Best VR-ready laptops 2023

best VR-ready laptops
(Image credit: Rami Tabari)

Only the best VR-ready laptops are capable of handling virtual reality headsets like the HP Reverb G2 and the HTC Vive Cosmos. And since we tested a bunch, we know which ones will power the VR headsets that'll grant you all of your immersive experiences, including 360-degree games, apps and videos

The best laptops with the proper specifications such as Nvidia's 30-series GPUs or the company's Max-Q GPUs, which essentially make even the smallest laptops a virtual reality powerhouse, will do the trick. 

We strongly suggest looking at our best gaming deals page to find a gaming laptop at a great price. Also, see our latest Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 review, a workstation with VR-level graphics.

Without further ado, these are the best VR-ready laptops.

The best VR-ready laptops you can buy today

Why you can trust Laptop Mag Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Alienware m17 R5 review

The Alienware m17 R5 serves up big performance and endurance with a beautiful 4K display and comfy keyboard at a premium price. (Image credit: Future)
The best VR-ready laptop you can buy

Specifications

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 6900XT
GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6850 XT
RAM: 16GB/32GB
Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB SSD
Display: 17.3-inch (1080p/4K)
Size: 14.1 x 10.2 x 1.1 inches
Weight: 5.6 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Sleek, futuristic design
+
Great gaming and overall performance
+
Super comfortable keyboard
+
Superb battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Seriously expensive

We’re now at a place where it’s truly a competition — instead of Intel and Nvidia ruling the gaming laptop space, AMD is here making some serious noise and OEMs are starting to dance to AMD’s beat.

The latest team to make beautiful music with AMD? Alienware with the m17 R5. Boasting a AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor and a Radeon RX 6850 XT GPU, the laptop is not to be trifled with. Thanks to AMD Advantage Suite, this system is optimized up the wazoo to ensure that you’re getting the best performance out of the system no matter the situation. You also get Cherry MX keys, a stunning 4K display, great speakers and a slick design to boot. 

There are a few flaws, but there’s a lot to love about the $2,799 Alienware m17 R5

See our full Alienware m17 R5 review.

Acer Predator Triton 300 SE best VR-ready laptops

The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE boasts strong performance and decent battery life packed into a sleek 14-inch chassis, all for an affordable price. (Image credit: Rami Tabari)
The best budget VR-ready laptop

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-11375H
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB SSD
Display: 15.6-inch (1080p, 144Hz)
Size: 12.7 x 9.0 x 0.7 inches
Weight: 3.8 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Strong performance and graphics
+
Solid battery life
+
Sleek, 14-inch chassis
+
Bright and colorful display

Reasons to avoid

-
Keyboard and touchpad could use some work

Acer is known for making quality laptops at affordable prices, but its gaming laptops can get a little pricey and don’t offer all of the bells and whistles that other brands do. However, the Acer Predator Triton 300 SE sits in that cozy spot where the company offers its best quality components packed into a relatively affordable package.

For $1,399, you get a powerful Intel Core i7-11375H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, decent battery life and a colorful 14-inch, 144Hz display wrapped up in a sleek and thin chassis. For the price alone, the Predator Triton 300 SE is easily one of the best VR-ready laptops that you can buy.

See our full Acer Predator Triton 300 SE review.

best vr-ready laptops Lenovo Legion 5i Pro

The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro is a fantastic gaming laptop — a proper powerhouse with a refined aesthetic, tons of I/O, and decent value for money. (Image credit: Future)
Best Lenovo VR-ready laptop

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSD
Display: 16-inch, 1440p, 165Hz
Size: 14.1 x 10.4 x 1 inches
Weight: 5.5 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Stylish, sleek form factor
+
Gorgeous display
+
Strong performance
+
Quiet fans

Reasons to avoid

-
Webcam = potato

This has been a fantastic year for gaming laptops, and the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro is up there as one of the best. For its price, you’re getting a power-packed system in a sleek chassis with decent battery life, excellent thermal performance and plenty of ports for all your gaming needs.

That’s not to say it’s perfect: the webcam is pretty pants (though we’ve come to expect that from gaming laptops), there are no biometric security options, and the SSD is a little slower than its competition.

