⚠️ Important Disclaimer ⚠️

None of this information is condoned by, reviewed by, or endorsed by VRChat. I am not doing this as an employee of VRChat. I am not getting compensated for writing any of this, either by VRChat or by any other entity. This is me, as an independent Person, answering questions I get asked pretty often.

Recommendations change over time. Do not be surprised when you revisit this page 6 months from now and your build is no longer recognizable.

I provide no warranty and no guarantee for the information I provide. It is a task left to the reader to validate all information I provide. Despite that, I provide as many sources as I can.

If you find something that is incorrect or inaccurate, tell me, and I will correct it. I am not a hardware authority, simply an enthusiast. I compile information from many sources and combine it here.

Finally, I am not immune to personal bias. I have preferences that may be reflected in the recommendations I make. When I notice them, I will let you know, but I will deliver my best knowledge regardless.

ℹ️ Click here to skip to the builds.

🛠️ Click here to skip to the tweaks.

🧠 Click here to skip to the reasoning.

"What is the best PC for VRChat? What should I buy? How do I get the most frames?"

This guide will focus on two main sections and a third support section:

Section 1: The Reasoning. This section will explain our part selection criteria. Not the specific components, but the reasoning behind our filters and choices. If you learn this, you can always build an up to date PC.

Section 2: The Builds. This section will provide three PCPartPicker builds using parametric filters, in "Good," "Better," "Best" format.

Section 3: The Tweaks. These are things you should do to your system to optimize it for VRChat usage.

isn't this just a guide on how to build a badass pc

Yes, if you already know the latest PC hardware, this is literally just a guide on how to build a big, badass gaming PC. That's all you really need for VRChat. 🤷

why does a free social game need a badass pc

First off, VRChat isn't a game, it's a platform. (also, every time I hear someone say "why does a free social game", it's usually followed by one of the dumbest takes I've ever heard)

Second off, it's because VRChat consists almost entirely of user-generated content. Take any random screenshot in VRChat, and I guarantee you that 99% to 100% of the pixels rendered on the screen at that time (unless you have your face in the menu) was created by a user.

Avatar creators -- or just "creators" -- aren't usually game developers. Creators are amateurs (non-pejorative) and tend to skip some steps in their learning and process because they are too hard, take up too much time, or are perceived as pointless. Game developers consider those skipped steps -- like optimization -- vital and core to the process all the way through.

There's also some deeper complications:

• vrchat's current avatar system utilizes Animators, a system that scales very poorly with how heavily & deeply users utilize them
• batching never happens because shaders and materials are always different
• a "very poor" might either be "slightly bad" or "war crime", and the motivation to optimize lessens when you'll be ranked "very poor" despite your best efforts
• there is a deep, inherent misunderstanding of the impact of high vertex counts on avatars
• avatar base artists tend to create and release bases that blow past the limits to start, making it much harder to optimize your end product

Assumptions

Before we begin, let's cover some basic assumptions for this guide.

1. You know how to build a PC. We're not dealing with prebuilt machines here. While prebuilts can be decent, building your own PC almost always yields better results. That being said... prebuilts aren't bad, especially with how much parts cost right now. Costco machines are sometimes half-decent.
2. You generally understand what computer parts do. You don't need to be a computer engineer, but you should know the basics about CPUs, GPUs, and RAM.
3. You want a desktop. Desktops offer better cooling, rarely thermal throttle, have easy-to-find parts, and provide plenty of room for future upgrades.

Don't worry if you're unsure about assumptions 1 or 2 -- YouTube has excellent PC building guides and component explanations. It's much simpler than you might think, similar to assembling a (very expensive) LEGO set.

If you frowned at item 3: ⚠️ I strongly recommend against a laptop for VR and VRChat usage. ⚠️

A laptop with a similar CPU or GPU is not equivalent to the desktop. Power limits, cooling, and the actual hardware inside matter, and essentially every time, you'll pay 30-50% more for a fraction of of the performance. If you need portability, look up sustained performance tests for the specific laptop. There are some out there that perform very well... but a properly-built and cooled desktop will always kick a laptop's ass.

Reasoning

This section is a bit tech-heavy. Skip it if you don't care.

