Windows Mixed Reality minimum PC hardware compatibility guidelines
Features and experiences
Windows 10 powers both Windows Mixed Reality and Windows Mixed Reality Ultra. Which version you experience depends on your PC hardware.
With Windows Mixed Reality Ultra, you get some additional capabilities and features:
- Crisper visuals and a higher refresh rate (90 frames per second).
- More apps and experiences—including the most graphics-intensive games.
- A вЂвЂ™mirror’’ window on your desktop that shows what you see in mixed reality.
- Record and share videos (as well as photos) of your mixed reality experiences.
Minimum PC hardware guidelines
For the best experience with Windows Mixed Reality, start with a new Windows Mixed Reality-ready PC or a Windows Mixed Reality-compatible PC that can provide Windows Mixed Reality Ultra experiences. Windows Mixed Reality Ultra provides crisper visuals at higher refresh rates, more apps and experiences including the most graphics-intensive games, mirroring of your Windows Mixed Reality experience on your desktop and the ability to record and share (photo and video) your experiences with others.
To see if your PC can run Windows Mixed Reality review the hardware guidelines below and run the Mixed Reality Portal App.
Remember, your performance will vary depending on your exact setup. You’ll also need to make sure your PC has the right ports for the Windows Mixed Reality immersive headset that you are using.
Guidelines for development PCs are higher than those for consumers’ PCs running mixed reality apps. If you’re a mixed reality developer, see recommended development PC specifications.
Mixed Reality Portal app
Mixed Reality Portal is the best way to make sure your PC is ready to run Windows Mixed Reality.
After running the app, you’ll get one of the following messages:
- You’re good to go. Your PC has what it takes to run Windows Mixed Reality.
- Supports some features. This PC may be able to run Windows Mixed Reality, but some features might be limited.
- Can’t run mixed reality. This PC doesn’t meet the minimum requirements needed to run Windows Mixed Reality.
You will then get an analysis of your PC against the required hardware, drivers, and operating system. 
| Icon | What it means |
|---|---|
 | Your PC passes the required item. |
 | There may be issues with your PC for the given requirement. If you encounter issues, you may need to troubleshoot or upgrade your PC. |
 | Your PC does not meet the requirements for the specified item. |
Compatibility guidelines
We will be updating, making additions to and may be revising these Windows Mixed Reality PC Compatibility Guidelines. Please check back regularly for the latest guidelines and requirements.
HP Reverb Compatible Specs
Due to the higher resolution, the following requirements apply to the HP Reverb G1 & G2 product lines to ensure optimal 90Hz, full resolution experience:
- Intel Core i5, i7, Intel Xenon E3-1240 v5, equivalent or better. AMD Ryzen 5 equivalent or better.
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080, AMD Radeon RX 5700, equivalent or better
- Memory: 8 GB RAM or more
- 1x Display Port 1.3
- 1x USB 3.0 Type-C with power delivery (or included power adapter)
- Windows 10 May 2019 update or later
All Other WMR Compatible Headsets
For all other HMD’s, please refer to the following requirements:
| Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs | Windows Mixed Reality PCs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (RS3) or later — Home, Pro, Business, Education. (Note: Not supported on N versions or Windows 10 Pro in S Mode) | |||||
| Processor | Intel Core i5 4590 (4th generation), quad-core (or better) AMD Ryzen 5 1400 3.4Ghz (desktop), quad-core (or better) | Intel Core i5 7200U (7th generation mobile), dual-core with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology enabled (or better) AMD Ryzen 5 1400 3.4Ghz (desktop), quad-core (or better) | ||||
| RAM | 8GB DDR3 (or better) | 8GB DDR3 dual channel (or better) | ||||
| Free disk space | At least 10 GB | At least 10 GB | ||||
| Graphics Card |
Note: GPU must be hosted in a PCIe 3.0 x4+ Link slot | Note: Older Intel GPUs such as HD Graphics 4xx, 5xx, 2xxx, 3xxx, 4xxx, 5xxx, and 6xxx are not supported. | ||||
| Graphics Driver | Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) 2.2 | |||||
| Graphics display port | HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2 | HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2 | ||||
| Display | Connected external or integrated VGA (800×600) display (or better) | |||||
| USB connectivity | USB 3.0 Type-A | |||||
| Bluetooth connectivity (for motion controllers) | Bluetooth 4.0 | |||||
| Expected headset framerate | 90 Hz | 60 Hz | ||||
| Power | USB 3.0 (Type A) ports | USB 3.0 (Type A) ports | ||||
Additional information:
- Larger laptops (with screens of at least 15″) perform best.
