i7 necessary for VR?

[Maverick5500]

hey all

 

i know games do not need more than 4 threads, just wondering with all the extra stuff going on will an i7 become necessary for a vr gaming experience?

and i know the minimum spec is an i5

 

Maverick

[givingtnt]

good question.
I mean, vr is quite a lot aboud physics.

 

there is only one way to find out really.

 

@Slick video pls ? (compare different cpu's with a gpu (perhaps a variety of gpu's would be cool too))

[Hackentosher]

I would imagine it would be more GPU dependent.

[Raspharus]

I don't know for sure, but an i7 might be necessary for VR, since after all VR needs more processing power...

 

There's a steam survey for hardware ready for VR, you can check that out maybe.

[Rune]

DX12 supposedly plays friendlier with more threads, and VR is only going to get better. I'd say it is worth the price.

[verydogesuchwow]

16 minutes ago, givingtnt said:

good question.
I mean, vr is quite a lot aboud physics.

 

there is only one way to find out really.

 

@Slick video pls ? (compare different cpu's with a gpu (perhaps a variety of gpu's would be cool too))

there already have been videos on this topic.

 

the hyperthreading on the i7 isn't all that helpful for vr, so an i5 would be a more cost friendly option that doesn't take much away at all from the experience

[Speedbird]

According to the SteamVR performance test, no. My friend and I both have a GTX 970, but I have an i7 4790 and he has an FX-6300. We both got nearly the same result, so I assume that VR depends more on the GPU than the CPU. You should be fine with an i5.

[Maverick5500]

i think it would still make an interesting video

[BrightCandle]

Its not on the minimum list for VR, you only need a Intel i5-4590 according to Oculus. Faster is better and there are games that do benefit from an i7 in the normal games world and presumably in the VR game set but if the budget is tight the CPU is going to matter less than the GPU.

[Maverick5500]

2 hours ago, BrightCandle said:

Its not on the minimum list for VR, you only need a Intel i5-4590 according to Oculus. Faster is better and there are games that do benefit from an i7 in the normal games world and presumably in the VR game set but if the budget is tight the CPU is going to matter less than the GPU.

 

Fair point i do agree with you. I guess the question would be is the i7 worth the cost over the i5 for the experience 

[Morgan MLGman]

28 minutes ago, Maverick5500 said:

 

Fair point i do agree with you. I guess the question would be is the i7 worth the cost over the i5 for the experience 

To be fair the i7 is not necessary for VR.

Look at my score with an FX-8350 and R9 290X, it's GPU dependend as you can easily tell

[GoodBytes]

You don't need a Core i7.

 - VR requires a lot of GPU power, not CPU, as it needs to render the scene twice for each eye due to the different perspective that each eye sees.

 

You do need additional CPU power for VR due to the tracking of the headset, and tracking of the VR controls and all that. But considering that games doesn't push high end CPUs to start with, it is a non issue. Maybe if you have a Core i3, then it might be, possibly, an issue, but an i5 should be plenty.

 

 

 

[BrightCandle]

50 minutes ago, Maverick5500 said:

 

Fair point i do agree with you. I guess the question would be is the i7 worth the cost over the i5 for the experience 

No one has worked out how to measure performance in VR yet. pcper.com is working with Nvidia/AMD/Oculus/HTC/Valve to work out a way to capture performance in a sensible way and they have made a little progress on that front but we genuinely don't have any data. All we can go on is the information from places like digital foundry testing i7's v i5's that show a difference when a game is CPU limited. There is no doubt that in some games i7's are faster, some favor the new architecture of the Skylake and some preferring the additional threads of the Haswell-E. You don't need it is the point but its potentially beneficial.

 

I certainly wouldn't buy an i5 these days, but then my budget for PCs is quite substantial and I am far from your average user as I have been building my own PC for 20 years and my watercooling is worth more than most people spend on their PCs. Value is with you I can only tell you whether it makes a difference and how much. Once you have a 980 ti planned then you should be considering the i7 instead of the i5, but if you are looking at 970/380 like levels then the money is better spent on a GPU not the CPU.

[i_build_nanosuits]

So far there are no ''real'' advanced demanding games for VR...it's all ''easy to render'' not very detailed stuff with not many units on the screen or real big open worlds...to explore.. .tech demos... ...it's still very early in the life of VR...

But in a couple years if it really takes off (and it will) you will see AAA games with VR support and you will most defenetly want to have the best CPU to do the job...IMHO. And not all games you'll want to play on a VR headset...many games you'll play on a monitor i would imagine?

 

i'd say get the i7 If you already have a GTX 980 or GTX 980ti for GPU or ''equivalent''...otherwise get the i5 and the best performing GPU you can afford.

[i_build_nanosuits]

3 minutes ago, BrightCandle said:

 Once you have a 980 ti planned then you should be considering the i7 instead of the i5, but if you are looking at 970/380 like levels then the money is better spent on a GPU not the CPU.

exactly.

[drewjn]

From what I recall, having 4 cores should be enough, so a decent i5 should be all you need.

 

As for gpu, I believe that a 970 is the supposed lower limit/requirement for Oculus and Vive.

[Praesi]

As you see, an older i5 is enough as long you have a good GPU.

It will take Years bevore we see real AAA VR Games.

[Maverick5500]

 

10 hours ago, BrightCandle said:

Once you have a 980 ti planned then you should be considering the i7 instead of the i5, but if you are looking at 970/380 like levels then the money is better spent on a GPU not the CPU.

I do have a 980ti (or equivalent) planned in my next build when i have finished school at the end of the year. With watercooling and all that

[Maverick5500]

12 minutes ago, Praesi said:

As you see, an older i5 is enough as long you have a good GPU.

It will take Years bevore we see real AAA VR Games.

 

Do you have vr yet? 

 

If so how does your pc go?

Im sure it would be awesome as you have the best gpu for it.

[Praesi]

Just now, Maverick5500 said:

 

Do you have vr yet? 

 

If so how does your pc go?

Im sure it would be awesome as you have the best gpu for it.

No.

I dont buy the first Generation of VR with almost no serious Games that support it.

If it would be max 300€, ok i would buy one now and sell it later.

But 700€ for a Betatest? Nope.

I quarranty you. In 12 Month´s we will see the next "better" Generation of Vive&Co.

[Maverick5500]

1 minute ago, Praesi said:

No.

I dont buy the first Generation of VR with almost no serious Games that support it.

If it would be max 300€, ok i would buy one now and sell it later.

But 700€ for a Betatest? Nope.

I quarranty you. In 12 Month´s we will see the next "better" Generation of Vive&Co.

 

Fair point and unstandable  (Y)

[Raspharus]

I mean, heck with 800 dollars you could build a really good gaming rig. I don't see any point in spending that money for a "gimmick" that adds to the immersion. That goes without saying that, even if by any chance all upcoming triple A titles will embrace VR, monitors won't become obsolete for a looooong time.

[Adam Falt]

i7

[DebatED Nothing]

17 hours ago, Raspharus said:

I mean, heck with 800 dollars you could build a really good gaming rig. I don't see any point in spending that money for a "gimmick" that adds to the immersion. That goes without saying that, even if by any chance all upcoming triple A titles will embrace VR, monitors won't become obsolete for a looooong time.

VR is 100% not a gimmick. I've used it a few times and it's definitely going to be a major part of the future of gaming in my opinion.

[Raspharus]

6 hours ago, DebatED Nothing said:

VR is 100% not a gimmick. I've used it a few times and it's definitely going to be a major part of the future of gaming in my opinion.

I'd rather be skeptical. Even if it does become a huge part of gaming, I will still use a monitor nevertheless due to eyesight problems.