People often ask, how much VRAM for VR?
Let’s find out!
How Much VRAM for VR?
The answer depends on what you want to do with your VR experience. If you just want to play games or watch movies in VR then you will need at least 4 GB of memory.
If you are going to be doing anything else while using VR (like browsing the web) then you may not need as much memory. You can always upgrade your PC later if you decide that you need more memory.
What is VRAM?
VRAM stands for Video RAM and it’s a type of memory used by video cards to store information about images, textures, etc. It’s also used for storing temporary data during gameplay.
How to Find Your PC’s Specs?
To determine if your PC can handle VR, there are four core things you’ll need to know:
- Video Card
- CPU
- RAM
- Video Output
GPU
Press the Start button and type ‘device manager, select it from the list
In Device Manager, expand Display Adapters, your video card is listed beneath
CPU & RAM
Press the Start button and type ‘about your PC’, select it from the list
In the About window, scroll down to find ‘Processor’ (also known as CPU) and ‘Installed RAM
Video Output
You’ll need to check the rear of your computer to see if there are any USB 3.0 ports available. Specifically, you’re looking for any USB 3.1 ports.
Pay close attention to the shape of the port. You will require a free port for your headphones to connect to.
Most headset manufacturers provide a recommended setup for virtual reality games. It helps them to ensure that they meet the minimum requirements for a smooth gaming experience.
If your headset doesn’t meet these requirements, you might be able to get by at lower resolutions, but if you want a smooth and comfortable VR experience, you need to upgrade.
Oculus Rift S Recommended VR Specifications:
- Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 480 or greater
- CPU:Intel i5-4590 / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X or greater
- Memory:8GB RAM or greater
- Video Output: DisplayPort
- USB Ports:1x USB 3.0 port
- OS: Windows 10
Oculus Rift CV1 Recommended VR Specifications:
- Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 480 or greater
- CPU: Intel i5-4590 / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X or greater
- Memory: 8GB RAM or greater
- Video Output: Compatible HDMI 1.3 video output
- USB Ports: 3x USB 3.0 ports plus 1x USB 2.0 port
- OS: Windows 10 (Windows 7/8.1 no longer recommended)
Meta Quest & Quest 2 with Oculus Link
Meta Quest & Quest 2 can also play PC VR games via Oculus Link. See this article for the most up-to-date info on Meta Quest’s recommended specs and supported graphics cards
Valve Index Recommended VR Specifications:
- Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 1070 / AMD equivalent or greater
- CPU: Quad Core+
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- Video Output: DisplayPort 1.2
- USB Ports: 1x USB 2.0 port (USB 3.0 required for camera passthrough), 1x DisplayPort v1.2
- OS:Windows 10, SteamOS, Linux
Check your PC: You can automatically check that you meet these specifications with the ‘Are you ready for Valve Index‘ app on Steam.
Vive Cosmos Recommended VR Specifications
- Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 1070 / AMD Radeon Vega 56 or greater
- CPU: Intel Core i5-4590/AMD FX 8350 equivalent or greater
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- Video Output: DisplayPort 1.2
- USB Ports: 1x USB 3.0 port
- OS: Windows 10
Vive Cosmos Elite Recommended VR Specifications
- Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 1070 / AMD Radeon Vega 56 or greater
- CPU: Intel Core i5-4590/AMD FX 8350 equivalent or greater
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- Video Output: DisplayPort 1.2
- USB Ports: 1x USB 3.0 port
- OS: Windows 10
Vive Pro 2 Recommended VR Specifications
- Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 1060 / Quadro P5000 / AMD Radeon Vega 56 or greater
- CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 / AMD FX 8350 equivalent or greater
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- Video Output: DisplayPort 1.2 or newer
- USB Ports: 1x USB 3.0 port or newer
- OS: Windows 10
Vive Focus 3 Minimum VR Specifications
- Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 480 or greater
- CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 / AMD FX 8350 or greater
- Memory: 8GB RAM or more
- Video Output: HDMI 1.4 / DisplayPort 1.2
- USB Ports: 1x USB 2.0 port
- Wired Streaming: 1x USB Type-C 3.0 cable (5 Gbps)
- Wireless Streaming (routers): Wi-Fi 802.11ac or Wi-Fi 802.11ax (5GHz)
- OS: Windows 10
General Windows Mixed Reality Recommended VR Specifications
- Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD RX 470/570 or greater
- CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 / AMD Ryzen 5 1400 or greater
- Memory: 8GB
- Video Output: HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2 (may vary based on specific headset)
- USB Port: 1x USB 3.0
- OS: Windows 10 (Note: Not supported on N versions or Windows 10 Pro in S Mode)
- Bluetooth Some headsets require Bluetooth 4.0 for controller connectivity
HP Reverb G1 and G2 Windows Mixed Reality Recommended VR Specifications
- Video Card: NVIDIA GTX 1080 / AMD RX 5700 or greater
- CPU:Intel Core i5, i7 / AMD Ryzen 5 or greater
- Memory: 8GB
- Video Output: DisplayPort 1.3
- USB Port: 1x USB 3.0
- OS: Windows 10 (may require latest updates)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I run VR on my PC or laptop?
To be considered VR-ready, a PC needs a CPU, GPU, and RAM. We’ll go through each component individually.
What are the CPU requirements for running VR?
Most 4+ core CPUs are recommended for sufficient computing power. Here are the minimum CPU specifications for the majority of VR Headsets including HTC, Oculus, Valve, etc.
All models require at least an Intel Core i5 processor (or equivalent) with a minimum clock speed of 1.6 GHz.
What are the RAM requirements for running VR?
Most VR headsets need at least 8 GB of memory. However, there are exceptions. For example, HTC Vive Pro and HTC VIVE Pro Eye can run with just 4GB of memory. HTC Vive Cosmos also needs 8 GB+ RAM.
Conclusion
If you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments section below.