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Microsoft announces minimum specs for its Windows 10 VR headsets

The company's VR HMDs come with requirements separate from those of established devices like Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. 

David Craddock

November 23, 2016 3:45 PM

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Microsoft recently announced a new line of VR headsets to tap into Windows 10's VR and holographic capabilities. Earlier this week, the company revealed the PC specs you'll need to use them.

• 4GB of RAM
• USB 3.0 port
• A graphics card that supports DirectX 12
• 4 CPU cores boasting dual-core processors with hyperthreading

Those are minimum specifications, but you can test your Windows 10 PC to see how close you come to meeting the bar for entry. The latest builds of Windows 10 include a tool called Windows Holographic First Run that scans your computer's hardware and lets you know what weak links need to be shored up, if any.

Not much is known about Microsoft's VR headset, other than a few bullet points: the price starts at $299, and uses inside-out tracking to eschew extra hardware like external cameras. Its partners include Acer, HP, Lenovo, Asus, and Dell.

[Source: The Verge]

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.