Is your PC really VR-ready? - Digital Foundry talks recommended specs with VR developers

DF:
As the days pass, we draw closer to a potentially seismic change in the PC gaming space - the arrival of Virtual Reality experiences, brought to life via the Oculus Rift and HTC's Vive. And for many, one key question needs to be comprehensively addressed - whether their existing gaming PCs can handle the strenuous requirements of the VR experience. And if they don't, what hardware will need an upgrade.

[decrypt]

More than VR ready. Problem is i think its going to be a Fad. Personally i had Nvidia 3D i would never game wearing glasses more than 15-20 mins. Eyes would be stressed out too.

I feel VR having screens so close to your eyes will be stressful and wearing a helmet and gaming just wont be comfy in the long run. Neither will most people afford it.

I think at this the best option as a PC gamer if you have the hardware is to get a 4k screen. Believe its one of the best upgrades you can make. I personally made the jump to 5k it really is a different experience. Probably one of the best graphics upgrade i have made in my 20 years of gaming on the PC.

[Neixus]

Sorry, but comparing VR to a 3D monitor just makes me take you way less serious.

[decrypt]

Sorry but i refuse to believe a screen 1-2 inches away from your eyes wont be stressful on them. Try holding a smartphone close to your eyes. Do it for 10-15 mins, its not an experience you can enjoy for a long period of time like we do with general gaming.

I would rather get a high res screen instead for the money and be able to enjoy it for hours of gaming, not to mention compatibility issues VR brings to the table.

[CrowbaitBob]

I understand the love for hi res displays. I have a meager 2k and there's no way I'd go back to 1080p. I'm sure 4k will be in my future shortly.

That said, there's absolutely no comparison between what 4k+ has to offer and having your full peripheral vision consumed by a game world. It affects your mind in a way traditional visional stimulus simply can't. You actually feel more physically involved in the experience.

Sure it may not be for everyone. A lot of people would prefer to spend their money on other forms of entertainment. That's very reasonable. Still, VR =/= UHD =/= 3D.

[Wallstreet37]

Great response and I agree, the sense of immersion takes it to another level.

[Pandamobile]

If you were looking directly at a screen 2 inches from your eyes, yeah that wouldn't be too comfortable.

Good thing there's lenses there to focus your eyes properly, two screens to give your brain a real sense of depth, and head tracking to keep everything feeling natural.

I've got a 3D monitor too, but I can't help but chuckle at such a simplistic comparison. 3D bothers me after long period of use due to the flicker patterns and stereo overlap, two issues that VR is specifically designed to avoid.

[Psychotica]

Not yet but it will be next month. Upgrading my cpu from i5-2500 to i7-6700, already have a GTX 980 Classified and 16GB Ram.

[CrowbaitBob]

I think the Oculus system checker app can be a bit misleading. I get the impression they're not taking into account any CPUs prior to the current generations.

My i7-3770k is marked as below recommended spec, with them recommending a mid range current gen i5.

They state they are focusing on single core performance, fine, but even the i5-3570k outperforms the CPU they recommend across the board, including single core operations.

[Psychotica]

Yeah that could be. Though for me I was already planning to upgrade next month before I decided to pre-order the Oculus Rift.

[CrowbaitBob]

@Psychotica

Yeah it's probably about that time, as capable as the 2500 is. I just recently swapped out my Radeon 6950 for a 980ti Classified, and I expect to do the CPU/MOBO/RAM overhaul in a year or two.

[traumadisaster]

I don't see why my old 2500k wouldn't work. I got a titan before the x1 was even announced and that setup has been 4k for years.

[Shy_]

I exceed all the specs but have a gtx 960... not good enough?

[Pandamobile]

It'll probably be okay. You'll just need to lower the settings.