Best VR fit for my computer.

[Howie Doodat]

Hello all.  Long story short my gaming rig is pretty nice for what I need, but it is (gasp) a laptop.  I needed the laptop for traveling/performing/teaching and also decided to make it my first jump away from consoles (which has been the right move for me), but I'm well aware of desktop>laptop and will one day make that jump as well.  The only real issue I'm running into is my displayport is hardwired to my internal GPU and not my dedicated.  This rules the Valve Index out as far as I have been able to tell (virtual link doesn't seem to work for GSYNC or VR.  I definitely want to use VR to the fullest potential I'm capable of, so I'm not overly interested in the new self contained Rift (I can't imagine that's anywhere near as good as using my computer/motion trackers?).  I have never posted specs online before so my apologies if I'm doing it incorrectly.  I am simply going to post the link to my laptop.  I am more leaning toward playing things like Fallout, Skyrim, No Man Sky, etc so if possible I'd love to get the best qualty/FPS possible (hopefully on par with what I'm used to, which is 1440p @ over 60 FPS on my Acer Predator monitor).  

 

https://www.newegg.com/celestial-blue-asus-zenbook-pro-duo-ux581gv-xb94t-gaming-entertainment/p/N82E16834235278

 

Sometimes that link likes to reset to i7, but mine is the i9, 32 ram, 1 TB SSD version.  Thanks in advance

 

Edit: In looking around, I'm thinking that no usable displayport=no VR?

Edited October 15, 2020 by Howie Doodat
Clarification

[trufret]

Unless you are willing to use an older VR headset that uses native hdmi like a Oculus Rift CV1, 1st gen WMR headset (Samsung odyssey would be best) or Original HTC Vive. Your only option is an Oculus Quest gen 1 or 2.

 

Oculus is requiring every new customer to use a facebook account and everyone with an Oculus account will need one by 2023.

If you already have a facebook account you should be ok but there are quite a few posts on the Oculus subreddit about people who only created accounts for the Quest or people who deleted their accounts in the past and tried to recreate them getting banned soon after in Facebooks attempt to manage troll accounts.  Without a valid facebook account the Quests are just paperweights and can't even be used for PCVR

 

You could potentially use an external GPU enclosure attached to your USB C port to run a newer headset but I've never attempted it so not sure what your performance would be like.

 

You could probably build a whole small ITX system which would perform better.

 

Not great options unfortunately

[steelo]

15 hours ago, Howie Doodat said:

Hello all.  Long story short my gaming rig is pretty nice for what I need, but it is (gasp) a laptop.  I needed the laptop for traveling/performing/teaching and also decided to make it my first jump away from consoles (which has been the right move for me), but I'm well aware of desktop>laptop and will one day make that jump as well.  The only real issue I'm running into is my displayport is hardwired to my internal GPU and not my dedicated.  This rules the Valve Index out as far as I have been able to tell (virtual link doesn't seem to work for GSYNC or VR.  I definitely want to use VR to the fullest potential I'm capable of, so I'm not overly interested in the new self contained Rift (I can't imagine that's anywhere near as good as using my computer/motion trackers?).  I have never posted specs online before so my apologies if I'm doing it incorrectly.  I am simply going to post the link to my laptop.  I am more leaning toward playing things like Fallout, Skyrim, No Man Sky, etc so if possible I'd love to get the best qualty/FPS possible (hopefully on par with what I'm used to, which is 1440p @ over 60 FPS on my Acer Predator monitor).  

 

https://www.newegg.com/celestial-blue-asus-zenbook-pro-duo-ux581gv-xb94t-gaming-entertainment/p/N82E16834235278

 

Sometimes that link likes to reset to i7, but mine is the i9, 32 ram, 1 TB SSD version.  Thanks in advance

 

Edit: In looking around, I'm thinking that no usable displayport=no VR?

Like the other poster mentioned, the older Oculus CV1 will work with a HDMI port. However, keep in mind that you'll need (if I recall correctly) 3 USB 3.0 ports for the sensors and the headset. I'm currently using the CV1 and it's kind of a mess with the cables and sensors. A better option would probably be a Quest 2 which can either be a standalone unit or powered by your GPU thru a USB-C or a USB-C to USB-A cable. 

 

I left facebook a long time ago and so far have not been forced to create an account. In 2023 when it is required to open an account just to use their product, I'll probably retire my current headset and Oculus altogether. I refuse to create a public account to continue using a product that I already paid for. I do hope this is challenged in court.

[Howie Doodat]

Thanks to both of you. My only concern with linking the Quest 2 to my PC is the same issue-I have two USB 3.1 A ports, but my USB C port isn’t hooked to my DGPU, so would that still be an option? I would assume the goal is using your USBC port as a display port that’s hard wired to your DGPU? I just want to my RPG’s with it, not some short lived mountain climbing/boxing game I won’t care about three days from now. 
 

As a heads up, the rest of this message is largely unnecessary 

Honestly it’s so frustrating because when I was buying the computer I looked around and ASUS themselves has been documented as saying the USB C/DP IS hardwired to the DGPU, but that’s been proven to be false, and is so easy to clarify that I have to imagine they intentionally kept it quiet...at least I’ve learned a lot about computers since buying it...hindsight 20/20..also I am in the same boat, I technically have a Facebook account for advertising performances and whatnot, but the idea of having to have Facebook forced back in my life sounds so intrusive and morally questionable. 

Edited October 16, 2020 by Howie Doodat
Clarity

[trufret]

I don't believe the USB C ports needs to be directly attached to the DGPU for the quest to function as on a desktop you would plug it into any USB C on the motherboard and not the USB C port on 2000 series Nvidia cards that were supposed to be for VR but were removed for the 3000 series. It supports AMD cards that never incorporated that USB C VR port on the GPU at all.

 

The Oculus software is going to stream the video rendered by your DGPU over the USB C cable to your quest along with motion and position data.  This can also be done wirelessly although with an extra performance hit.

 

Theoretically, it should work but If you know anyone with a quest 1 or 2, I'd suggest trying it first.

 

While the Quest 2 does have promising hardware and I'd be willing to pay the actual cost to produce to not have any connection to facebook that doesn't look like an option at this point.

 

If you don't want to deal the facebook at all you're pretty much stuck with a last gen headset or build a small form desktop (last gen parts should be pretty cheap when all of AMD/Nvida's new stuff is actually available) and get an HP Reverb G2 when they launch 

[Howie Doodat]

Thanks for the clarification.  I mildly have to take the necessary evil of social media because I perform/teach music and use it to keep myself self employed, so I think I'll grab a quest 2 and by time I get a nicer desktop I'm sure the VR market will be entirely different anyway.  Thanks a lot for the help, I'm pretty new to the tech side of using computers, but have years of trouble shooting music softwares so as long as I'm not buying anything incompatible I'll figure it out.  

[Howie Doodat]

Wow.  Thank you guys.  I am now 10 hours into a very modded Fallout 4 experience and losing my god damn mind.  Life savers you are.