Virtual Gaming PC in VMware ESXi 6.5 - Franken PC May 2018

I wasn't sure if I was going to get to do a "Franken PC" this month but somehow I came up with a an idea that were actually going to expand on. Think of the premise of this video being kinda like an appetizer for something really crazy that were working on with Cooler Master and ASRock.

► Cameras & Gear Used To Make These Videos ◄

[ArtemisKitty]

Awesome, thanks! For a while now I've been using my server as a gaming PC, (literally an HPE Proliant DL580 server, haha) but at this point I need to multipurpose it into VMs for actual server purposes. My hope was that ESXi would let me still enjoy the overkill hardware for gaming, perhaps with my Nvidia Shield Portable or work laptop (vPro CPU, decent Nvidia card compatible with GameStream etc), so I'm really glad to see this! Nice to see the performance you got using the basic VM interface, too. With the PCIE tied in like you showed us, hopefully it'll work smoothly. I know it works much better than Steam Link or any other RDP/VNC type interface I've tried so far, at least in native Windows Boot, and I'm hoping the headless-mode install (no external display ports enabled since I can tell ESXI to only use the server's S3 chipset) will give me increased performance over my current already great experience. Thanks for the tips about stuff like the 2nd monitor/install OS first bit, as that helps a lot. And I definitely agree about the server sound - mine's even worse. Add a 3 fan Nvidia GTX 1070Ti to the 6 vortex blower fans in the server plus 2 more in the power supplies and one more for the external power supply to run the video card (on a PCIE extension because it won't fit inside) - the "sea of sensors" detects it and ramps up the fans pretty loud. I can't wait to have it located in the back room instead. Your video has given me the confidence to give it a shot! (edit:grammar, punctuation)

[RindosRides]

How did you pass the mouse and keyboard through? Im running esxi 6.7 and it doesn't allow me to add HID devices (even when usb.generic.allowHID is set to TRUE)

[andrewvickers]

can you make a more in depth video because i am tying this and i am not getting it right

[edwarddolezal]

I'd love to see a thin client connect to it and how well that works.

[PoeLemic]

First video that I have seen of yours. And, MAN -- ARE YOU FUNNY !!! Funny as shit (in good way). Computers & humor -- what could be better !?!?!??! I love ya, Dude. I'm a BIG SUB now !!! Gosh, I know this channel gonna go big one day. Remember, Poe Lemic was here when you were small. I was there with Linus and others were small too ...

[luwk]

What are the specs of your pc that you are using for esxi

[MuratTamer]

I've been searching for a solution like that. Yours is the best. I mean not crazy things, what I needed. Great job. Great solution and explanation. Thank you very much.

[OSTEHOPP]

Awesome ! Just what I was looking for, proof that this was possible!
My next project is to create an ESXi server, have some ubuntu servers for my other projects and stuff and still be able to game on my couch! I "need" an Emulator VM, and since the rasberry pie can't handle too new consoles I wanted to have something with abit more juice in it, and still at the same time not have to have like 3 PCs around for the different purposes. Thanks!

[JohnDoe-cviw]

Awesome video.. i have a decent rig, i7 13700 with 64gb ram and an rx7900XT.. i also have an extra rtx3060 gpu and thought about using ESXI to make 2 gaming setups from one pc!! now this confirms for me its possible!

[heejlim]

It seems like you're just playing the game from that gaming rig sitting next to the monitor. It would be cool if you use a beat up laptop to load VD and play the game on it.

[chandra]

Thx for the awesome video. Now I changed my plans to setup my homelab !!! No more servers, just PCs...

[computersales]

I wish this would have gone into how to use it remotely on a local network. This is a great setup, but doesn't necessarily make sense if you plan on having physical access.

[ErikuNyang]

can you list the parts? I really need the information for the bay you used for ssd

[JohnNelsonNumber]

How in the world do you get the keyboard and mouse attached to the box to pass through to the Windows VM? I can do it by connecting to the VM, but not by just moving the mouse and keyboard attached to it...

This is such a timely video for me as I just setup a big server in my office with a noice NVidia GPU for a VM lab and the video/gaming through RDP is abysmal

[DerpyNoodIe]

I’m planning to build a 1920X machine with ESXi. I’m going to run Pfsense, a Windows server for Plex, Radarr, and Sonarr, and a dedicated Windows server with a VPN for all my torrent downloads. I’ll also have a gaming VM with something like a GTX 1660 and run Steam on it for Steam Link that lets me play locally and over the internet since I have gigabit internet (so basically my own personal Google Stadia). I’m still buying all the parts but I can’t wait to get it all up and running.

[rdsii]

I know this isn't a how to, but when you made your configurations did you have to do it from another computer or could you launch the browser from the same pc?

[ChrisHensley]

Did anyone else notice the game stutter randomly a couple of times? Like a micro freeze? Edit: @8:46 you can see one as he runs around the corner. A millisecond freeze

[jvarrati]

Quick question do you always have to connect the monitor to the video card to achieve the performance for games or would using a rdp or vnc from another room if they are both on gigabit switch suffice? if so what would you recommend to use for the connection to host rdp?

[skybike]

Minor thing I noticed but it is best practice when screwing in the heatsink/watercooler to cross tighten the screws (IE. top right > bottom left, top left > bottom right). Should help disperse the thermal paste more evenly and not put so much pressure on one side of the cpu at a time. Nice video!

[lixxus-m]

how do you passthrough the keyboard and mouse ? wont it default to the hypervisor login screen ?