Maximum PC - UK (2020-01)

R&D

70 MAXIMUMPC JAN 2020 maximumpc.com

CHRISTIAN GUYTON, STAFF WRITER

YOU MIGHT HAVE seen this coming. There’s been

a lot of talk about virtual reality this issue, so our

Build It is a powerful, flashy gaming rig designed

to bring VR experiences to life. That’s PC-tethered

VR, incidentally; no support for the likes of the

shiny new Oculus Quest we review on page 80

(although Facebook is rolling out the Oculus Link

software as we write this, which will allow Quest

owners to use their headset for conventional

tethered VR). If you’ve got a Rift or Vive, though,

you’ll w ant to hook it up to this s y stem for l atenc y-

free, ultra-graphics VR adventures.

So, this is primarily a gaming system, but

the focus is on virtual reality, including VR

experiences beyond gaming, from virtual

workspace attendance to architectural demos

and digital travel experiences. Some of these can

tax a PC, so this system needs powerful graphics,

plenty of memory, and a competent CPU. VR

gaming can be demanding, too, so a good VR-

ready mobo is also a must. USB-C support and

high-speed network connectivity are also useful,

t h e l a t t e r i n p a r t i c u l a r i f y o u p l a n t o p l a y V R g a m e s

online (such as multiplayer shooter Pavlov).

It’s important not to skimp on cooling, too, but

air cooling is fine as long as it’s robust. We’re not

going to be overclocking this system, so overclock

headroom on the CPU isn’t really necessary, and

the VR experience generally necessitates the use

of headphones, so lots of fans aren’t a problem.

Of course, this is still a gaming machine, so we’re

going to be slapping some flashy RGB effects in

there, so you can show off your rig and be the envy

of all your non-VR-having peasant friends.

THE CONCEPT

LENGTH OF TIME: 2-3 HOURS

Getting VR-Ready

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM

This month, we’re putting together a powerful

system for virtual-reality experiences