CPU

VRChat runs in Unity, and busy instances can put a lot of pressure on the CPU. Strong single-thread performance and a large L3 cache are good things to look for. More cores can help with parallel work and everything else you're running, but don't expect twice the cores to mean twice the frames.

Aside: yes, VRChat is multithreaded. It has been forever. Prove it to yourself by opening Task Manager, splitting out by logical cores, and watching how many of them increase utilization when you launch VRChat (the answer is all of them unless your affinity limits you to a single CCD)

However, that doesn't magically mean that all cores will be assigned the perfect amount of work to fully utilize them all of the time, and it doesn't mean that the main thread will never get slammed up against limits.

Also: Ryzen X3D is a central requirement for the builds in this guide. If you drop X3D, you're leaving ~30% of your frames on the table.

Boost Clock

Speed is good. But MHz alone isn't a useful way to compare different CPU architectures. How much work gets done per clock matters, too, along with cache and memory access.

Even within the same architecture, a higher advertised boost doesn't translate directly into the same percentage increase in FPS. The 9850X3D is a good example: more clock, modest gains. Look at benchmarks, not just the big GHz number on the box.

Physical Cores & Layout

More cores means more parallel work. Cores closer together means less latency when threads need to talk. Simple enough, right?

Modern CPUs use multiple smaller chiplets stitched together. How those chiplets communicate matters a lot for latency-sensitive workloads like games.

AMD

The Ryzen 7000 and 9000 desktop CPUs discussed here use CCDs (Core Complex Dies) -- chiplets with up to 8 cores each. Within a CCD, cores share L3 cache.

The 9800X3D has one CCD. The 9950X3D has two. When threads need to talk across CCDs, they go through AMD's Infinity Fabric -- a high-speed interconnect that's fast, but not as fast as staying on the same die. This is why the tweaks section discusses CPU affinity on dual-CCD chips. VRChat handles this on its own these days.

Intel

Intel's Core Ultra desktop CPUs use a mix of P-Cores (performance cores) and E-Cores (efficiency cores). The idea is that P-Cores handle heavy lifting, while E-Cores mop up background tasks. Intel uses Foveros packaging to connect the tiles.

On paper, this packaging strategy should beat out AMD. In practice, though, the advantage of X3D is kicking Intel's ass at the top of the gaming charts. Even with Intel's improved 270K Plus, GamersNexus's testing keeps the X3D chips ahead in demanding CPU-limited games. Buy X3D for these builds.

My expectation is that Intel isn't catching up here anytime soon. CPU design and tooling take years to change.

Thermal Throttling

Get a good cooler, install it correctly, and give it some airflow. Easy enough, right?

Temperature depends on the CPU, workload, power settings, cooler, and room. A decent desktop air cooler can be plenty, but that is not a promise that every CPU will stay under 70C. GamersNexus measured a stock 9800X3D at around 74–75C under an all-core workload even with a 360mm liquid cooler.

Laptops have tighter cooling and power budgets. That doesn't mean all of them thermally throttle under every load (but most do lmao). Power limits and thermal limits are different things, and either can limit sustained clocks.

L3 Cache

Cache keeps data close to the CPU so it doesn't have to go out to RAM for every access. The important number here is how much L3 cache is available to the cores on a single CCD. That's the cache those cores can share with low latency.

The 9800X3D and 9850X3D have 96MB on their one CCD. The 9950X3D's advertised 128MB is split into 96MB on the X3D CCD and 32MB on the other CCD. You haven't gained a bigger local cache for the cores running VRChat. You still have 96MB there.

Talking across CCDs means going through Infinity Fabric, with a substantial latency penalty compared to local L3 access. The other CCD's cache doesn't extend the first CCD's low-latency pool. This is why adding up all the L3 on the package gives you the wrong number for this comparison.

The newer 9950X3D2 Dual Edition puts 3D V-Cache on both chiplets: 96MB per CCD, 192MB of L3 total. Again, that's two 96MB pools. So, you could shove VRChat onto the second CCD, getting it away from the CPU0-hungry OS. I haven't tested this though (because I don't have a 9950X3D2)

GPU

Look at measured performance, enough VRAM for your usage, and compatibility with your headset. Core clock and bus width help explain the results, but comparing GPUs takes more than sorting a spreadsheet by MHz.

