English

You have no items in your shopping cart.

Everything about a VR Game PC or Laptop

How to choose the right PC for Virtual Reality usage?

Virtual Reality games are really cool to play, but they are also increasingly relevant in business terms. A lot of graphics power and Memory is still needed to render VR in high quality and fluently, especially in certain business applications such as 3D/CAD design. The entire Computer must be properly tuned, the parts of which must fit together well. It is especially important to have a powerful video card and good processor.

What is a video card (GPU)?

A video card - also called a graphics card or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) - is a connection between your Computer and the display. The video card ensures that a signal is sent to the screen, so that you then get an image on your screen. The GPU itself is the chip on the printed circuit board, which together with forms the own working memory for the graphics card.

A GPU is therefore a special processor / chip designed to process graphics data. The GPU calculates the image structure (rendering). The more powerful the GPU, the faster the 3D image rendering. Every Computer and laptop needs a GPU. After all, you cannot use your Computer or laptop without an image display. In many cases the GPU is included with the processor (integrated). However, there is also a wide choice of separate (dedicated) video cards. In short, it applies to a dedicated video card: the more powerful the video card, the better and smoother the graphics will be. And a beautiful but especially smooth graphics is of course important when displaying VR!

Which GPU do you need for Virtual reality?

In general, for VR gaming, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 is the recommended 'lower limit'. The GTX 1660 is powerful enough to run VR games, with possibly. a number of concessions in the detail of the images, to be played smoothly at a certain number of FPS (Frames Per Second). If you have a more powerful video card (for example an RTX 2060), the graphics can be set to a higher quality, so you get a better image quality in the same smooth movements. The same applies to the RTX 2070 and RTX 2080 video cards.

For VR Arcades and professional VR users we recommend to have at least one NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 or higher.

GeForce GTX

What is a processor (CPU)?

The processor - also called the CPU (Central Processing Unit) - is essentially the heart of a Computer. The processor has a large influence on the performance of your Computer or laptop. The processor processes all instructions received by the Computer and then forwards them to the appropriate component.

The two largest processor manufacturers are Intel and AMD. In general, VR-ready Computers processors from Intel are used. The Intel processor contains 4 sub-brands, as it were: Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 and Core i9. However, the manufacturer AMD now also makes very powerful and comparable processors, making them an excellent and often slightly more affordable choice for VR as well. The AMD processors can also be divided into 4 sub brands; Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9. The overview below briefly summarizes when you can choose which processor.

  • Intel Core i3: basic to relatively good performance during simple VR games and daily tasks;
  • Intel Core i5: good performance during VR games and business application;
  • Intel Core i7: very good performance during heavy VR games and business applications such as CAD in VR;
  • Intel Core i9: the best possible performance during heavy VR games and photo and video editing;
  • AMD Ryzen 3: Relatively good performance during simple VR and daily tasks;
  • AMD Ryzen 5: Very good performance during VR games and business application;
  • AMD Ryzen 7: Excellent performance during heavy VR games and business applications such as CAD in VR;
  • AMD Ryzen 9: The best possible performance during heavy VR games and business applications such as multitasking with CAD/CAM and BIM in real-time VR.

What CPU do you need for Virtual reality?

The video card of your laptop or Computer is generally the most important for the VR gaming experience, but the processor is also an important part of the Computer or laptop. Virtual Reality requires at least an Intel i5 / AMD Ryzen 3 or better processor. But with certain games, multiple tasks of the Computer are required, so it is recommended to opt for an Intel Core i7 / Ryzen 7 processor. For example, the Project CARS game demands a lot from your processor, because you also use a racing wheel, a camera and streaming software. An i7 / Ryzen 7 processor is also recommended when you run multiple programs in the background.

For VR Arcades and professional VR users we recommend to have at least one Intel® Core ™ i7-9750H or a Ryzen 7 3700X to use.

How many Memory do you need for Virtual Reality applications?

Since VR games mainly use the GPU memory, the RAM Memory can remain relatively low. For playing most VR games, 8GB RAM Memory is sufficient and recommended. If you are looking for a Computer that can do more than just play games (e.g. edit videos/photos or develop in CAD programs), then it can certainly be advisable to have more RAM Memory built in. The Computers that we recommend for professional use have 16 GB of RAM as standard, but can easily be expanded to 32 GB or even 64 GB.

Intel logo

What else should you pay attention to when buying a Virtual Reality computer?

A Computer or laptop should have enough connections for the VR Headset. For example, you need 3 x USB 3.0 ports and 1 x USB 2.0 port to connect an Oculus Rift. For a desktop Computer, the number of ports is often not such a big problem, because there are usually enough available. But for laptops it is already a bit more difficult, because they have fewer standard ports.

If you plan to use a VR Headset wirelessly, you must have an empty PCIe slot in the Computer. A laptop does not have a PCIe slot, so a laptop cannot be used for a wireless VR experience. Desktops do have sufficient PCIe slots, as long as the motherboard is not of the Mini ITX type (dimensions for housings and motherboards). These are used in the very narrow and not very spacious ITX cabinets where it becomes very difficult to store powerful hardware anyway.

Buy a VR-ready Computer with eye to the future. By that we mean that it is wise to opt for a Computer with - for now - good to very good specs, so that in two years you will still have a Computer that will last well . If you now opt for minimum specifications, or for example an older video card, your Computer will be outdated after a year or two. Also in the field of software, a lot is happening in the possibilities that require powerful hardware.

What specifications do we recommend?

At Unbound VR we have a lot of experience with building Computers and advising laptops for Virtual Reality applications. This allows us to give good advice with regarding the specifications that we can advise our customers. Both a laptop and desktop both have advantages and disadvantages. A laptop is of course mobile in use, but has less space for ports and other connections, while a desktop takes up more space but also has many more ports. A big advantage of a desktop is that the components can be put together and tailored to the specific use of the desktop. For example, are you looking for a desktop for specific gaming, or do you prefer a desktop with which you can surf the internet: It is important to choose a video card and processor that suit your needs. If you do not know what exactly suits your purpose, please contact with so that our hardware expert with can put together an optimal system for you. which is 100% focused on the intended purpose!

You can include our selection of standard configuration laptops and desktops here bekijken. A variation in parts is always possible with the desktops, in that case always contact with us in advance!

Diederik Hermsen- XR Product Specialist

Learn more about this subject?

Contact with us! Our specialists are happy to help you.

Send a message Check out our other blogs

was successfully added to your shopping cart.