Virtual reality is getting big.
But to experience what virtual reality truly has to offer, even bigger specs are required to make it work.
Unlike the kind of virtual reality that's being peddled to the masses right now with Samsung's Gear VR and Google's Cardboard (where virtual reality is watched), hardware from the likes of Facebook's Oculus Rift and HTC's Vive (where virtual reality is truly immersive) needs separate high-performance hardware.
The $599 Oculus Rift, for example, comes with the Rift headset, built-in headphones, a motion sensor, microphone, Xbox one controller and the new Oculus Remote. However, it does not come packaged with the high-end PC required to run the VR setup.
That's where Eurocom comes in. Eurocom makes some pretty powerful laptops such as the SKY X9 desktop replacement laptop. Along with its SKY DLX7, these devices pack Intel's Skylake processors and Nvidia's GTX 980 graphics cards that are meant for desktops in laptop form.
Both offer the kind of performance that can easily run Oculus' Rift and HTC's Vive virtual reality hardware. They aren't cheap either, but Eurocom is offering a discount in conjunction with the launch of the company's VR Developer Program.
"To qualify for the Eurocom VR Developer Program please send a one paragraph article outlining your work as a VR developer along with links to your work, website or portfolio. Those chosen will be eligible for a 10 percent discount on the EUROCOM Sky X9 and DLX7," the company writes in its press release.
At their default configurations, both the Eurocom SKY DLX7 and SKY X9 cost over $2,500. Specifically, the SKY X9 is the cheaper of the two for $2,585 while the SKY DLX7 commands a bit more at $2,999. With Eurocom's 10 percent discount, that's a savings of about $250 to $300 depending on which model is to be purchased from their website.
With the discount, that still leaves Eurocom's VR-ready hardware at the high-end price point of other VR-ready PCs. The most affordable Oculus-ready PC, for example, comes from Asus and starts at $949 (with the purchase of Oculus' Rift).
The next available setup that can come close to Eurocom's pricing is Alienware's Area-51 Signature Edition Desktop. It can be had for $2,699.00. Note, however, that these bundles already include the headset, while Eurocom's powerful laptops do not. Then again, Eurocom's DLX7 and SKY X9 do blow away other competing bundles.
