Basic VR PC specs

Black_Knight

Hi all. I'm curious to get a Quest, but with it also a PC so I can play the likes of HL Alyx, some racing games, maybe MS Flight sim but i'd appreciate that that's unlikely given the budget.

I'm going basic/cheap on this. <€500 ideally, and I think it might be possible 2nd hand given some of the requirements stated for the games on Steam.

HL Alyx specs are:

• Processor: Core i5-7500 / Ryzen 5 1600
• Memory: 12 GB RAM
• Graphics: GTX 1060 / RX 580 - 6GB VRAM

And i've been using https://www.userbenchmark.com/ to compare used spec PCs against those above. If parts are benchmarking similarly is that a safe enough bet that it'll perform similarly?

Am I on the right path, or would a PC of that spec just fail with VR?

Any thoughts/pointers/reality checks would be much appreciated

Thanks!

Black_Knight

No insights from anyone so?

donspeekinglesh

That looks too basic. I have an original Rift that I use for racing games and I struggle to get high framerate.

I have Ryzen 5 3600, a RTX 2060 Super and 32GB of RAM

Homelander

€500 should be fine to get a 2nd machine to run VR for Alyx and similar but "racing sims" is a bit vague as some can be very demanding and VR also needs a high framerate, so the CPU and GPU have to be able to keep up.

Looking at Amazon you can build brand new a PC with Ryzen 5600, A520M, 16GB, 500GB nvme, 500w corsair PSU, MSI case and RX6600 for about €650.

Second hand €400-50 should get you something roughly similar in power.

K.O.Kiki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121969733#Comment_121969733

AMD are bad buys for VR, you definitely want Nvidia even if it costs more.

MrJamesSmith

You're definitely on the right track! A budget of €500 for a second-hand PC that meets the specs for games like HL Alyx can be challenging, but it's possible with some careful searching.

Using UserBenchmark to compare specs is a smart move; if the parts are benchmarking similarly to the recommended specs, that should give you a good indication of their potential performance. Just make sure to pay attention to the GPU, as it's crucial for VR.

For a smooth VR experience, I’d recommend aiming for at least a GTX 1060 or RX 580, as you mentioned. Keep an eye out for deals on sites like eBay or local classifieds. Also, consider upgrading the RAM if you find a good deal on a system that’s slightly under.

Lastly, remember that VR can be demanding, so even if you find a PC that meets the specs, ensure it has good cooling and a reliable power supply. Good luck, and feel free to reach out if you have more questions!

minitrue

Another out of date first post by a user bringing a thread back to life.