如今，虚拟现实越来越多地出现在技术世界的对话中。虽然很多注意力都集中在花哨的 VR 游戏场景或 VR 体验上，但实际上有一个很好的案例可以让VR 成为一种生产力工具(VR as a productivity tool)。最好的例子是 VR 桌面应用程序。
我们着手回答“你真的可以使用 VR 桌面吗？”这个问题。使用两个流行的应用程序。简短的回答是“是”，但其中涉及一些严重的权衡。
什么是 VR 桌面？
在继续之前。让我们弄清楚究竟什么是“VR桌面”。本质上，它是一个虚拟环境，提供您自己计算机屏幕的投影。
换句话说，您将看到一个虚拟屏幕显示与您在物理屏幕上看到的完全相同的信息。但它不是在某个房间或办公室的办公桌上，而是在虚拟空间中。
运行 VR 桌面需要什么？
您可能听说过要在您的计算机上使用虚拟现实，它必须具有大量规格。对于需要中档或更好游戏级组件的高端 VR 视频游戏而言，情况确实如此。然而，当谈到 VR 桌面应用程序时，这根本不是真的。
确切的最低规格因应用程序而异，但如果您最近有一台配备Iris Plus 或类似GPU的四核笔记本电脑，它可能会正常工作。在我们的案例中，我们使用 Oculus Quest来执行虚拟桌面任务。所以计算机本身的系统要求并不那么重要。
VR 环境由 Quest 的内部GPU而非计算机渲染。如果您想了解更多信息，请查看我们的Oculus Quest 评论文章(Oculus Quest Review article)。在Quest(Quest)上使用虚拟桌面应用程序的另一个好处是无线传输功能。尽管您的网络硬件需要满足它。
因此，总而言之，运行 VR 桌面需要三件事：
- 符合最低规格的台式电脑
- 一款 VR 桌面应用
- 与相关应用程序兼容的VR 耳机(VR headset)
所以现在您知道这些应用程序是什么以及您需要使用哪些应用程序，但您为什么(why )要这样做呢？让我们看看 VR 桌面带来的优势。
使用VR 桌面有(A VR Desktop)什么好处(Advantages)？
使用虚拟桌面解决方案有几个主要优点。首先是您可以拥有尽可能多的空间，而显示器配置在现实生活中是不切实际的。大多数人买不起或容纳六显示器设置，但在支持您可以的功能的 VR 桌面程序中。
第二大优势是您可以创造一个环境，让您可以专注地工作而不会分心。将您的 VR 耳机与一副好的降噪耳机相结合，您将在完全安静的环境中工作。
这种 VR 桌面设置的另一大吸引力是它的便携性。如果您是一个经常旅行并且经常不得不坐在酒店房间或其他只能使用笔记本电脑的空间中工作的人，那么随身携带您的 VR 头戴设备并拥有您在 VR 中所需的大屏幕设置并不难. 更不用说您可以将它用作您自己的个人影院或大屏幕视频游戏设置！
如果您使用站立式桌面设置，则虚拟桌面是理想的选择。由于您可以根据人体工程学来放置您喜欢的虚拟显示器。
最后，这是一个很棒的隐私措施。如果您关闭显示器，那么只有您可以看到当前屏幕上的内容。这是很多人会喜欢的功能。
走 VR 桌面路线的理由肯定不止于此，但我们认为这是三个主要用例。现在我们已经介绍了理论知识，让我们看看您今天可以获得的两个最好的虚拟桌面应用程序。
虚拟桌面(Virtual Desktop)（Oculus Rift – 13.99 美元和Oculus Quest – 20 美元）
这可能是最知名的虚拟桌面应用程序，它肯定在描述该类型的名称上获得了第一名！这个应用程序仅作为付费软件提供，但它已经存在了几年，开发人员已经将这笔钱投入到使程序更加完善和稳定。
Quest上的虚拟桌面(Desktop)以无线方式工作。我们的Windows计算机通过(Windows)以太网(Ethernet)连接到路由器，耳机通过5Ghz 无线 AC(5Ghz wireless AC)连接。无论是工作还是玩电子游戏，我们都不会遇到任何延迟。屏幕非常清晰，除了目前大多数 VR 耳机都有的“鸡丝”像素网格效果。这(Which)根本不是这些应用程序的错。
虚拟桌面非常精简，可以轻松移动和调整屏幕大小。虚拟桌面(Desktop)支持多个物理监视器，但据我们所知，它不支持生成您在物理世界中实际上没有的虚拟监视器。
该程序非常稳定和完善。它使用起来非常简单，并且很好地集成了 Oculus Quest 的新手部跟踪功能。这(Which)在很大程度上意味着您不需要使用触摸控制器。
除了缺乏虚拟监视器（以及缺乏环境多样性）之外，主要缺点是没有免费版本的应用程序。尽管如此，对于任何寻求精致、可靠的个人 VR 工作环境的人来说，每一分钱都是值得的。值得注意的是，该应用程序的MacOS版本仍在开发中，因此目前这是仅限 Windows 的选项。
沉浸式 VR(Immersed VR)（Oculus Quest – 免费/14.99/29.99 美元）
沉浸式 VR 是虚拟桌面世界的新成员，但它已经引起了一些波澜。好消息是这个Oculus Quest和Oculus Go应用程序有一个“永久免费”层。该公司计划在未来扩展到其他平台。
Immersed 在免费计划中支持一台虚拟显示器，在每月付费套餐中最多支持五台。它还提供了更多不同的环境。您可以在虚拟空间中与他人进行公共（免费层）和私人（付费层）协作。有一个简洁的虚拟网络摄像头和手部跟踪等高级功能即将推出。最重要的是，这适用于Windows、Mac和Linux！
