Oculus founder says no Mac support coming until Apple builds 'good' system with better graphics

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in macOS
Oculus is waiting on Apple to release a "good" Mac with a faster video card before it considers supporting the Rift VR headset on OS X, according to Oculus founder Palmer Luckey.




"If they ever release a good computer, we will do it," Luckey said to Shacknews at a Microsoft Xbox press event.

"It just boils down to the fact that Apple doesn't prioritize high-end GPUs," he explained. "You can buy a $6,000 Mac Pro with the top of the line AMD FirePro D700, and it still doesn't match our recommended specs. So if they prioritize higher-end GPUs like they used to for a while back in the day, we'd love to support Mac. But right now, there's just not a single machine out there that supports it."

The Rift, shipping March 28, already pushes the performance boundaries of mid- to high-level Windows PCs, requiring at least an Intel Core i5-4590 processor, and an Nvidia GTX 970 or AMD R9 290 card for graphics. Computer bundles with the headset included start at $1,499.

The GTX 970 and R9 290 are full-sized graphics cards, whereas most Macs -- even top-end iMacs -- use weaker mobile processors in the interests of saving space, cost, and/or power consumption.

Oculus officially "paused" work on Mac support last May. In January Luckey made similarly pessimistic comments about the Mac, saying that support is "on the roadmap post-decent Apple hardware release, whenever that is."
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 110
    bdkennedy1002bdkennedy1002 Posts: 543member
    Apple builds their computers to serve a particular purpose. Most people don't need all of that power, and the few that do, Apple isn't going to waste money on. Besides, rumors are Apple is working on their own VR, so I could care less what that douche bag thinks.
    edited March 2016 dementuschikanbaconstangchiacalinolamacguyanantksundaramwilliamlondonpulseimagesmac_dogpscooter63
  • Reply 2 of 110
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    bdkennedy said:
    Apple builds their computers to serve a particular purpose. Most people don't need all of that power, and the few that do, Apple isn't going to waste money on. Besides, rumors are Apple is working on their own VR, so I could care less what that douche bag thinks.
    He's a douchebag for pointing out the obvious? He was asked by the interviewer why he doesn't support Macs and he replied that Apple doesn't place an emphasis on powerful GPUs that the Rift obviously needs. 

    What exactly did he say that is inaccurate? Granted, I watched the entire 7-minute interview. 
    duervogatorguynetroxlord amhransingularitysdrlsmoreckkoopcnocbui6Sgoldfish
  • Reply 3 of 110
    redraider11redraider11 Posts: 186member
    Not sure why Oculus needs such high end graphics cards to work. Sony has VR that will utilize the PS4. 
    dementuschikantallest skilchiamacplusplusjustadcomicsmoreckredgeminipajony0Mal_Rcornchip
  • Reply 4 of 110
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member
    Apple isn't trying to be the planet Jupiter in orbit around a tiny moon called Oculus.
    baconstangchiacalizyxmacplusplusanantksundarampulseimagesgregg thurmanpscooter63justadcomics
  • Reply 5 of 110
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    Oculus is definitely interesting tech but I don't see it going mainstream. The only people who will buy it are techies and some gamers and you really cannot make these two groups happy no matter what. So I will not hold my breath for such hardware from Apple. 
    baconstangchiagregg thurmanmorecktdknoxredgeminipacornchip
  • Reply 6 of 110
    gnnonignnoni Posts: 27member
    Apple started the iPod bussines because nobody wanted make drivers for Mac, they thinked it was a resource wasted to invest in Mac, how wrong they were. Maybe if Apple develops an VR glasses, maybeOculus will regreet
    mknelsonchiacalitdknoxmonstrosityMal_Rargonaut
  • Reply 7 of 110
    smartmammalsmartmammal Posts: 17member
    If a high-end consumer computer is not good enough to run your product, then you are doing it wrong.
    baconstangredraider11GrumpyOldDogcalimacplusplustallest skilanantksundaramradarthekatgregg thurmanbrakken
  • Reply 8 of 110
    palegolaspalegolas Posts: 1,361member
    They should think more about Apple TV than the Mac..
    Wgkruegercalidoozydozencornchipargonaut
  • Reply 9 of 110
    azreospecialistazreospecialist Posts: 228member
    Well how interesting. You mean that I can play all sorts of 3D games on my old, useless Mac Pro but I can't do basic VR? Sounds to me like Oculus is doing something wrong. I mean, if their hardware won't run on the types of hardware most people own, then it's a niche product that will wait for technology to catch up. That equals very few sales and a slow growth curve. Sounds like investors should stay away from this company.
    baconstangchiacalianantksundaramgregg thurmandigital_guybrakkenmoreckdiplicationbonobob
  • Reply 10 of 110
    WgkruegerWgkrueger Posts: 352member
    Apple will come out with a VR headset with an imbedded A10X cpu that will connect over wifi to any Apple device.
    caliindyfxbrakkenmoreckmknelsonjony0cornchipargonaut
  • Reply 11 of 110
    schlackschlack Posts: 725member
    Maybe Apple should wait until Oculus makes a good VR headset. I have the latest dev set and it's uncomfortable, buggy, and has poor resolution. Can't see it going mainstream for awhile. 
    calianantksundarampulseimagesmorecklolliverredgeminipabadmonkMal_Rcornchipargonaut
  • Reply 12 of 110
    baconstangbaconstang Posts: 1,148member
    Since I don't game and could care less about VR, I'm quite happy with my 'crappy' M395X.
    lollivercornchip
  • Reply 12 of 110
    tele1234tele1234 Posts: 76member
    Not sure why Oculus needs such high end graphics cards to work. Sony has VR that will utilize the PS4. 
    In terms of specs - the PS4 VR delivers a1080p resolution, with only half of that - 960x1080 - to each eye. It supposedly runs at 120fps (again, 60 in each eye), but I'm not sure how the PS4 is going to do that considering it hardly outputs at 30fps stable in most games at 1080, and most run at 720p or 960. The oculus has a resolution of 2160 x 1200, with 1080x1200 going into each eye, so it's got about 25-30% higher pixel density. It also has a global refresh of 90fps. The PS4 VR also has some kind of co-processor, the details of which have not been fully disclosed by Sony, and it's about half the size of the existing PS4 (photo). The occulus lacks this, and plugs directly into the PC with HDMI/USB.