:::aside

Creators: If you’re building worlds, Bakery, a popular tool for high quality light bakes, requires an nVidia GPU on the machine doing the baking. The baked lightmaps can be used on other hardware.

:::

Core Clock

More MHz can help when you're comparing otherwise similar GPUs. Across different architectures? Not so simple. Shader resources, texture units, cache, and other hardware matter. A 3GHz card does not automatically beat a 2.5GHz card.

nVidia's architecture comparison is a good illustration: clock speed is only one of the things that changes between generations.

Memory Bus Width & Bandwidth

Bandwidth is how much data can move between VRAM and the GPU per second. The theoretical calculation is memory data rate × bus width ÷ 8. So 20 Gbps memory on a 256-bit bus gives you 640 GB/s.

A wider bus gives you more bandwidth at the same memory data rate. Different memory speeds change the comparison, and cache and compression affect how much external bandwidth a GPU actually needs. Don't rank cards by bus width alone.

VRAM

VRAM is the memory onboard your GPU. Textures, geometry, and render targets all need space there.

VRAM matters less than it used to because VRChat has mipmap streaming. The client dynamically loads texture detail as needed, so you're not cramming every 4K (or 8K... stop it) texture into memory at once. On PC, the texture budget is set at startup based on available VRAM.

That said, more VRAM is still better when you're packing into busy instances. Lots of high-detail avatars nearby will eat through memory fast, especially alongside high-resolution render targets and mirrors. 12GB is workable, 16GB is comfortable, and 24GB+ is what all should aspire for. 24GB is a lot, but you can still fill it up. Some of you are very good at that...

BTW, don't turn off mipmaps on your avatar. You're not helping anyone, least of all yourself.

Memory

By "memory", we mean RAM. This isn't how much storage space you have, these are the RAM sticks in your PC.

In short: More is good, faster is good. Both matter.

Capacity

32GB is the minimum for a new build aimed at busy PC VRChat sessions. This is not the minimum required to launch VRChat. Add Windows, Discord, a browser with 47 tabs, Rekordbox and OBS, and the extra room is useful real fast.

64GB is my personal preference and is great if you do heavier content creation (Unity, Blender) or keep a bunch of other things open while chilling in VRC. Buy for what you actually run; unused RAM doesn't add frames.

Speed & Timings

AM5 uses DDR5. 6000 MT/s CL30 remains my straightforward target, provided the kit is supported by your motherboard and stable with your CPU. It isn't a magic Infinity Fabric frequency, and faster memory isn't automatically better once controller ratios and timings enter the picture.

Get a matched two-stick kit and check the motherboard's memory compatibility list. Lower CL is useful when comparing kits at the same data rate, but don't pay a stupid premium just to turn CL30 into CL28.

Enable the kit's supported AMD EXPO profile, or the appropriate XMP/DOCP option if that's what your kit and board use. The names and options vary by motherboard; “XMP II” isn't a universal AM5 setting.

Notably, these profiles are memory overclocking, so treat it as such. Check stability after enabling one, and fall back to a lower speed or defaults if you get errors or crashes. My recommendation is to use a supported profile, not spend your weekend manually tuning every subtiming.

SSD

It's 2026. Don't run anything off a mechanical drive. Please. Relegate them to long-term storage and NAS usage. You're following the 3-2-1 backup rule for your Unity projects, right?

Put Windows, VRChat, and its cache on an SSD. Faster storage helps with disk-bound loading, but avatar loading also involves downloads and CPU work. A new SSD won't fix every hitch when somebody's 200MB avatar shows up.

NVMe PCIe 4.0 is my default for a new build. Compare prices before paying extra for PCIe 5.0; the bigger sequential-throughput number is not a promise of more VRChat frames. An existing SATA SSD doesn't need to go in the trash, either.

Get at least 1TB for your boot drive. I find that 2TB is the "comfy spot" nowadays, but that's up to you.

PSU

Never, ever cheap out on your PSU.

Don’t skimp. Spend some money. Get something with good efficiency, good ratings, and from a known brand. I swear by SeaSonic.

