Best Computer For Golf Simulator: Simple Gaming Laptop Guide

Do you feel like you need a degree in rocket science just to understand what is the best computer for golf simulator? I sure did!

When I was shopping to find the right computer for my golf simulator I was drowning in a sea of technical jargon, and specs, that I had no clue what they meant. All I wanted to know was what computer to get to run the golf simulator software without it slowing down on me.

My pain is your gain. I went through this laboring process, so you don’t have to. If I can help one fellow simulator owner avoid the countless hours of research I had to put in to understand what the hell is an NVIDIA G-SYNC, then my mission is complete. As a side note, it is not a body soap boy band, as I originally thought.

This best computer for golf simulator guide will be simple and to the point. No fluff, no complicated terms, just an easy guide to help you find a computer to run your golf simulator software.

Best Computer For Golf Simulator 1080p Resolution  (GSPro/TGC 2019)

Best Budget Computer For Golf Simulator 1080p Resolution  (GSPro/TGC 2019)

Best Computer For Golf Simulator 4K Resolution (GSPro/TGC 2019)

Best Budget Golf Simulator Computer For For 4K Resolution (GSPro/TGC 2019)

Best Tablet To Run Golf Simulator Software (Garmin/E6 Connect/Awesome Golf)

Why Do You Need A Gaming Laptop For a Golf Simulator?

Simply put, it takes a lot of power to run a golf simulator. A standard non-gaming laptop will likely do the job for the software out of the box driving range, but once you want to start playing some epic virtual courses, you are going to run into some serious issues, if you don’t have a little power under the hood of your computer.

The new courses being built are getting more, and more detailed. As such they require more processing power to run the graphics on your computer. Essentially, your golf simulator is a big video game for your computer, and to ensure it runs smoothly you need the horsepower in your engine. 

What Are The Most Important Specs To Consider?

Shopping for a gaming computer for your golf simulator can be an intimidating process. There are millions of options out there, and the specs read like a doctor’s eye chart. What the hell are all these random letters and numbers, and what do they all mean? 

Let’s break it down simply, when shopping for a new gaming laptop for your golf simulator there are two important specs to consider, the RAM (memory), and the Graphics Card (GPU). Don’t panic, I’ll go over these two specs in the simplest way possible:

RAM (Memory)

RAM, or Random Access Memory, in a computer, is like the size of your golf bag. It determines how many clubs/applications you can have at the ready to use during your round/or while using your computer. The more RAM you have, the more clubs your computer can carry, allowing it to switch between them quickly and smoothly. Simply put the more RAM your computer has, the more applications it can handle at the same time without slowing down.

Now, that you have an understanding of what RAM is, how does it apply to the operation of your golf simulator? Your golf simulator computer is going to be operating high-powered software that is going to require a lot of that available RAM, and you will need a high amount of it to ensure the golf simulator software runs smoothly.

The next question I am sure you have is how much RAM do I need?. The answer depends on what software you are running. Different software, and how high of setting you are choosing to run that software at will determine how much RAM you will need.

To play most courses on golf simulation software you will need at minimum a computer with 16GB of RAM. It is recommended to search for a computer with 32GB of RAM for optimal performance, especially if you plan to play at 4K Resolution.

Graphics Card (GPU)

Think of the graphics card as the driver club of your computer. Like the driver, the graphics card is a specialized component of your golf bag/computer. The graphics card turns the raw data your computer produces into visuals you see on your screen. The more powerful the graphics card the better the visuals.

Would you use a sand wedge off the tee on a par 5, of course you wouldn’t. This is the same analogy for a graphics card, if you want to maximize distance off the tee you need a specialized club, that will hit it long. When it comes to running golf simulator software you can’t use a driver made of wood from the 70’s, you need a powerful carbon fiber driver to handle the high demands of the software.

To display the golf simulator software at 1080p full HD I recommend at minimum a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. If you want to run the golf simulator software at higher settings (ie. Ultra on GSPro) I recommend an RTX 3060ti, and above. If you want to display 4K graphics then an RTX 3080, or above will be needed.

What Are The Minimum Requirements Needed For Each Golf Simulator Software?

I know I promised we wouldn’t get technical, but knowing these specs are crucial if you opt to buy a computer that is outside of the buying guide above. The suggestions I made above all meet the requirements below, but if you already own a gaming computer, or buying one locally, below are the spec you need to know.

