What should I buy PC if I will bet on virtual reality glasses such as Oculus or HTC Vive? Moving to the virtual reality is not only buying compatible glasses. That initial investment powerful must be accompanied in many cases of a significant renewal of the PC due to the high requirements of this first VR consumer desire.
If your current PC does not meet the minimum requirements of the Live HTC Oculus or glasses, you need to buy a new PC that is able to offer a satisfying experience. Here’s our guide to shopping to renew compatible PC with virtual reality goggles or why not, check the budget.
The minimum requirements of a PC ready for VR
Since no manufacturer wants you to buy a paperweight $600, the brands that already offer virtual reality devices have been applied much to offer enough information about which components and minimum requirements will need to use once they get us home.
In some cases such as Oculus, there are even agreements with manufacturers to give some of their products to gamer’s one compatibility label. In others such as HTC, there are specific recommendations as well as key equipment components.
Minimum requirements for using Oculus Rift
We started with the minimum requirements Oculus sets as a starting point for using their virtual reality glasses. Since early April and can be purchased for $ 600 with shipping to 20 different markets.
| Graphic card | Equivalent or superior to an NVIDIA GTX 970 or AMD R9 290 |
| Processor | Equivalent or superior to Intel i5-4590 |
| RAM | 8GB or higher |
| Output port | Output HDMI 1.3 compatible video |
| Ports of entry | 3 USB 3.0 ports plus a USB 2.0 port |
| OS | Windows 7 SP1 64-bit or later |
In the case of the Oculus Rift also you can download a wizard that will check if your current PC is compatible or not with the glasses.
Minimum requirements for using Vive HTC
The second virtual reality glasses already be bought in different markets are the HTC Vive, who come from the hand of Steam.
| Graphic card | Equivalent or superior to an NVIDIA GTX 970 or AMD R9 290 |
| Processor | Equivalent to or greater than i5-4590 Intel / AMD FX 8350 |
| RAM | 4GB or higher |
| Output port | Compatible video output at least HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2 |
| Ports of entry | 1 USB 2.0 port |
| OS | Windows 7 SP1 64-bit or later |
HTC also offers users an application on Steam so they can easily check whether the PC you have today can be used with glasses guarantees their lives.
What PC should I buy to use or HTC Vive glasses Oculus
Once we know the minimum requirements of some of the key components of a product ready for virtual reality PC, tap deciding on a particular model. Most teams ready for use with virtual reality glasses are models of gaming profile and quite powerful.
We have selected the best and most varied that we can find on the market, but if we like it meets at least the requirements we have seen above, should have no trouble using them with our VR glasses.
A high-end PC is actually a range of input VR
Suppose we are willing to take the plunge and buy a pair of virtual reality as the Oculus or HTC lives, and we must renew the team. There ready to buy models that meet just the basic level components such as the processor, RAM or graphics card.
This trio of components is based on a computer virtual reality. But beware because what the consumer PC world is considered a high – end equipment for virtual reality is nothing more than an entry model.
The most affordable we can get already configured and assembled are called packs with Oculus. It is spiking models most minimum requirements and includes glasses Oculus. We leave average between 100 and 200 dollars cheaper than purchasing separate equipment, for now only found in stores like Best Buy and Amazon, and the USA.
In these cases, it is also possible to purchase the equipment separately with the discount if the purchase glasses so we indicated in our purchase. Eye because discounts of up to 200 dollars when buying glasses Oculus Rift performed only with PCs that have the official certification of compatibility.
ASUS G11CD
The most affordable desktop within the range of ASUS Ready Oculus is a classic model but with touches gaming tower in colors and design, including up to 8 USB ports as well as good sound and DVD recorder. It can be configured with better components such as SSD or Core i7 processors.
| PROCESSOR | Core i5 6400 2.7 GHz | RAM | 8 GB | |||
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX970 | HDD | HDD 1 TB 7200 rpm | |||
Dell XPS 8900
One of the few desktop PC can pass as discreet by design. This is a special edition of Dell XPS 8900 to which has been added to improve the GTX970 graphics card.
| PROCESSOR | Core i5 6400 2.7 GHz | RAM | 8 GB |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX970 | HDD | HDD 1 TB 7200 rpm |
X51 AlienWare
The small desktops Alienware offers the right to enter the virtual reality with its attractive, compact design. If the basics are we fall short we can expand with improvements in the processor, RAM and hard disk (SSD)
| PROCESSOR | Core i5 6400 2.7 GHz | RAM | 8 GB |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX970 | HDD | HDD 1 TB 7200 rpm |
ASUS ROG G20CB
Available in two versions, the basic is a good buy for have all the advantages and possibilities of expansion of this chassis ASUS ROG and its customizable appearance with LEDs
| PROCESSOR | Core i5 6400 2.7 GHz | RAM | 16 GB |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX970 | HDD | SSD 512GB |
MSI Nightblade MI
MSI has one of the best options in compact-type computers. Everything in its design has been designed for players; including many even fast charges USB ports (including USB-C) the cooling system and is prepared (PCIE-Gen3) to expand components easily
| PROCESSOR | Core i5 6400 2.7 GHz | RAM | 8 GB |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX970 | HDD | HDD 1 TB 7200 rpm |
If we abandon the basic range and recommended by Oculus or HTC, we can come into models more brands and, with the starting point of the minimum graph, improve other components to give more flexibility to desktop PCs if the price to skyrocket in excess.