虽然 Immersed 感觉不像Virtual Desktop那样精致，但这是值得一看的，因为它是免费的，所以值得一试！
你真的可以在 VR 中工作吗？
我们在 VR 中花了很多时间来做我们使用显示器会做的日常事情。虽然有一个调整期，但在 VR 空间而不是现实世界中工作很快就变得很自然了。Quest渲染的虚拟显示器看起来相当不错，虽然不如现实生活中那么清晰。然而，这可以通过它们较大的外观尺寸以及在 Immers 的情况下产生多个虚拟监视器的能力来弥补。
必须看键盘才能打字的作家当然会遇到困难，但如果您可以在不需要看到键盘和鼠标的情况下使用它们并且拥有足够舒适的耳机，那么虚拟桌面可能是一个很棒的工作场所！
VR Virtual Desktop Apps: Can You Actually Work in VR?
Virtual reality is croppіng up in the technolоgy world’s conversations more and more thеѕe daуs. While a lot of attention goes to the fаncy VR gaming scene or VR exрeriеnces, there’s actually a prеtty good case to be made for VR as a productivity tool. The best example of this is a VR desktop application.
We set out to answer the question “can you actually work with a VR desktop?” using two popular apps. The short answer is “yes”, but there are some serious tradeoffs involved.
What Is A VR Desktop?
Before going any further. Let’s clear up exactly what a “VR desktop” is. Essentially, it’s a virtual environment that offers a projection of your own computer’s screen.
In other words, you’ll see a virtual screen displaying exactly the same information you would see on your physical screen. But instead of it being on your desk in a room or office somewhere, it’s in a virtual space.
What Do I Need To Run A VR Desktop?
You might have heard that to use virtual reality with your computer it has to have massive specifications. This is true when it comes to high-end VR video games that need mid-range or better gaming-grade components. When it comes to a VR desktop application however that’s not true at all.
The exact minimum specifications will vary from application to application, but if you have a recent quad-core laptop with an Iris Plus or similar GPU, it will probably work just fine. In our case we are using an Oculus Quest for virtual desktop duty. So the system requirements of the computer itself aren’t that important.
The VR environment is rendered by the Quest’s internal GPU, not the computer. If you’d like to know more, check out our Oculus Quest Review article. Another nice advantage of using virtual desktop apps on a Quest is the wireless transmission feature. Although your network hardware needs to be up to it.