- For the best experience, we recommend an 8th Gen IntelВ® Coreв„ў or 7th Gen IntelВ® Coreв„ў i5 processor.
- Hybrid graphics configurations are compatible only with Windows Mixed Reality Ultra. The discrete graphics adapter in any hybrid configuration must meet all the requirements listed in the Windows Mixed Reality guidelines for discrete graphics adapters.
- If you have a discrete graphics card that should run Windows Mixed Reality Ultra, but it’s defaulting to a 60 Hz (60 frames per second) refresh rate, use a full-size DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 adapter to plug in your headset and enable a 90 Hz refresh rate.
- Different headsets may require different hardware ports, so make sure your PC has the correct ports or necessary adapters to connect to your headset.
Discrete and integrated graphics hardware that don’t meet the minimum confirmed specifications have not been tested, confirmed, or optimized for Windows Mixed Reality and may not function properly or at all.
Windows Mixed Reality and Surface
For the best Windows Mixed Reality experience on a Surface device, we recommend the SurfaceBook 2 (15”) configured with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 and 16GB of RAM. This configuration supports all Windows Mixed Reality features @ 90Hz and has been tested and badged for Windows Mixed Reality Ultra. The Surface Book 2 (13”), Surface Studio, Surface Laptop and Surface Pro (2017) will all support some Windows Mixed Reality features when configured with an Intel Core i5 CPU (or better) and at least 8GB of RAM.
Requirements:
- Surface products require driver updates to be compatible with Windows Mixed Reality. These drivers can be installed on your Surface by going to Settings > Update and Security > Check for Updates.
- Surface products require an adapter from the video port (Mini DisplayPort or USB-C, depending on the Surface PC) to HDMI 2.0 for Windows Mixed Reality headsets. The most recent version of the Surface Mini-DisplayPort to HDMI AV Adapter is compatible with HDMI 2.0 (the older version is not). Similarly, the Surface USB-C to HDMI Adapter is also compatible with HDMI 2.0.
Not all Mini DisplayPort or USB-C to HDMI adapters are HDMI 2.0-capable. Consider checking for explicit “HDMI 2.0” compatibility or “4K” compatibility on any adapter.
More information on Surface compatibility with Windows Mixed Reality is available in the table below:
Get help with PC compatibility in Windows Mixed Reality
When you set up Windows Mixed Reality or run the Windows Mixed Reality PC Check app on your computer, you’ll get a report on whether your PC is ready to run it. Here are some details on what you might see.
You’re good to go
Good news—your PC can run Windows Mixed Reality. But keep in mind that there’s still variation among computer hardware and configuration, so the mixed reality experience might not be the same on every PC.
Supports some features
Your PC should be able to run some Windows Mixed Reality experiences, but might not provide the best possible experience. Graphics might lag, some apps and games might not perform well, and some might not run at all.
Here are the messages you might see, and what to do about them:
Integrated graphics cards will provide the best Windows Mixed Reality experience on PCs with dual-channel RAM. If you run into performance problems, try one of the following:
Install an additional RAM stick to create dual-channel RAM.
PCIe stands for Peripheral Component Interconnect Express. This is the connection that a PC uses to communicate with a graphics card. Your configuration might work, but if you run into problems, you’ll need to switch to a compatible PC.
If you run into problems, try downloading a new graphics driver using Windows Update ( Start > Settings > Update & security > Check for updates)—or go to your PC manufacturer or graphics card manufacturer’s website.
If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to add a compatible graphics card or switch to a compatible PC.
