Virtual reality in a backpack?

Zotac has introduced a new generation of wearable VR Go computers, which can potentially increase the performance of systems intended for gaming in virtual reality. Although new machines designed for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications are by default less powerful than their predecessors and at the same time use professional NVIDIA graphics processors, they do not necessarily include of the latest and greatest processors and graphics cards.

Zotac VR Go 4.0 wearables are based on Intel's 11th generation 'Tiger Lake' notebook processor Core i7-11800H with eight cores and Nvidia RTX A2000 8GB notebook GPUs (GA106, 2560 CUDA cores, 20 RayTracing cores ) or RTX A4500 16GB (GA104, 5888 CUDA cores, 46 RT cores).

The Zbox-VR7N2000 and Zbox-VR7N4500 computers are equipped with 16 GB of DDR4 memory (expandable up to 32 GB) and a 512 GB M.2 SSD disk. For those who need additional storage space, there is a 2.5-inch SSD or HDD drive and a 3-in-1 card reader. In terms of connectivity, VR Go 4.0 systems include Intel Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 adapter AX1650, GbE port, USB 3.1 Type-C port, two display outputs (DisplayPort and HDMI), six USB 3.1 and USB 3.0 Type-A connectors and 3.5-mm input/output connectors for audio.

The Zotac VR Go 4.0 offers up to 50 minutes of battery life when working with AR/VR workloads, and the design allows for on-the-go battery replacement (batteries sold separately, charger included) for longer AR/VR sessions.

Although Zotac officially labels its VR Go systems for VR gaming, these wearables are especially popular among developers of AR, VR, and mixed reality apps and games, as well as professional software users. equipment for AR, VR and MR. Perhaps this is the reason why the company chose NVIDIA RTX professional graphics processors instead of the usual GeForce RTX GPUs. 

Zotac has yet to announce pricing for its new VR Go 4.0 wearables, but we can expect them to be available only to those with the deepest pockets who like to tinker with the new technology. For the rest, it will make more sense to buy dedicated VR glasses (for example Meta Quest 2 or perhaps the upcoming Quest 3).