(08-05-2018, 03:41 PM)JonnyH Wrote: [ -> ]Be aware that for 'future proofing' - depending on how long you want things to last - it may be cheaper in the long run to buy a relatively midrange system with the expectation it'll be updated later - as the march of technology waits for no man, and you may end up with a faster system on average over the equivalent expected lifetime of a crazy high-end system. Certainly recently in CPUs (now there's actually some competition 
an 8th gen i3 can give the highest-end most expensive i7 from just a couple of years back a run for it's money.
This is especially when looking at top-tier 'halo' products - as the price increases a lot for a relatively modest improvement in performance.
I think from a VR perspective, being cheap usually results in a dramatic decrease in performance. I have pretty high-end pc parts, but I am having to update even further for stable fps rate.
I think for me, having a perfect VR-capable machine (from a dolphin perspective) provides me with enough of a future proof pc without having to sacrifice anything on any AAA quality game.
It all depends on when you require your VR setup. Doing it today can cost you a fortune. Doing it in a few years (perhaps longer?) while VR becomes standardized and it will be much cheaper. VR might require a GTX 1180 TI as of today, but perhaps in the future the equivalent of a GTX 1660. In the end, it depends on how much you are willing to pay for it now. Undoubtedly VR will have a major role in the future.
But as has been said before, if you want to run Dolphin maximized without the use of VR and other fancy tricks, a modern mid-high-range system will suffice these days. Of course there might be other emulators demanding more than Dolphin.
You can either invest a lot today in powerful equipment and last a few years with, or buy the equivalent of similar quality a few years ahead for a much lower price. The trick is, don't be too cheap since it's quality will last too short to benefit from with enough and don't buy too expensive, often it's cost-increase is much higher than the quality-increase. You should consider the ratio between quality and cost. And that all depends on how much you are willing to invest for.