How to Buy Cheapest VR Ready Laptop? Not everyone can spend huge money on a premium gaming laptop so they look for an affordable option. You need to look closely at a few things when buying the cheapest VR-Ready laptop.
Otherwise, you will end up with the wrong device. A VR-capable laptop is quite expensive, so finding a budget VR laptop is a little difficult.
I have already done all the research and listed the 12 cheapest VR Ready Laptops in my previous post.
How to Buy Cheapest VR Ready Laptop? (Step by Step Guide)
In this step-by-step guide, I have covered all the key factors below to find the best product while buying the cheapest VR-ready laptop for gaming.
Performance (CPU + GPU)
Performance is the first thing to check before purchasing an affordable VR-Ready laptop. Typically, a device’s performance depends on its processor and graphics card.
CPU
We recommend a budget VR-Ready laptop with at least a 9th generation Intel Core i5 or later. Consider a laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 processor if you’re looking for an AMD machine.
According to Oculus and HTC, you should use a processor similar to the Intel i5-4590 or better. It’s recommended to have at least Ryzen 5 1500X and FX 8350 for AMD fans.
GPU
VR headset manufacturers already specified their hardware requirements. To support VR applications and higher frame rates, compatible systems have dedicated graphics cards.
It is recommended you use at least NVIDIA GeForce FTX 980, or 1050 Ti graphics card for VR gaming. Additionally, to ensure a smooth experience, make sure your graphics card has 4GB of video memory or more.
For a smooth gaming experience, both Oculus and HTC recommend an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 480. According to Oculus, the GTX 1050 Ti and Radeon RX 470 are among the minimum requirements. The performance of these GPUs is not the same as a GTX 1060 or RX 480.
Be aware that even the recommended GPUs can drop frames at high settings. It is possible to achieve consistent frame rates with high-end cards like the GTX 1070 and GTX 1080 but this is extremely rare at a cheap price.
Check the Price of all GPUs listed above
RAM and Storage
For a VR Ready laptop, we recommend at least 16 GB of RAM. It’s possible to get an affordable laptop with 8GB of RAM but do not choose one with only 4GB of RAM since that’s useless.
RAM is the most important component in boosting the overall speed of your device. To enjoy virtual reality, your laptop should have 512GB or 1TB of storage space.
Instead, seek out solid-state drives. Hard drives become obsolete as they cause devices to be extremely slow and sluggish. In contrast, a solid-state drive increases your laptop’s boot time and speed.
SSDs use flash storage and have no moving parts, so they’re faster than HDDs, but they’re also more expensive.
VR applications are larger, so you need a 1TB hard drive. You can use an external HDD for games you don’t play if you have less space. You can also combine physical HDDs with SSDs.
256GB and 512GB SSDs are faster but come in a smaller capacity. If your system is equipped with both, you can place your OS on the SSD and play games from the HDD.
Display, Screen Size, and Resolution
When purchasing a VR laptop, screen size is a crucial factor, not just for convenience and luxury, but also for weight and portability.
The screen size should be at least 15.6 inches for the best display and resolution. 15-inch systems are convenient and compact.
Alternatively, you can purchase a laptop with a screen size of 14 inches, but do not settle for anything smaller. A 17-inch monitor is an option if you plan to use it at your desk and portability does not matter.
Buy a laptop that is capable of 1440p or 1080p (Full HD). Check the screen size and screen resolution of your laptop so that you can ensure that you have high pixel density when performing different tasks.
Next, check the type of laptop display panel. If you want superior color quality, brightness, and wide viewing angles on a VR-enable laptop, either choose an IPS panel or opt for a VA panel.
Refresh rate is also important to consider. The recommended screen refresh rate is 144 Hz or higher.
Ports and Connectivity
You should also make sure that your device has USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB 3.1, an HDMI port, a LAN port, and a headphone jack. A laptop with more ports can connect to more devices.
