There are a number of windows mixed reality headsets on the market that can be purchased when on sale for under $200. Most of them also come with included Microsoft motion controllers. Before you run out and buy one of these controllers (or order one online), you should verify that your computer will support it. In general, the requirements for doing virtual reality with Windows Mixed Reality are higher than what the average computer supports today.
The first step to confirming you are able to use these devices is to confirm that you are using the Windows 10 April Update or later. With the right version of Windows, the easiest way to confirm your machine can handle an immersive experience with WMR is to download and run the Windows Mixed Reality PC Check application. You can find this at:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windows-mixed-reality-pc-check/9nzvl19n7cnc?rtc=1&activetab=pivot%3Aoverviewtab
When you launch this application, it will check your system specifications. You’ll see a result similar to the following:
If your system does not pass, then the specific issues will be stated on this screen. You will also be able to get more details on the issues by clicking on the “Display results” option at the bottom of the screen. The issue I’ve seen come up the most is the lack of a viable graphics card. You will also need to have the following:
• A newer Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 3.4Ghz process (or better)
• 8GB of RAM
• 10 GB of disk space
• An HDMI 1.4 (or greater) or DisplayPort 1.2 (or Greater) graphics port
• USB 3.0 port
• Bluetooth 4.0
Because these are above average requirements, it is best to run the compatibility checker before investing in an immersive headset. If you do pass, as mentioned before, the Microsoft Store online often has an HMD on sale for under $200. Today the Acer and HP headsets were $199 each.