By Josué Cruz
Since 1987 gaming companies like Nintendo and SEGA have offered us “virtual reality” without much success, that changed in 2012 with the appearance of the Oculus Rift. Now in 2018 we have dozens of brands and models competing each other to bring us the best VR gadget, but, which one is the best?
HTC VIVE
HTC (High Tech Computer Corp.) is a Chinese mobile phone manufacturer that is better known for creating one of the best VR Headsets these days: The HTC VIVE.
Direct competitor of the Oculus Rift, this comes in a bundle with a pair of base stations that track the headset and the two hand controllers that are also included.
The visor has interchangeable inserts and straps that you can easily adjust, a front camera to scan near objects and prevent collisions, adjustments for eye relieving and fits the most of glasses. In the other hand, literally, we have the handgrip controllers that are designed exclusively for VR, featuring intuitive controls, gestures and a realistic HD haptic feedback. And finally, the base stations can track over a 360-degree area, having wireless syncing and fitting standard threaded mounting points.
One of the best pros of this headset is that it is powered by SteamVR where you can enjoy over 1500 VR games like: The Blu, Irrational Exuberance or Arizona Sunshine, plus everything you love about Steam, including new releases, automatic game updates and millions of your closest friends.
Now it’s time to talk about the specs:
Headset Specs
⦁ Screen: Dual AMOLED 3.6’’ diagonal
⦁ Resolution: 1080 x 1200 pixels per eye (2160 x 1200 pixels combined)
⦁ Refresh rate: 90 Hz
⦁ Field of view: 110 degrees
⦁ Safety features: Chaperone play area boundaries and front-facing camera
⦁ Sensors: SteamVR Tracking, G-sensor, gyroscope, proximity
⦁ Connections: HDMI, USB 2.0, stereo 3.5 mm headphone jack, Power, Bluetooth
⦁ Input: Integrated microphone
⦁ Eye Relief: Interpupillary distance and lens distance adjustment
Controller specs
⦁ Sensors: SteamVR Tracking
⦁ Input: Multifunction trackpad, Grip buttons, dual-stage trigger, System button, Menu button
⦁ Use per charge: Approx. 6 hours
⦁ Connections: Micro-USB charging port
Tracked area requirements
⦁ Standing / seated: No min. space requirements
⦁ Room-scale:6’6’’ x 5’ min. room size, 16’4’’ max. between base stations
Before using it, you need to verify that your computer is good enough to handle this power, meaning that it must satisfy at least these requirements:
⦁ Graphics*: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon™ RX 480, equivalent or better.
⦁ Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-4590 or AMD FX™ 8350, equivalent or better
⦁ Memory: 4 GB RAM or more
⦁ Video out: HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort 1.2 or newer
⦁ USB ports:1x USB 2.0 or better port
⦁ Operating system: Windows® 7 SP1, Windows® 8.1 or later, Windows® 10
Where can you find it? At what price? If you are in the USA is easy to find in the biggest retail stores and online.
⦁ Amazon: 499.00 USD
⦁ Best Buy: 499.00 USD
⦁ GameStop: 499.99 USD
Google Daydream View
A lot cheaper than the HTC VIVE, this mobile phone headset pretends to make virtual reality affordable and enjoyable for everyone. It’s “lightweight” fabric, other way to say plastic let’s be honest, with a fiber cover that makes it smooth to the touch. Charcoal, Fog (image) and Coral are the three colors available for this device. It comes with an intuitive, expressive controller, fits most glasses, and features a removable top strap that ensures a snug fit.
It works with most mid-range and above phones with 5” and bigger screens, but if you want to squeeze it to its top you will need a high-end phone. Being from google comes with interesting stuff like Chromecast streaming and your own app store: Daydream.
Daydream houses a lot of nice apps, from TV and Movies to games, passing through immersive experiences like traveling and exploring. Some games that you can find here are: The Arcslinger, Hunters Gate and Evil Robot Traffic Jam. Experiences apps: So Let Us Melt, Spheres and CNN VR. You can also enjoy your favorite Movies and TV Shows with Google Play Movies & TV, Littlstar VR Cinema, YouTube, Netflix and much more.
