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What are the best VR ready laptops? You will need to connect VR headsets to your laptop to have a VR experience, and therefore just about any laptop will not do. You will need a device that comes with a strong CPU and GPU to operate as desired.
There are different types of VR headsets available on the market such as the Vive Cosmos or the Rift S. Each of these headsets have specific requirements in terms of ports, RAM, and others.
The wide range of laptop models available on the market along with an equally wide range of configurations and price may make the job of choosing one of the best VR ready laptops really difficult for you.
Ideally, you should not limit your choice to stylish design and durability only but look much beyond that.
There are a few minimum specs required for a VR ready laptop to offer a nice and smooth user experience.
It should come with an Intel Core i5 processor at least, a powerful Nvidia GeForce graphics card of GTX or RTX series, a minimum of 8 GB RAM, 4 GB VRAM, full HD display, Windows 10 operating system, and two 3.0 USB ports, at least, along with one suitable HDMI port.
To add more value to your device and for a better VR experience, you can go for higher specs than these, if you can afford the price.
Therefore, you will need to know the types of laptops that run VR really well, in the first place. If you are a beginner, you may not know where and what to look for.
This is why this list of recommendations will be helpful in making the right choice. The buying guide in the end will help in steering you to the right direction while you are out there shopping.
Contents
- VR Ready Laptops Price
- Things to Know About VR Ready Laptops
- Minimum & Recommended System Requirements for VR Ready Laptops
- 5 Best VR Ready Laptops 2021:
- 1. MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS Best Overall
- 2. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Runner Up
- 3. Alienware 17 R5 AW17R5 Useful Specs and Features
- 4. Dell G5 Value for Money
- 5. HP Omen DC1047NR Realistic Graphics and Better User Experience
- How to Choose Best VR Ready Laptops?
- FAQs:
- What does a VR ready laptop actually mean?
- Are data storage specs critical for VR ready laptops?
- How important are the ports in a VR ready laptop?
- What do I need to know about Windows Mixed Reality headsets before buying a VR ready laptop?
- Is long battery life important for a VR ready laptop?
- What specific types of games can I play on a VR ready laptop?
VR Ready Laptops Price
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 14" VR Ready 120Hz FHD Gaming Laptop,8Core AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS(Beat...
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 14" VR Ready 120Hz FHD Gaming Laptop,8Core AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS(Beat...
$1,428.99
$1,569.75
16 new from $1,412.05
3 used from $1,157.06
as of February 19, 2022 12:57 pm
Go to Store
Amazon.com
Alienware 17 R5 VR Ready 17.3" LCD Gaming Notebook - Intel Core i7 (8th Gen) i7-8750H Hexa-core...
Alienware 17 R5 VR Ready 17.3" LCD Gaming Notebook - Intel Core i7 (8th Gen) i7-8750H Hexa-core...
$2,999.55
3 used from $1,492.99
as of February 19, 2022 12:57 pm
Go to Store
Amazon.com
Omen by HP 2019 15-Inch Gaming Laptop, Intel i7-9750H Processor, GeForce RTX 2070 8 GB, 32 GB...
Omen by HP 2019 15-Inch Gaming Laptop, Intel i7-9750H Processor, GeForce RTX 2070 8 GB, 32 GB...
$1,999.77
2 used from $1,999.77
as of February 19, 2022 12:57 pm
Go to Store
Amazon.com
Last updated on February 19, 2022 12:57 pm
Things to Know About VR Ready Laptops
Ideally, Virtual Reality or VR is a computer simulation and not a physical reality. It is entirely imaginary and therefore, you may not find it to follow the laws of physics.
The VR ready laptops use the apps that provide you with superpowers with remote sensing and control and are related to Augmented Reality or AR.
The specs of the laptop therefore, need to match those of the VR apps for proper remote sensing and control.
Only the best VR ready laptops with preferably Nvidia 10 Series or Max-Q graphics cards and 9th or 10th generation processors will be powerful enough to handle most of the VR games and apps.
