So you have an Oculus Quest but you want to improve your VR experience? It’s time to get a proper gaming computer! These are some of the best gaming laptops for use with the Quest or even the Rift!
The Top-Rated Laptops for Oculus Rift and Quest
| Editor's Pick | Laptop | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Top Pick | Lenovo Flex 15 Series | 90% |
| Runner Up | Eluktronics MAG-15 | 89% |
| Budget Pick | Acer Predator Helios 300 | 84% |
| Luxury Pick | Dell Alienware Area-51m | 94% |
| Best for Closet Gamers | HP OMEN 15 2020 | 90% |
Top Pick: ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17
VR powerhouse
There is no question that the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S17 is an absolute beast! Featuring a 10th gen Intel i7, RTX 2080 Super and other beefy components – this laptop is more powerful than most desktops! Where this laptop really stands out though is in the plethora of little details it gets right – a pantone-verified IPS panel for epic color accuracy, large vents for great airflow, ultra-slim bezels; it’s like they thought of everything with this one!
Asus is well known for crafting unique gaming machines and this latest entry in the ROG series doesn’t disappoint in any way. If you’re ready to take your VR game to the next level, this is one shoe-in!
Runner-Up: Eluktronics MAG-15
The Eluktronics MAG-15 is a perfect example of what manufacturers are capable of when they set out with the goal of making an awesome laptop for VR! While it’s loaded with great components similar to those of the top pick, it’s probably best to focus on where Eluktronics diverges from the standard formula!
Perhaps most notable, this laptop is one of very few in existence to feature a full mechanical keyboard! Gamers crave the visceral feedback that can only come from the actuation of mechanical keyboard switches, and often go to the length of buying a separate keyboard for use with their laptops – if this sounds like something you would do, you’d be wise to save yourself the trouble and just go with the Eluktronics MAG-15!
Budget Pick: Acer Predator Helios 300
Great VR for less than you might expect
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a solid laptop that, despite it’s very affordable price, is more than capable of providing a great VR experience! Whereas most laptops in this price range are somewhat sketchy, the Acer Predator Helios 300 has serious chops!
All of the necessary components are here to ensure high resolution gameplay at high frame rates, and no expense has been spared in ensuring that this laptop can power your VR headset all day and night!
If you want solid VR at the lowest price possible, it’s pretty easy to recommend this laptop to you!
Luxury Pick: Dell Alienware Area-51m
Top-secret
The Dell Alienware Area-51m is, unequivocally, one of the most awesome laptops on the market! The spec sheet for this thing reads like a high-end desktop – not a laptop! Alienware has even taken this notion to the next level by offering modular GPU and CPU ability so that you can upgrade the laptop down the road if you should choose to do so!
In addition to all of the ludicrously powerful components, this enormous notebook also has a plethora of ports and connectivity options, ensuring that you can plug in your Oculus in addition to pretty much anything else you could possibly imagine!
If you have money to burn and want to buy one of the most epic gaming laptops of all time, stop reading now and go buy your Dell Alienware Area-51m today!
Best for Closet Gamers: HP OMEN 15 2020
If you need a beefy gaming laptop that doesn’t look like a beefy gaming laptop, the HP OMEN 15 2020 is a great pick for you! Featuring many of the same VR-ready components and features as the other machines on this list, the HP OMEN 15 2020 happens to look more suited to a boardroom than a gaming room!
If you need to keep your gaming habit on the down-low, you’d do well to snag one of these sleepers!
What to Look for in a Laptop for Oculus Rift and Quest
You already know you’re going to need a pretty beefy gaming rig for VR, but there are special considerations to keep in mind to ensure the best possible experience:
Connectivity
Oculus Rift requires one HDMI port, two USB 3.0 ports and one USB 2.0. That’s a lot of ports! Luckily, most high-end gaming laptops come ready for the job – but don’t take that for granted! However, you can safely assume that every laptop on this list has more than the requisite number of ports!
Power
VR is, for all intents and purposes, pumping out every image twice – this means it requires twice as much CPU and GPU output in order to create a great image! Make certain you don’t skimp on a laptop just because the marketing materials insist that the machine is VR ready!
Battery
Let’s be real – gaming laptops never manage to pump out graphics for more than a couple of hours before they need to be plugged-in – how do you think VR with 4 inputs is going to effect that? Don’t count on being able to use this laptop untethered for long!
Last Updated on January 23, 2021