The VRMark Orange Room benchmark shows the impressive level of detail that can be achieved on a PC that meets the recommended hardware requirements for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. If your PC passes this test, it's ready for the two most popular VR systems available today.

Benchmarking on your desktop

By default, the benchmark runs on your monitor to show you whether your PC is VR-ready before you purchase a VR headset. To pass the test, your PC has to maintain a consistent frame rate of 109 FPS or above without dropping frames.

Benchmarking with a connected HMD

You can choose to run the test on a connected HMD from the Options screen. Some VR headsets, such as the Oculus Rift, detect whether the headset is being worn. You will need to cover the proximity sensor with your finger or tape. Or you can place the headset on your forehead rather than over your eyes. The target frame rate is 88.9 FPS when an HMD is connected. 

VRMark benchmark tests use an animated camera. For your comfort, please take off your headset while the test is running.

Target frame rate

The Orange Room benchmark has been carefully tuned so that a system with the recommended hardware for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift will achieve a consistent average frame rate of 90 FPS when running on an HMD. The target frame rate is slightly lower, 88.9 FPS, to allow for occasionally missed frames.

On the desktop, the same workload running on the same hardware achieves a consistent average frame rate of 109 FPS. The difference is explained by VR SDK overhead and the HMD refresh rate, as covered in the Target Frame Rate section of this guide.

Custom runs

You can change the rendering resolution and other settings on the Custom run screen. The settings you choose apply to Benchmark and Experience modes. 

Making the scene more or less demanding with custom settings, then running Experience mode on an HMD is a great way to see how system performance affects your personal VR experience.