VR build from scratch?

[Lucio]

Hi,

I'm thinking about building a PC maily for VR. I would do some other stuff as well like physics simulation in Lightwave3D and maybe create my own VR world in UE4.

I guess the best Geforce is 1080 but I don't know the differences between the cards from different manufacturers like Asus, Acer, etc.

And because I not only want to play but also create, more cores in CPU would be better? I know for gaming you generally don't want/need too many cores but for rendering or simulating physics in a 3D app it would be better.

And I read the 8th gen Intel CPUs have a special performance boost for VR, so if buying new I probably shouldn't go with older tech. Would an i7 be enough?

So if you have some info/suggestion where I can save and what is more important (i.e. cores or cycles, high end i7 or low end i9?) and should I go for the 1080TI (is the best model I think) or rather save there?
Because I kinda have my limit set to 2500,- including HTC Vive but now that I write it out here I don't think that will be enough lol.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Also does anyone know if I can transfer PS4 progress to PC?

 

[NW3]

I guess the best Geforce is 1080 but I don't know the differences between the cards from different manufacturers like Asus, Acer, etc.

There really isn't that much difference between the top end brands, except some models have better fans and mil-spec components. I've had good luck with MSI. You might want to checkout Newegg.com; I've done business with them for years and they have good prices and delivery.

And because I not only want to play but also create, more cores in CPU would be better?

More cores would be better, but 4 should be sufficient.

And I read the 8th gen Intel CPUs have a special performance boost for VR, so if buying new I probably shouldn't go with older tech. Would an i7 be enough?

I would think so.

So if you have some info/suggestion where I can save and what is more important (i.e. cores or cycles, high end i7 or low end i9?) and should I go for the 1080TI (is the best model I think) or rather save there?

Personally, I'd go with an I7.

Because I kinda have my limit set to 2500,- including HTC Vive but now that I write it out here I don't think that will be enough lol.

Whatever you do, do not skimp on the power supply. High end video cards need plenty of high quality power. If you plan to (later) add a second graphics card in SLI, make sure the power supply can meet that future demand.

Also does anyone know if I can transfer PS4 progress to PC?

No, I don't think you can.

You didn't mention timeframe. If you can wait until Jan/Feb you might want to consider getting a Pimax 5K or 8K instead of the Vive. It's a nex-gen VR system with higher resolution and a wide field of view. I'm getting a 5K. You can find out more on this forum. The Kickstarter ends in 12 days.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pimax8kvr/pimax-the-worlds-first-8k-vr-headset

 

[Flapdrol1337]

I reckon the best performance possible in VR is with a 8700K, fast ram and a 1080Ti. Maybe physics simulation software can perform slightly better with even more cores/threads but it will be way more expensive and slightly slower in games.

 

[popuptoaster]

Dont overlook the case either if you are going for a VR build, mine has 2 USB 3 ports and an HDMI port on the front of the case, saves a lot of scrabbling round the back to plug things in.

I have a 6700k and a Palit Gamerock GTX1070, both overclocked and my PC runs my Oculus really well but I don't do much content creation other than the occasional YT video, seems to convert and render them fast enough not to be annoying.

 

[znôrt]

And I read the 8th gen Intel CPUs have a special performance boost for VR, so if buying new I probably shouldn't go with older tech. Would an i7 be enough?

any link? sounds a bit like marketing fluff but i'm interested.

limit set to 2500,- including HTC Vive but now that I write it out here I don't think that will be enough lol.

that leaves about 2000 (dollar? euro?) for the pc which should be enough for the basics: a 1080ti and a decent cpu, a late i7 will be fine.

about the various 1080ti models (or gpus in general) ... the difference is basically the cooling and, related, the overclock capability. 'founder edition' type have 'blower' cooling, which blows the air directly out of the case in the back and are pretty silent, but there's a limit to what they can dissipate. then you have those with several fans on the side which move the air around in the case and depend on case ventilation to get it out, and finally liquid cooling. going for great heat dissipation dedpends on how much you want to overclock the card, which means proportionally more money, power and hassle. the chips however are the same. it's personal taste, but consider that overclocking only gets you so far.

