Sony’s PC VR Adapter for PSVR 2: Do You Really Need It?
This week, Sony finally released its much-anticipated PC VR adapter for PSVR 2. However, early reports suggest that some users may not even need the company’s $60 adapter to start playing PC VR games like Half-Life: Alyx (2020).
Several early user reviews of the adapter are highlighting a common theme: certain graphics cards with USB-C ports allow PSVR 2 users to connect directly to their GPUs and play SteamVR games without the need for an adapter. All they have to do is download the PlayStation VR 2 App on Steam.
It’s important to note that not all USB-C ports will work for this purpose. The specific type required is called VirtualLink, which has been phased out in newer GPUs.
VirtualLink was introduced in 2018 with the support of Nvidia and AMD to simplify PC VR connections by combining power and data transmission into a single cable. Despite its initial promise, VirtualLink was abandoned in later GPUs as the market shifted towards standalone VR headsets like Meta Quest.
Users who claim they don’t need the PC VR adapter likely have GPUs from around 2018, such as Nvidia GeForce RTX 20 Series cards (Founders Editions) and AMD 6000 or 7000 series reference design cards. Partner cards typically did not include VirtualLink support.
If you’re curious about whether your GPU supports VirtualLink, you can download the PSVR 2 app from Steam and see if you fall into that specific category.
NVIDIA GPUs
- GeForce RTX 2060
- GeForce RTX 2070
- GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER
- GeForce RTX 2080
- GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER
- GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
- Quadro RTX 4000
- Quadro RTX 5000
- Quadro RTX 6000
- Quadro RTX 8000
AMD GPUs
- Radeon VII
- Radeon RX 6000
- Radeon RX 7000
While some users are successfully connecting to PC VR without the adapter, there are reports of frustrating issues with pairing PSVR 2’s Sense Controllers to Bluetooth.
It’s important to note that PC support may not include all the features unique to PSVR 2, such as HDR, headset feedback, eye-tracking, adaptive triggers, and haptic feedback beyond rumble.
