If you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to plug your PlayStation VR2 headset into a proper gaming PC and dive face first into SteamVR’s rich back catalog of games, your options have been disappointingly limited. Previously console-bound PS VR2 owners are in luck, however, as Sony released a $60 adapter last fall that enables the PlayStation VR2 to be used with any modern gaming PC – that is, as long as your PC meets the headset’s minimum specs. But connecting the PS VR2 to a PC isn’t as simple as just plugging in the adapter and calling it a day. Despite being marketed as a plug-and-play device, there are some tricky omissions in its built-in features that may make it require some additional setup, depending on your existing PC configuration.
How to Connect to Your PC With the Adapter
Before you dive into the step-by-step setup instructions, it’s important to make sure that you have everything you need. Via the adapter, the PS VR2 is fully compatible with most SteamVR games, but you’re going to want to make sure your PC has sufficient Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, a spare DisplayPort 1.4 cable, a free AC power outlet nearby, and both the PlayStation VR2 and SteamVR apps installed on Steam. The two Sense controllers packed in with the PS VR2 are charged through USB-C, so you’ll need two USB-C charging ports and USB-C cables to keep both controllers charged between uses – though there is a Sense controller charging station available on Sony’s website for $50, which is much simpler to use.
What You’ll Need
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter
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First off, we recommend taking account of whether or not your gaming PC is able to work with the PlayStation VR2 headset. An easy way to find that out is by visiting Sony’s official PS VR2 PC Adapter preparation page. Assuming your system is up to snuff, here’s everything else you’ll need:
- A PlayStation VR2 headset
- The PlayStation VR2 PC adapter (AC adapter and male USB 3.0 Type-A cable included)
- A DisplayPort 1.4 cable (sold separately)
- A free USB 3.0 Type-A port on your PC (note: Sony warns against using an extension cable or external hub in the adapter’s pack-in quickstart manual; in our review, we relied on a powered external hub which worked perfectly in practice, despite the warning)
- Bluetooth 4.0 capability on your PC (either built-in or via an external Bluetooth adapter)
- Steam and SteamVR installed on your PC
- The PlayStation VR2 app installed inside of Steam
How to Connect: Step-by-Step Instructions
Once you have everything together, follow these steps to connect your PS VR2 to your PC:
- Install SteamVR and the PlayStation VR2 app
- Set up your PC’s Bluetooth and pair your Sense Controllers
- From your PC’s start menu, navigate to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > toggle Bluetooth to “On.”
- Now that your PC’s Bluetooth radio is activated, it’s time to pair your Sense controllers. On each controller, hold down the PlayStation button and Create button until the white light at the bottom starts to blink.
- Once both controllers are discoverable, you can scan them into your PC’s known Bluetooth devices by clicking the “Add device” button to the right of “Devices” on the Bluetooth & devices page of your PC’s Settings menu:
- Select “Bluetooth” from the menu
- Search for PlayStation VR2 Sense Controller (L) and PlayStation VR2 Sense Controller (R) in the dropdown menu. Connect both devices.
- If your PC doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth 4.0 or higher, you can use a compatible Bluetooth adapter like the Asus BT500:
- If you’re using an external Bluetooth adapter on a system with a built-in Bluetooth radio, there’s an extra process to follow. Open the Device Manager from your start menu, look under the Bluetooth tab for an internal Bluetooth driver such as “Intel(R) Wireless Bluetooth(R)”, right-click the driver, and click the “Disable device” option.
- Set up the adapter and connect it to your PC
- Plug the PS VR2 adapter into an unused USB 3.0 Type-A port on your PC.
- Use a DisplayPort 1.4 cable (sold separately) to connect the adapter to a free DisplayPort slot on your GPU.
- Connect the AC power adapter to the PS VR2 adapter’s DC IN connector.
- Plug the power adapter into an electrical outlet with or without a grounding port. Once powered on, the adapter’s status indicator will turn solid red.
- Connect the PlayStation VR2 to the the PC adapter via the USB-C port on the front of the adapter.
- Turn off Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling (optional)
- If your PC is equipped with a newer GPU, such as a 40-series Nvidia RTX card, it may be necessary to disable Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling for a stable experience while playing certain VR games:
- Navigate to Settings > System > Display > Graphics.
- On the Graphics page, click “Default graphics settings.”
- On the next page, turn the “Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling” slider to the left.
- Restart your PC.
- If your PC is equipped with a newer GPU, such as a 40-series Nvidia RTX card, it may be necessary to disable Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling for a stable experience while playing certain VR games:
- Launch the PlayStation VR2 App and SteamVR
- Boot up the PlayStation VR2 headset by holding down the central button underneath the visor until you feel the headset rumble.
- Turn on SteamVR and set it as your default OpenXR runtime.
- From your desktop, open the PlayStation VR2 app to wirelessly update your Sense controllers’ firmware and begin the process of setting up your PS VR2 headset, including setting up your Play Area and other preferences.
- Follow all instructions on screen and within the headset as you set up your IPD and display distance. The included instructions also help you tighten the headset’s fit to a comfortable level around your head.
- Once the setup is complete, you’re free to play SteamVR games to your heart’s content!
Can You Connect to PC Without an Adapter?
At the moment, whether or not you can connect the PS VR2 to a PC without an adapter is a bit shaky. The short answer is: no. However, according to a report on Road to VR, some GPUs released around 2018 included a USB-C port and a feature called VirtualLink, which some users have reported allows a direct connection to the PS VR2 as long as the PlayStation VR2 app is installed, bypassing the need for the PC adapter.
Looking for other ways to play VR games on your PC? Check out our guide to the best VR headsets for PC gaming.
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