Microsoft Windows 10 VR Minimum PC Requirements Revealed

Microsoft has finally provided the minimum PC specs you’ll need to run Windows 10 VR headsets, and they seem pretty basic put against the demands from Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Here are the minimum specifications in full:

• CPU: Intel Mobile Core i5 (e.g. 7200U) Dual-Core with Hyperthreading equivalent
• GPU: Integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 (GT2) equivalent or greater DirectX 12 API capable GPU
• RAM: 8GB or more dual channel memory required for integrated graphics
• HDMI: HDMI 1.4 with 2880x1440 @ 60Hz; or HDMI 2.0/ DP 1.3+ with 2880x1440 @ 90Hz
• HDD: 100GB+ SSD (Preferred) / HDD
• USB: USB 3.0 Type-A or USB 3.1 Type-C Port with DisplayPort Alternate Mode
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0 for accessories

Going from the above, it’s clear that VR on Windows 10 can work even with integrated graphics starting with Intel’s seventh-gen Kaby Lake processors. But if you don’t have the latest chip, fret not. Microsoft said that most computers with dedicated graphics (i.e. an Nvidia/AMD GPU) can easily handle VR on PCs. As for the headsets themselves, we already know they will be coming from hardware partners such as Asus and Dell, and HoloLens creator Alex Kipman said they would deliver something similar to what people get with the Rift and the Vive headsets.

Microsoft also announced that it’s working closely with Intel for this project, codenamed Project Evo, which hopes to deliver mixed-reality experiences in the near future. And the company also announced a partnership with headset maker 3Glasses, which will bring the Windows Holographic platform on its S1 Blubur early next year.

And lastly, Microsoft is also planning to bring HoloLens into China. It’s pending government approval, and the company plans to roll out in the first half of 2017.