    Really, it depends what you're trying to play. If you're playing the first 1990's Doom or Quake in VR, it'll run on any old toaster of a PC without difficulty. If you're playing something must more modern, then it'll be a hell of a lot more taxing. PS4 games play well on the PS4, but it won't pump out nearly as much visual fidelity as what a $2000+ gaming PC will be able to.
    sdrlscnocbuiargonaut
  • Reply 14 of 110
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    mazda 3s said:
    bdkennedy said:
    Apple builds their computers to serve a particular purpose. Most people don't need all of that power, and the few that do, Apple isn't going to waste money on. Besides, rumors are Apple is working on their own VR, so I could care less what that douche bag thinks.
    He's a douchebag for pointing out the obvious? He was asked by the interviewer why he doesn't support Macs and he replied that Apple doesn't place an emphasis on powerful GPUs that the Rift obviously needs. 

    What exactly did he say that is inaccurate? Granted, I watched the entire 7-minute interview. 
    To be sure the average consumer grade PC doesn’t come anywhere near the specs Oculus says it requires either. The big PC manufacturers don’t place an emphasis on power GPUs either but you can special order them or assemble them yourself, something Apple won’t or can’t do. Of course this has always been the position of the gamer crowd too. The guy is not a douche for his opinion and it’s not a real slam against Apple either. Apple chooses not to pay attention to that market. I don’t see VR taking off with the multitudes just like 3D TVs didn’t. Too geeky for normal people. However the porn applications are astounding.
    edited March 2016 cnocbuiredgeminipaargonaut
  • Reply 15 of 110
    djsherlydjsherly Posts: 1,031member
    smartmammal said:
    If a high-end consumer computer is not good enough to run your product, then you are doing it wrong.
    What a load of rubbish. There are plenty of high consumer pcs out there that are fast enough. They're just not macs. 


    singularitysdrls6Sgoldfish
  • Reply 16 of 110
    macmichielmacmichiel Posts: 34member
    Shouldn't the biggest, richest, whatever, computer company build computers for everybody ? I don't understand comments in favor of ignoring those who want a decent GPU. At least give the option so that people have a CHOICE ! What's the use of making razor-thin iMacs ? Should i look at my screen from the side ? Thats just a useless, insane objective. Apple has been selling 3rd grade, which are also two or three year old components, while charging a premium. All is fair right ? Remember the Mac Mini ? Why is it intentionally crippled on the GPU side ? Why am i not ALOWED to buy me a Mac Mini which is AT LEAST an iMac without a screen ? And why is Apple not selling computers in a tier between the Mac Pro and the Mini (without a screen) ? Is that because Apple won't sell as many units of it as the iPhone ? I am a lifetime Apple-user but this intentionally crippling Macs with a silly cheap a$$ GPU makes me mad, seriously mad. If i want to enjoy a few ours a week of WOW or any other stupid game, let me be stupid for an hour a week. Give me the freakin choice to do so !
    sdrlsbrakkencnocbui6Sgoldfishargonaut
  • Reply 17 of 110
    tele1234tele1234 Posts: 76member
    smartmammal said:
    If a high-end consumer computer is not good enough to run your product, then you are doing it wrong.
    That's not quite how it works. It's not a matter of the Mac Pro (or any Mac line) not being "good enough", it's just now what they are designed to do. I have a few $30,000 DL580's at work that wouldn't run a rift, doesn't mean either of them are poor devices.
    adonissmuargonaut
  • Reply 18 of 110
    The_Martini_CatThe_Martini_Cat Posts: 485member
    When Apple release a graphics computer to his liking, it will already have built-in VR.  Game over.
    calinolamacguybrakkenredgeminipaMal_Rcornchipapplepieguyargonaut
  • Reply 19 of 110
    LTDANLTDAN Posts: 1member
    As much as I love Macs, Palmer Luckey is (mostly) right on this one. OS X is optimized for OpenCL rendering, and OpenGL support (required for Mac gaming) is severely outdated. Not even a Mac Pro with a top of the line, upgraded graphics card will bring good performance in OS X. On top of this, Windows users benefit from DirectX, which completely destroys OpenGL. However, Palmer Luckey is wrong when he says Apple doesn't build good systems. The same Mac running Windows makes it just as good as any PC with equivalent specs. In other words it is not a hardware problem, it's a software problem. Apple knows this, and it's the reason why they developed Metal in the first place. Now if they could only put it to good use...
    edited March 2016 djsherlysdrlsbrakkencnocbuicrowleyredgeminipaargonaut
  • Reply 20 of 110
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    Oculus hasn't done VR right. 
    calimacplusplusapplepieguy
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