Sure, there are some big savings on virtually all PC-based VR headsets this Black Friday, but that’s not where the real cost of getting into VR lies, is it? It’s the high-powered PCs required to run the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Windows VR headsets that really threaten your wallet.
So we’ve rounded up some of the best deals out there for those looking to get into VR from scratch (or just hunting for an upgrade) this sale season. This is going to include bundles as well as standalone rigs and laptops, so there should be something for everyone. Of course, Black Friday itself isn’t actually upon us yet, so expect to see plenty more deals in the coming days.
If you’ve come here looking for a little inspiration, though, we’re going to list the recommended specifications for each of the three major VR platforms below so you can check out other bundles knowing what you’re getting into.
Oculus Rift Recommended Specs:
- Graphics card NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 480 or greater (Alternative graphics card NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD Radeon R9 290 or greater)
- CPU Intel i5-4590 equivalent or greater
- 8 GB+ RAM
- Compatible HDMI 1.3 video output
- 3x USB 3.0 ports, plus 1x USB 2.0 port
- Windows 7 SP1 64 bit or newer
HTC Vive Recommended Specs:
- NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 480 equivalent or greater
- Intel i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350 equivalent or greater
- 4GB+ RAM
- Compatible HDMI 1.3 video output
- 2x USB 3.0 ports
- Windows 7 SP1 or newer
Windows Mixed Reality Recommended Specs (60 FPS):
- Intel HD Graphics 620 equivalent or greater
- Intel i7200U equivalent or greater
- 8GB+ RAM
- Compatible HDMI 1.3 video output
- 1x USB 3.0 port
- Windows 10 Fall Creators Update
Windows Mixed Reality Ultra Recommended Specs (90 FPS):
- NVIDIA GTX 1050/AMD RX 560 equivalent or greater
- Intel i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350 equivalent or greater
- 8GB+ RAM
- Compatible HDMI 1.3 video output
- 1x USB 3.0 port
- Windows 10 Fall Creators Update
All-In For Under $800
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN515-51-5594 Gaming Laptop + Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset with Motion Controllers
Price: $798 ($400 off)
Acer’s Windows-based VR headset might not be up to the same standards as the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive but this is still one of the cheapest prices we’ve ever seen for going all-in on PC-based VR. With an Intel Core i5-7300HQ processor, 8GM RAM and GTX 1050 graphics, this will handle everything on Windows’ own store at 90fps, though if you’re looking to dive into SteamVR you might want to consider something with a bit more firepower.
1080 For $1300
AMD ET 6960
Price: $1299.99
When it comes to future-proofing your VR PC (and getting the best out of it right now), it’s best to go top of the range with your graphics card. The AMD ET offers the Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics card, 16GB RAM, and an AMD Ryzen 7 1700X CPU. While new GTX cards may not be far off right now, this is as good as it gets outside of the beastly Titan X.
Ultra Mixed Reality
Dell Inspiron 15 7577 i7577-5258BLK-PUS Laptop + Dell Windows Mixed Reality Headset with Motion Controllers
Price: $1,148 ($400 off)
The Microsoft Store has a bunch of PC bundle deals with its new VR headsets ready to ship, but we’re most taken by this Inspiron bundle. With an Intel Core i5-7300HQ processor, GTX 1060 graphics and 8GB RAM it fits comfortably into the Ultra range of mixed reality PCs, meaning it’ll run experiences from the Windows Store at 90fps. With the Dell headset bundled in, this is all you need to get into VR.
Shaving Price And Weight
GIGABYTE Aero 14Kv7-BK4
Price: $1449 ($100 off)
Notebooks might not offer the absolute best VR performance, but if you’re on the go a lot and have space for a Rift or Vive then you might want to consider Gigabyte’s slender selection, with GTX 1050 TI graphics, an Intel i7 7700HQ processor, and 16GB RAM. It’s only $100 off but, for laptops this small that can run VR, that’s pretty good.
Beastly Performance For A Slightly Lower Price
Alienware Area-51
Price: $4299.99 ($750 off)
If you’re only in the market for the absolute best experience, have the money to spend on it, but still wouldn’t mind saving a good $750, then Alienware’s Area-51 rig might be the place to go. With 32GB RAM, 1080 graphics and Intel’s i9 7980XE you won’t need to worry about what your PC can and can’t run for some time yet. You can even upgrade to the 1080Ti for an extra $200, meaning you’ll still save a fair bundle.
