Virtual Reality (VR) has been around for quite some time now, yet the technology has not become mainstream as it could. The good news is that as more applications become compatible, the technology is becoming more available and affordable through VR headsets such as the Meta Quest 3. However, one key challenge remains: More and more VR headsets need a powerful PC to work at their full potential.
Meta Quest 3: The Best Value in VR
The Meta Quest 3 has provided a great value for the money and is a clear leader in the market. The consumer can get this virtual reality headset for about €500-550, however, it is often cheaper during sales. If you’re on a tight budget, the predecessor of the current Meta Quest 2 may still be an option, however, it is not very easy to come by since it has been phased out of the market.
For those in the market for an alternative to the Pico 4, the best that they can get is the Valve Index which, as mentioned earlier, is superior in terms of performance but is priced higher than the Pico 4
Upcoming Meta Quest 3s
Meta is also working on the Meta Quest 3s, a less expensive version of the current Meta Quest 3. Other changes include a 90Hz screen instead of 120Hz and lower screen resolution, while it will keep the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor as the Quest 3.
What Computer do I Need for VR Headsets?
VR headsets like the Meta Quest 3 are completely wireless but for the best experience with PC games your computer has to meet specific standards. Even though these requirements have not changed much, the developments in the PC hardware have made it possible to demand better performance levels.
Minimum PC Specifications:
- Processor: Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 1500X / Intel Core i5-4590 or better
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD RX 570
- Operating System: Windows 10
- USB Ports: 1
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 5 or higher
Recommended PC Specifications:
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 / Intel Core i7 or higher / 8 GB RAM or higher
- Memory: 16GB DDR4 RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 20 Series / AMD Radeon RX 6000 Series
- Operating System: Windows 11
- USB Ports: 1
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 6 or higher
Graphics Card Compatibility
It is important that you check for compatibility with your graphics card before buying a VR headset. For instance, the Meta Quest 3 is incompatible with the NVIDIA RTX 2050, and AMD’s RX 6400 and RX 6500 lack hardware encoding support, making them incompatible with Meta and Valve headsets.
In essence, you should be fine with almost any NVIDIA or AMD graphic card that has been released in the last 4 years for most of the VR headsets available in the market. Nevertheless, one should always consult this information from the manufacturer’s website in order to get the most accurate and up-to-date information.
To sum up, VR technology is still developing and getting better but the most important thing is to have a PC with necessary specifications to run VR.