So, to summarize, you need three things to run a VR desktop:
- A desktop computer that meets the minimum specifications
- A VR desktop application
- A VR headset that’s compatible with the app in question
So now you know what these apps are and what you need to use one, but why would you want to? Let’s look at the advantages a VR desktop brings to the table.
What Are The Advantages Of Using A VR Desktop?
There are a few main advantages to using a virtual desktop solution. The first is that you can have as much space as you like with monitor configurations that would be impractical in real life. Most people can’t afford or accommodate a six-monitor setup, but in a VR desktop program that supports the feature you can.
The second big advantage is that you can create an environment where you can work in a focused way without being distracted. Combine your VR headset with a good pair of noise cancelling headphones and you’ll be working in total tranquility.
Another big draw of this VR desktop setup is its portability. If you’re someone who travels and often has to sit and work in hotel rooms or other spaces where you can only use a laptop, it’s not that hard to bring your VR headset along and have as large a screen setup as you need in VR. Not to mention that you can use it as your own personal cinema or big-screen video game setup!
If you use a standing-desk setup, a virtual desktop is ideal. Since you can position the virtual monitors however you like in terms of ergonomics.
Finally, it’s a fantastic privacy measure. If you switch off your monitor, then only you can see what’s currently on-screen. That’s a feature plenty of people will like.
There are surely more reasons to go the VR desktop route than this, but we think these are the three primary use cases. Now that we’ve covered the theoretical stuff, let’s look at two of the best virtual desktop applications you can get today.
Virtual Desktop (Oculus Rift – $13.99 & Oculus Quest – $20)
This is probably the best known virtual desktop app and it certainly got first dibs on the name that describes the genre! This app is only available as paid software, but it’s been around for a few years and the developers have ploughed that money back into making the program polished and stable.
Virtual Desktop on the Quest works wirelessly. We had our Windows computer connected to the router via Ethernet and the headset connected via 5Ghz wireless AC. Whether working or playing video games, we experience no lag whatsoever. The screen was perfectly clear, apart from the “chicken wire” pixel grid effect that most VR headsets have at the moment. Which is no fault of these apps at all.
Virtual desktop is very streamlined, it’s easy to move and resize screens. Virtual Desktop supports multiple physical monitors, but as far as we can tell it does not support spawning virtual monitors that you don’t actually have in the physical world.
The program is incredibly stable and polished. It was dead simple to use and it has decent integration of the Oculus Quest’s new hand-tracking feature. Which for the most part means you don’t need to use the touch controllers.
Apart from the lack of virtual monitors (and a lack of environment variety) the main drawback is that there’s no free version of the app. Nonetheless, it’s worth every penny for anyone looking for a polished, reliable personal VR work environment. It’s worth noting however that the MacOS version of the app is still in development, so this is a Windows-only option for now.
Immersed VR (Oculus Quest – Free/14.99/$29.99)
Immersed VR is a newer entrant to the virtual desktop world, but it’s already making some waves. The good news is that there is a “Free Forever” tier to this Oculus Quest and Oculus Go application. The company plans to extend to other platforms in the future.
Immersed supports one virtual monitor on the free plan and up to five on the paid monthly tier. It also offers more varied environments. You get public (free tier) and private (paid tier) collaboration in the virtual space with others. There’s a neat virtual webcam and advanced features such as hand tracking are coming. Best of all, this works on Windows, Mac and Linux!
While Immersed doesn’t feel quite as polished as Virtual Desktop, this is one to watch and since it’s free, one to try!
Can You Actually Work In VR?
We spent many hours in VR doing the normal everyday things we would do using a monitor. While there was an adjustment period, it soon became pretty natural to work in the VR space instead of the real world. The virtual monitors rendered by the Quest looked pretty good, though not as sharp as they would in real life. This is however made up for by their large apparent size and, in the case of Immersed, the ability to spawn multiple virtual monitors.
Writers who have to look at the keyboard to type will of course struggle, but if you can work your keyboard and mouse without needing to see them and have a headset that’s comfortable enough, a virtual desktop can be an amazing place to work!
