Get ready to upgrade your PC if you want to enjoy virtual reality, with Nvidia having decided that you'll need at least a GTX 970 GPU.

Nvidia announced the GeForce GTX VR Ready program at CES today, designed to allow consumers to "instantly identify VR capable PCs, notebooks and add-in cards through a GeForce GTX VR Ready badge". 

Notebook users will need a GTX 980.

Accompanying the Nvidia GPUs you'll need the following minimum specs to experience VR:

• a PC with USB 3.0 support
• CPU: Intel Core i5- 4590 equivalent or greater CPU
• 8GB+ RAM of Memory/RAM
• 2x USB 3.0 ports and HDMI 1.3
• Windows 7 SP1 or newer

These specs aim to deliver VR experiences via two simultaneous images at framerates above 90 fps.

"For customers, navigating an emerging technology like VR can be daunting," said Jason Paul, general manager of emerging technologies at Nvidia. "We're working with trusted partners worldwide to simplify the buying process with a GeForce GTX VR Ready badge that will let customers quickly identify PCs or add-in cards that are capable of handling the demands of VR."

http://www.videogamer.com/news/nvidia_says_gtx_970_is_a_minimum_requirement_for_vr.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also, Oculus Rift Pre-Orders to Open on January 6th.

Estimated Price of around 350£ (513$) 

 https://www.oculus.com/en-us/blog/oculus-rift-pre-orders-to-open-on-jan-6/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB SSC Gaming ACX 2.0+ Cooling Graphics Card - 350$

http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-Cooling-Graphics-04G-P4-3975-KR/dp/B00R3NK2LE/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1451932291&sr=1-2&keywords=gtx+970

Sony havent announced what are the Playstation VR requirements, aside from the device itself, the accesories that you have to have. 

But even if you need all the Ps Move Controllers + Playstation Camera, i think that it is way cheaper than the Oculus counterpart.

PS MOVE Controller - 28$

http://www.amazon.com/Playstation-Move-Motion-Controller-3/dp/B002I0J51U/ref=pd_sim_63_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=31eWXloUrSL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1PSX0SJQTXVV5SFR78N7

PS MOVE Navigation Controller - 23$

http://www.amazon.com/Playstation-Move-Navigation-Controller-3/dp/B002I0K6X6/ref=pd_sim_63_8?ie=UTF8&dpID=31FqbzRvGFL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0GTE483DXK8D6QF1Z83D

PS4 CAMERA - 50$

http://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-4-Camera/dp/B00BGAA3S2/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1451933435&sr=1-1&keywords=playstation+camera+ps4

PLAYSTATION VR - 300$???

^ this is a good point:

PC:

Nvidia Geforce 970 - 349$ (newegg)   (I mean you can get a PS4 for cheaper)

Oculus Rift - 499$? (rumor)

ITS TOO FUCKING EXPENSIVE!!!

Though I agree with the specs. A GTX 970 seems like a good base to start for VR games.

Sucks for people who can't afford. I was expecting VR to cost a lot if you want the real thing. Sure VR for consoles will be good enough for some. But nowhere near good enough for my expectations and I am not even that interested in VR. It'll obviously cost a lot for first iteration for new tech.

Wow! The same graphics card I bought my brother this Christmas

Dear god... I would buy 32' monitor 4k over this...

You don't need a Navigation controller, you need two Move Controllers.

Apart from this: the perception of prices is very subjective:

If I already bought a PS4 for 300 - 400 $/€ and I have to pay the same for the VR upgrade, I have to pay 100 percent extra.

PC enthusiasts, who already have a VR-ready PC system (Oculus recommended specs) for ~1000 $/€, have only to pay 50 percent of their system price extra for the VR-upgrade. ;)

In a GPU generation or 2, this will probably be much more affordable.

4k is overrated IMHO... you have the same visual experience as in Full HD with less jaggies.

With VR, you have a total different visual experience than by looking on an immobile monitor/TV.