Building A VR Computer

[TrueChocolateTaco]

So i know there is plenty of threads out there about building a PC but i dont want to flip through dozens of threads to try and piece together answers for my various questions so i thought making my own with all of my questions would be the best choice.

Im planning on building a Vr PC and this is what my current build is looking like:
GPU- undecided
CPU- i5 7500 quad core 1151 socket
Case- VIVO "SMART" Micro-ATX Tower Computer Gaming PC Case Black 5 Fan Mounts, USB 3.0
Motherboard- ASRock H110M-DVP LGA 1151 Intel H110 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
PSU- LOGISYS Computer PS480D-BK 480W ATX12V Power Supply
Ram- pretty much the cheapest (but best) DDR4 288pin 8gb stick i can find on ebay or amazon when i officially start my build
Hdd- some 250gb seagate hdd to start off since their cheap. later im going to buy a 2tb SSd when i have the money after the pc is build and put together successfully.

For my Gpu i was thinking of getting the GTX 970 but reading through other peoples opinion i heard that that sometimes struggles so my next idea for a gpu is the gtx 1060. i want the gtx 1080 but thats a little too much id like to spend one specific part. I dont know how the radeon graphics cards stack up or how they compare to nvidias cards so if you can tell me which gpu is the best one that would help me alot.

For my CPU i dont want to buy the latest and greatest but i just want something thats the best for Vr and any Graphically demanding game thats not too too pricey. once again i dont know anything about the amd cpus. If you have a better suggestion for my Processor please let me know, thank you!

A Case is a case really. it looks nice and from what i read its compatible with all my components correct me if im wrong please.

I've read the motherboard doesn't really matter for Vr so i believe my choice of a motherboard is ok once again if im wrong please correct me or suggest a better one.

I didnt do too much searching for my power supply because, from what ive read, 480w is just enough. i have a backup 680w psu if its not enough power. Am i good with the 480 or should i go with the 680?

Ram is ram to be honest nothing to hard about that.

I have a couple of extra questions too. For instance, I've noticed there is different versions of a gpu like evga, msi, geforce, 1 fan or 2 fans. Is there a performance difference between the different varients? or is it just for show?

I plan on playing games like fallout 4, Rainbow six siege, skyrim, Crisis 3 (3th time now lol beat it twice on xbox), and gta. I know what ever gpu i pick ill be ok for 1080p gamplay, maybe even 4k for a couple games if i pick the gtx 1060, but I know there is so much CPUs out there and if i go by the recommended cpu for the oculus, the i5 4590 isnt good enough for those games. Is the CPU i plan to buy ( i5 7500) good enough to keep 1080p60fps for those games? If not i really need help on choosing the best cpu.

Thats all i can think about right now so if you can answer any of my questions, suggest better parts, and/or help me out so i know im buying the best parts for my vr pc i will be extremely grateful thank you!!

p.s sorry for any grammar mistakes i missed. also i know i selected request solutions but i kinda want both a solution and a discussion if im not asking too much.

 

[Sakkura]

That power supply is junk. Would be a shame to build a nice system only for a cheap power supply to fry it. The wattage is okay, you just need higher quality.

The GTX 1060 is only a little faster than the GTX 970, especially the slower 3GB version of the 1060. But the choice depends on whether you're buying new or used, as the GTX 970 is old and no longer retails for a competitive price. As for AMD, the RX 480 and 580 are roughly on par with the GTX 1060 6GB. But you'll struggle to find them for reasonable prices since crypto miners are buying them up. As for what card is good enough for VR, that also depends what headset you pick. The Oculus Rift has ASW, which allows it to run smoothly on a weaker system. The minimum requirement with a Rift is a GTX 960 or 1050 Ti, or RX 470, while the minimum with an HTC Vive is a GTX 970 or 1060, or RX 480. And being a step above the minimum is a good idea, if you can afford it.

There are different companies that make the actual graphics cards. The differences will be mostly in the cooler, and small changes in the clocks the cards are set to (but that's irrelevant once you overclock). But mostly it's not a huge difference.

The motherboard can matter a little if you get a Rift, as it needs good USB3 ports. But it shouldn't really be a major issue with current-gen hardware. And apart from that the motherboard doesn't matter for VR.

The Core i5-7500 is pretty good at the moment, but to be better prepared for the more threaded games that are coming out, a Core i7 or Ryzen 5 would be a nice upgrade.

 

[TrueChocolateTaco]

That power supply is junk. Would be a shame to build a nice system only for a cheap power supply to fry it. The wattage is okay, you just need higher quality.

The GTX 1060 is only a little faster than the GTX 970, especially the slower 3GB version of the 1060. But the choice depends on whether you're buying new or used, as the GTX 970 is old and no longer retails for a competitive price. As for AMD, the RX 480 and 580 are roughly on par with the GTX 1060 6GB. But you'll struggle to find them for reasonable prices since crypto miners are buying them up. As for what card is good enough for VR, that also depends what headset you pick. The Oculus Rift has ASW, which allows it to run smoothly on a weaker system. The minimum requirement with a Rift is a GTX 960 or 1050 Ti, or RX 470, while the minimum with an HTC Vive is a GTX 970 or 1060, or RX 480. And being a step above the minimum is a good idea, if you can afford it.