This PC’s processor might not work well with Windows Mixed Reality, because it doesn’t have enough cores. If Windows Mixed Reality doesn’t run well, replace the processor with a compatible one or switch to a compatible PC.
If you run into problems running Windows Mixed Reality, try the following:
Plug your headset into a different USB port, if available.
If that doesn’t work, uninstall your PC’s current USB driver, and then reinstall a Microsoft driver:
Select Start , and then type «device manager» in the Search box.
Select Device Manager from the results.
Expand the category for Universal Serial Bus controllers, look at the devices listed, and uninstall any incompatible drivers.
If the list includes an “eXtensible Host Controller” item that does not have “Microsoft” at the end of the device name, that driver isn’t compatible with Windows Mixed Reality. You’ll need to uninstall it. To uninstall a driver, right-click the device in the list and select Uninstall device. Select the Delete the driver software for this device check box, then select Uninstall.
If the list includes an «eXtensible Host Controller» item that includes «Etron» in the name, that USB controller isn’t compatible with Windows Mixed Reality. You’ll need to use a different USB port on the PC or purchase a different USB 3.0 host controller.
Return to Device Manager and locate the eXtensible Host Controller item again. If you now see “Microsoft” at the end of the device name, you’re good to go. If not, repeat the uninstall steps to remove any additional non-Microsoft versions of the driver.
If that still doesn’t work, add a PCIe USB card to your PC.
Bluetooth 4.0 is required for mixed reality motion controllers on some headsets. You can still use Windows Mixed Reality with an Xbox controller or with a mouse and keyboard, or you can use a USB Bluetooth adapter to connect motion controllers to your PC. See recommended adapters
Some headsets have Bluetooth built in so that controllers can pair directly to the headsets. Others require a Bluetooth radio in the PC (or a separate dongle) to use motion controllers. See recommended adapters
A self-powered USB 3.0 port is needed to connect a Windows Mixed Reality headset. Connect a powered USB 3.0 hub to the PC and use that to connect your headset.
This PC should work, but a high-performance Intel processor will provide the best experience. We recommend an 8th Gen Intel® Core™ or 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 processor.
Can’t run mixed reality
Here are the messages you might see, and what to do about them:
This PC’s graphics card is not compatible with Windows Mixed Reality. You’ll need to add a compatible graphics card or switch to a compatible PC.
This PC’s graphics driver won’t work with Windows Mixed Reality. Try downloading a new driver using Windows Update ( Start > Settings > Update & security > Check for updates)—or go to your PC manufacturer or graphics card manufacturer’s website.
If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to add a compatible graphics card or switch to a compatible PC.
This PC’s processor doesn’t supprot AVX/Popcnt instructions. To run Windows Mixed Reality, you’ll need to replace it with a compatible processor or switch to a compatible PC.
Windows Mixed Reality requires 10GB of free disk space for setup and best performance. Clear some space on your drive, then try setup again.
Windows Mixed Reality works on Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro. You’ll need to install one of those editions in order to use Windows Mixed Reality.
Windows Mixed Reality requires the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. Update your PC and try again.
You’ll need a USB 3.0 port to connect a Windows Mixed Reality headset. If you’re using a desktop PC, add a PCIe USB card. If you’re using a laptop, you’ll need to switch to a compatible PC.
To use Windows Mixed Reality, you’ll a PC with a monitor connected. If you are using a virtual machine or don’t have a monitor, try using a virtual display adapter. This is a device that plugs into the PC’s DisplayPort and emulates a computer display.
Getting the best performance
Some hardware configurations might cause performance problems with Windows Mixed Reality. For problems like slow loading, choppy visuals, or poor visual quality, try these common fixes:
Close any open apps running on your PC desktop.
If you’re using a USB-C or DisplayPort to HDMI adapter, try a different one. See recommended adapters
If there are extra monitors connected to the PC’s graphics card, disconnect them.
Try downloading some different mixed reality apps from the Windows Store—some may work better with your computer setup.
Note: If you see a message that says, «This hardware configuration might work with Windows Mixed Reality, but it hasn’t been tested yet,» you could run into some performance issues when running Windows Mixed Reality for long sessions .