The virtual reality phenomenon seems to be the new trend in the PC gaming world. VR demos were everywhere at the latest industry shows worldwide, and manufacturers are slapping the VR-Ready tag on anything that made the requirement lists of the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive headsets released earlier this year. I experienced some VR demo's first-hand, and can attest that the hype is real. Done right, the levels of immersion and interactivity offered by VR technology allow for an unprecedented gaming experience that cannot be achieved by sitting in front of a monitor with keyboard or controller in hand.

Until recently however, the cost of experiencing this bold new VR world was extremely prohibitive for most consumers. The hardware required for a quality VR experience is still not cheap by all means, but the good news is that it is becoming a little more affordable by the day. This is mostly thanks to recent releases of video cards that are more ready to drive VR headsets without costing you an arm and a leg. This will make the cost of the actual VR headset and peripherals an easier pill to swallow, since the HTC Vive alone will still set you back $799, while the Oculus Rift + Touch controller combo will similarly dig a $798 hole in your pocket.