 

[znôrt]

I would do some other stuff as well like physics simulation in Lightwave3D and maybe create my own VR world in UE4.

oh, this. i use ue4 just fine with an i7 6700K (a bit outdated), 16gb ram and a 1080ti. the problem with ue4 is the editor itself and the compilation process which is sluggish and very disk intensive.

 

[Zeeman]

How much you got to blow? How soon? It's getting to the stage where the 10xx line is nearing the end of it's life, if you've already got a rig, I'd seriously consider holding out now, especially as there are some new VR headsets on the way too, the Pimax 8k thing being of particular interest.

Otherwise, I'm not sure how warranty works where you are, but here in Aus, it's transferrable, so if I were to buy an 8700(K)/Z370, I'd probably by my GPU second hand, and save some cash.

Edit - just saw the limit - which currency/country?

For the record, I'm running two rigs. Specs are near identicaln - i7 6700K, Asus Gene VIII, 16GB Ram, Corsair Carbide Air 240 case with Noctua NH9L coolers and Noctua fans for the case.

The differences are:
GTX1080 and GTX1080Ti
Corsair RM650 and RMx750
Samsung 960 Evo vs Intel 600P SSD

The 1080Ti rig runs the Rift.

The core of both rigs were bought second hand, at a significant saving. I've had one 6700K blow - which intel replaced with a brand new one under warranty. I didn't even need to show them the original receipt.

I am considering water cooling my 1080ti rig (custom loop with EK bits) though I'm not convinced I want to go through this yet, or whether I'll just risk a delid, which would probably end up giving me the same result of a cooler CPU running at higher overclocks.

I'd probably do a bit of research to see if it's worth getting a Z370 over a Z270, though I'd also consider AMD at this stage, their Zen chips seem to do well in terms of performance/$.

Z...

 

[Lucio]

Thank you all for the input!

I'll definetly keep all that in mind and have a better overview now.

And yes, I forgot, the limit and price range is in Euro! As far as timing, I wouldn't mind waiting a bit longer, if there are newer GPUs on the horizon. But for headsets I would rather go with HTC I don't trust in crowdfunding and I also like the Vive's sensor technique.

Overclocking: That's something I don't want to do at all. I know some cards advertise with them being OC cards are they still better if I just plan on plug&play?

@NW3

Whatever you do, do not skimp on the power supply. High end video cards need plenty of high quality power. If you plan to (later) add a second graphics card in SLI, make sure the power supply can meet that future demand

Good point, I indeed want the possibilty to add a second card down the road, allthough not for SLI gaming but for GPU rendering with Octane.

@znort

any link? sounds a bit like marketing fluff but i'm interested.

Yeah I mixed that up a bit. If you look at https://www.intel.co.uk/content/www/uk/en/homepage.html on the front page it says "...including 4K ..blabla.. and virtual reality (VR)".
And when you click on 'Learn More' the next page says:

Performance boosts that deliver frame rate improvements of up to 25 percent3 compared with 7th Gen Intel Core for smooth gaming experiences...

-but that might have nothing to with VR...

As for the cooling, I don't want to overclock at all because I have no idea how to do that and don't want to ruin anything. But I would prefer a silent machine of course..

 

[Zeeman]

If you don't want to overclock at all, skip the K chips, and skip the Z boards in favour of cheaper models that don't offer overclocking. No point paying for an unlocked chip/chipset that you aren't going to push. That will also help in terms of saving some cash.

Don't skimp on the cooler. Noctua make excellent air coolers that are quiet. They are by no means the only one, but I find them to be at the top of the heap, and easy enough to get hold of where I am - their fans are excellent.

Also, consider assembling the PC yourself, lots of "how to" guides on the net, and it is pretty easy. You're not likely to ruin anything, especially if you pay attention to the guides. I'm sure you could also find someone that would help you out for a beer, I know I'd help someone learn to build for one. It's very satisfying, and a worthwhile skill. Your call though. If you can build a small lego kit, you can build a PC.

As a rift owner, I agree with the Vive, in terms of tracking at the very least. Room scale with the Rift is a bit of a mission, with 3 cameras and 3 USB ports tied up, and all the cables running around the room... I don't play any room scale games at this stage, so not an issue for me, but I will be considering this heavily when it's time to upgrade.