It will also be able to handle all those high-end virtual reality headsets such as the HTC Vive Cosmos and the Oculus Rift S. Therefore, you should never settle for anything less.
A VR ready laptop for professional purposes, however, should be as good as a workstation with more powerful processors and GPUs.
One of the first and most important things that you should keep in mind about VR ready laptops is that these pieces do not come cheap.
Add to that, the cost of the VR headset, an essential accessory, makes them all the more expensive.
Therefore, you should choose a VR ready device without factoring in the cost factor, though there are a few budget VR laptops available in the market, but that will surely not be the best.
Another important thing that you should keep in mind is that the requirements for Oculus Rift will be different from HTC Vive.
Therefore, check the details before you dive in.
Minimum & Recommended System Requirements for VR Ready Laptops
The most important specs of a VR Ready laptop are the processor and graphics card. In order to use your system for the basic purpose, you will need an Intel Core i5 processor of the 6th generation at least or an AMD Ryzen 5 equivalent.
As for the graphics card, it should be at least Intel HD Graphics 620 if you want an integrated chip or a dedicated NVIDIA GTX or AMD Radeon RX graphics card. The RAM should be of 8 GB and the screen should be of 13 inches with an HD resolution.
However, you may go for a laptop with higher specs and configuration if you want to play high end games or perform any graphics and CPU intensive tasks.
If you follow the recommended system requirements mentioned below, you will have a futureproof laptop at your disposal which will be able to handle any type of tasks, especially those which involve high end graphics.
Minimum system requirements: 8th generation Intel Core i7 or higher processor| 8 GB of RAM or higher | 256 GB PCIe SSD or a higher combo storage | Dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 5600M graphics card| 14 inches screen | 1920 x 1080 pixels screen resolution
Read Also: 5 Best Gaming Laptops for A Hat in Time - Price & Guide
Recommended system requirements: 10th generation Intel Comet Lake Core i9 or 8 core AMD Ryzen 9 processor| 32 GB of RAM or higher | 512 GB NVMe PCIe SSD or larger | Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max Q or higher RTX graphics card | 15.6 inches screen or bigger | 1920 x 1080 pixels or higher screen resolution
5 Best VR Ready Laptops 2021:
1. MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS Best Overall
MSI GT76 Titan DT 10SGS
Bottom Line: Every aspect of this VR Ready laptop is bigger and better in comparison to the others in the list to make it best overall. The screen is larger, the storage is huge and fast, the RAM is pretty large, the processor belongs to the Intel i9 family, the dedicated RTX graphics and operating system are better.
Check Price at Amazon
Key Features
- Screen: 17.3 inches
- Storage: 2 TB PCIe NVMe SSD
- RAM: 64 GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Processor: 10th generation Intel Comet Lake Core i9 10900K
- OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64 bit
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super
Pros
- The screen is large and comes with a narrow bezel on three sides.
- The keyboard comes with multi-color backlights.
- There is a separate numeric keypad in the keyboard.
Cons
- The dongle is way too short.
- The power bricks need some improvement.
- It is too heavy to carry.
The MSI GT76 Titan is really a titan in performance, size, and weight. Everything in it seems to be good and just apt to make it one of those exceptional VR ready gaming laptops.
The display of this system is gigantic and comes with a narrow bezel on its three sides providing you with a larger viewing space.
This 17.3-inch screen is 4K UHD. Therefore, the crispier images are displayed at 3840 x 2160 pixels on this 100% Adobe RGB display with an IPS panel.
The images are produced at a faster rate with better color reproduction by the powerful Nvidia GeForce graphics card. It belongs to the RTX 2080 super series and comes with 8 GB GDDR6 feature.
The Steel series keyboard is also very strong in this durable laptop and comes with per-key, multicolor RGB lighting and with 84 anti-ghost keys.
The powerful processor belongs to the 10th generation of the Intel Comet Lake Core i9 series.