Acer Predator G3
With the base of the GTX 970 graphics, the Acer Predator G3 Power Equipment level processor, and hard drive, which adds speed SSD to the ability of a traditional album?
| PROCESSOR | Core i7 4790 3.7 GHz | RAM | 8 GB |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX970 | HDD | 1TB 7200rpm HDD + 60GB SSD |
Mountain QUARTZ VR
This Mountain QUARTZ VR is the basic desktop model but very interesting for your virtual reality sessions for its compact design and quiet operation
| PROCESSOR | Core i7 6700 | RAM | 16 GB |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX970 | HDD | 1TB 7200rpm HDD + 240GB SSD |
Lenovo Y900
The only one of our basic selection that focuses on the top 980 GTX graphics and better processors and storage without the price to skyrocket
| PROCESSOR | 4GHz Core i7 6700K | RAM | 24 GB |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB | HDD | 2 TB 7200 rpm HDD + 120GB SSD |
PCs for virtual reality more complete
As you’ve found, buy a ready PC virtual reality, even the most basic, it is above average. They are models that perfectly meet the requirements of the Oculus and HTC Vive glasses and for this first generation should be enough as manufacturers guarantee.
But what if I want to go further and buy the best PC already mounted to the virtual reality? No budget problems, these are some of the best high – end PC VR you can get.
Alienware Area 51
A very striking and unique design for the most powerful desktop Alienware, which can be configured with up to three GTX 970 graphics cards or opt for the GTX 980 with 4 GB DDR4
| PROCESSOR | 4GHz Core i7 5960X | RAM | 32 GB |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX980 | HDD | 8 TB HDD 7200 rpm + 512 SSD |
HP ENVY Phoenix 860
A touch gaming while retaining a more classic than other desktops for gamer’s style. It is one of the explicitly recommended by HTC for your eyewear Live and offers one of the best relationships price components
| PROCESSOR | Core i7 4790K | RAM | 32 GB |
| Graphics | Nvidia GTX 980 Ti 6GB GDDR5 | HDD | 3 TB HDD 7200 rpm + 256 SSD |
ASUS ROG G20CB
Surely the compact desktop more raw power sued us to offer a striking design and good configuration to expand the components we want ourselves
| PROCESSOR | Core i7 6700 | RAM | 16 GB |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX980 4GB | HDD | 1TB HDD + SSD 512GB |
Origin Chronos
Highly scalable, especially in storage capacity and graphics cards, this model of Origin is compact and balanced to withstand many years in the world of virtual reality
| PROCESSOR | Core i7 6700K 4.2 GHz | RAM | 16 GB |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce 980 6GB GTXI | HDD | 1TB HDD + SSD |
If I want, how much would I?
Whether you plan to upgrade some components of your current computer and hop one ready for VR from scratch, the money to be disbursed when the PC you take care yourself is much lower and can get ready for virtual reality PC.
In this section, we have selected the recommended basic components for the minimum price on our PCs for VR. Inputs, the minimum you’ll need to budget for your new PC are precisely the three key elements: graphics, processor, and RAM.
- Processor: The Intel Core i5-4590 3.3 GHz model.
- Graphic: The base would be the Nvidia GTX 370, the most expensive component of our team. A very interesting price would be the Gigabyte NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970.
- RAM: The minimum amount would be 8 GB. At Amazon, we offer HyperX Fury 8 GB DDR4 2133MHz.
Other components you should choose carefully are the motherboard and power supply. Basics of the motherboard that is compatible with the above items, but we must not forget that we leave room for further improvement without changing too many elements, as well as sufficient possibility for extension (an interesting is that allowed to have more than one graphics) and ports.
- Motherboard: A highly recommended is the motherboard model Z170.
As for the power supply, better not skimp because you have connected components that do not conform to little nothing that is less than 750-1000 W.
Basic internal components (box left to your discretion) for choosing us are intended for internal storage. Here there are no minimum requirements but should combine the good capacity of a classic disc with an SSD level and good capacity.
If your idea to use a virtual reality helmets are not going the way of acquiring a new desktop but opt for laptops, there are also solutions that we see in the second part of this guide.