Prices and places to buy:
⦁ Amazon: 44.50 USD (limited offer)
⦁ Best Buy: 99 USD
⦁ Google Store: 99 USD
HTC VIVE Pro
The latest HTC VR headset. This VIVE with steroids is the brand-new creation for that compulsive gamers. Enhanced Optics, Optimized Ergonomics and High-Res Soundstage are some of the major upgrades that the Chinese brand put in their flagship. It works with the same Base Stations and Hand Controllers of the actual VIVE so if you have one and you want a better experience you’ll “only” need a new Headset (HMD). Other new characteristics are: true-to-life precise tracking, ultra-vibrant colors and uber-realistic sounds.
Comparing the VIVE with the VIVE Pro we notice an important increase in image quality: 37% more PPI and 78% Pixel Increase. The sound system is better too, featuring: High Resolution Audio Certification, a Powerful Digital Amplifier and two Microphones with Noise Cancellation and Alert/Conversation Mode. The ergonomics are one of the most important things to take seriously, a great machine is not worth it if you have to stop using it before 30 minutes because your head or your neck hurts, but this isn’t the case, with Optimal Center of Gravity, an Increased Point of Weight Support, 24% Increase in Face Gasket Surface Area for Lowered Stress and Quick Adjustment Dial, this headset won’t disappoint you. HTC also develop a wireless adapter to be free from that annoying nest of cables while playing but sadly it’s sold separately.
Again, we have SteamVR support, the best VR games library right now.
Headset Specs
⦁ Screen: Dual AMOLED 3.5″ diagonal
⦁ Resolution: 1440 x 1600 pixels per eye (2880 x 1600 pixels combined)
⦁ Refresh rate: 90 Hz
⦁ Field of view: 110 degrees
⦁ Audio: Hi-Res certificate headset
⦁ Hi-Res certificate headphone (removable)
⦁ High impedance headphone support
⦁ Input: Integrated microphones
⦁ Connections: USB-C 3.0, DP 1.2, Bluetooth
⦁ Sensors: SteamVR Tracking, G-sensor, gyroscope, proximity, IPD sensor
⦁ Ergonomics: Eye relief with lens distance adjustment
⦁ Adjustable IPD
⦁ Adjustable headphone
⦁ Adjustable headstrap
Minimum Computer Specs
⦁ Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-4590 or AMD FX™ 8350, equivalent or better.
⦁ Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 970 or AMD Radeon ™ R9 290, equivalent or better. View the complete list >
⦁ Memory: 4 GB RAM or more
⦁ Video out: DisplayPort 1.2 or newer
⦁ USB ports: 1x USB 3.0 or newer port
⦁ Operating system: Windows® 8.1 or later, Windows® 10
⦁ Upgrade to Windows 10® for the best results with the dual front facing cameras
Prices and where to buy:
⦁ VIVE: 799 USD (Headset only), 1098 USD (Bundle)
⦁ Amazon: 790 USD (Headset only), 1399 USD (Bundle)
⦁ GameStop: 799.99 USD (Headset only)
⦁ Amazon: 799 USD (Headset only), 1399 USD (Bundle)
Lenovo Mirage Solo With Daydream
Lenovo has been working officially with google for about 5 years mainly in smartphones with Android, but now, we have this nice VR headset with Daydream. Ok, we can say this is the same thing than the Daydream View, just with the “phone” included. But it isn’t, and I will tell you why.
Self-named the “True Standalone VR Headset”, this gadget shows off its best pro: no PC or phone needed, 2.5 hours autonomy. The Lenovo Mirage comes with WorldSense, a technology that understands movement without needing external sensors. This device is Powered by Daydream, the VR app store by Google where you can find hundreds of games, TV & movies and experiences. It´s very comfy, perfectly weight balanced, made with breathable materials and with a screw in the back for head adjustment. The injection foam that is in the strap and the eye frame, takes the form of your head and upper front of your face, making the illusion that you aren’t wearing anything. Talking about power, this headset is powered by the Snapdragon 835 and 4GB of RAM.
