UPDATE: AMD told us that the software will not come to Oculus Go or Gear VR, as requiring SteamVR violates Oculus Store submission policies.
AMD’s new software Radeon ReLive for VR will allow owners of their GPUs to stream SteamVR games to a standalone or mobile VR headset.
The software currently supports the HTC Vive Focus, but it specifically calls out Daydream devices so it should work for Daydream phones and the Lenovo Mirage Solo as well.
Open source software ALVR provides similar functionality, but it only works with NVIDIA GPUs. AMD’s solution brings this functionality to the RX 470, RX 480, RX 570, RX 580, RX 590, and Vega GPUs. Earlier/weaker GPUs will not work. You’ll also need Windows 10, as earlier versions aren’t supported either.
To set up the software, download the Radeon ReLive For VR app from Google Play or Viveport M. Then enable VR streaming in Radeon Settings on your PC and launch a SteamVR app. AMD’s direct control over the GPU driver allows them to make this a much easier process than alternatives like Trinus.
AMD claims they made driver-level optimizations to provide lower latency than any alternatives. The company recommends using a router which supports the 802.11ac (‘WiFi 5’) standard, which should include almost any released in the past 4 years. It’s also recommended that you use the 5 GHz channel rather than 2.4 GHz.
However, it’s important to note that Radeon ReLive isn’t a full PC VR alternative, and nor are any of the other streaming solutions. Current mobile and standalone VR headsets have rotation-only 3DoF controllers. The Daydream controller even lacks a trigger. Most of SteamVR’s content really needs positionally tracked input to be playable. Thus, this software really only works well as a solution for playing gamepad games or non-interactive experiences. But for those kind of apps, this will offer standalone headset owners a glimpse into what’s possible in VR with the power of a PC.
