Virtual reality gaming is very demanding, so a powerful PC is required to run titles smoothly on the Rift. Pushing high-quality graphics to the two high-resolution displays sitting inches from your eyes is strenuous, and the average computer won't be able to keep up. This is one of the biggest barriers to mainstream success for the Rift, as it potentially adds the purchase of a pricey gaming PC to the already-expensive headset. Many enthusiasts view VR as the way forward for gaming, though, so it's up to you to decide if the one-of-a-kind experience is worth the price of admission.

Oculus has provided a list of required specs which tells you exactly what you need to at least clear the floor for running games. Your graphics card will be the key factor, but your processor, memory, and inputs play important roles as well. Below are the recommendations from Oculus:

• Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970/AMD Radeon R9 290 equivalent or greater

• Processor: Intel Core i5-4590 equivalent or greater

• Memory: 8GB or more RAM

• Output: compatible HDMI 1.3 video output

• Input: two USB 3.0 ports and one USB 2.0 port

• Operating System: Windows 7 SP1 64-bit or newer (Oculus is not compatible with Mac OS X or Linux at launch)

Still not sure if your system makes the grade? Oculus offers a free downloadable program that quickly scans your computer and tells you whether each component passes or fails. It's a very straightforward way to figure out whether or not your current rig is ready, plus the program is small and takes only few seconds to gauge your hardware.