The design is simple but nice. it was awarded this year by iF
Lenovo also Created the Mirage VR Camera to record in true-depth VR. It’s very tiny and works perfectly with the Mirage Solo. Also, you can upload your VR videos to YouTube and other platforms.
Headset Specs
⦁ Processor: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 835 VR
⦁ Operating System: Daydream 2.0
⦁ Display:
⦁ Size: 5.5″
⦁ Resolution: QHD (2560 x 1440)
⦁ Display Type: LCD
⦁ Lens: 2 x Fresnel-Aspheric 110° FOV
⦁ Memory:
⦁ RAM: 4 GB
⦁ ROM: 64 GB UFS
⦁ Card Slot: microSD ™ Card; Up to 256 GB
⦁ Camera: Dual 6-Degrees-of-Freedom Tracking Cameras
⦁ Headset Buttons:
⦁ I/O
⦁ Volume Key
⦁ Adjustment Dial
⦁ Quick Release Button
⦁ Sensors:
⦁ P-Sensor
⦁ Gyroscope
⦁ Accelerometer
⦁ Magnetometer
⦁ Audio: Android ™ N Pro Audio, 3.5mm Audio Jack with Dual Microphones
⦁ Wireless Connectivity :
⦁ WLAN: WiFi 802.11 ac/n 2×2 MIMO Dual Band
⦁ Bluetooth ™ 5.0 + BLE
⦁ Battery:
⦁ Type: Li-ion Polymer
⦁ Capacity: 4000 mAh
⦁ General Usage: 2.5 hours
⦁ Dimensions: 204 mm x 269.5 mm x 179.86 mm / 8.03” x 10.61” x 7.08”
⦁ Weight: 645 g (1.42 lbs)
⦁ Colors: Moonlight White
⦁ What’s in the box:
⦁ Lenovo Mirage Solo with Daydream
⦁ Wireless Daydream Motion Controller
⦁ Travel Adapter
⦁ USB Type-C Cable
⦁ 3.5 mm VR optimized Earphones
⦁ User Manual
⦁ Quick Start Guide
⦁ Warranty Card
How much it costs? Where can you buy it?
⦁ Lenovo: 399.99 USD
⦁ Amazon: 399.99 USD
⦁ BestBuy: 399.99 USD
Samsung Gear VR
Meant to be the best phone VR headset, the Samsung Gear VR is the result of a collaboration between the Korean enterprise and Oculus. This gadget is actually compatible with six phones, from the Galaxy S6 to Galaxy S9+. But this isn´t totally good if you have other Samsung models. Its functioning is very simple, just attach your phone in the front claws and start enjoying. Because of not having lots of built-in electronics but a USB port for phone detecting, this device is very light and easy to carry everywhere. Comparing it with other mobile phone VR headsets like the Google Daydream View, maybe this one has a lack in comfort, as you can see, it just has a one very simple strap that doesn’t seem to satisfy a secure and snug fit for that really moving experiences; that for sure, this has a lot.
Samsung has its own VR store with more than a thousand apps like: Dead and Buried, Monzo and VR Sports Challenge.
It comes with a controller that can be used as a navigator and a gamepad (it reminds us the HTC VIVE ones, right?). It features a touchpad, back and home keys, volume key and a trigger. The controller uses batteries but that is not a problem because they will drain after more than a month of full usage.