Use this amazing spreadsheet to find the best PSU for you.

Use PCPartPicker's wattage estimate as a starting point, then check the specific GPU manufacturer's PSU and connector requirements. An estimate isn't a guarantee about peak loads, cables, or compatibility.

For reference, nVidia specifies a 1000W system PSU for the reference RTX 5090, and notes that your system configuration can change the requirement. Board-partner cards may differ.

For Best, 1200W is my preference for headroom. For Good and Better, size the PSU around the actual parts you choose. A good efficiency rating is nice, but it isn't a complete measure of PSU quality.

The Builds

Builds do not include costs for the OS.

For all builds, pick a case you like -- then check GPU length, thickness, power-cable clearance, CPU cooler height, and radiator support. “ATX” alone does not mean everything fits. I recommend at least a mid-tower; a roomy case makes building less annoying.

PCPartPicker will not list an accurate total price in some cases where parts aren’t available.

🥉 Good

The Build

sigh

This build... this build is weird. Not the parts, but like... the circumstances?

This list takes the AM4 X3D route. A used 5700X3D or 5800X3D can make sense, especially if you already have a compatible AM4 motherboard and DDR4.

For a completely new PC, compare the whole platform cost against an AM5 X3D build. If a scarce used AM4 chip costs silly money, don't buy it just because I put it in a list. Put that money toward AM5 X3D instead and hop up to "Better."

Stick with X3D for this guide. The cache is a central part of why we're picking these CPUs, and it's one of the last things I'd cut to save money on a VRChat build.

So, yeah. It's weird. Check used listings, warranty coverage, and motherboard BIOS support before committing to this route.

🥈 Better

The Build

This build focuses more on maximizing some specs (like VRAM and L3 cache) that are vital for high performance in VRChat without hitting the top line too hard.

The CPU target here is the AM5 7800X3D, paired with a 16GB graphics card and a supported DDR5 kit. Compare its current price against the 9800X3D and 9850X3D before buying. If the newer chip is only a little more, the older one may no longer be the sensible middle ground.

The Radeon RX 9070 XT is a contender here, with 16GB of VRAM. Check current pricing and performance with your headset and streaming software.

An overclocked result in Cyberpunk or 3DMark doesn't establish that it beats a 5080 in VRChat. Different workload, different settings, different answer. And remember the Bakery requirement if you build worlds.

🥇 Best

The Build

This build completely ignores cost as a factor, and focuses on the top-of-the-line components available to maximize your frames in VRChat. Each part has been hand selected or has very tight parametric filters.

CPU

My CPU pick here remains the AM5 9850X3D. It has 8 cores, 96MB of L3 cache, and a higher advertised boost than the 9800X3D. GamersNexus measured roughly 0–4% better gaming performance, depending on the game. Those are general gaming benchmarks, so don't expect the same uplift for VRChat... but it is probably better. By a small amount.

If the 9800X3D is meaningfully cheaper, get that and don't lose sleep over it.

The 9950X3D is worth considering if you also do work that benefits from more cores. “Content creation” covers a lot of different workloads; not every Unity or Blender task gets faster just because you doubled the core count.

There is now also a 9950X3D2 Dual Edition, released April 22, 2026, with 3D V-Cache on both CCDs. It belongs in the cost-no-object conversation, but I don't have comparable VRChat benchmarks that establish it as a better choice. It still has 96MB of L3 per CCD. Remember, we're trying to maximize for L3-per-CCD, so nobody's out on top just yet.

On dual-CCD chips, start with normal scheduling and current chipset drivers. If you're chasing a performance problem, see the affinity note below.

GPU

A 5090 is the obvious cost-no-object candidate here, but prices are ridiculous. I was seeing around 4500+ USD when checking on September 5, 2026.

For a build prioritizing lots of VRAM, these are candidates to compare -- not a benchmark ranking:

• nVidia RTX 5090 -- 32GB
• nVidia RTX 4090 -- 24GB
• AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX -- 24GB

Choose based on measured performance, headset compatibility, creator tools, and the price you can actually pay. Don't automatically exclude a faster or better-value option just because it has 16GB, if that capacity fits your usage.

