when you’re playing on a game server with a high tick rate.
Get more data with fixed wireless internet
To play iRacing without putting your data limit in jeopardy, consider a fixed wireless internet connection with a high data cap. This home Wi-Fi connection is ideal for rural gamers without access to wired internet connections like cable or fiber.
Find out the hidden cost of online video gaming or compare data use for other popular games:
PayDay 2, Call of Duty:Black Ops 4, Deep Rock Galactic, Minecraft, Grand Auto Theft V, Madden NFL, Fortnite
