Build a $2,200 VR machine for Half-Life: Alyx

This month, we’re putting together a powerful system for virtual-reality experiences

THE CONCEPT

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 want to hook it up to this system for latencyfree, 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 VRready mobo is also a must. USB-C support and high-speed network connectivity are also useful, the latter in particular if you plan to play VR games 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.