Oculus has upgraded the minimum requirements for the Oculus Rift, now Windows 10 is required. What does that mean for users of older operating systems?
The new Oculus user interfaces Rift Core 2.0 has been in the open beta phase since the end of 2017. Now Oculus has announced that Windows 7 and 8.1 are no longer supported by the software, which affects all users of an Oculus Rift. What does this mean in concrete terms?
Oculus Rift: Only with Windows 10?
A Windows 10 installation is now a minimum requirement for Oculus PC-VR glasses. The Californians explain the reasons for this step in a blog post. According to Oculus, 95% of Rift users already use Microsoft’s current operating system, and Rift Core 2.0 is also responsible.
Only Windows 10 offers the right conditions for Oculus to optimally develop the new user interface and to master the balancing act between feature richness and performance.
But the Windows 10 compulsion is not really bad. After all, Microsoft has not provided Windows 7 and 8.1 with updates for some time now – if you value a secure operating system, you should upgrade to Windows 10 anyway.
Windows 7 & 8.1 + Rift: possible, but not recommended
However, Oculus emphasizes that users of the old Windows versions do not have to do without their Rift completely. However, they will not be able to use all features of Rift Core 2.0, and not all VR applications available for Rift will work. This applies to Oculus Desktop, for example – the app that allows us to use our Windows desktop in VR.
Oculus regularly provides Rift Core 2.0 with new updates: For example, it is now possible to integrate user-generated content into the virtual home Oculus Home. To find the perfect position for your Oculus Rift sensors, read our guide. You can also find out how to switch off your rift at the push of a button.
What do you say about the new Windows 10 force for the Oculus Rift? Write us in the comments!