Expert Consulted: Adrian Gardiner. Years of experience buying both computers and computer parts for my own new customer builds has given me a keen eye for spotting great deals when shopping. In this article, I’ll be sharing my knowledge to help you find the best CPU for VR gaming.
Virtual Reality was a real eye-opener for me, having used it quite a few times over the last few years as a result of my oldest son getting into it.
Until you’ve tried it, it’s impossible to imagine what it can be like and what it does to the senses.
No doubt you want the best VR experience you can get and want to be sure you have the best hardware for the task.
A PC capable of playing VR will need a number of key components, but this article is going to focus on the best CPU for VR gaming with your gaming PC.
This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read our affiliate policy.
The Best CPU for VR Gaming – Boost Your VR Gaming with My 4 Top CPUs
I’ve selected the four best, all-around CPU options from Intel and AMD, taking into account their specification, performance, and value for money.
The options put forward are two premium choices and two budget choices, one of each from Intel and AMD.
It should be noted that all options are excellent and certainly, from a manufacturer’s recommendation standpoint, will be great for gaming.
The Premium options will also give you a good degree of future-proofing if VR specification requirements change with new models.
| CPU Option | Reason for Selection | |
| 1. | Intel Core i9-12900K | Premium Intel Option |
| 2. | AMD Ryzen 9 7900X | Premium AMD Option |
| 3. | Intel Core i5-11600K | Budget Intel Option |
| 4. | AMD Ryzen 5 5600G | Budget AMD Option |
No. 1 – Intel Core i9-12900K – ‘Premium Intel Option’
The Intel Core i9-12900K CPU offers impressive performance for VR Gaming with its 16 cores and adaptive clock speeds.
Key features like DDR5 memory support and efficient power consumption provide seamless VR experiences.
However, the high cost and potential heating issues might deter some users.
In conclusion, if you’re seeking top-notch VR gaming performance and can manage the investment, the i9-12900K is a cutting-edge choice that should deliver an immersive virtual reality experience.
Specification
- Socket: 1700
- Clock Speed: 3.2 GHz (5.1 GHz Turbo)
- Cores: 16
- Cache: 30 MB
- Onboard Graphics Included: Intel UDG Graphics 770
- Memory Support: DDR4 3200 MHz or DDR5 4800 MHz
- Heatsink and Fan Cooler included: No
PROs
DDR5 RAM support
Unlocked and overclockable
Support for Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 / 6E
Support for Thunderbolt 4
CONs
No heatsink/cooler is included
Motherboards that support DDR5 are more expensive
No. 2 – AMD Ryzen 9 7900X – ‘Premium AMD Option’
The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X CPU offers exceptional VR Gaming experiences with its high core and thread count, providing smooth and immersive gameplay.
The architecture supports modern technologies like Gen 5 PCIe and DDR5 memory but may lag slightly behind competitors in single-threaded tasks.
It’s energy efficient but will still require a robust cooling solution.
In conclusion, for gamers seeking a balance between performance and power efficiency in VR, the Ryzen 9 7900X is a commendable choice, albeit with some minor caveats.
Specification
- Socket: AM5
- Clock Speed: 4.7 GHz (5.6 GHz Turbo)
- TDP: 170w (230w Turbo)
- Cores: 12
- Cache: 76 MB
- Onboard Graphics Included: AMD Radeon Graphics
- Memory Support: DDR5 6400 MHz
- Heatsink and Fan Cooler included: No
PROs
DDR5 RAM Support
AMD EXPO Technology – allows for high-speed memory overclocking
PCIe Gen 5 support
CONs
No heatsink/cooler is included
Motherboards that support DDR5 are more expensive
No. 3 – Intel Core i5-11600K – ‘Budget Intel Option’
The Intel Core i5-11600K remains a compelling option for virtual reality gaming in 2023.
Originally released in 2021, this 6-core 11th generation Intel processor can reach turbo clock speeds up to 4.9 GHz, delivering responsive single-threaded performance important for maintaining high frame rates in VR.
The i5-11600K also supports PCIe 4.0, allowing fast communication speeds between the CPU and modern NVMe SSDs and graphics cards.
For overclocking enthusiasts, its unlocked multipliers provide room to push performance further if desired.
While newer high-end chips will exceed it in benchmarks, the i5-11600K still hits a great balance between price and capabilities for premium VR gaming rigs.
With intelligent Turbo Boost management, it can adapt smoothly between heavy multi-core workloads and latency-critical game requests.
There is no need to buy an expensive DDR5 capable motherboard with this option as this CPU supports DDR4 only – this should help to keep costs down.
For VR gamers looking to build a new system in 2023, the i5-11600K remains a compelling option worth considering.
Specification
- Socket: 1200 Rocket Lake
- Clock Speed: 3.9 GHz (4.9 GHz Turbo)
- TDP: 125w
- Cores: 6
- Cache: 12 MB
- Onboard Graphics Included: Intel UHD Graphics 750
- Memory Support: DDR4 3200 MHz
- Heatsink and Fan Cooler included: No
PROs
Heatsink and fan cooler included
Support for Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 / 6E
Support for Thunderbolt 4
Unlocked for overclocking.
