Today, there are a wide variety of VR systems available to the average consumer. Virtual reality offers an immersive experience for hardcore gaming enthusiasts, but your PC might require updates in order to support your VR system. VR compatibility will depend on the specifications of your CPU, GPU, RAM, hard drive, and other core components. In this informative guide, we dive deep into some of the most popular VR systems on the market, as well as system requirements provided by the manufacturers of Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR headsets. With our help and the right components, you can prepare your desktop or laptop computer for the rich visuals of virtual reality gaming.
PC Requirements Needed to Support VR
Whether you’re in the market for a new PC, building a high-end rig for gaming, or upgrading your PC to virtual reality standards, the hardware requirements of your VR system are essential to achieving the ultimate VR experience. The official requirements and hardware demands will vary from Oculus to Vive systems.
Official Oculus Rift Recommendations
With a PC built to official recommendations, you can play almost any game on maximum settings on a standard 1080p monitor. These specifications ensure that developers can optimize for a known hardware configuration.
- CPU: Intel Core i3-8100
- GPU: RX 570 (or GTX 1060 3GB)
- Motherboard: ASRock Z370 Pro4
- Storage 1: Seagate Barracuda 1TB HDD
- Storage 2: None (or Crucial MX500 250GB SSD)
- Power Supply: Seasonic S12II 620
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Case: Corsair 200R
- CPU Cooler: Stock (or Deepcool Gammaxx 400)
- Operating System: Windows 10
Official HTC Vive Recommendations
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290 equivalent
- CPU: Intel i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350 equivalent
- RAM: 4 GB or more
- Video Output: HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort 1.2 or newer
- USB Port: 1x USB 2.0 or better port
- Operating System: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1 or later, Windows 10
Reliable Build for VR Gaming
There’s no need to spend a large amount of money to play games with reasonable detail and high frame rates. With case, motherboard, power supply, and solid state drive updates, you can get a great value and better performance.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600
- GPU: GeForce GTX 1070
- Motherboard: MSI B350M Gaming Pro
- Storage 1: Crucial MX500 250GB SSD
- Storage 2: Seagate Barracuda 2TB HDD
- Power Supply: EVGA GQ 650W
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Case: Corsair Carbide 270R
- CPU Cooler: Stock
- Operating System: Windows 10
Hardcore Build for VR Gaming
Prepare your PC for VR games that haven’t even hit the market yet and achieve 90 FPS in any game made for Rift or Vive, all while staying within a budget of $2,000 or less.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
- GPU: GTX 1080
- Motherboard: MSI B350 PC Mate
- Storage 1: Crucial MX500 500GB SSD
- Storage 2: Seagate Barracuda 2TB HDD
- Power Supply: EVGA 850 G2
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Case: Corsair Crystal 460X or Enthoo Pro
- CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U12S SE-AM4
- Operating System: Windows 10
Budget Build for VR Gaming
Even at minimum requirements, you can power your VR headset while staying true to a budget of $750 or less.
- CPU: Intel Pentium G4600
- GPU: RX 570
- Motherboard: MSI B250M Pro-VD
- Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB HDD
- Power Supply: EVGA 500 B1
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Case: Rosewill Galaxy-01
- CPU Cooler: Stock
- Operating System: Windows 10