Design Specs
Color:
- Orchid Gray (headset)
- Black (controller)
Dimensions & Weight:
⦁ Gear VR
Dimensions: 207.1 x 120.7 x 98.6 mm
Weight: 345 g
⦁ Controller
Dimensions: 48.1 x 38.2 x 108.1 mm
Gear VR specs
Performance:
⦁ Lens (Field of view (FOV) / Interpupillary distance (IPD) / Eye relief)
101˚ / 62mm (fixed) / 10mm
⦁ Sensor
Gyro sensor / Proximity sensor
Compatibility:
⦁ Phone Connection
USB Type-C & Micro USB
⦁ Compatible models
Galaxy S9, S9+, Note8, S8, S8+, S7, S7 edge, Note5, S6 edge+, S6, S6 edge, A8, A8+
⦁ Additional USB Port
USB Type-C for power connection, OTG USB memory, 3rd-party controller
⦁ Buttons
Home, Back, Touchpad
Controller specs
Performance:
⦁ Sensor
Gyro sensor / Accelerometer / Magnetic (sampling Rate: 208Hz)
⦁ Battery
AAA battery * 2ea (1000mAh, up to 40 days when used on average 2 hours a day)
Compatibility:
⦁ Bluetooth
BT 4.2 BLE private profile
⦁ Compatible OS
Android Lollipop 5.0 or later
Buttons:
Trigger, Touchpad, Volume Keys, Home, Back
In the box
⦁ Gear VR (USB Type-C device Holder, Controller Holder included)
⦁ Gear VR Controller (2xAAA batteries, Wrist strap included)
⦁ Manual
⦁ Micro USB device Holder
Prices and places:
⦁ Amazon: 108.86 USD
⦁ BestBuy: 129.99 USD
⦁ Target: 129.99 USD
Oculus Go
Now it’s time for Oculus, the first company that brought us the virtual reality as we know it nowadays. Its flagship, the Oculus Rift was the only product they have been into, but today, with the appearances of more standalone cheaper headsets like the Lenovo Mirage Solo, Oculus created, with the help of Xiaomi, a simpler version of the Rift, the Oculus Go.
White is the only color available of this device. Because of being a mid-range headset, you can notice the saving. The adjustable headstraps are simple, we have three of them, two in the back and other above the head, the only really comfy part is the eye frame but beyond this, the Go satisfy the comfort for its price. It has built-in, rectangular, tiny headphones, providing an immersive and very decent sound, also it comes with a 3.5mm jack output to connect the headphones you like the most. The lenses are the same than the Rift so the experience is quite good.
Oculus, as the other brands that we already read about, has its own app store, games, social apps and 360% experiences are part of the more than one thousand applications catalog that they offer to us. Some outstanding apps that you can find here are: Space Explorers, Discovery VR and Jurassic World.
The controller really looks like the one we have in the Samsung VR Gear, and that’s because Oculus is behind this two Headsets. A touch surface, back and home buttons, and a trigger are more than enough to enjoy this device applications.
Now, we have a little con here, besides being an “standalone” headset, this device needs a phone with the Oculus app to do the first setup.
Oculus Go specs
Storage
⦁ 32GB
⦁ 64GB
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 821
Display: 538ppi; 5.5’’ 2560 x 1440 WQHD
Battery: Lithium ion, up to 2.5 hours
Inside the box:
⦁ VR headset
⦁ Controller
⦁ Power Adapter
⦁ Eyeglass spacer
Where to buy:
Oculus:
⦁ 32GB 199 USD
⦁ 64GB 249 USD
Amazon:
⦁ 32GB 199 USD
⦁ 64GB 249 USD
BestBuy:
⦁ 32GB 199 USD
⦁ 64GB 249 USD
Sony PlayStation VR
The prettiest VR headset for me. In this world we have two types of players: PC gamers and console gamers, the last ones had to wait a lot to have a decent VR experience, after the failure of Nintendo and SEGA no one was interested in making a serious console with VR, not even Sony. 3 years ago, headsets from Oculus and HTC were hitting the PC market with a lot of success, because of that, Sony decided to enter the game not by creating a new console but taking advantage of the power of their latest one: The PlayStation 4.
Talking about the design, is really futuristic and minimalist (reminds me of Robocop, don’t know why). The head strap is very strong and is coated by a very nice and comfy foam such as the eye frame.
As everybody knows, The PlayStation 4 system is the best console these days (If you are an Xbox lover please stop reading and go to the next device), very powerful, with thousands of games and counting, which some (150+) have VR support or are VR exclusives such as: Skyrim, Star Trek: Bridge Crew, and Gran Turismo Sport. These more than one hundred fifty games have no comparisons with any other games on other libraries like Dreamview or Steam VR, because the quality of these masterpieces doesn’t depend on the hardware of the headset, which is very limited, like the ones we already know, they only depend on the power of the console. If you already have a PlayStation 4 stop thinking, this is the one you need.
