The Best Virtual Reality (VR) Ready Laptops Complete Reviews and Comparisons

by Tom Savage | Last Updated: March 21, 2020

The Best VR Ready Laptops – Reviews

Gone are the days when you needed a super-expensive desktop rig to enjoy VR. Over the past few years, technological leaps made the necessary hardware much more compact and affordable. Therefore, you can now find laptops that can handle VR extremely well without any lag.

But, how do you find the best VR ready laptops? The trick is to look for specific hardware components and software that support VR and allow you to run seamlessly.

This article has done the hard work for you. Read our reviews of five VR-ready machines to find the best model to suit your needs.

1.Area 51M Gaming Laptop

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This model has a ninth-generation Intel i9 processor with eight cores and 16MB of cache. This allows for speeds of up to 5.0 GHz with Turbo Boost. If this isn’t enough, the laptop also comes with 64GB of RAM. There are four slots with 16GB RAM each and the memory is upgradeable.

The Area 51M in this review comes with a 2TB RAID SSD but there are also 1TB models. With this in mind, you can also get 128GB or 32GB of RAM. But for VR purposes, it’s best to go with 64GB or opt for a 128GB model.

As for the screen, this Alienware features a 17.3” FHD display with the maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080. The display has a refresh rate of 144Hz and it offers anti-glare IPS technology. NVIDIA’s G-SYNC ensures the high refresh rate and minimal glare. And this laptop has Tobii eye-tracking.

The video card is NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 2080 – it’s OC-ready and has an internal memory of 8GB GDDR6. Connectivity-wise, the Area 51M has more than ten ports. These include three Type-A SuperSpeed USBs 3.0, one of which features PowerShare.

Overall, the laptop is a real show-stopper that comes in two colors. The only thing that doesn’t go in its favor is the 9.7-pound weight. But nobody said premium VR-ready hardware is lightweight.

Pros

Cons

Steep price

2.Alienware m15

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When you hear the name Alienware, you probably think of ultra-powerful laptops that might be a bit clunky. The m15 has the ultra-powerful segment covered. But this is one of the most portable and lightweight Alienware models you can get.

At just 17.9mm, this is the thinnest gaming laptop from this company, weighing in at only 4.78lbs. The screen has a much smaller bezel to increase the viewing space and maximize the display performance. Speaking of which, the m15 has 15.6” FHD with 1920 x 1080 resolution and has a 60Hz refresh rate.

The graphics card in this model is the NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1070, powered by cutting-edge Pascal architecture. But if this doesn’t satisfy your VR needs, you can choose GeForce RTX 2060 or RTX 2070.

This Alienware comes with an eight-generation Intel i7 processor with six cores and 9MB cache. The m15 processing speeds go up to 4.1GHz with Turbo Boost and the model has 16GB of DDR4 RAM. But the really interesting thing is how Alienware found a clever solution for storage.

The laptop has multiple storage units. There’s a 1TB Hybrid Drive with 8GB of extra SSHD, plus you get a 128GB PCle M.2 SSD. Together, this hardware provides more than enough storage space and impressive read and write speeds.

Lastly, the m15 has Alienware’s advanced cooling technology called Crya-Tech V2.0. This includes dual-intake and exhaust for a more efficient airflow. Of course, there are also dual fans that are specially designed to minimize friction and improve circulation.

Pros

Cons

3.HIDevilution ASUS ROG Mothership GZ700GX

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YF3RHKD

With ROG Mothership, ASUS aims to redefine the best VR ready laptops. You’d be hard-pressed to find another model that comes with a removable keyboard and a kick-stand to support the screen. But these are just some of the characteristics that make the laptop special.

At the heart of this VR-ready beast is a ninth-generation Intel i9 processor with sixteen threads and eight cores. Out of the box, the speed is 2.4GHz which can be Turbo Boosted to an amazing 5.0GHz. Graphics-wise, this model features NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 2080 with 8GB GDDR6.

