Attaching an eGPU (RTX 3060 Ti) to the ASUS VivoBook S15 Ultrabook, and Putting VR to the Test
ASUS lent me an ASUS VivoBook S15 — a compact laptop built around the concept of “Move forward, your way." It’s a thin ultrabook, nothing like a gaming machine. Can it actually drive PC VR once you bolt an external GPU onto it?
The VivoBook S15 configuration I’m testing runs an 11th-gen Intel Core CPU and comes with a Thunderbolt 4 port. I’m connecting an eGPU (external GPU) enclosure over that Thunderbolt 4 port, loading it with a GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, and checking whether the combination can actually handle VR.
This article covers the base rig itself — the laptop, the eGPU enclosure, and general-purpose benchmark results. Frame-rate results for each individual headset are covered in the companion write-ups linked in the headset section below.
The Test Setup: ASUS VivoBook S15 S533EA (S533EA-BQ032TS)
Here’s the spec sheet for the unit I borrowed. This is the configuration I’m testing throughout this article.
| Model | ASUS VivoBook S15 S533EA S533EA-BQ032TS |
|---|---|
| CPU | Core i7-1165G7 4 cores / 8 threads, 2.8GHz (Turbo Boost 4.7GHz) |
| GPU | Integrated GPU (Iris Xe Graphics) |
| Memory | 16GB |
| SSD | 1024GB |
| HDD | None |
| Power adapter | 65W |
| OS | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
What I Used: Razer Core X
| Item | Razer Core X |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Razer |
| Size (H x W x D) (mm) | 230x168x374 |
| Internal dimensions (mm) | 160x57x330 |
| Built-in power supply | 650W |
This eGPU enclosure has a fairly beefy 650W built-in power supply. I’m testing it here with an RTX 3060 Ti installed.
The Razer Core X doesn’t come with a Thunderbolt cable, so I used a separate cable I already had on hand for this test.
GIGABYTE GV-N306TGAMING OC-8GD
This is a GIGABYTE-made RTX 3060 Ti — one of the more modest, lower-mid-tier models in GIGABYTE’s lineup.
VR Performance Test Results
Against the Recommended Oculus Spec
I compared this against a PC built to the minimum recommended Oculus GPU spec:
- CPU: Intel Core i5-4590
- GPU: GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
- Memory: 8GB
Despite being a mobile ultrabook, the ASUS VivoBook S15’s CPU already outperforms the Oculus recommended spec. Once you boost its graphics by attaching a GeForce card, the whole rig ends up clearing the Oculus recommended performance level, as shown below.
[kimono_bar title="VR Performance (VivoBook S15 + RTX3060Ti)" color="#4363d8″ max="250″ note="Relative value, recommended spec = 100″]
3Dmark TimeSpy|33
3Dmark FireStrike|35
Cinebench CPU|141
Cinebench SingleCore|165
memory|200
[/kimono_bar]
*ASUS VivoBook S15 + RTX 3060 Ti performance, with the Oculus recommended spec set to 100
3Dmark TimeSpy shows DirectX 12 rendering performance, and 3Dmark FireStrike shows VR rendering performance using richer graphics — both scored against the recommended GTX 1060 6GB desktop set to 100. Cinebench CPU shows overall CPU compute power, and Cinebench SingleCore shows single-core compute power, both against the recommended Core i5-4590 set to 100. The memory score shows RAM capacity against the recommended 8GB set to 100.
The CPU in this particular unit is a Core i7-1165G7 — a low-power mobile chip, but one that still outperforms the Oculus recommended CPU.
On its own, the ASUS VivoBook S15 doesn’t have anywhere near enough graphics power to enjoy VR. Routing an RTX 3060 Ti through an eGPU enclosure solves that problem entirely.
Resolution Against Frame Rate
The standard rendering resolution for the PC-rendered image is 9.4 megapixels for the Oculus Quest and 8.7 megapixels for the Oculus Quest 2.
If you’re getting 72fps or better around the 10-megapixel mark, you can consider the rendering comfortably ahead of the headset’s demands.
I ran VRMark across a range of resolutions. The horizontal axis is pixel count; the vertical axis is frame rate.
[kimono_cost_table title="Resolution vs. VRMark Score (VivoBook S15 + RTX3060Ti)"] 3.1|237.4|190|176|72 5|241|148|141|72 8.3|191|100|105|72 14.7|133|62|70.9|72 [/kimono_cost_table]Around the 10-megapixel mark, the frame rate stays above 72fps. Unless you’re running an unusually demanding app, VR should be enjoyable.
ASUS VivoBook S15 + RTX 3060 Ti VR performance: connecting the RTX 3060 Ti pushes both CPU and GPU performance well past the Oculus recommended PC spec. This is performance you can comfortably enjoy VR with.
VR Score and Cost Performance
| Metric | Score |
|---|---|
| VR Score Higher is better performance | 232 |
| VR Cost Performance Higher is better value. Added value not factored in | 92* |
Overall PC Performance
Here are the results from the PCMark10 benchmark app, which shows how the ASUS VivoBook S15 + RTX 3060 Ti performs for non-gaming use.
I compared this against a desktop PC built around an Intel Core i5-10400 — a current best-selling desktop CPU.
[kimono_bar title="PC Performance (VivoBook S15 + RTX3060Ti)" color="#4363d8″ max="150″ note="Relative value, reference spec = 100″]
Overall|103
Essentials|124
Productivity|105
Digital Content Creation|81
[/kimono_bar]
*ASUS VivoBook S15 + RTX 3060 Ti performance, with the Intel Core i5-10400 benchmark result set to 100
PCMark10’s “Overall" reflects total PC performance. “Essentials" reflects everyday tasks like launching apps and browsing, measured using real apps and a browser. “Productivity" reflects office-suite work like word processing and spreadsheets, measured with OpenOffice-family apps. “Digital Content Creation" reflects creative work — photo, video, and 3D graphics — measured with apps like GIMP.