This 125W processor comes with as many as 10 cores and 20 MB Intel smart cache that enables it to perform at a base clock speed of 3.7 GHz which can be Turbo boosted up to 5.3 GHz.
The four channel DDR4 RAM of 2666 MHz, the PCIe NVMe SSD in two bays of 1 TB each, and the 64-bit Microsoft Windows 10 Pro operating system enhances the performance of this system even further.
You will also get stable networking connectivity with the Killer LAN E3100, Bluetooth 5.1, and Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 wireless communication standard.
As for the ports and connectivity options, the system comes with Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C, four USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type A, HDMI with 4K and 60 Hz refresh rate support, RJ 45 LAN, Mini DisplayPort v1.4, micro-SD card reader, microphone in and headphone out options.
The 90-watt-hour lithium-ion battery comes with 8 cells which is quite good for a VR ready gaming laptop.
2. Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Runner Up
Sale
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
Bottom Line: This VR Ready laptop is truly the runner up in the list. In comparison to the above system, it has a slightly lower but fast SSD storage and RAM, a smaller screen, and dedicated graphics card but it is the fairly high performing processor that never lets its performance fall below desired level.
Check Price at Amazon
Key Features
- Screen: 14 inches
- Storage:1 TB PCIe SSD
- RAM: 16 GB DDR DRAM
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 8 core 4900 HS
- OS: Windows 10
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max Q
Pros
- The white backlights of the chiclet keyboard allow comfortable typing in the dark.
- The graphics card is powerful and comes with ray tracing and AI capabilities.
- Dual speakers with Smart AMP technology produce incredible sound output.
Cons
- There is no DVD drive in the system.
- The keyboard is small with no separate number keypad.
- The system does not come with any webcam.
This model comes with the latest AMD Ryzen 9 processor, which beats others with its 8 cores, 16 threads, and a performance speed of up to 4.30 GHz.
The best part is that it comes with machine intelligence that will anticipate the needs of the users.
This makes this processor highly responsive to perform at a higher level.
This Virtual Reality ready laptop allows you to connect to and use any VR hardware and software.
It is also compatible with HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Windows Mixed Reality Ultra.
The full HD display may not be very large but comes with 120 Hz refresh rate.
The images are displayed with much more clarity and impressive color on this energy efficient LED backlit screen.
The dual channel memory of the system comes with a high bandwidth of 3200 megahertz which supports intense gaming and multitasking most efficiently.
Add to that, the huge PCIe SSD storage allows you to save a lot of files and data quickly and access them easily.
The 6 GB GDDR6 dedicated and ultrafast Nvidia GeForce graphics card not only belongs to the RTX family but also comes with Max Q technology and Turing architecture.
This makes it all the more powerful combined with the Tensor cores for AI and ray tracing as well as the traditional CUDA cores with RT.
All these make this graphics card produce images at lightning fast speed which are more realistic with proper shadows, lighting, and reflections, all in real time.
The chiclet keyboard comes with white backlight that ensures that you have a comfortable and accurate typing experience, even in dimly lit settings.
The two 2.5W speakers of the device come with Smart AMP technology and Dolby Atmos feature to produce a more immersive sound output to enjoy your movies, music, and games even more.
The system offers both wireless and wired connectivity options in the form of wi-fi 6, two USB 3.0 Type A ports, and one HDMI output port.
The flexible, dual-band connectivity is more reliable, thanks to two data streams and antennas.
It allows you to connect the system to any wi-fi router and experience speed that is three times faster than any standard wi-fi 5 connection. Check out Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 Review.
3. Alienware 17 R5 AW17R5 Useful Specs and Features
Alienware 17 R5 AW17R5
Bottom Line: This durable VR Ready laptop comes with all useful specs and features, though not as high as the others. The combination of the Intel Core i7 processor and the discrete Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics, the 64-bit architecture of the operating system, the keyboard and all ensures convenience in its use.
