With unlimited options and configurations in the market regarding gaming PC and laptops, it is very common for people to get confused as to what kind of PC they should get in order to play VR games using VR headset.
Although specifications for a PC to run PC VR headsets can vary depending on the headset, here are some general guidelines:
Minimum specs:
- Graphics card: NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 470
- Processor: Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD Ryzen 5 1400
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- Video output: HDMI 1.3
- USB ports: 1 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0
- Operating System: Windows 10
Mid-end specs:
- Graphics card: NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super or AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT
- Processor: Intel Core i5-10600K or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- Memory: 16GB DDR4 RAM
- Video output: HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.4
- USB ports: 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 2 USB 2.0
- Operating System: Windows 10
High-end specs:
- Graphics card: NVIDIA RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT
- Processor: Intel Core i9-10900K or AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
- Memory: 32GB RAM
- Video output: HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.4
- USB ports: 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 3 USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 2 USB 2.0
- Operating System: Windows 10
It’s important to note that these are just general guidelines and the specific requirements may vary based on the VR headset and the specific games or applications being run. It’s always a good idea to check the manufacturer’s recommended specs before purchasing a VR headset or building a PC for VR.
In terms of laptop, it is known that in some cases, the GPU on a laptop can not run VR while the same GPU model on a desktop PC can. A few reasons that may causing this including:
- Power limitations: Laptops are constrained by their power and thermal limitations, so laptop GPUs are generally not as powerful as their desktop counterparts. This can result in lower performance and lower frame rates when running VR applications.
- Cooling: In order to maintain a small and portable form factor, laptops have limited cooling capabilities compared to desktops. This can lead to higher temperatures, which can cause the GPU to throttle down and reduce its performance.
- Optimizations: Some VR games and applications are optimized specifically for desktop GPUs, which can result in better performance on desktops. Additionally, some VR headsets require specific display outputs that may not be available on all laptops.
Overall, while a laptop GPU with the same specs as a desktop GPU may be able to run VR, it may not be able to deliver the same level of performance due to these limitations. If you’re planning to use a laptop for VR, it’s important to check the laptop’s specifications and whether there is ‘VR ready’ label put by the manufacturer or not, to ensure that it meets the recommended requirements.