We've tested a large lineup of VR-ready PCs, both in traditional benchmarks and in the specialized VR tests offered by Oculus and Valve (the latter intended for the HTC Vive). The sweet spot is right around $2,000, which will cover an Intel Core i7-6700K processor and a single Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 graphics card.
BEST VR DESKTOP UPDATE
New 1080 series GPUs from Nvidia are just starting to trickle out, and we'll update our results once we test these new graphics cards.
BEST VR DESKTOP PLUS
Spending more allows for upgrades to the even faster GeForce 980ti graphics card, more RAM and additional solid state storage, plus extras such as cool designs, ergonomic keyboards, overclocked parts and personalized service and support. Even the lower-end machines tested here should do that for the first generation of VR games and apps, but you may want to invest in more than the minimum required specs to be assured of a smooth experience in the more intensive VR games coming in the future.īased on extensive hands-on testing in the CNET Labs, the sweet spot for price and performance is right around $2,000, which will cover a current-gen Core i7-6700K processor and a single Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 graphics card, plus a decent amount of hard-drive space for large game files. If you're looking to spend more, the sky's the limit, and we've tested PCs that cost north of $4,000 (as mentioned earlier, all prices discussed here are in US dollars).įor both the Oculus and Vive headsets, the system requirements are built around maintaining a steady 90 frames of animation per second, per eye. That also means even a new gaming laptop that cost thousands won't work, unless it's one of a very small handful of laptops that squeezes in a stripped-down version of the desktop Nvidia 980 graphics card.Īnd while the rock-bottom price for a new VR-ready desktop is still around $999, that's only after a bundled discount from Oculus for buying a headset and desktop together. Required system specs include a recent Intel Core i5 or Core i7 CPU, and a desktop graphics card - at least an Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 or AMD R9 290.
BEST VR DESKTOP UPGRADE
Unless you're going for the minimum required spec, it's an upgrade worth considering (and we'll be testing some 1080-based PCs in the near future).įor anyone interested in virtual reality, the takeaways above are important to keep in mind, as the PC you have today probably won't run either the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, unless it's a fairly recent tricked-out gaming desktop.
There are many design and feature options to keep in mind.
BEST VR DESKTOP SOFTWARE
Virtual reality software needs to run at a steady 90 frames per second per eye, but even the least-expensive desktops tested here worked well with every VR app we tried.