Barriers to entry are high for Half-Life: Alyx, as Valve's long-awaited return to the series requires quite the robust VR setup. Only certain VR headsets are compatible with Half-Life: Alyx, and the game also comes with some demanding minimum PC system requirements.
Valve surprised the gaming world with the announcement that its long-awaited return to Half-Life would be via the VR-only Alyx. Valve's full development force behind a VR title could propel the medium forward, but it also seemed like a big risk, as VR's high cost meant the game would have a limited install base. At least from a gameplay standpoint, Half-Life: Alyx reviews report the decision may have been worth the risk.
Valve's innovation and polish means Half-Life: Alyx requires a lot of advanced tech to run well. That limits it to a few VR headsets and high-perfomance PCs. Here's everything players need to play Half-Life: Alyx.
Valve only lists Half-Life: Alyx's minimum system requirements on Steam, not giving any particular hardware recommendations, but that's probably because the minimum specs are so high already. To prepare for Half-Life: Alyx, series fans will need to upgrade their PCs beyond the minimum recommendations of the Valve Index. The company's own VR machine headset, the Index requires at least 8 GB or RAM, a dual-core CPU, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 or AMD RX480. But Half-Life: Alyx demands more. The full system requirements are listed below.
- OS: Windows 1o
- Processor: Core i5-7500 / Ryzen 5 1600
- Memory: 12 GB RAM
- Graphics: GTX 1060 / RX 580 - 6GB VRAM
Below is a breakdown of each VR headset that supports Half-Life: Alyx, via The Verge. Keep in mind that these headsets will only support the game if the PCs they're paired with meet the aforementioned minimum system requirements.
The Index is Valve's 2019 answer to the long-running battle of third-party VR headsets. On its own, it costs $499, with controllers sold separately for $279. A bundle can be purchased with the controllers and two headset-tracking "base stations" for $999, and those who purchase any Index bundle receive Half-Life: Alyx for free. At the time of writing, new Index orders won't ship for another eight weeks. The Index headset's sales doubled after the game was announced, so it appears Valve is still struggling to meet demand.
HTC offers varying levels of performance with its three Vive series. The Pro headsets are higher-end, ranging from $599 to $1,199, depending on which compatible components from other VR systems (base stations, controllers, etc.) a buyer might already have. The Cosmos, which comes with a headset and controllers for $699, does not require base stations for tracking. The Cosmos Elite - which also comes with Half-Life: Alyx - has packed-in base stations for tracking and includes higher-quality controllers, totaling $899.
The Oculus Quest VR headset has the advantage of being wire-free ("untethered") for many games, allowing for unhindered movement during play. Unfortunately, as the PC specs above imply, Quest owners will need to connect the headset to a capable PC with a compatible USB-C cable (sold separately) in order to play Half-Life: Alyx. The Quest itself (with two controllers) sells for $399 or $499, depending on its storage space. The Rift S costs $399, as well. It's a lower-quality headset than the rest in some ways, but it has a built-in cable that negates some of what Quest owners will need to pay in order to play Half-Life: Alyx.
Microsoft once endorsed a variety of cheaper, "mixed reality" headsets, but now only hosts one on its website: The Samsung HMD Odyssey Plus. Unfortunately, this $279 headset (with no controllers) is currently out of stock on Microsoft's website.
Half-Life: Alyx released for PC on March 23, 2020.
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