Microsoft is using the Windows Hardware Engineering Community event (WinHEC) to reveal a number of interesting projects this week. We've already heard about Windows 10 running on ARM (for real this time), and what the "Project Evo" Intel collaboration is all about. Now it's time for mixed reality details, including a minimum spec for running a virtual reality/augmented reality headset on Windows 10.
It is Microsoft's aim to make mixed reality mainstream, which means setting a date for deployment as well as agreeing on a minimum spec that can support the headsets. According to Microsoft, both of those seem to have been decided, with the company committing to delivering HoloLens, for China at least, before the middle of next year.
Delivering mixed reality through HoloLens means an opportunity to push a range of other Microsoft products. So the launch will be backed by 20,000 Windows apps, 360-degree movies through the Microsoft Movies & TV app, WebVR using the Microsoft Edge browser, as well as the ability for users to drag and drop 3D objects out of Edge and "into their physical world."
If you're wondering what mixed reality is, Microsoft created this informative video to help explain their take on it:
We got a good idea of the minimum PC spec Microsoft requires for VR/AR headsets last month, but the final spec has now been locked down with input from Intel as part of the Project Evo collaboration.
Here's the minimum spec in full:
- Intel dual core Mobile Core i5 processor (Kaby Lake)
- Intel HD Graphics 620 (DirectX 12 support required)
- 8GB dual channel RAM
- HDMI 1.4 (2880 by 1440 @60Hz) or HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.3 (2880 by 1440 @90Hz)
- 100GB SSD or HDD (SSD is preferred)
- USB 3.0 Type-A or USB 3.1 Type-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode
- Bluetooth 4.0 (for accessories)
Keep in mind that this is the minimum required, and it should be possible to meet the performance requirements with a mix of different components. You can also easily boost the performance by switching to a dedicated GPU rather than relying on Intel's integrated solution. Extra RAM is also going to help significantly. Preferring an SSD over a hard drive is understandable considering the performance difference between the two (read SSD vs. HDD: What's the Difference?).
We can expect all the major PC manufacturers to launch PCs certified as ready for Windows 10 mixed reality, with Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo already planning Head-Mounted Display hardware launches next year, too. For China specifically, 3Glasses is on board as a Microsoft partner, with the company's S1 Blubur headset gaining official Windows 10 compatibility in early 2017.