But while others brought interesting innovations to the table, such as the convertible nature of the Asus ROG Flow X16, Lenovo stuck to its guns and just gave us a damn good gaming laptop.

See our full Lenovo Legion 5i Pro review.

Acer Predator Triton 500 SE (2022) review best VR-ready laptops

Elegant styling, excellent gaming and productivity performance with a fantastic webcam make the Acer Predator Triton 500 SE a worthy gaming laptop. (Image credit: Future)
The best 16-inch VR-ready laptop

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i9-12900H
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD
Display: 16-inch, 16:10, QHD (2560 x 1600) at 240Hz
Size: 14.11 x 10.3 x 0.78 inches
Weight: 5.3 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent gaming and productivity performance
+
Elegant design with solid build quality
+
Beautifully crisp, colorful, speedy display
+
Solid battery life for a gaming laptop

Reasons to avoid

-
Audio could use a bass boost

Acer’s updated Predator Triton 500 SE is a sleek, subtle powerhouse you can sneak into the office, get nearly a day’s worth of work done. And if you plug in during your lunch break, you can vanquish your enemies and get back to business. 

Featuring a 12th Gen Intel Core i9 CPU and Nvidia’s powerful 3080Ti GPU with 16 GB of VRAM, this Predator is hiding its potent gaming genes underneath a gorgeous all-aluminum, gun-metal grey exterior that is office elegant. Even its air vents possess an understated aggressive look that will excite you.              

With pretty quiet fans and one of the better laptop webcams I’ve seen in a long time, the Predator seems destined to join our best gaming laptops.

See our full Acer Predator Triton 500 SE (2022) review.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 (GA503Q) best VR-ready laptops

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 (GA503Q) delivers almost everything you want in a gaming laptop from kickass performance and battery life to punchy speakers and a clicky keyboard. (Image credit: Rami Tabari)
The longest lasting 15-inch

Specifications

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
Display: 15.6-inch, 2560 x 1440, 165Hz
Size: 14.0 x 9.6 x 0.8 inches
Weight: 4.2 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Killer AMD and Nvidia performance
+
Amazing battery life
+
Clicky keyboard
+
Elegant Moonlight White design

Reasons to avoid

-
Display could be more vibrant

For a pricier $2,499, the Zephyrus G15 offers amazing performance from its AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. It even boasts a similarly long-lasting battery life, a clicky keyboard, a 15.6-inch, 1440p display and a set of powerful speakers wrapped up in an even more elegant Moonlight White design.

Whereas the G14 was a midrange beast, the Zephyrus G15 comes in at the top of the food chain with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU (with an 80-watt TDP) with 8GB of VRAM. This monster shrugged off Assassin’s Creed Valhalla at Ultra, 1440p settings as I raided a small village on the coast, tearing through my enemies at 51 frames per second.

See our full Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 (GA503Q) review.

MSI GS66 Stealth (2021)

Thanks to its slim chassis and sleek design, the MSI GS66 Stealth is not only superportable, but it's also one of the best VR-ready laptops. (Image credit: Future)
The best Max-Q design

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7/Core i9
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB/1TB SSD
Display: 15.6-inch (1080p)
Size: 14.2 x 9.7 x 0.7 inches
Weight: 4.5 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Sleek, attractive design
+
Good overall and gaming performance
+
Excellent battery life
+
Blistering-fast transfer speeds

Reasons to avoid

-
Display could be brighter and more vivid

Nvidia has found a way to take the most powerful graphics card around, the RTX 3080, and work some Max-Q magic to fit it in the MSI GS66 Stealth’s 0.7-inch slim chassis. MSI has stripped all the accent color from the design, leaving an elegant Core Black aluminum chassis. Even the dragon emblem, which is usually done in a bright color, has been toned down to a semi-gloss matte that still manages to draw the eye.

The MSI GS66 Stealth is one of the latest gaming laptops to feature a display with a 2560 x 1440p resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. We expect to see this configuration a lot as time goes on as this appears to be the sweet spot gamers are looking for. To ensure you can take your games on the road, MSI has outfitted the Stealth with a 99.9 watt hour battery, which allowed it to last 6 hours and 27 minutes. 

