Cheapest VR Gaming
Cheapest VR Gaming
The thing with VR is, you either do it right, or don't bother with it.
I have a Vive myself and tried the oculus as well. There is a surprisingly big difference between the 2 and imo the vive is much better than the rift.
The thing that makes VR an actual good experience is roomscale stuff. Even if you play something that's designed for standing up the fact you can move around a bit helps a LOT immersive wise.
My personal rig has an R5 1600 and an rx 480, works surprisingly well but as other have said, it's the minimum for a decent experience.
I haven't used the Oculus Go yet, but I think the PSVR offers a great experience.
Other Android devices aren't all VR compatible. It really depends on the specific phone the buyer is using. This particular OEM model might work (found on eBay):
150 USD
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Precision-...2504815503
71 USD
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Xeon-X569...3375772927
(2)56 USD
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1X-16GB-DDR3-HP...3554135852
30 USD
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NetApp-108-0024...3185598181
55 USD
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-545s-2-5-...2142736339
275 USD
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NVIDIA-GeForce-...3563835899
(2)5 USD
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hard-Drive-Cadd...3279306512
If the built-in speakers aren't enough, consider a separate audio card. Check with the seller if they can add a CPU cooler to the barebones unit for added comfort. The T7500 includes an optical drive and comes with case, mounting, cooling, and power supply.
Used Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise keys are available for less than 10 USD—good luck!
Total: 642 USD
The price covers the Lenovo Explorer along with the hand controllers. Checking reviews for Vive, Rift, and Explorer helps. YouTube is really useful.
The Oculus GO operates independently and doesn't need a PC. It's a compact, 3-degree-of-freedom headset similar to the GearVR or other mobile VR devices, but without requiring your phone to be attached. You won't have full hand controllers for precise movement or depth tracking; it's designed mainly for passive media viewing and simple gameplay.
PSVR offers better performance but needs a PS4 or later model. It provides 6 degrees of freedom with camera-based tracking, limiting movement to 180 degrees and preventing full 360-degree turns. Tracking accuracy is also not exceptional for wands or the headset itself.
Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets all support 6 degrees of freedom with advanced tracking, but they demand a powerful gaming PC (modern CPU, 1060 or better GPU, 8 GB RAM) to deliver a smooth experience across most titles.
Oculus Quest, launching this spring, is a standalone device with 6 degrees of freedom and motion controls. It combines phone VR features with PC VR precision, offering good quality games for around $400 USD without needing a console or PC. You'll likely be restricted to Oculus's store, but it should provide solid gameplay.
If you desire the full capabilities of Vive-like VR, consider PC or Oculus Quest headsets, or wait for PC VR options or PSVR if acceptable tracking is sufficient.