Virtual reality hype helps Nvidia sell more graphics chips for high-end PCs

Graphics chip maker Nvidia said that it saw an increase in game and virtual reality-related graphics hardware sales in the fourth quarter as consumers prepared for the coming launch of virtual reality headsets this year.

The Nvidia executives made the comments today in a conference call with analysts, and it was consistent with their hope that virtual reality could drive a wave of technology upgrades for computer owners. VR headsets such as the Oculus Rift, which launches later this year, require a great deal of graphics power, and the company’s research indicates that many are not ready to run virtual reality. Nvidia’s results are also a bellwether for the PC industry, as the company is one of the largest makers of graphics chips. Its results are also indicators of the health of sectors such as PC gaming hardware, graphics-enhanced data center computing, and car computing.