Search for a VR laptop



  • I'm planning to buy Samsung's HMD Odyssey when it comes out. But I want to show it to people!

    As such, I need a laptop that can run Windows Mixed Reality Ultra (Ultra just meaning 90fps instead of 60 apparently). The non-ultra specs are such that the latest Intel integrated graphics ought to be sufficient, which tells me that it's likely that a 1050 could suffice, but I'm not sure. I know I'll need at least 8gb of ram, and preferably a 256gb SSD.

    I'd preferably like to find one not too much over 1k USD, since the headset is expensive too. I did a cursory search yesterday at home, and things seemed decent around $1250, but if anyone can find something more fitting, that would be awesome.

    Obviously, cooling is a big concern.

    Paging @accalia since I know you're into this kind of thing, though you've been sadly silent lately.


  • sekret PM club

    @magus said in Search for a VR laptop:

    Paging @accalia since I know you're into this kind of thing, though you've been sadly silent lately.

    I think she muted all categories except one for raisins.



  • @e4tmyl33t said in Search for a VR laptop:

    I think she muted all categories except one for raisins.

    That's unfortunate. The status thread, among others, suffers.


  • FoxDev

    @magus said in Search for a VR laptop:

    Paging @accalia since I know you're into this kind of thing, though you've been sadly silent lately.

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    @magus said in Search for a VR laptop:

    I need a laptop

    why do you need a laptop?

    seriously, the price to performance of gaming laptops is terrible!

    using pcpartpickr i was able to build out a mini itx build (which already has poor price to performance ratio thanks to the lower demand market) based on the i5 7500 with a 1050TI (i do NOT recommend the 1050, the TI is only slightly more money and leagues better performance) that comes out at about 1k$ grab a keyboard and mouse for like 25$ and plug into the local TV for display (you're going to be showing this off indoors right? then odds are it's a living room which means there's a TV) and not only have you saved a load of cash but you have a much more powerful PC, and one that you can continue to upgrade. does that 1050TI prove to be not enough? well ebay it and slap a 1060 or 1070 in there. want more powah than the desktop i5? (which blows the laptop i7s out of the water, for serious!) ebay and pop that desktop i7 in. need more ram? you know what to do.

    you can save even more money if you skip the ITX and go for the slightly bigger MiniATX. the cases are stretching the limits of portable size wise but you have way less issues fitting things in. The weight's not an issue these days, if you skip a steel case and give glass side panels a miss. so that's your call.

    so yeah. if you need portable go with an ITX build rather than a laptop, particularly when you're looking for your use case is my recommendation.

    And if you do go for the laptop, in six to eight months i do get to say i told you so when it starts dying. :-P

    now if you're done summoning me i'm going back to sleep.



  • @accalia said in Search for a VR laptop:

    And if you do go for the laptop, in six to eight months i do get to say i told you so when it starts dying.

    My last gaming laptop lasted several years before the screen gave out, but was always kind of flimsy.

    I do overall get what you mean; the price and performance will absolutely be better on a small desktop. The other consideration, however, is that my wonderful Yoga 2 Pro was knocked off a couch by my dad's cat last time I visited my parents, and the screen hardly works as a result. Therefore, having a laptop that's usable would be rather nice.

    But it's my own fault for leaving that out of the OP :p


  • area_pol

    MSI makes nice gaming laptops.
    I have MSI GS60 and was able to run VR, although rather not at 90fps.
    No problems after 3+ years, the only thing I had to replace was the thermal paste.



  • @adynathos They seemed to have the best machines in my search of newegg. They were just $250-500 more than similar Acer and other machines.



  • It sucks that external video cards are still not a (common) thing.



  • @anonymous234 It'd almost be a good idea, too, since they say integrated can hit 60fps. It's certainly worth considering, since I could just use my 980 for that and stick the 1080 in my desktop :D


  • FoxDev

    @magus said in Search for a VR laptop:

    But it's my own fault for leaving that out of the OP

    aah. that situation.

    in that case let me give you the recommendation i give to every college student that asks me what gaming laptop to get.