Aside from this, the ROG Mothership’s display is outstanding. You get a 17.3” IPS-level FHD display with a refresh rate of 144Hz. The display covers 100% sRGB and ASUS tops that with Gelid GC Extreme on both the GPU and CPU.

The model in this review comes with 1.5 SSD in RAID 0. To be exact, there are three 512GB built in and you can get an upgrade of up to 6TB. In addition, the Mothership has HyperDrive Extreme to provide lightning-fast load times and boot.

As for the RAM, this laptop comes with 64GB DDR4 at 2666MHz (there are four slots with 16GB). Should you find this insufficient, ASUS also designed a Mothership with 128GB of RAM.

The important thing to stress is that this is like a cross-over model between a laptop and a desktop. As such, it’s quite big and not that portable. But this doesn’t diminish the fact that Mothership is among the most powerful models in the market.

Pros

Cons

4.Acer Predator Triton 700

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0756TR51D

Whichever way you look at it, the Predator Triton 700 is engineered for speed and performance. But this is also one of the lightest and most compact gaming laptops you can get. That said, the price is a bit higher compared to some other compact models.

Nevertheless, top hardware makes the Triton 700 one of the best VR ready laptops on the market today. This lean mean gaming machine is powered by Intel’s seventh-generation i7 processor. And the CPU can reach speeds of up to 3.8Ghz.

In the graphics department, this model sports NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1080 with 8GB of GDDR5X internal RAM. The graphics also has MAX-Q design, which is there to provide top power within a thin chassis. What’s more, Acer has gone the extra mile to engineer a highly efficient cooling system.

The Triton 700 has two AeroBlade fans which are made of metal. They have a unique design that maximizes the airflow. The fans combine with five heat pipes made of copper to remove the excess heat and keep the unit cool at maximum load.

Other interesting features include a low-profile RGB mechanical keyboard. The keys can be programmed to display different colors. And you don’t need to worry about ghosting due to N-Key rollover. In addition, there’s Corning Gorilla Glass above the keyboard.

This acts as a unique window into the Triton’s cooling system which gives the laptop an industrial feel. Display-wise, this laptop has a 15.6” backlit LED IPS screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. And it works with NVIDIA G-SYNC technology.

Pros

Cons

5.Razer Blade 15

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HPQPNV1

CNC-machined aluminum chassis, sleek matte black body, and an eye-catching Razer Blade logo make for a great first impression. But the things under the hood put this model among the best VR ready laptops. So, let’s see how much bang there is for your buck.

To start with the VR-ready graphics, this laptop has NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q design. This is coupled with Intel’s eight-generation i7 processor with six cores. And the Razer Blade 15 has 16GB of dual-channel RAM (DDR4), which can go up to 32GB.

For a laptop of this pedigree, it would be great if RAM could be expanded to 64GB. But 32GB should be plenty to handle different VR environments and gaming. This Razer Blade has dual storage — 128GB SSD for the operating system and apps, and 1TB HDD for all other purposes.

You can opt for a model that has twice as much but there’s no option to switch the HDD with another SSD. The screen is a 15.6” Full HD display and the bezels are only 4.9mm, providing an edge-to-edge viewing experience.

Razer Chroma keyboard, precision touchpad, and more than a few ports, including an HDMI 2.0, are highlights indeed. But battery life is where this laptop really beats the competition. This model comes with a 65Wh battery that should last for up to six hours of intensive use.

Pros

Cons

RAM expandable to 32GB

Conclusion

Now you know which are the best VR ready laptops, all that remains is for you to make the final decision. It’s important to stress that you won’t go wrong, no matter which model you choose. In terms of performance and specs, they’re pretty much neck and neck.

But secondary characteristics such as chassis design, keyboard, and compactness are a matter of personal preference. So go ahead and pick the one that will look, feel, and perform best in your gaming nook.