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Writer builds PC for Oculus Rift experience

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With anticipation building about the upcoming release of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset in March, some people are finding unique ways to enjoy the VR experience.

Jordan Novet, a writer for VentureBeat.com, decided after using a MacBook for more than a decade his next computer was going to run Windows.

And not just any computer, but one that he built that could power the Oculus Rift.

“I looked at the specifications that Facebook made available for the Oculus Rift and I said, ‘Gosh, my MacBook doesn’t have any of this kind of equipment.’ And I said well there are a couple of options: One is I could buy an oculus-ready machine or I could alternatively build my own PC,” Novet said.   

He said he paid about $1400 and he feels it’s a good investment.

“I paid around $1400 for everything: that includes a monitor, that includes a graphic card, an Intel chip, a hard drive to store everything, a solid-state drive to store some special things like operating system, a Wi-Fi adaptor,” he said. “I believe that virtual reality will be an important platform for the future. I’m optimistic about it and this really feels like the right time to jump in.”

Novet said he pre-ordered the consumer version of the Oculus Rift, but uses a developer’s kit at the moment.

“Basically after I get home from work every day I download a bunch of games to try out. Sometimes it’s really fun and other times, I feel nauseated afterward and I have to lie down basically and go to sleep,” he said. 

Additional production by Praveen Sathianathan.

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