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Building the Ultimate VR Gaming PC for 2024

February 24, 2024

Introduction

With virtual reality (VR) technology advancing rapidly, now is an exciting time to build the ultimate VR gaming PC to power immersive VR experiences in 2024 and beyond. In this in-depth guide, I will cover everything you need to know to build a high-end VR-ready gaming PC from scratch.

Choosing the Right VR Headset

Before picking PC components, you need to decide which VR headset you’ll be using as that will determine the PC hardware requirements. The main options in 2024 will likely include:

Oculus Quest 3

The Oculus Quest 3 is expected to release in 2023 and will be a leading standalone wireless VR headset. However, it should also work with PCs via Oculus Link making it a versatile choice.

HTC Vive 2

The next generation HTC Vive 2 is rumored for release in 2023. As a PC based VR system, the Vive 2 will require a powerful gaming PC to drive its high resolution displays and refined tracking system.

Valve Index 2

Valve will likely release a sequel to the Valve Index in 2023 or 2024. The Valve Index 2 will probably lead the pack in visual fidelity and PC VR performance demanding a top-tier gaming PC.

For the ultimate future-proof build, I will target the system requirements for the Valve Index 2 which should exceed the other headsets too.

Choosing the Right CPU

The CPU plays a critical role in VR gaming performance and needs to be very powerful. Here are the best options for a VR PC build in 2024:

Intel Core i9-13900K

The Core i9-13900K will be Intel’s flagship consumer CPU on their new Raptor Lake platform launching in late 2022. With its 24 cores and Hyper-Threading, it will deliver incredible performance.

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

This 16 core beast will be AMD’s most powerful 7000 series Zen 4 Ryzen CPU releasing in late 2022. With massive parallel processing power, it will excel at both gaming and streaming.

For the ultimate high-end build, I recommend going with the 24 core Intel Core i9-13900K to maximize VR gaming performance in 2024 and beyond.

Choosing a High-End Motherboard

You’ll want an advanced Z790 motherboard for an Intel Core i9-13900K build or an X770 motherboard for the Ryzen 9 7950X. Key features to look for include:

PCIe Gen 5.0 – For the fastest NVMe SSDs and graphics cards
DDR5 memory support – To take advantage of the latest high-speed DDR5 RAM
Advanced power delivery – To supply stable power to the top-end CPU
High bandwidth chipset– For quick access to multiple fast NVMe SSDs
Thunderbolt 4 ports – For connecting any VR accessories

The MSI MEG Z790 Ace or Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master will be excellent options for peak performance.

Getting a High VRAM RTX 40 Series GPU

The graphics card is hugely important for VR. You’ll want an Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series GPU with at least 16GB of superfast GDDR6X VRAM. Here are the best options:

Nvidia RTX 4080 16GB

This will offer a big upgrade over the RTX 3080 with improved ray tracing and DLSS 3 performance. It will deliver high frame rates in VR.

Nvidia RTX 4090 24GB

The new flagship RTX 4090 will be an absolute performance monster with 24GB VRAM. It will crush VR games and enable enhanced image quality.

For the ultimate VR gaming experience, I recommend going all out for a 24GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090. This will future proof the build for years and enable max settings.

Choosing Fast Low Latency DDR5 Memory

With leading platforms like Intel Raptor Lake and AMD Zen 4 supporting DDR5 memory, you’ll want a 32GB or 64GB DDR5 kit running at over 6000MT/s for top performance. Low latency RAM kits with CL30 or lower timing are ideal. I recommend aiming for:

2x32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 / Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR5 @ 6000MHz+

This will provide ample capacity for future expansion while delivering the bandwidth needed to feed the GPU in VR titles.

Choosing a Fast PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD

For storage, you’ll want a very fast PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD preferably with intelligent caching technology like:

2TB Samsung 990 Pro – Reliable high-end performance with 7,450 MB/s reads
2TB WD_BLACK SN850X – Blazing fast 7,300 MB/s reads with heatsink option

This will make booting and game loading virtually instantaneous. You can add more secondary PCIe 4.0 or 3.0 SSDs later for extra game storage.

The Best Power Supply for a High-End VR Gaming Rig

You’ll need a high wattage 80+ Platinum PSU to reliably feed all of those power-hungry components. Aim for:

Corsair AX1600i – Top-tier 1600W 80+ Platinum PSU with fully modular cables

For a more affordable 80+ Gold option, the Thermaltake Toughpower GF1 1500W is also excellent. This will provide more than enough stable clean power.

Putting It All Together

This dream VR gaming build combines the latest generation high-end parts for unbeatable performance. The 24 core i9-13900K and RTX 4090 will crush CPU and GPU requirements for future VR headsets. You also have cutting edge PCIe Gen 5 connectivity for the fastest NVMe SSDs.

With liquid cooling and plenty of airflow, you can overclock these parts to extract even more performance. Overall, this is the ultimate PC build for VR gaming in 2024 and well beyond. It will offer an unparalleled immersive experience!

Conclusion

Building the ultimate high-end VR gaming PC for 2024 takes careful planning and choosing the right components. With its 24 core Intel Core i9-13900K CPU, Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics, 64GB of DDR5 RAM, PCIe 4.0 storage, and robust power delivery, this system will offer elite performance, visuals, and future proofing well beyond 2024. This build guide covers everything you need for assembling the dream VR rig. With the rapid pace of advancement in VR technology, now is an exciting time for pushing VR gaming to the next level with a custom high spec PC.