Virtual reality is transforming not only how we communicate and play games, but also how we work and interact with others.
It can be challenging to select the best VR desktop software because there are so many excellent options available, each with a unique set of features.
To make things easier for you, we’ll discuss the best VR desktop apps, their pros, and cons, and provide answers to some frequently asked questions. So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
Winner
Virtual Desktop
We highly recommend Virtual Desktop because it will make it simple for you to access your desktop PC from any location (as long as you have an internet connection), allowing you to play your VR games on your PC without any hassle. Moreover, it is very easy and simple to use.
Runner Up
Immersed VR
We noticed that Immersed VR is one of the top virtual reality desktop apps. Users of VR applications can work alone on various virtual screens or work together on a virtual whiteboard session.
Additionally, it enables the mapping of your actual keyboard to your virtual surroundings.
Also Great
Big Screen
After a lot of research, we noticed that Big Screen is an amazing VR app because it relies on a significant portion of the functionality of several apps’ video-watching features to deliver the best possible experience. Additionally, it works with the majority of desktop VR headsets, including the Oculus Go.
To help you choose the ideal one, we put a lot of time and effort into compiling a list of the top VR desktop apps.
Best VR Desktop App - Top 5 Reviews
#1: Best All-Around VR Desktop App - Virtual Desktop
The Virtual Desktop is our choice for the best VR desktop app overall. It will make it simple for you to access your desktop PC from any location (as long as you have an internet connection), allowing you to play your VR games on your PC without hassle.
The user navigation provided by this VR remote desktop is unique and extremely simple to set up and use. In contrast to many free desktop VR apps, you can locate everything you need immediately.
Additionally, it offers various settings to adjust the display’s size, curvature, and distance, as well as the ability to lock on to the desktop VR headset for better graphics. These advantages are quite beneficial for both productivity and fun.
This virtual desktop for VR does not have any social features, but it does have a 360-degree movie and photo viewer. Depending on one’s preferences, one can access videos via files or immediately through streaming from the web.
Factors to Consider Before You Decide to Buy a Virtual Desktop
Price
Virtual Desktop is available for pay-as-you-go purchases.
A virtual computer, cloud storage, and networking are additional costs that must be paid. The needs of each of them will determine the overall cost.
We advise sharing one Virtual Desktop with numerous users, such as your coworkers, to get the best financial value.
Free Trial
You’ll be delighted to hear that Microsoft Azure offers a 12-month trial period without charge. Therefore, before committing any money, you can try out the site.
If you choose to buy the VD, you can utilize the credits from this free trial to pay for a brief time of use.
Available platforms
Virtual Desktop’s compatibility with VR headsets is fairly versatile.
You can connect it to the following:
- Meta Quest
- Meta Quest 2
- Oculus Rift
- Oculus Rift S
- HTC Vive
- Vive Pro
- Valve Index
- Oculus Go
- Gear VR
.. and more.
- Affordable
- Best VR desktop app on steam
- 360 image viewer
- Includes microphone passthrough option
- Easy to use
- Secure
- Difficulty in typing
Best All-Around VR Desktop App
The best all-around VR desktop app is Virtual Desktop because it is scalable, quick, and modern. It allows you to work without interruptions, solo or with your team.
#2: Best User-Friendly VR Desktop App - Immersed VR
What is the top VR application? The overall response might not be as simple as you expect. However, Immersed VR, a virtual reality productivity program that primarily focuses on enhancing individual workflow is one of the best VR virtual desktops that are frequently unmatched.
It requires a desktop application to be installed on your computer to support cloud-based streaming, like many other SteamVR desktop tools. You can instead use WiFi directly. When compared to many VR desktop apps, Immersed VR performs quite well in terms of latency.
Additionally, this tool enables users to collaborate virtually with others during whiteboard sessions while working alone on various virtual screens. It is a serious contender when discussing the top VR apps.
The main justification for this is that it enables keyboard mapping in your virtual environment.
Consequently, turn it on in your settings and calibrate it manually by tapping a series of keys in a particular sequence.
Factors to Consider Before You Decide to Buy Immersed VR
Price: The Oculus Store offers a free download of Immersed. The free version comes without focus mode, whiteboarding, or customization.
However, we advise you to test its subscription tier for a low monthly price or a higher monthly fee for teams if you want more features.
Free Trial: If you’re still unsure of its paid tier, you can test out its free trial.
It lets you test out features from the paid tier, such as
- Premium environments
- 4 private collaborators
- Remote desktop
- Virtual webcam
- Shared whiteboard
- Offline mode
- Use two computers simultaneously.
.. and more.
Available Platform: Immersed is an Oculus-exclusive app, so it is available on both Meta Quest and Meta Quest 2.