CONs
No heatsink or fan cooler.
No. 4 – AMD Ryzen 5 5600G – ‘Budget AMD Option’
The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G CPU is a strong contender for VR Gaming, with its 6-core architecture offering solid performance.
Its energy efficiency is an added advantage, making it suitable for sustained gaming sessions.
While it may not compete with higher-end CPUs in raw processing power, it holds its own in most scenarios.
Also released in 2021, the Ryzen 5 5600G offers excellent value when compared with the slightly faster but more expensive Intel Core i5-11600K.
Same as with Option 3, you won’t need to pay extra for an expensive DDR5-capable motherboard with this option, as this CPU supports DDR4 only.
In conclusion, the Ryzen 5 5600G represents a well-balanced and budget-friendly choice for those venturing into the immersive world of VR gaming.
Specification
- Socket: AM4
- Clock Speed: 3.9 GHz (4.4 GHz Turbo)
- TDP: 65w
- Cores: 6
- Cache: 19 MB
- Onboard Graphics Included: AMD Radeon Graphics
- Memory Support: DDR4 3200 MHz
- Heatsink and Fan Cooler included: Yes
PROs
Wraith Stealth Cooler included.
CONs
None.
What to Look Out for When Choosing a CPU
Getting the right CPU is important if you want the raw power to drive your favorite VR game and enjoy a nice, smooth experience.
Before making your purchase, try to keep in mind the important CPU-determining factors covered in the next section.
VR Headsets and Their CPU Requirements
Currently, the most popular headset, both in terms of units sold and the number of headsets in use on Steam, is the Meta Quest, followed by HTC Vive.
There are other companies that have sold VR headsets in great numbers, including the PlayStation VR2, but these don’t factor in our discussion as they are console-based and therefore don’t need a PC.
The table below in the next section gives an excellent starting point with the CPU requirements from each VR headset manufacturer nicely laid out for us.
The manufacturer requirements specified are not as high as I thought they would be, which means we can look at much more affordable processors.
However, manufacturers do often err on the side of caution, and with that in mind, I would usually recommend going a bit higher in specification just to be on the safe side.
Any processor better than those specified below for the headset you wish to buy would be fine.
However, based on the specs below and the fact that we need to ensure that your gaming PC has the right CPU for computer games as well as a degree of future-proofing (as mentioned above), I’ve selected 4 CPU options that will work well with both VR and PC Gaming.
VR Headset PC CPU Requirements
Here are the CPU requirements for a selection of the most popular VR headsets currently available:
| Headset Model | Required CPU |
| Meta Quest 2 | Intel i5-4590 / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X or better |
| Valve Index | Dual Core with hyperthreading or better |
| HTC Vive Pro 2 | Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD Ryzen 1500 equivalent or better |
| HP Reverb G2 | Intel Core i5, i7, Intel Xeon E3-1240 v5 or AMD Ryzen 5 equivalent or better |
| Pimax 5K Super | Intel i5-9400 or better |
| Pimax 8KX DMAS | Intel i5-9400 or better |
| Pimax Crystal | Intel i5-12500 or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or better |
Test Your Gaming PC for VR Capability
If you have a gaming PC and you’re wondering how it will cope with VR, Valve has put together a handy VR readiness test that you can use to check if your computer is ready:
SteamVR Performance Test For this test, you’ll first need to install Steam (it’s free)
This test will let you know where your PC might be lacking, if at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few questions with answers that I get asked:
Q1 Can I use my existing CPU for VR Gaming?
It would depend on whether your current CPU meets the minimum requirements for VR gaming. If all other components in your system are VR-ready, then try your CPU and see if it’s up to the job; if not, you’ll need to upgrade it to something more powerful.
Q2 Do I need to build a new PC for VR Gaming?
Hopefully, you won’t have to go this far. It all depends. Your existing PC may already have all the right components for VR gaming. If it doesn’t meet the requirements, check to see if it can be upgraded and go down that route.
Q3 How important is RAM and Storage for VR Gaming?
While not as crucial as the CPU or GPU, RAM and Storage also play a crucial part. You’ll need enough storage for your games, which do take up a lot of room these days, and you’ll need a storage drive format that’s fast, like an SSD (solid state drive), for example.
Insufficient RAM is going to cause you problems, so you’ll need a minimum of at least 8 GB to meet the requirements of most VR headsets, but if you can, I would recommend future-proofing with 16 GB of RAM.
Conclusion
In conclusion, so long as you at least meet the minimum requirements of each headset manufacturer mentioned in my article, you’ll be covered.
All 4 of the processors recommended will meet and exceed the requirements for a smooth and enjoyable VR experience. The premium options give you more power if and when needed and a bit of good future-proofing too.
Bear in mind that you’ll also need to pair up your selected CPU with a good quality GPU, plenty of RAM (at least 16 GB), and a good amount of fast storage (1 – 2 TB SSD recommended).
Image Attribution and Licensing
Image #1: ‘Ryzen CPU’ by The Voice of Tech