For its hardware, HTC requires HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2 and one USB 2.0 port. In addition to HDMI 1.3, Rift requires 3 USB ports (2 x USB 3.0 and 1 x USB 2.0). There should be Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 compatibility, as well as Bluetooth 4.2 or 5.
HDMI ports help to connect external monitors and VR accessories. Furthermore, make sure the cheapest VR-enabled laptop you choose has a mini DisplayPort as well. DisplayPort seems to be preferred over HDMI by headsets (such as the Rift S).
Design
Slim laptops are typically easier to transport and more portable. If you plan on moving around a lot with your VR headset, you should opt for a small, portable model.
Fan quality
You will begin to burn your laptop when you run VR games on it. It is still necessary to have a quality fan installed even if the computer has the latest processor and graphics card.
Battery Life
Checking the battery life of a VR Ready laptop is also a must. Your device’s battery life should be sufficient for all your gaming needs.
An affordable VR Laptop should have a battery life of four to eight hours. Some laptops may have a short battery life, but their low price may allow you to compromise.
Operating System
Last but not least, consider the operating system of your ideal laptop. Computers cannot run without an operating system.
It links your hardware and software and instructs your computer on what to do with data. If you don’t have an operating system, your machine becomes a box of wires.
For gaming, we know Windows is the undisputed king. A VR-ready laptop should have at least Windows 8 or 10. You can also look for Windows 11 laptops.
VR Ready Gaming Laptops VS VR Gaming PCs (Pros and Cons)
In my honest opinion, VR-ready Pcs are more powerful than VR-ready laptops. You can easily replace all the necessary components of your VR Ready PC according to your needs. You will get more facilities on the PC than on a laptop.
Let’s see some advantages and disadvantages of VR Ready Laptops Vs PCs.
Pros and Cons of VR-ready Gaming Laptops
Advantage: VR Laptops are portable. When you travel, you can take your entire VR-ready rig (laptop, headset, and accessories).
Disadvantage: Comparatively to desktop PCs, laptops must fit all their components into a much smaller frame. Laptops have less room for fans and cooling components, so they cannot support the fastest (and most hot) CPUs and GPUs.
Pros and Cons of VR-ready Gaming PCs
Advantage: A desktop PC is the best way to support the latest, most complex, and immersive VR environments (including VR games). A tower PC has room for more fans to keep today’s high-end VR-compatible CPUs and GPUs running smoothly. Furthermore, they typically offer more ports, so connecting VR equipment is easier than on some laptops.
Disadvantage: Desktop PCs are less easily portable.
FAQ
What Laptops Can Run Oculus Quest 2?
If you want to play virtual reality games with Oculus Quest 2, not all laptops are appropriate. Razer blade 15 advanced gaming laptop is the best laptop for Oculus Quest 2.
This high-performance notebook has eight cores, 32GB of RAM, plenty of ports, a customizable keyboard, and other excellent features.
Acer Nitro 5 15.6″ FHD VR Ready Gaming Laptop (around $1000) or HP Pavilion 15-CS Intel i5-1035GG1 laptops (around $750) are some of the cheapest VR laptops.
Do You Need a Laptop to Play Oculus Quest 2?
In virtual reality gaming, Oculus Quest 2 is a standalone device. In order to get access to a larger gaming library via Oculus Link, you will need to connect your laptop to the service.
Does Oculus Quest 2 Require a Gaming Laptop?
The Oculus Quest 2 is a VR gaming headset that does not require a second device to work. You need a compatible laptop to use the Quest Link with your headset. As some criteria must be met, not all PCs can be used for VR gaming.
The gaming laptop has everything you will need for Oculus Link, so it is the best choice. You don’t need a gaming laptop if you are satisfied with the Quest games. If you want more than the basics, get a gaming laptop for your headset.
Соnсlusiоn
With a limited budget, purchasing the cheapest VR-capable laptop may be difficult. I have covered everything in detail in this post. If you are interested, check my cheapest recommended list.