Having said that, I really do hope a viable tracking alternative is invented that doesn't need cameras or lighthouse tech.

Z...

 

[znôrt]

As for the cooling, I don't want to overclock at all because I have no idea how to do that and don't want to ruin anything. But I would prefer a silent machine of course..

a couple precisions: cooling is not only important for overclocking, also for gpu stress in general. so if you plan to make heavy use of the system or are in a warm environment, watch out for cooling. also amount of gpu ram affects the price and of course the more the better. and even if the core chips are the same, some cards might have additional features. yeah, a nightmare. good hunting! i'm not at all an expert and settled for this https://www.msi.com/Graphics-card/GeForce-GTX-1080-Ti-GAMING-X-11G/Specification because i didn't want to stress my 'powerplant' or go into liquid cooling, and also given it was easily available. there are surely better cards but i give it quite a beating daily and no regrets whatsoever.

and yeah, the 8g is surely more performant but i think 'better for vr' is just a catchy marketing slogan.

 

[tolmheim]

I built the following system, see yellow text below. It runs all my games perfectly. Im also an avid VR enthusiast and I can say that this system is far ahead in performance ( as it should ) compared to my older 6700k OC 4.5Ghz, GTX 980. Will be interesting to see how it will handle the 8K Pimax HMD once it arrives early next year.

 

[zarrazee]

OP.
Re differences in GFX cards, I opted for one of the slightly slower GTX 1070 so it'd fit in my case. I didn't want to mess about having to install everything into a new case just so I could have an extra 1-2 FPS.

Also, remember you'll need loads of USB ports. I use 6 so far:

• Rift
• 2 rift sensors
• Joystick
• Mouse
• Keyboard

I run a long cable to my monitor, so I can swap out

• Joystick
• Blu tooth dongle
• Storage
• ED Tracker Pro Wireless dongle/charge point (pre-VR)

My case's USBs are really badly positioned near the floor; me and the kids would catch it if we walked too near

I've got my eye on a decent case for my next build which will give me more USBs in a "safer" place.

 

[dape]

If you do not want to overclock 8th gen you still need to get a Z370 mobo as there are no others on the market. That would be a waste of money. Building a new rig right now and not for gaming only I would also consider a Ryzen system.

8th gen and VR boost is a marketing bluff. Current i7 do the job perfectly well as a Ryzen 1600 does also.

 

[dape]

I am considering water cooling my 1080ti rig (custom loop with EK bits) though I'm not convinced I want to go through this yet, or whether I'll just risk a delid, which would probably end up giving me the same result of a cooler CPU running at higher overclocks

Z...

thats what I just did. I like maintenance free aircooling. Die ->Liquid Metal->IHS->thermal paste->aircooler and almost 20 degrees cooler.

 

[Flapdrol1337]

If you do not want to overclock 8th gen you still need to get a Z370 mobo as there are no others on the market. That would be a waste of money. Building a new rig right now and not for gaming only I would also consider a Ryzen system.

8th gen and VR boost is a marketing bluff. Current i7 do the job perfectly well as a Ryzen 1600 does also.

The new i5's and ryzen 1600 have higher bang/buck of course, but the 8700K with fast ram does perform significantly better in the digital foundry review as soon as the games have a cpu heavy moment. And on non Z chipsets ram is limited to 2666.

 

[Lucio]

If you don't want to overclock at all, skip the K chips, and skip the Z boards in favour of cheaper models that don't offer overclocking. No point paying for an unlocked chip/chipset that you aren't going to push. That will also help in terms of saving some cash.

Don't skimp on the cooler. Noctua make excellent air coolers that are quiet. They are by no means the only one, but I find them to be at the top of the heap, and easy enough to get hold of where I am - their fans are excellent.

Also, consider assembling the PC yourself, lots of "how to" guides on the net, and it is pretty easy. You're not likely to ruin anything, especially if you pay attention to the guides. I'm sure you could also find someone that would help you out for a beer, I know I'd help someone learn to build for one. It's very satisfying, and a worthwhile skill. Your call though. If you can build a small lego kit, you can build a PC.