Honorable Mentions:

nVidia RTX 3090 -- 24GB VRAM; a used option to compare on price, performance, condition, and power draw

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT -- 16GB VRAM; worth comparing if you do not need 24GB or nVidia-specific creator tools

Here's a quick table comparing the differences between these GPUs:

Specification	3090	4090	5090	7900 XTX	9070 XT
Boost Clock	1695 MHz	2520 MHz	2407 MHz	2500 MHz	2970 MHz
VRAM	24GB	24GB	32GB	24GB	16GB
Memory Data Rate	19.5 Gbps	21 Gbps	28 Gbps	20 Gbps	20 Gbps
Bus Width	384-bit	384-bit	512-bit	384-bit	256-bit
Memory Bandwidth	936 GB/s	1008 GB/s	1792 GB/s	960 GB/s	640 GB/s
Graphics Card Power	350W	450W	575W	355W	304W

Notes

Both AMD cards use 20 Gbps GDDR6. The 7900 XTX's 960 GB/s bandwidth is slightly higher than the 3090's 936 GB/s, but lower than the 4090's 1008 GB/s. The table uses reference specifications; factory-overclocked cards and actual boost behavior can differ.

Sources: RTX 3090, nVidia Ampere architecture specifications, nVidia Ada architecture specifications, RTX 5090, RX 7900 XTX, RX 9070 XT.

The Tweaks

There’s a few things you should do in order to maximize performance.

Dual-CCD Ryzen Note

If you're running a 7950X3D, 9950X3D, or another dual-CCD Ryzen, communication across CCDs can add latency. That doesn't mean manually pinning everything is automatically better.

VRChat has automatic affinity handling on affected AMD systems. Start there. If you have a performance problem, read the launch-option documentation before changing anything. It explicitly says most users don't need to do this.

--affinity=FFFF selects the first 16 logical processors. It does not mean “find the best CCD for me.” Confirm your CPU's layout and compare frame times before and after. That affinity param can completely screw you if you use it wrong.

If you want to min-max, Process Lasso can help you experiment with where background applications run. Change one thing at a time and measure. Don't blindly shove Steam, SteamVR, OBS, and every overlay onto another CCD; these applications also do work your VR session may depend on.

BIOS Settings

1. Enable your memory kit's supported EXPO, XMP, or DOCP profile, as appropriate for your motherboard. Check the actual speed afterward, and check stability. Don't forget this step.
2. Start with stock CPU settings. Overclocking and PBO/Curve Optimizer tuning are optional enthusiast projects, not requirements for good VRChat performance. If you experiment, change one thing at a time and test stability and frame times; a bigger boost number doesn't guarantee more frames.
3. I don't recommend manually tuning memory timings for this guide. A supported profile is enough fiddling for most people.
4. Check that Resizable BAR is enabled where your GPU and motherboard support it.

What about AMD Ryzen Master?

Mixed feedback.

My own experience was pretty painful -- it appeared to get “out of sync” with my BIOS settings, and I ended up with VRChat locked to a single core. That's my troubleshooting experience, not proof that everyone will hit the same issue.

If you use Ryzen Master, keep track of which settings you've changed and avoid juggling multiple tuning tools at once. Make one change, test it, then move on. Otherwise troubleshooting gets real annoying, real fast.

Windows 11

Never use upgrade installs. Keep Windows up to date. Avoid installing too much extra crap.

I prefer a clean install when building a new PC, but an upgrade install isn't automatically broken. Don't wipe a working system because I yelled at you.

GPU Drivers

nVidia

Use NVCleanstall. This is my first recommendation for installing nVidia drivers. It lets you choose what actually gets installed, and IMO it's the best way to do this. Use it.

nVidia also provides its own clean-install instructions if you need them.

I prefer to use the latest Studio version for my mix of gaming and creator work.

AMD

Keep drivers up to date using AMD's official installer. Check release notes when troubleshooting a regression.

Connecting your Headset

I personally strongly prefer direct-to-GPU tethered headsets (Beyond, Index, etc) because you do not need to worry about battery life, network latency, bandwidth, compression, color space squashing, etc.