Check Price at Amazon
Key Features
- Screen: 17.3 inches
- Storage:1 TB HDD plus 256 GB SSD
- RAM: 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Processor: 8th generation Intel Core i7 8750H
- OS: Windows 10 Home 64-bit
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060
Read Also: 5 Best Gaming Laptops for Guild Wars 2 - Price & Guide
Pros
- The combination of HDD and SSD storage provides a lot of space and speed in performance.
- The keyboard is large and comes with a separate numeric keypad.
- There is a BD-R type optical drive in the system.
Cons
- Weighing more than 10 pounds, this laptop is quite heavy.
- The sound quality of the system is pretty ordinary.
- The battery drains out fast when it is put under heavy use.
This VR ready laptop comes with a big LCD and IPS screen, an 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor with six cores that operates at a speed of 2.20 GHz minimum, a DDR4 SDRAM that allows advanced multitasking, a huge storage combination of SSD and HDD that takes care of the storage as well as the bootup aspects, and a very useful Windows 10 Home operating system with a 64-bit architecture.
The 6 GB graphics card of the system is dedicated and comes with the GDDR5 feature.
This belongs to the Nvidia GTX series, it is very powerful and capable enough to deliver images at a faster pace and with more clarity and better color production.
This laptop comes with a good build, and feels good when you hold it, though it is heavy. Check out Alienware 17 R5 AW17R5 Review.
4. Dell G5 Value for Money
Dell G5
Bottom Line: This VR Ready laptop will allow doing all types of computing jobs including photo and video editing apart from playing games, making a video call, working on any project or teleconferencing. The CPU, the GPU, the RAM, the storage, the good quality screen, all add to the value for money it offers.
Check Price at Amazon
Key Features
- Screen: 15.6 inches
- Storage:512 GB PCIe SSD
- RAM: 32 GB
- Processor: 3rd generation AMD Ryzen 7 4800 H
- OS: Windows 10
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5600M
Pros
- The RGB backlit keyboard looks beautiful and makes its use more comfortable.
- The keyboard is large and comes with a separate number keypad.
- The screen comes with a high refresh rate and anti-reflective property.
Cons
- The trackpad is shifted to the left and may cause problems when typing.
- The system is a bit heavy, weighing more than 5 pounds.
- There is no DVD drive in the system.
Each component of the VR ready laptop is carefully included to make it powerful and useful.
The powerful AMD Ryzen 7 mobile processor of this device belongs to the next generation that supports advanced gaming as well as other professional computing jobs.
Adding to the power and performance of the laptop is the dedicated 6 GB GDDR6 AMD Radeon graphics card.
You will have an uninterrupted and better experience when you play games, stream videos, or work on this device.
The images displayed are crystal clear, even at higher settings, on the full HD screen that comes with a refresh rate of 144 Hz.
The high-resolution screen showcases images with more clarity and color and the anti-reflective property of the display reduces eye strain.
The narrow bezel and design of the screen widens the area of view of this energy efficient LED backlit screen to maximize its performance.
The VR ready features, hardware, and software of this machine allow playing eSports and AAA titles as well as doing professional and graphics intensive content creation such as photo and video editing.
You will get a stable internet connection and speed with its dual band wi-fi 6 AX1650 wireless connectivity that is flexible and reliable.
It allows three times faster gigabit wi-fi speeds at 160 MHz through a router with its double data streams and antennas.
There is a widescreen HD 720p webcam integrated in the system with dual digital microphones that makes video chatting and tele-conferencing easier and better using Skype or any other common applications.
The dual speakers with Nahimic 3D Audio technology provides a better audio experience.
The four-zone RGB backlit keyboard allows easy typing in dark or dim settings more comfortably or maneuvering through the gaming controls with ease. The separate 10-key number keypad allows quick input of numbers.
The memory of the system allows advanced multitasking and the PCIe SSD storage saves more files faster.
The advanced cooling system keeps the device from heating up even when it is put under heavy use.