See our full MSI GS66 Stealth (2021) review.

Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 best VR-ready laptops

The ROG Strix Scar 17 G733 is Asus’ most powerful gaming laptop, showcasing the might of an AMD CPU and an Nvidia RTX 30 GPU. But an expensive price makes this beast out of reach for most gamers. (Image credit: Future)
Coolest VR-ready laptop

Specifications

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 2 1TB SSDs
Display: 17.3-inch (1080p, 360Hz)
Size: 15.5 x 11.1 x 0.9~1.1 inches
Weight: 6.1 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Brilliant 360Hz display
+
Stunning graphics
+
Speedy AMD CPU
+
Outstanding mechanical keyboard

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive

If I had to dream up the ultimate gaming laptop, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 G733 would be the closest manifestation of what my wild, gamer-centric imagination would create. A 17.3-inch display with a 360Hz refresh rate that shows off the might of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU made more powerful by an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor — that’s exactly what I’d conjure up. Asus’ latest 17-inch beast turns these dreams into reality and materializes even more exciting and unexpected qualities.

With its dream-like features, from the laptop’s dazzling RGB light show and commendable optical-mechanical keyboard switches, the Strix Scar 17 comes with a price tag that makes it a fantasy purchase for most. For those willing to empty their pockets, you’ll be treated to one of the best gaming laptops on the market. One, however, without a webcam and poor battery life. Despite that, it's one of the best VR-ready laptops around.

See our full Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 (2021) review.

Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model (2021) best VR-ready laptops

The Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model serves up power, speed and portability in a gorgeous, slim chassis. (Image credit: Laptop Mag)
The best slim VR-ready laptop

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-10875H
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Display: 15.6-inch, QHD (2560 x 1440)
Size: 14 x 9.3 x 0.7 inches
Weight: 4.4 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Lightweight, attractive design
+
Great overall and graphics performance
+
Good battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Keyboard a bit mushy
-
Dim screen

Build a better laptop and the gamers will beat a path to your door. With the latest version of the Blade 15 Advanced Model, Razer hasn’t made the perfect laptop, but it’s getting awfully close. Packing a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, the Blade 15 serves up tons of power in its 4.6-pound, 0.7-inch chassis. 

Plus, you’ve got a display with a high refresh rate, good battery life and a few security features. It’s a tad pricey and the keyboard is a bit mushy, but if you’re in the market for a potent gaming powerhouse that has earned its way onto our best VR-ready laptops page, you’ll be hard-pressed to outdo the Blade 15.

See our full Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model (2021) review.

MSI GE76 Raider UH10 best VR-ready laptops

The MSI GE76 Raider UH10 serves up plenty of power, speed and endurance in a slimmed-down chassis. (Image credit: Laptop Mag)
The best 17-inch VR-ready laptop

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-10870H
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
Display: 17.3-inch (1080p)
Size: 15.6 x 10.6 x 1.1 inches
Weight: 6.4 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent overall and gaming performance
+
Lightning-fast transfer speeds
+
Powerful audio

Reasons to avoid

-
Dim, dull display
-
Mushy keyboard

It’s the Raider’s time now. As MSI puts its formidable Titan out to pasture, the GE76 Raider is here to fill that ginormous footprint. And it does a great job for the most part. A smaller, thinner version of the Titan, the Raider proves it’s every bit as powerful as its behemoth predecessor, bringing an Intel Core i7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU to the party. Plus, you get incredibly fast transfer speeds, solid battery life and great audio. And it’s one of the first gaming laptops to feature Wi-Fi 6. 

But for $2,899, there are a few flaws to contend with, namely a mushy keyboard and a dim, dull display. However, that panel does have one of the highest refresh rates available. If you can overlook those slight imperfections, the MSI GE76 Raider deserves a place in your gaming battlestation as well as our best VR-ready laptops page.

See our full MSI GE76 Raider UH10 review.