There are different companies that make the actual graphics cards. The differences will be mostly in the cooler, and small changes in the clocks the cards are set to (but that's irrelevant once you overclock). But mostly it's not a huge difference.

The motherboard can matter a little if you get a Rift, as it needs good USB3 ports. But it shouldn't really be a major issue with current-gen hardware. And apart from that the motherboard doesn't matter for VR.

The Core i5-7500 is pretty good at the moment, but to be better prepared for the more threaded games that are coming out, a Core i7 or Ryzen 5 would be a nice upgrade.

For my psu I was looking at this... http://m.ebay.com/itm/A-Power-AK-680W-20-4-pin-ATX-Black-PSR-Power-Supply-w-SATA-PCIe-120mm-Fan-/371591052764?nav=WATCHING
Is this good enough for my build?

For the gpu what your saying is I'm ok with getting a gtx 970 since it fits the minimum requirements but it never hurts to go above the minimum? So should I get the gtx 1060 and/or 560?

My motherboard has 2 usb 3.0 ports and 1 usb 3.0 header that supports 2 usb 3.0 ports. Is that good or do they have to be 3 side by side usb 3.0 ports?

Also, do you have any ideas for a i7 cpu that's reasonable price and has more threads than my i5 processor? I'd prefer to stay with an Intel cpu since I know them better than I know amd.

Lastly, my motherboard says it supports turbo boost technology, does that mean It supports overclocking? I plan on maybe overclocking the cpu down the line and I'm just checking if that's what turbo boost is. Thank you!

 

[Sakkura]

No, that's a power supply with passive PFC which means it's outdated and likely junk as well.

I would currently recommend the Seasonic S12II-520, which can be had for just over $30 after a rebate coupon.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/fZyFf7/seasonic-power-supply-s12ii520bronze

The GTX 970 would be fine, and the 1060 and RX 580 are not that much better anyway. But if you're buying from a store, the 1060 will usually be cheaper so it's a better choice anyway. The GTX 970 would make more sense if you buy used.

That USB3.0 setup is okay, though with the Oculus Rift you might end up having to plug a sensor into a USB port on the front panel. Which is potentially a little awkward. But it'll work fine.

As for the CPU, a Core i7-7700 would be alright. It cannot be overclocked though; for that you'd need to spend another 25 bucks or so on a 7700K, plus the extra money on a Z270 motherboard that allows overclocking.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/9mRFf7/intel-core-i7-7700-36ghz-quad-core-processor-bx80677i77700

Turbo boost is a CPU feature that adjusts clock speeds depending on how many cores are in use; when only one or two cores are working, they can afford to run faster without making the whole chip overheat. This feature is on by default on any CPU and motherboard combination, and it is not the same as overclocking support.

 

[TrueChocolateTaco]

No, that's a power supply with passive PFC which means it's outdated and likely junk as well.

I would currently recommend the Seasonic S12II-520, which can be had for just over $30 after a rebate coupon.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/fZyFf7/seasonic-power-supply-s12ii520bronze

The GTX 970 would be fine, and the 1060 and RX 580 are not that much better anyway. But if you're buying from a store, the 1060 will usually be cheaper so it's a better choice anyway. The GTX 970 would make more sense if you buy used.

That USB3.0 setup is okay, though with the Oculus Rift you might end up having to plug a sensor into a USB port on the front panel. Which is potentially a little awkward. But it'll work fine.

As for the CPU, a Core i7-7700 would be alright. It cannot be overclocked though; for that you'd need to spend another 25 bucks or so on a 7700K, plus the extra money on a Z270 motherboard that allows overclocking.

https://pcpartpicker.com/product/9mRFf7/intel-core-i7-7700-36ghz-quad-core-processor-bx80677i77700

Turbo boost is a CPU feature that adjusts clock speeds depending on how many cores are in use; when only one or two cores are working, they can afford to run faster without making the whole chip overheat. This feature is on by default on any CPU and motherboard combination, and it is not the same as overclocking support.

Thank for for the response ill keep all your answers in mind when im buying the parts.

Is there a AMD gpu thats better than the GTX 970 or the same performance but cheeper? im trying to get the best bang for my buck lol

 

[Sakkura]

An R9 290 or 390 is comparable to the 970.

 

[TrueChocolateTaco]

An R9 290 or 390 is comparable to the 970.

Thank you for everything! Bought some parts and build some of it just waiting for the ram to arrive. i bought a celeron g3930 cpu as a temporary untill i have bought the gpu and saved up enough for the i7. thanks again!

 

[Sakkura]

Alright, have fun with VR when the time comes.