Man, these first world problems sure are rough. You've just shelled out $800 for your new HTC Vive, but you keep tripping over that darn cable connecting your headset to your PC. What's a poor gerbil to do? Zotac thinks it has the solution to your problem. The company's upcoming Mobile VR system puts a VR-ready gaming rig into a backpack so that you can play in VR without the cable breaking your immersion.
Zotac hasn't indicated yet what's under the hood of the Mobile VR system other than to say it's powered by one of its Zbox mini-PCs. We checked out the Zbox Magnus EN970 last fall, and were fairly impressed with what Zotac could accomplish in such small space. The graphics card inside the EN970 isn't up to the requirements for the HTC Vive or the Oculus Rift, though. Zotac does have a Zbox Magnus EN980 in the works, though. That product uses a mobile GTX 980, a chip that's more than up to the task of driving a VR headset.
Speaking of power consumption, battery life is another important concern in a powerful-yet-portable system like this one. Zotac's press release suggests the Mobile VR system includes a portable battery pack for the PC inside. We're curious how much weight that pack adds to the already somewhat bulky-looking system and how long the system can provide a less-tethered VR experience. We'll find out when Zotac releases more information on the system's hardware, pricing, and availability.