The ports of the system in the form of one USB 2.0 Type A, one USB 3.0 Type A, one USB 3.0 Type C, one HDMI, and one headphone jack offers adequate connectivity options.
There is also a built-in card reader in this VR Ready system. Check out Dell G5 Gaming Laptop Review.
5. HP Omen DC1047NR Realistic Graphics and Better User Experience
HP Omen DC1047NR
Bottom Line: The 8 GB dedicated video memory of the Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics card and the screen with a high refresh rate will offer more realistic graphics to add to the visual pleasure. Also, the Omen Command Center will ensure better user experience with better CPU control of this VR Ready laptop.
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Key Features
- Screen: 15.6 inches
- Storage:512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive
- RAM: 32 GB DDR4 SDRAM
- Processor: 9th generation Intel i7 9750H
- OS: Windows 10 Home
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070
Pros
- The system comes with a two-zone backlit keyboard.
- It comes with chassis lighting.
- The screen comes with anti-glare properties and good resolution.
Cons
- The system gets really hot.
- There is no optical drive in the system.
- The fans are pretty loud.
It is the hyper-realistic graphics card of this VR ready laptop that makes it one of the best laptops that assures a new level of gaming as well as other professional computing tasks.
You will have an exceptional experience and performance from the 8 GB GDDR5 dedicated Nvidia GeForce graphics card belonging to the RTX series.
It is the ray-tracing technologies that ensure real-time image production that are displayed clearly on the 15.6-inch full HD display of this VR/MR ready laptop.
The anti-glare property of this IPS display panel promises a unique gaming experience producing images at 144 Hz refresh rate.
The micro-edge WLED-backlit screen provides a wider viewing angle and screen area.
Read Also: Microsoft Surface Book 2 in 1 Laptop Review
The 9th generation Intel Core i7 processor is a super performer by its own virtue and properties, six cores, and a base clock frequency ranging between 2.6 GHz and 4.5 GHz.
This ensures superior gaming performance when you play latest games like Fortnight, Overwatch, or anything from anywhere.
You can rest assured that the performance will never be down, compromised, or sacrificed because the Omen command center will turn up the performance easily with the included software.
This will enable you to control the overclocking settings of the CPU and prioritize the gaming traffic. In fact, it is this super-fast processor that will minimize latency.
The memory and storage of the device also adds to the performance.
The DDR4 RAM is adequate and comes with a bandwidth of 2666 MHz and is also upgradable in case of need by using the two easily accessible memory slots.
The system assures faster boot-up and file transfer with its internal PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive.
This VR Ready device is protected against any unauthorized access to it with its BIOS recovery and protection feature which automatically secures the local storage, checks the health of the system, and helps it to recover from any boot-up issues.
There are lots of ports and slots in the system that includes a headphone/microphone combo jack, a microphone jack, two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports on the side, one RJ 45 port, one USB 3.1 Gen 1 port, one HDMI 2.0 port, one mini DisplayPort, one USB 3.1 Type C port, all at the rear, and one media card reader slot as well.
How to Choose Best VR Ready Laptops?
It needs some powerful hardware components as well as software programs to bring virtual reality into your home successfully, using a laptop.
The standard consumer laptops are not capable enough to meet with the demands of VR.
Therefore, you will need to know what you should exactly look for in such a laptop.
Portability, just like the cost, should not be a selecting criterion because the VR ready laptops are usually heavy, and can weigh anywhere between 9 and 10 pounds, if not more.
Therefore, you will need some labor to haul these beasts to a LAN party.
GPU
It seems like everything is about the GPU in the laptop, and this is partially true.
The two major VR headsets namely the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive will need some powerful and dedicated graphics cards to have all the power and muscle to support the VR requirements.
The Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics cards or even the AMD Radeon RX series will suffice for that matter as these are good enough to produce images near or above 60 frames per second at 1080p resolution.