Moreover, it is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
- Reliable connection
- A diverse range of overlays
- Robust
- Offline mode
- Virtual whiteboard
- Compatible with major platforms
- Can spawn up to 5 desktops
- Sometime glitch
Best User-Friendly VR Desktop App
The Immersed VR is the best user-friendly VR desktop because it is very simple and easy to use. Moreover, it can spawn up to five desktops.
#3: Best User-Friendly Keyword - Big Screen
The activity of watching movies has existed since the beginning of time. This is since scaling up any film or television program to fill an entire theater is a popular idea.
However, the technology that surrounds this conundrum has never existed before until now. Bigscreen was established for this reason.
It relies on a significant portion of High-Resolution City of several apps’ video-watching features to deliver the best possible experience. Additionally, it works with the majority of desktop VR headsets, including the Oculus Go.
This VR desktop display tool’s ability to let you watch the movies you rent with friends or family members of your choosing is one of its main draws. One of the best ways to socialize is with free desktop VR software that allows you to create and join rooms with other random users.
The two main methods for using Bigscreen to watch movies are to use a VR headset on a computer directly or to use the screen share VR desktop display mode.
You will observe that the controls are responsive and that there are no stutters or resolution decreases whenever you load any other programs into it.
Factors to Consider Before You Decide to Buy a Big Screen
Price: You can download Bigscreen free of charge for the Oculus Quest and Rift, Windows Mixed Reality, HTC Vive, and Valve Index headsets.
Free Trial: Bigscreen has released free-to-watch movies with ads! They have added a variety of “screens” to Big Screen over the past few years, including desktop screen sharing, video player, live TV channels, and 3D movie rentals.
Available Platform: Big Screen compatibility with VR headsets is fairly versatile.
You can connect it to the following:
- Oculus Quest
- Oculus Rift
- HTC Vive
- Valve Index
- Windows Mixed Reality
and many more.
- Affordable
- Easy to use
- Customized templates
- Wonderful user management
- Simple
- Navigation on the controllers can be a little challenging
Best Compatible VR Desktop App
The Big Screen is the best compatible VR desktop app because it is compatible with many headsets. It is easy and simple to use. Moreover, it has customized templates.
#4: Best High Resolution VR Desktop App - Moonlight Player
The advantages of technology are innumerable, which is why you may download a free wireless virtual desktop VR version of Windows 10 for your computer or laptop utilizing the Oculus Quest Moonlight Player.
Millions praise it for supporting a respectable WIFI connection with up to 4K quality at a fluid 60 FPS.
In comparison to other available alternatives that are less expensive, this is now one of the greatest VR apps available for free. Additionally, it performs amazingly on the best VR system in terms of performance, the Oculus Quest.
You have countless options when being wowed in the VR environment when you use the Moonlight virtual desktop on your PC.
It can be used with an Oculus VR headset to:
- Play games
- Watch downloaded movies
- Browse YouTube videos
- Finish homework
- Edit videos
- Rate a relaxing virtual environment
With Moonlight Player, you have more mental freedom and access to higher resolutions or greater frame rates. Additionally, it sends the image using the GeForce Experience software’s integrated Nvidia game stream.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Moonlight Player
Price: Moonlight Player comes at an affordable price.
Free Trial: Oculus Quest headset users may watch free VR videos on Moonlight Player VR.
Available Platform: This VR app is compatible with almost all headsets, including Oculus Rift, Quest, Gear VR, and HTC Vive.
- Amazing quality
- Affordable
- Widely praised virtual desktop equipment
- Offers high-resolution options
- Adjustable settings
- Its trackpad mode is a little awkward
Best High-Resolution VR Desktop App
The Moonlight Player is the best high-resolution VR desktop app because it gives an immersive experience at an affordable price. Moreover, it has an adjustable setting.
#5: Best VR Workspace for Teams - Spatial Review
If you’re unfamiliar with Spatial, it is an augmented reality platform.
It enables users to transform any environment into an immersive virtual reality workspace. Additionally, you can collaborate with anyone in this limitless workspace and meet new people there.
We were able to establish various rooms while testing the platform for various projects and meetings. Taking notes throughout the meetings was quite simple. You could record them verbally or in writing.
We also appreciated that every room had a presentation surface available at all times. We utilized it to display conference materials like documents, videos, and photos.
We also encountered spatial audio, which is another distinctive element. During the presentation, it let our team hear us clearly, but subsequently, it allowed us to divide into smaller groups and have private chats.
For this reason, rather than using this platform for lone work, we advise collaboration.
It has an avatar system that uses movements of the head, arms, and eyes to animate everything. This simulates a realistic interaction with the user in virtual reality, just as if you were working with them in person.
Finally, creating an account was also simple. Spatial automatically created an avatar for us when we took a photo of our faces.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Spatial
Price: Spatial Pro is available at a low monthly cost. It has functions including administrative tools, live translation, and more.