It can handle creative work too, delivering performance that’s nearly on par with a desktop PC.
ASUS VivoBook S15 + RTX 3060 Ti baseline performance: it delivers performance on par with a mainstream Core i5 desktop PC.
You get performance comparable to a 10th-gen desktop CPU.
Putting Five Headsets Through Their Paces
Oculus Rift S
Here I’m testing how much frame rate the VivoBook S15 + RTX 3060 Ti setup delivers with the Oculus Rift S.
[kimono_bar title="Oculus Rift S (Prioritize Performance) x VivoBook S15 + RTX3060Ti" unit="fps" color="#1e90ff"] Asgard’s Wrath High|91 [/kimono_bar]With the graphics setting on “Prioritize Performance," the frame rate comfortably clears 80fps. Even with Asgard’s Wrath set to “High" quality, it still holds above 80fps — comfortable to use.
The Original Oculus Quest
Here I’m testing how much frame rate the VivoBook S15 + RTX 3060 Ti setup delivers with the original Oculus Quest.
[kimono_bar title="Oculus Quest (Rendering resolution 1.0x) x VivoBook S15 + RTX3060Ti" unit="fps" color="#1e90ff"] Asgard’s Wrath Easy|83 Asgard’s Wrath High|60 [/kimono_bar]With the rendering resolution set to “1.0x," as long as you don’t push the in-app resolution any higher, the frame rate comfortably clears 72fps.
Oculus Quest 2
Here I’m testing how much frame rate the VivoBook S15 + RTX 3060 Ti setup delivers with the Oculus Quest 2.
[kimono_bar title="Oculus Quest 2 (Rendering resolution 1.0x) x VivoBook S15 + RTX3060Ti" unit="fps" color="#1e90ff"] Asgard’s Wrath High|53 [/kimono_bar]With the rendering resolution set to “1.0x," as long as you don’t push the in-app resolution any higher, the frame rate comfortably clears 72fps.
Vive Cosmos Elite
Here I’m testing how much frame rate the VivoBook S15 + RTX 3060 Ti setup delivers with the Vive Cosmos Elite.
[kimono_bar title="Vive Cosmos Elite x VivoBook S15 + RTX3060Ti" unit="fps" color="#1e90ff"] Half Life:ALYX Max Quality|88 Asgard’s Wrath Easy|79 Asgard’s Wrath High|55 [/kimono_bar]For a demanding app like Asgard’s Wrath, this setup can’t hold a 90fps frame rate. Around 80fps, you likely won’t notice it by feel, but the risk of VR motion sickness climbs. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti also doesn’t currently support motion smoothing. If you’re planning to use the Vive Cosmos Elite, you’re probably better off with a GeForce RTX 2000-series GPU, which does support motion smoothing.
Pimax 8K Plus
Here I’m testing how much frame rate the VivoBook S15 + RTX 3060 Ti setup delivers with the Pimax 8K Plus.
[kimono_bar title="Pimax 8K Plus (Normal) x VivoBook S15 + RTX3060Ti" unit="fps" color="#1e90ff"] Asgard’s Wrath Easy|67 Asgard’s Wrath High|46 [/kimono_bar]With the Pimax 8K Plus’s field of view set to “Normal," VR is enjoyable as long as you don’t push for higher in-app quality. In Asgard’s Wrath, you can feel some lag behind head movement.
What I Could Not Verify
This is a single review unit lent by ASUS, so I can’t say how much these numbers would vary between individual units. I only tested with the specific Thunderbolt cable, Razer Core X enclosure, and GIGABYTE RTX 3060 Ti listed above — a different cable, eGPU enclosure, or card model could shift the numbers. I also stuck to Asgard’s Wrath as the CPU-heavy test case across all five headsets; a different or even more CPU-bound title could behave differently, given how little headroom this CPU has left once the graphics bottleneck is removed.
In Summary: A Thin Ultrabook Can Drive PC VR With an eGPU
I connected a GeForce RTX 3060 Ti to the stylish mobile ultrabook “VivoBook S15" through an eGPU enclosure.
ASUS VivoBook S15 + RTX 3060 Ti performance summary: boosting the graphics performance alone is enough to make VR genuinely enjoyable on this rig.
Here’s how each PC VR headset performed once I gave this mobile ultrabook far more external graphics power than it would ever have on its own:
| HMD | Verdict |
| Oculus Rift S | Plenty of headroom to use comfortably. |
| Oculus Quest | Comfortably usable. Better to keep the in-app settings on the lower-quality side. |
| Oculus Quest 2 | Comfortably usable. Better to keep the in-app settings on the lower-quality side. |
| Vive Cosmos Elite | Usable if you drop the in-app quality settings. Give up on CPU-bound apps. |
| Pimax 8K Plus | The Pimax 8K Plus is comfortably usable. Give up on CPU-bound apps. |
A typical gaming desktop packs far more CPU power than it actually needs, so the CPU rarely becomes the bottleneck. Because of that, next to other PCs’ benchmark results, the “ASUS VivoBook S15 + RTX 3060 Ti" combo can end up looking like a rig that delivers a lower frame rate than its benchmark numbers would suggest.
That said, even with an eGPU enclosure bolted onto the VivoBook S15, PC VR apps ran just fine. Compared to a standalone Oculus Quest 2, this setup gains enough rendering headroom to handle apps with noticeably richer visuals without breaking a sweat. As long as you don’t chase maximum quality settings, VR is genuinely enjoyable here.
If you want to enjoy PC VR from a mobile ultrabook, an eGPU enclosure looks like a legitimate way to get there.