Though there are some better ones, these cards seem to be the most popular options as these will not cause any motion sickness or nausea even if you look at the screen from a close distance.
If you want higher gaming performance, you should go for the RTX graphics chips of Nvidia, preferably those that are Max Q enabled and come with a ray-tracing feature.
Screen
The screen of the VR ready laptop should be fairly large and come with thinner bezel all around. It should have a fairly high refresh rate.
Anything between 15 to 17 inches should be good enough, depending on your preferences and needs.
It will also depend on how exactly you are going to use your laptop when you are not wearing a VR headset.
Since all these laptops are usually heavy, it does not matter whether it is 15 or 17 inches, though the former will be much more portable.
However, you should care for the design and aesthetics of the laptop because the more compact it is, the more likely it is to have fewer ports.
As for the resolution and panel, it should be at least a full HD and an IPS panel respectively.
This will ensure that you see clearer images from a wider viewing angle.
Processor and memory
Your concerns should also involve the processor and memory of the VR ready laptop, outside of the graphics card.
As far as the processor, you will need at least an Intel Core i5 processor to run Oculus Rift. An AMD Ryzen equivalent will also do for that matter.
As for memory of the system you will need at least 8 GB of RAM for Oculus and 4 GB as per HTC claims.
Since all laptops today usually come with 8 GB of RAM, this requirement will be easiest to meet with, and a few even come with 16 GB of RAM.
Storage
Storage is an important factor to consider as virtual reality games and apps usually take up a lot of local storage space.
In order to save you from the pain of rotating the games to accommodate the new ones into it, you should choose a system that comes with a 1 TB hard drive.
However, SSDs of lower capacity, usually 256 GB or 512 GB, may be ideal for running a few apps and the operating system.
You can also choose a laptop with an HDD and SSD combo storage for higher storage space and an SSD-like performance.
Ports
Finally, the ports in a VR ready laptop should include a mini DisplayPort, an HDMI port, a few USB ports such as USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 port.
However, depending on the type of headset you are buying your laptop for, you should look at the mix of ports that are necessary for it.
Also, make sure that you are left over with a few ports after connecting your accessories and external devices with your laptop so that you can keep a few other additional peripherals plugged in along with the headset without needing to swap the cables.
FAQs:
What does a VR ready laptop actually mean?
A VR ready laptop actually means it has the hardware components and specifications required for running VR apps. Any typical VR app will rely on the capabilities of the RAM, the processor, GPU, operating system, and the display with high refresh rate. This ensures less blurring, screen tears or input lags.
Are data storage specs critical for VR ready laptops?
The amount of data storage in a VR ready laptop is less critical because you will need to store a few games and the audio files and graphics related to it. However, the type is important. Though an HDD will do, if you want the VR apps to load faster and improve the startup times of the laptop, go for an SSD.
How important are the ports in a VR ready laptop?
It is very crucial because the right number and type of ports will provide enough outlets to connect different external devices and connectors of the headsets. Therefore, check the fine print as the needs may be different for different headsets. If some ports are left, you can connect other peripherals.
What do I need to know about Windows Mixed Reality headsets before buying a VR ready laptop?
Windows Mixed Reality headsets are built on the Microsoft HoloLens platform. These headsets do not offer much of Augmented Reality as the ecosystem is pretty unproductive compared to the Oculus and Steam offerings. They run other software less effectively. These are just good, inexpensive alternatives.
Is long battery life important for a VR ready laptop?
No, it is not. VR laptops are extremely power hungry, therefore, they need to be plugged in. Though there are some that come with 7 to 10 hours of life, most of them usually last for 2 to 3 hours. Playing on them unplugged will reduce performance and drain the battery fast while forcing full speed ahead.
What specific types of games can I play on a VR ready laptop?
One of the most popular uses of virtual reality laptops is for gaming. A few of the popular games that you can play include single-person shooter games such as Doom VFR, city or world building games, racing games such as Gran Turismo Sport, and, of course, gambling or casino games, just like real ones.
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