For more sophisticated functionality, there is also an enterprise-level account. It enables you to customize and receive priority assistance. You can get in touch with them if you’re interested, even if the fee for this is not disclosed on the website.
Free Trial: The commercial version of Spatial’s service does not always come with a free trial. However, you can use its very liberal free account to sample its riches.
You can add 30 participants for free to the VR experience and 20 more for the online application.
Available platforms:
Spatial is available on major VR headsets such as Oculus, HoloLens, and Magic Leap. It is also accessible on iOS and Android devices.
Additionally, it has integrations with a variety of teamwork tools, including Slack, OneDrive, and Google Drive. This implies that you can use your current workflow without changing platforms.
- Unique avatar system
- User-friendly
- Offers free account
- Allows you to use a webcam
- Compatible with major headsets
- Allows freedom of movement
- Can cause motion sickness in VR
- Avatars may glitch at times
Best VR Workspace for Teams
The best VR workspace for teams is Spatial because it converts your surroundings into a communal virtual workstation. It enables you to arrange meetings, invite up to 30 people, share your screen, discuss, and do many more things.
Buyers’ Guide
Price
When purchasing VR headsets, setting a budget is essential. You might not have a large budget to work with if you’re new to virtual reality workspaces or if you’re not working with a company. Therefore, we don’t advise you to start by purchasing a costly platform.
Choose a platform that offers a free account, or choose a one-time payment option rather than a recurring one.
Free Trial
It is crucial to make the most of any free trials offered before making a purchase.
We advise choosing services that provide more than a 30-day free trial. This way, you’ll have plenty of time to determine whether you like the platform and will also know exactly how much you’ll be paying.
Available Platform
Lastly, make sure your VR headset is compatible with the platform. For a seamless workflow, the platform should ideally be interoperable with all popular VR headsets and operating systems.
Collaboration
If you’re working alone, this is not a concern. If you’re working with a team, choose a platform that makes it simple to collaborate and has all the required tools.
You do not want to continuously run into interruptions while working in a VR space.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can I locate my desktop in virtual reality?
The majority of the time, incorrect settings prevent you from viewing your VR computer desktop. Use your preferred controllers to access the VR dashboard and view your desktop in virtual reality. Select the desktop window that is in the very top right corner after that.
What VR headset is best for creating apps?
The Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive are both serious candidates for app development. However, dozens of favorable ratings on other surveys helped Vive win the competition.
How does immersive VR function?
Immersed employs a clever technique that allows users to see their virtual hands on their virtual keyboard, completely in sync with the location of the physical keyboard. Combining the built-in hand-tracking feature of the Quest with the virtual keyboard mapping makes this work.
What is a spatial platform?
Spatial is an augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) collaboration platform that converts any place into a 3D workspace and has today announced the beta launch of its new interactive web app.
This app provides access for anybody to benefit from the full breadth of immersive 3D computing, going beyond boundaries.
How secure is immersive VR?
In direct peer-to-peer screen-sharing, all of your screen content is 256-bit encrypted end-to-end and only accessible by you and the peers you permit on the local networks for the devices you first grant permission to.
Can my PC support a virtual desktop?
A CPU at least equal to an Intel Core i5-2500K is required to play Virtual Desktop. Your computer must have at least 4 GB of RAM installed to support a Virtual Desktop.
Virtual Desktop is compatible with PCs running Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 and later.
What is a virtual desktop used for?
With a virtual desktop, users can access their desktop and applications on any type of endpoint device, and IT organizations can deploy and manage these desktops from a single data center.
Why are virtual desktops used by businesses?
It is less expensive to use a virtual desktop network because it reduces the need for long-term maintenance and component replacement, as well as hardware and software licensing costs.
Making the switch to virtual desktops also makes it possible to create a more effective infrastructure with reduced cost-per-device and simpler technology management.
What shows are available on Big Screen VR?
Bigscreen recently unveiled 172 new free TV channels that let you watch hit Adult Swim shows, including Rick and Morty, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Samurai Jack, Robot Chicken, The Venture Bros., The Eric Andre Show, and more!
How does Bigscreen VR function?
Bigscreen is a social VR hangout app that enables users to share anything they may perform on a PC with others, including gaming, streaming, work, and other activities. In addition, there is a selection of 2D and 3D movies that you may rent to watch with friends.
Final Verdict
These are our opinions of the best five VR desktop apps. Honestly, if you ask us which free VR app is the best, it might be said to rely on your choices. You should choose services like Virtual Desktop if you have the money to pay for them.
In contrast, apps like Moonlight Player are game-changers for people who are now having financial difficulties.
Before selecting VR desktop programs, you should surely ask yourself, “What VR should I buy?” They are each compatible with the program that they were designed for.
Due to its powerful aesthetics and user-friendly interference, Virtual Desktop is without a doubt the strongest competitor on the market right now.
Do let us know what you think in the comments below.