GTX 970 is minimum graphics card needed for VR, Nvidia reveals

Nvidia has confirmed that PC users wanting to make the most of virtual reality headsets will need one of its more weighty cards.

Speaking at CES, the graphics specialist revealed that desktop owners will need to be running at least a GeForce GTX 970 to achieve the dual display rate of more than 90 frames per second utilised by peripherals such as the Oculus Rift and HTC Valve Vive VR.

Those looking to run a headset on the go through a notebook will have to be equipped with at least a GTX 980.

Other hardware specs cited by the company include two USB 3.0 ports, a processor equivalent to or greater than an Intel Core i5-4590, more than 8GB of RAM and a HDMI 1.3 connection.

On the software side of things, Windows 7 SP1 or newer is required.

To make things easier for the less tech-savvy, Nvidia has also unveiled its GeForce GTX VR Ready campaign.

"For customers, navigating an emerging technology like VR can be daunting," said Nvidia emerging technologies GM Jason Paul (via VideoGamer).

"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."