It was recently revealed that many of the Windows 10 Mixed Reality head-mounted displays (HMDs), including those from Lenovo and Acer, would operate with integrated graphics chips without the necessity of a dedicated GPU. However, alongside the launch of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update and Windows Mixed Reality will come ‘Windows Mixed Reality Ultra’: a defining aspect of the Windows Mixed Reality technology that hasn’t yet been fully discussed.
According to Microsoft, Windows Mixed Reality will be presented on two distinct fronts. There will be a standardised offering to those with less technical knowledge or unable to upgrade their PCs, while those who are more intimately involved in PC gaming or virtual reality (VR) will have the option of experiencing superior software with Windows Mixed Reality Ultra:
“Windows Mixed Reality PCs will consist of desktops and laptops with integrated graphics. When plugged into these devices, our immersive headsets will run at 60 frames per second. Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs will consist of desktops and laptops with discrete graphics. When plugged into these devices, our immersive headsets will run at 90 frames per second.”
Of course, this important difference will affect many VR videogames and experiences. Existing VR content distributed via Steam will require a Windows Mixed Reality Ultra compatible PC, but some more lightweight VR experiences – akin to those currently available on mobile VR platforms – may well be acceptable at the 60 frames per second standard.
Essentially, Windows Mixed Reality Ultra is Microsoft’s answer to the existing high-end PC VR HMDs, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, while the standard Windows Mixed Reality offering is designed to lower the barrier for entry. This, surely, can only be a good thing?
You can find out more about the recent announcements regarding the launch of Windows Mixed Reality in the video below, and VRFocus will keep you updated with all the latest details on Microsoft’s entrance into the field of VR.