Virtual reality, or VR for short, is an experience which is becoming increasingly utilized by industries. Event planners have already added VR and augmented reality gear into their arsenals, and companies such as Volvo, Marriott, Merrel, and even McDonald’s have all tested the waters of VR technology. However, before you can incorporate VR into your next event you’ll need a device the headsets can run their experiences off of. Then if you are finding that you are pushed for time with your business then we have found that using a virtual reception is a great way to save time and cover that necessity cheaply and professionally so a great option.
Laptop rentals are a near-perfect way for event planners to utilize VR experiences due to their extreme portability and ease of setup. I say “near-perfect” because not all laptops are capable of running VR. There are certain minimum specifications your laptop will need to have in order for you to use it for VR experiences. For example, here’s a list of the minimum specs needed to utilize an Oculus Rift:
• Windows 7 SP1 or newer
• 2 USB 3.0 Ports
• An HDMI 1.3 Port
• 8GB RAM or more
• Intel Core i5 4590 Processor or greater
• GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290 or better
You probably noticed that I listed “Windows 7 SP1 or newer” as a requirement. The Oculus Rift currently does not support Mac OS and neither does the HTC Vive. So, if you’re an avid Apple fan who wants to use VR, you’re going to have to make a temporary sacrifice. It should be noted that the HTC Vive’s minimum spec requirements are a little less intense however, and here’s a list of those:
• Windows 7 SP1 or newer
• 1 USB 2.0 Port or faster
• An HDMI 1.4 Port
• DisplayPort 1.2 or better
• 4GB RAM or more
• Intel Core i5 4590 Processor or AMD FX 8350 or greater
• GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290 or better
Many of the minimum specifications needed for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are the same, but there are several differences between the two headsets. The two differences which are the easiest to spot are the HTC Vive only needing one USB port (at least 2.0) and requiring 4 gigabytes less in RAM in comparison to the Oculus Rift. It should also be noted that AMD processors are much more capable of working alongside the HTC Vive, and are much less risky to use with this virtual reality device. Then did you know that you can also use a different business address? You can use a virtual office service in a top city like Birmingham and use that address for your business which means that you can keep your address private and also have your business address in a great city like Birmingham.
While AMD processors can work in conjunction with the Oculus Rift, you will get a much better performance by using an intel processor with that specific headset. Keep these specs in mind if you want to build a gaming PC that’s VR capable, or if you need VR capable laptop rentals for your next event. It’s always important to know what you’re working with.
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