    "Don't."

    "No, seriously. Don't"

    "what you do is get a desktop. get about a 600$ one, that will more than cover you for most games today and give you plenty of room to upgrade it peacemeal. make it yourself if you can for even more bang for your buck. then buy yourself a chromebook for taking to class. you'll be able to take notes and surf the web like crazy on the chromebook and with the six hundred you saved over the laptop you can buy three of the chromebooks over the course of your time there so even if you have one break on you you still come out ahead."

    or if you want to game on the laptop get a cheapo one and then stream your games through steam. that works a treat on local networks and still gives you the cheapo laptop and more powerful desktop combo, though you do lose out on the ultra cheap of the chromebook.



  • @accalia I have a good desktop, partly as a result of your efforts :p

    I'm admittedly willing to try the whole laptop + thunderbolt GPU setup as well, since that seems like it'd be less problematic, except that I know that there will be times when I'll want the form-factor along with the power. Really, a VR backpack would almost be better, but I know there will be times I'll want to play games with people on the go as well.

    Honestly, I could get away with buying a more expensive model; I'm not hurting for cash, and I don't buy things often other than tech, books, and games. Mostly I'm just trying to see what I can get away with, since I'd rather not waste money. But portability and laptopness are as important as VR-ness.



  • @accalia said in Search for a VR laptop:

    stream your games through steam. that works a treat on local networks

    No it doesn't.

    Well, maybe if it's all wired.



  • @blakeyrat I mean, that would probably work at my place if I cared remotely about that scenario. But I don't.


  • sekret PM club

    @blakeyrat said in Search for a VR laptop:

    @accalia said in Search for a VR laptop:

    stream your games through steam. that works a treat on local networks

    No it doesn't.

    Well, maybe if it's all wired.

    I had pretty decent success with my desktop (the machine running the game) being wired and the receiver machine (originally my Linux media machine, since replaced with a Steam Link) being wireless...

    However ever since my router decided it no longer wanted to broadcast a 5GHz network anymore, I can't do it. The stream looks okay enough, but there's so much lag and delay in the stream that I'd have to be prescient in order to actually play anything.


  • Considered Harmful

    @accalia said in Search for a VR laptop:

    or if you want to game on the laptop get a cheapo one and then stream your games through steam. that works a treat on local networks and still gives you the cheapo laptop and more powerful desktop combo, though you do lose out on the ultra cheap of the chromebook.

    Assuming that the college WiFi allows devices to see each other on the network. I know mine doesn't.



  • @pie_flavor Dude, that's now how you do that. Windows may have changed how after 8, but any WiFi device can project these days. We always set up ad-hoc wireless for stuff, or brought in LAN cables and switches. Though these days instead of switches, you could bring in Switches, and probably have more fun.


  • Notification Spam Recipient

    Yeah, you're not going to get the laptop's benefits if it's anything more than "VR-Capable", might as well get a full desktop at that point.

    I lug around a somewhat nice desktop whenever I demo. It's not a big tower, I think it's a miniatx board? and it works fine despite being twice as tall as a typical gaming laptop.



  • @tsaukpaetra I had a 17inch gateway years ago with a 9800gtx in it, and it was a great machine for several years. I should be able to get something better than it cheaper now easily.

    Like look at this:

    https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834316157

    Or this:

    https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIADYY6F95243

    I like 13inch laptops best, personally, and it seems like some of these things may actually be decent.



  • As a quick update, this also impresses me:

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/build/alienware-15-r3-aw15r3-7003slv-pus-gaming-laptop-windows-mixed-reality-headset-with-motion-controllers/93JDXMT1RD9D

    • 1070
    • 16gb ram
    • 256gb ssd + 1tb hdd
    • 15-inch
    • dell visor + motion controllers
    • just under $2k

    Best yet. I'd go samsung once that's out instead, but this deal actually seems good!