The thing is I don't really know about overclocking and how much of a benfit it would be. I thought most modern CPUs are basically good enough anyway because for games everything thats expensive performance-wise is done on the GPU.

So is it just some settings you adjust in a program that manages the CPU or do you create profiles for different purposes and does it have some security so I don't ruin it by overclocking?

As for assembling it, that's not the problem. It's just finding the right components that make a solid build and work well for my purposes, keeping in mind potential uses I'll never need . It's a bit of a rabbit hole. Last time I was reading up on it I started with graphic cards and before I knew it I was reading about PCI lanes and different types of RAM.

 

[Lucio]

a couple precisions: cooling is not only important for overclocking, also for gpu stress in general. so if you plan to make heavy use of the system or are in a warm environment, watch out for cooling. also amount of gpu ram affects the price and of course the more the better. and even if the core chips are the same, some cards might have additional features. yeah, a nightmare. good hunting! i'm not at all an expert and settled for this https://www.msi.com/Graphics-card/GeForce-GTX-1080-Ti-GAMING-X-11G/Specification because i didn't want to stress my 'powerplant' or go into liquid cooling, and also given it was easily available. there are surely better cards but i give it quite a beating daily and no regrets whatsoever.

and yeah, the 8g is surely more performant but i think 'better for vr' is just a catchy marketing slogan.

yeah the cooling is another thing that makes deciding on a build so hard. especially because I want the option to eventually add more gpus if I ever get into gpu rendering. water cooling is was too complex for me lol.

And that looks like a solid card, I will use it as reference whem comparing numbers!

 

[Lucio]

I built the following system, see yellow text below. It runs all my games perfectly. Im also an avid VR enthusiast and I can say that this system is far ahead in performance ( as it should ) compared to my older 6700k OC 4.5Ghz, GTX 980. Will be interesting to see how it will handle the 8K Pimax HMD once it arrives early next year.

ok all you guys being hyped about 8K Pimay makes me think I should at least check it out

Also, remember you'll need loads of USB ports. I use 6 so far:

Rift
2 rift sensors

Oh I dindn't think of the sensors needing their own ports. I thought the vive hat its own box that only requires one port. And I would probably get 4 sensors!!

If you do not want to overclock 8th gen you still need to get a Z370 mobo as there are no others on the market. That would be a waste of money. Building a new rig right now and not for gaming only I would also consider a Ryzen system.

I'll consider it but the thing is that all the system requirements always mention the intel types so that make it easier I think..

Again, thanks guys!

 

[dogbite]

Serving two masters (creation and gaming) makes your decision difficult unless you can afford the fastest gpu cpu, and ram. The fastest cpu will surely benefit a lot of creation software while VR gaming will see more benefit from the fastest gpu. An ideal would be an 8700K and 1080ti and whatever speed ddr4 speed best responds to the software you intend to use. Although cpu clock will affect VR gaming, a "similarly clocked" gen 6,7 and 8 will yield fairly similar gaming results in most games (especially VR games) regardless of whether it's an I5 or I7. The exceptions would be titles like older flightsims that are more affected by cpu performance than most other games. One reason to go I7 is for the higher clock if you don't want to OC.
So if you have to back off on one or the other, you will need to weigh the importance of your gaming enjoyment vs the desired power you feel you need for the creation software. I would look to the forums that discuss and compare hardware for those creation tools to see what kinds of performance you get from various builds.
Also, as mentioned, pay attention to your case size. If you do decide to spring for a 1080ti you will need to make sure it will fit in the case. They are massive. I use a modular ox which allows for moving or removal of the drive bays.
You can always hold off for 6 months and see what 2018 gpus offers in performance. Or 2019, 2020. Moore's Law will always keep you waiting or you just reach a point where you say "I need a new rig and I need it now".

 

[loribee]

FWIW, ive found elite dangerous to be somewhat of a cpu hog in and around stations. I’m hitting 80% cpu on my 3570k which is overclocking to 4.3ghz — i read on reddit that swapping out to the 3770k and hyper threading will help with that.