HP ZBook Fury 17 G8 best VR-ready laptops

Don’t let the unassuming aesthetics fool you. In the known universe of world-class workstations, the HP ZBook Fury 17 G8 laptop may as well be the finger of God. (Image credit: Laptop Mag)
The best workstation

Specifications

CPU: Intel Xeon W-11955M
GPU: Nvidia RTX A5000
RAM: 64GB
Storage: 1TB SSD
Display: 17.3-inch (4K)
Size: 15.7 x 10.5 x 1.1 inches
Weight: 7 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Gorgeous 17-inch, 4K touchscreen
+
Mind-boggling CPU/GPU performance
+
Integrated fingerprint reader
+
Minimal bloatware

Reasons to avoid

-
Hum-drum design

As one might expect from the Metatron of mobile workstations, there are tradeoffs for this magnitude of muscle. Clocking in at a flat 7 pounds, this clunky beast wasn’t exactly designed for on-the-move jetsetters, especially since you’ll only get about 7 hours of battery life on a full charge, at most. That being said, if you plan on plunking the Fury 17 G8 down on a desk and just leaving it in place most of the time, there’s plenty to like about its best-in-class trackpad, keyboard, Bang & Olufsen speakers, and raw, unbridled horsepower.

Is the HP ZBook Fury 17 G8 the best workstation on the market? I suppose that depends on your budget and configuration, but if your pockets are deep enough for an Intel Xeon processor and Nvidia RTX A5000 graphics (boy howdy!), this is about as future-proof as laptops get right now. If you're looking to do some professional work with VR, this easily is one of the best VR-ready laptops around.

See our full HP ZBook Fury 17 G8 review.

How to choose the best VR-ready laptops for you

Before you get around to choosing the best VR-ready laptop for you. Consider the specs you’ll need in the gaming laptop you’re looking at. 

Here are the VR minimum specs:

The main thing you have to worry about when picking out a VR-ready laptop is what kind of specs it has and if it has a mini DisplayPort. Anything apart from those features are negligible if you’re just focused on the VR portion, but you should be mindful of the display, keyboard and size of the laptop, as you’re likely to use it as a normal gaming laptop as well.

If you’re on a budget, consider looking at laptops with lower-end AMD GPUs, such as the Dell G5 15. It won’t be ideal, but it’ll get your VR setup up and running. Of course, you can spring for a laptop with an RTX GPU, like the Alienware m17, which would absolutely kill it in VR, but that’s going to cost you. Overall, you have to figure out your budget and what’s important to you in a VR-ready laptop.

How we test the best VR-ready laptops 

We put each laptop through extensive benchmark testing — both synthetic and real-world — before they end up in the hands of our reviewers. We evaluate each aspect of the laptop, including its performance, battery life, display, speakers and heat management.

In our benchmark testing, we use a Klein K10 colorimeter to detect the brightness and sRGB color gamut of the laptop's display. For performance testing, we run the laptop through a gauntlet of benchmarks, including Geekbench 4.3 and 5.0 and 3DMark professional graphics tests. 

To determine real-world performance, we task the laptop to convert a 4K video to 1080p resolution and to duplicate a 4.97GB multimedia file. Our real-world graphics test is the Dirt 3 benchmark with medium settings at 1080p resolution.

We also run heat tests by playing a 15-minute full-screen video and measuring temperatures in different areas of the laptop. Last but not least, our battery test consists of continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness. For MacBooks and premium Windows 10 laptops, a runtime of over 9 hours is considered a good result whereas gaming laptops and workstations that can stay powered for longer than 5 hours deserve praise. 

These tests are complemented with extensive hands-on testing from our reviewers who critique everything from the laptop's materials to the feel of its touchpad.

Rami Tabari
Editor

Rami Tabari is an Editor for Laptop Mag. He reviews every shape and form of a laptop as well as all sorts of cool tech. You can find him sitting at his desk surrounded by a hoarder's dream of laptops, and when he navigates his way out to civilization, you can catch him watching really bad anime or playing some kind of painfully difficult game. He’s the best at every game and he just doesn’t lose. That’s why you’ll occasionally catch his byline attached to the latest Souls-like challenge.