However, new headsets such as the Steam Frame make wireless VR very compelling. Weight is coming down, comfort is going up, and we're escaping the bonds of Meta. Finally.

Either way, if you are using wireless either out of necessity or because you prefer it, there's a few vital things you should do.

My preference is a good, dedicated WiFi 6 or better access point near the play space, with the PC connected by Ethernet. This isn't a minimum requirement: Virtual Desktop documents 5GHz 802.11ac WiFi and a wired PC connection. I’ve done this in the past by using a second router in Access Point (AP) mode, connecting my ethernet to it, then connecting another ethernet to my PC.

Then, in the AP settings, create a new WiFi network with a new SSID dedicated to the headset. Connect your headset to it. That way, the headset-to-PC stream stays on the local AP and its wired connection. A dedicated SSID alone doesn't reserve airtime, though -- other devices and nearby networks on the same channel can still compete with it.

If you’ve got a well set-up network with 2.5Gbps Ethernet to your PC and good quality WiFi APs (Ubiquiti U7 Pros are overkill but they’re so nice), you might be able to pull this off on your base network -- but even with a high-end setup like this, you'll potentially run into network congestion issues.

For Steam Frame, Valve documents a direct connection using the included wireless adapter. You don't need to build the separate AP setup above for that connection. Placement and radio conditions still matter. They've got some pretty smart folks over there at Valve, huh?

Use Virtual Desktop. It's my top recommendation.

Virtual Desktop does a lot of cool tricks to maximize quality. It’s very configurable and tweakable. It also has headset-side image sharpening, which can help with perceived clarity. The VD dev is super active, reactive to feedback, and very helpful. Check the current price for your platform, but IMO his work is well worth paying for. Pay the man.

Virtual Desktop now supports USB connections on Quest, too. USB support was introduced in the Quest beta; check the Virtual Desktop announcement for the version and headset OS requirements. If wireless isn't an option, you can still use VD. This'll probably get out of beta at some point.

With a supported eye-tracked headset, VD can use foveated encoding (not rendering) to concentrate image quality where you're looking. The release notes list supported headsets.

Steam Link is my second choice. It's free, works with SteamVR, and requires very little tweaking. With the impending Steam Frame launch I expect Steam Link to improve a lot. The access point advice above still applies when you're streaming over your home WiFi (unless its the future and you have a Frame, in which case you should use the included dongle)

Both Steam Link and Virtual Desktop work with VRCFT, if you’ve got a Quest Pro or another supported eye/face tracking wireless HMD.

Do not use Quest Link. It hasn’t gotten meaningful updates in years. I don't recommend it, wired or wireless. Use Virtual Desktop. With USB support in VD, being stuck with a cable is no longer a reason to put up with Quest Link.

On Linux, use WiVRn for streaming to a supported standalone headset. This is not a Linux guide, so I'm not going to get into setting up the rest of that stack here -- but it sure is fun to explore and set up. Go check out the Linux VR Adventures Wiki. Don't worry, they won't yell at you for joining their Discord (anymore)

VRChat, SteamVR, etc Settings

Go follow EchoTheNeko’s guide. It’s good.

In particular:

TURN OFF MOTION SMOOTHING. You should essentially never use motion smoothing. Not only does it look bad, it has few (if any) benefits.

SteamVR calls it motion smoothing. Meta calls its version Asynchronous Spacewarp (ASW). Both synthesize frames or portions of frames when the application can't keep up. Turn them off.

One technical distinction: ASW is different from Asynchronous Timewarp (ATW), which compensates for head rotation. Meta explains the difference here. You should probably turn both off, though. But... again, why are you using Quest Link? Don't.

Try lower AA settings in VRChat if you're GPU-limited. On a high-resolution headset I may prefer the performance tradeoff, but high resolution doesn't make aliasing disappear. Look at the image and compare frame times.

Consider lowering the SteamVR render resolution. I usually run at 100% these days, but that percentage is relative to SteamVR's recommendation for your setup, not a universal pixel count. On extremely high resolution headsets like Pimax's 4Kx2 HMDs, running at 75 or 50% still looks pretty damn great.

And, once again: MAKE SURE MOTION SMOOTHING IS OFF.