You should always verify directly on the software website for the latest specs, as they are subject to change. Here are the minimum requirements at the time of the publishing of this article.

GSPro Requirements

Minimum:

• 10GB free space
• GTX 1070
• 16GB memory
• Stable internet Connection
• Ethernet port and/or BT depending on Launch Monitor

Recommended For 1080p:

• 20GB free space
• RTX 3060ti GPU
• 16GB memory

Recommended For 4K:

• 20GB free space
• RTX 3080 (or better) GPU
• 32GB memory

The Golf Club 2019 (TGC 2019) Requirements

Minimum:

• OS: Windows 10 64 bit
• Processor: Intel Core i5-760 @ 2.80GHz or equivalent
• Memory: 4 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVidia GTX 670 or equivalent
• DirectX: Version 11
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Hard Drive: 30 GB available space
• Sound Card: DirectX 11 compatible

Recommended:

• OS: Windows 10 64Bit
• Processor: Intel Core i7 @ 3.20GHz or equivalent (or better)
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVidia GTX 1060 (or better), for 4K NVidia GTX 1080 (or better)
• DirectX: Version 11
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Hard Drive: 30 GB available space
• Sound Card: DirectX 11 compatible

E6 Connect Requirements

PC Minimum Requirements:

• Intel i5 Processor.
• 8 GB RAM.
• Nvidia 1070 Graphics Card or equivalent.
• Dedicated GPU with DirectX 11 Support.
• 25 GB of Hard Drive Space.
• Windows 10 (required)
• Internet Connection (Required)

iOS Requirements:

• iPad Pro 1 | iPad 5 | iPad Air 3 | iPad Mini 5 or later
• iPhone 8 or later

**Android devices are not supported**

Is A Desktop Computer Better Than a Laptop For Golf Simulators?

It is very much a personal choice, each has its pros and cons, but personally, I lean towards a laptop. Here are what I see as the benefits of each, and based on your personal needs you can choose what works best for your computer golf simulator setup.

Laptop Benefits

• Portability: If you want to use your golf simulator in different places or shift it within your room, a laptop lets you do that without having to take it apart and put it back together.
• Space Savings: Laptops use up less room than desktop computers, which is especially important for a golf simulator setup where you need enough space for swinging the club.
• Built-In Display: With a laptop, you won’t be required to also purchase a monitor, which increases the bottom line of what you are paying for your computer setup.

Desktop Benefits:

• Upgradable: Desktop computers make it easy to upgrade parts like the graphics card or add more RAM. As your computer starts to get dated, you can simply upgrade certain components, rather than buying a whole new computer.
• Cooling System: Desktops have better cooling systems than laptops. This can be beneficial for longer gaming sessions, as it helps prevent overheating easier.
• Permanent Installation: If you have a specific spot for your golf simulator computer and don’t have to move it around a lot, using a desktop allows you to set it up permanently. This gives you a setup that’s more steady and dependable.

Can You Use a Non-Gaming Computer For a Golf Simulator?

It is very much recommended, but you can get away with using cheaper non-gaming laptops.

If you run software like GSPro at a “lite” setting you can use a less powerful computer, but the moment you try to push it to a higher setting you are going to start to see a loss of frame rate and some stutter. The question is relative to how low you are pushing the specs, to know when you will start to experience the loss of frame rate, and stutter.

The reality is if you are getting the bare minimum today you are setting yourself up for needing to upgrade sooner. 

If you know how to build a computer, this will be your best bet to get a golf simulator computer cheaply. Frankly, I wouldn’t know how to, and I assume the majority of you also do not. If you don’t have that knowledge it is not worth the hassle, and it is just best to pay for a new pre-built computer.

So, yes you can cut corners, and find a computer that can run golf simulator software for cheap, but at the frequency, GSPro updates and improves, you will likely find yourself having to upgrade your computer within a couple of years. 

In my opinion, it is not worth the hassle. Pony up a few more dollars, and feel secure knowing that the new purchase you made today will last your simulator setup for many years.

Conclusion

The best computer for golf simulator is dependent on which software you are running, and what type of resolution you want to project at. Once you have that knowledge it is just a case of match making, and finding the specs that align with your setup.

I hope my guide has made those specs easy to understand, and that shopping for your new gaming computer is an easy straight forward process.

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