VRHow / VR Games / Half-Life: Alyx
Half-Life: Alyx: PC VR System Requirements, Performance Bench & Headset Guide
Interactive Source 2 Dynamic Resolution, VRAM & Frame-Time Simulator
Half-Life: Alyx PC & Headset Readiness Workbench
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Results appear after you run the tool.What is Half-Life: Alyx?
Set five years before the events of Half-Life 2, Half-Life: Alyx casts you as Alyx Vance battling the alien Combine occupation across City 17. Built from the ground up by Valve specifically for roomscale virtual reality on the Source 2 engine, every shelf, drawer, radio bottle, and weapon magazine is physically simulated. Rather than pressing a button to reload or loot, you physically eject magazines, rack slides under pressure, and flick objects across the room into your palms using the signature Russells (“Gravity Gloves”).
Verified VR editions and headset compatibility
| VR Headset | Connection Method | Recommended Codec / Pipeline | Dedicated Setup Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Quest 3 | Wireless Wi-Fi 6E or USB-C Link | AV1 10-Bit @ 180–200 Mbps (VD) or H.264 @ 650 Mbps (Link) | Half-Life: Alyx on Quest 3 |
| Meta Quest 3S | Wireless Wi-Fi 6/6E or USB-C Link | AV1 10-Bit / HEVC 10-Bit @ 150–180 Mbps | Half-Life: Alyx on Quest 3S |
| Valve Steam Frame | Wireless Steam Link VR (6 GHz) | Foveated AV1 / HEVC 10-Bit Wireless Stream | Half-Life: Alyx on Steam Frame |
| Valve Index | Native DisplayPort 1.2 + USB 3.0 | Uncompressed Direct Mode (90Hz / 120Hz / 144Hz + Full Knuckles Finger Tracking) | Valve Index Hardware Guide |
| PlayStation VR2 (PC) | Sony PS VR2 PC Adapter (DP 1.4) | Uncompressed DisplayPort 1.4 (2000×2040 OLED Blacks in Dark Chapters) | Use PSVR2 with PC Guide |
| Bigscreen Beyond 2 | Fiber-Optic Link Box (DP 1.4 DSC) | 75Hz Native Uncompressed or 90Hz DSC + Index Knuckles | Bigscreen Beyond 2 Guide |
Official SteamVR System Requirements
| Component | Valve Official Minimum | VRHow High-Clarity 90Hz/120Hz Target |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 (64-bit) | Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) with HAGS disabled if stuttering |
| Processor (CPU) | Intel Core i5-7500 / AMD Ryzen 5 1600 | Intel Core i5-12400 / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or X3D processor |
| System Memory | 12 GB RAM | 16 GB – 32 GB Dual-Channel RAM |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GTX 1060 (6GB) / AMD RX 580 (6GB) | NVIDIA RTX 3070 / RTX 4070 Super / AMD RX 7800 XT (12GB+ VRAM) |
| Storage | 70 GB available space | 70 GB NVMe SSD (prevents asset-streaming hitches between chapters) |
Source 2 Dynamic Resolution Scaling Explained (And How to Lock It)
Unlike most Unreal or Unity VR titles that render at a fixed resolution multiplier, Valve's Source 2 engine in Half-Life: Alyx uses an automatic 8-tier dynamic resolution scaler (Fidelity Levels 0 through 7) that shifts per-eye resolution up or down in real time based on GPU frame-timing headroom. Because of this, setting SteamVR's global resolution slider to 150% or 200% often fights against Source 2's internal scaler and triggers sudden reprojection drops during volumetric fog or lightning scenes.
Pro tip for Quest 3, Quest 3S & PSVR2 users: Leave SteamVR global resolution at 100%, and if you have an 8 GB VRAM card (like an RTX 3070 or RTX 4060 Ti), set in-game Textures to Medium while keeping Shaders and Effects on High/Ultra. Because Quest Link and Virtual Desktop reserve 1.2–1.6 GB of VRAM for video encoding, Medium textures prevent the infamous “Low Available GPU Memory” popup and keep frame times rock-solid.
Gravity Gloves (Russells), Combat Mechanics, and Physical Weapon Handling
Every weapon in Half-Life: Alyx is upgraded exclusively at Combine Fabricator stations using resin hidden throughout the environment. You carry three core weapons—the sidearm pistol, the one-handed Combine heavy shotgun, and the pulse SMG—plus wrist pockets capable of storing two items (such as health syringes, frag grenades, or Xen grenades). Dark chapters like the flashlight sequence in the Subway tunnels and the sound-sensitive Chapter 7: Jeff showcase why 10-bit AV1/HEVC streaming (or OLED headsets like PSVR2 and Beyond 2) makes such a dramatic difference in shadow gradation.
Comfort Profile, Play Space, and Locomotion Settings
- Four Locomotion Modes: Choose between Continuous (smooth thumbstick walking with head or hand orientation), Blink (short fade-to-black teleports), Shift (fast dash teleports), or mix Continuous walking with instant Blink jumping on the right stick.
- Seated, Standing & Single-Controller Accessibility: Built-in crouch/stand height toggles allow full seated completion, and Valve's Single-Controller Mode lets players operate movement, weapon aiming, and Gravity Gloves with one hand.
Questions
What are the minimum PC requirements for Half-Life: Alyx?
Valve's official minimum requirements for Half-Life: Alyx are Windows 10 (64-bit), an Intel Core i5-7500 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 processor, 12 GB of system RAM, and an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or AMD RX 580 with at least 6 GB of VRAM.
Can you play Half-Life: Alyx on Meta Quest 3 or PSVR2?
Yes, via a VR-ready Windows gaming PC. Half-Life: Alyx runs on Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S using Quest Link, Air Link, Steam Link, or Virtual Desktop, and on PlayStation VR2 using Sony's official PS VR2 PC Adapter.
Why does Half-Life: Alyx show a Low GPU Memory warning on 8GB GPUs?
Wireless and USB streaming apps (Quest Link, Air Link, Virtual Desktop) allocate 1.2–1.6 GB of VRAM for video encoding on top of SteamVR's compositor buffer. Setting in-game Textures to Medium while leaving other settings on High eliminates VRAM overflow stutters on 8 GB GPUs.
Sources
- Steam Store: Official Half-Life: Alyx Page & System Requirements
- Valve: Official Half-Life: Alyx Hardware Compatibility Notes