When it comes to making the most out of the virtual reality domain, a powerful desktop or PC loaded with high-tech hardware, comes in perfectly handy. But many VR enthusiasts may not have the room to house a bulky desktop or an expensive PC that works best with the Oculus Rift or the HTC Vive. And you may not be able to resist the temptation of shifting from one room to another with your VR headset which is not possible with a PC.
Opting for a VR-ready laptop will not only allow you to take optimum advantage of VR games and movies but also let you enjoy the same while you’re on the go. The average or standard consumer laptops lack the hardware needed for connecting a Rift, Sony PlayStation 4 or HTC Vive. What you’ll essentially need is a sophisticated VR gaming-compliant laptop, and you’ll find many high-end and affordable VR-ready models.
Minimum Specifications for a VR Ready Laptop
Some of the most popular VR headsets like the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, and the Sony PlayStation VR guarantee an immersive gaming or movie viewing experience. However, to take optimum advantage of the features of these topnotch VR headsets, your laptop must be equipped with multiple hardware requirements. At the least, you’ll need a dedicated graphics card or chip.
For enjoying seamless gaming, an AMD Radeon RX 480 or GeForce GTX 1060 would be par for the course. Besides a compatible graphics chip, go for a gaming laptop, having at least a built-in AMD Ryzen 5 1500X processor or Intel Core i5-4590 or higher is a must. As for the RAM specification, you’ll easily find a modern-day laptop offering 8GB and beyond.
Also, see to it that the laptop has sufficient receptacles or ports for plugging in the headset’s connectors-the Vive requires just one USB port and one DisplayPort 1.2 or HDMI 1.4 while the Oculus Rift needs one USB 2.0 port and two USB 3.0 port, and one HDMI 1.3 port. Once you meet the hardware specifications, selecting the laptop’s UI style and size is a matter of personal preference.
If you wish to enjoy VR on the go, opt for a 15-inch model that is obviously more portable than a 17-inch one. To say the last but not the least, choose a laptop with a high resolution and a dual hard drive (1 TB for VR games and 512GB/256GB for OS and other significant applications). Summing up, the minimum specs required for your VR-ready laptop are as follows:-
- Windows 8 or 10 (OS)
- 1920 x 1080 (resolution)
- HDMI 1.4/1.3
- One USB2.0 port and/or two USB 3.0 ports
- 4GB VRAM
- 8GB RAM
- Intel Core processor (i5-6300HQ)
The Best VR Ready Laptops
Razer Blade 15
Touted to be the smallest gaming laptop in the world, the Razer Blade 15, seamlessly balances power-packed performance with portability. Razer has revamped the laptop, making it more compact and portable as well as extra powerful and versatile. The Full HD screen is now almost without a bezel or groove, stretching from rim-to-rim, and features 60Hz refresh rates.
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q graphics together with the ultramodern Intel Core i7 6-Core processor guarantees striking frame rates and jaw-dropping performance. You’ll have an unparalleled and unprecedented experience while enjoying, recording, and streaming a video game or movie in VR mode, thanks to the 16GB RAM, and 1TB /512GB + 128GB storage. Underneath its razor-thin and graceful hood, sits a heavy-duty battery that lets you take pleasure in VR games for five hours at a stretch.
Alienware 17 R5
Intel Core i7-8750H CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics, up to 32GB RAM, and 1TB HDD + 1TB SSD all come together in the Alienware 17 R5 for making your VR experience unique. The innovative and groundbreaking design of this gaming laptop enables it to effortlessly tackle the most hi-tech of video games. Additionally, the striking 17-inch display and the robust battery enhance your gaming experience.
Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX
The Asus ROG Zephyrus is setting new standards with regards to uber-slim gaming laptops. You can immerse yourself in the world of VR, thanks to the GeForce 1070 with Max-Q design, 144Hz/3ms display, and 8th gen Intel Core i7 processor. The remodeled Asus ROG Zephyrus comes with an ultra-slim chassis chiseled out of a single aluminum slab and CNC-milled hood that keeps its supremely portable without sacrificing durability.
The Asus Zephyrus has sufficient ammunition for creative work, AAA games, and VR movies. This laptop comes embedded with all the ports for enjoying VR games while on the move. The Zephyrus S comes with a cooling fan that mechanically modifies speeds depending on GPU and CPU temperatures.
MSI GS65 Stealth
The MSI GS65 Stealth ensures edge-of-seat VR gaming experience, courtesy its NVIDIA GeForce GTX1060- GTX 1070 Max-Q graphics, Intel Core i7-8750H CPU, 256GB-1TB storage, and 16GB -32GB DDR4 RAM. All these versatile features coordinate to offer you an unparalleled VR experience on a 15.6 FHD display with a 120 x 1080 resolution. The MSI GS65 Stealth outdoes the majority of its competitors when it comes to performance and aesthetics.
Billed as the best of the best VR-ready laptop, the MSI GS65 sports a sleek chassis driven by the NVIDIA Turing GPU architecture and the avant-garde RTX platform. Both the high-end features combine to facilitate programmable shading, artificial intelligence, and synchronized ray tracing.