Just like the HTC VIVE, The Sony PlayStation VR can’t work by itself. You’ll need a PlayStation Camera to detect the headset but don’t worry, you can buy the entire VR experience in a bundle.
Sony PlayStation VR specs
External Dimensions
⦁ VR headset: Approx. 187×185×277 mm (width × height × length, excludes largest projection, headband at the shortest)
⦁ Processor unit: Approx. 150 x 39 x 114 mm (width × height × length, excludes largest projection)
Mass
⦁ VR headset: Approx. 600g (excluding cable)
⦁ Processor unit: Approx. 300g
⦁ Display Method: OLED
⦁ Panel Size: 5.7 inches
⦁ Panel Resolution: 1920×RGB×1080 (960×RGB×1080 per eye)
⦁ Refresh Rate: 120Hz, 90Hz
⦁ Field of View: Approximately 100 degrees
⦁ Sensors: Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer)
Connection Interface
⦁ VR headset: AUX port, HDMI output port, HDMI TV port, HDMI PS4 port, USB port
⦁ Processor unit: HDMI port, AUX port, Stereo headphone jack
⦁ Processor Unit Function: 3D audio processing, Social Screen (mirroring mode, separate mode), Cinematic mode, 4K and HDR (pass-through mode only)
Included:
⦁ VR headset × 1
⦁ Processor unit × 1
⦁ VR headset connection cable × 1
⦁ HDMI cable × 1
⦁ USB cable × 1
⦁ Stereo headphones × 1 (with a complete set of earpiece)
⦁ AC power cord × 1
⦁ AC adaptor × 1
Prices and places:
⦁ Amazon: 274.99 USD (Bundle: headset, game and camera)
⦁ BestBuy: 299.99 USD (Bundle: headset, game and camera)
⦁ Target: 274.99 USD (Bundle: headset, game and camera)
Windows Mixed Reality
I must recognize that the Sony Playstation VR is my favorite, but I think these are my second ones. Microsoft started co-working with several tech companies around the world, six to be precise: Lenovo, ASUS, Dell, HP, Samsung and Acer. This resulted in six different headsets with quite the same hardware and controllers. You’ll only have to choose the design and brand you like the most.
These headsets have the most extensive app library yet, a fusion between SteamVr and Windows Store with more than 2500 titles. As you just read, with this VR devices you can play the same games than the HTC VIVE and VIVE pro, plus, some Microsoft ones like Halo, Minecraft and Skyworld.
Why is it called “Mixed”? Because these aren’t only for virtual reality, they can support augmented reality too. You can transform the room at the pure style of Tony Stark with interactive menus in the walls while you talk with your assistant Cortana.
Just like HTC headsets, your computer must satisfy at least these requirements:
Processor:
⦁ Intel® Core™ i5 7200U (7th generation mobile), dual core with Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology enabled or better.
⦁ AMD Ryzen 5 1400 3.4Ghz (desktop), quad core or better.
⦁ RAM: 8GB DDR3 dual channel
⦁ Disk space: 10 GB
Graphics card
⦁ Integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 or greater DX12-capable integrated GPU
⦁ Nvidia MX150 discrete GPU
⦁ Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 discrete GPU
⦁ Nvidia 965M discrete GPU
⦁ AMD Radeon RX 460/560
⦁ Graphics driver: Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) 2.2
⦁ Graphics display port: HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2
⦁ Monito: External or integrated VGA (800×600) monitor
⦁ USB type: USB 3.0 Type-A or Type-C
⦁ Bluetooth type (for controllers): Bluetooth 4.0
Headset specs
⦁ Resolution: 2880 x 1440
⦁ Display: LCD
⦁ Refresh rate: Up to 90Hz
⦁ Field of view: Up to 105°
⦁ 3.5mm audio jack
⦁ Includes motion controllers
Where can you buy them? At what price?
These six headsets are easily found in the Microsoft Official Store and major retail stores in the USA like: Amazon, BestBuy and Wallmart, starting at 399 USD
Oculus Rift
Finally, we get to the last but not less important headset: The Oculus Rift. This was the first important name in the actual VR business and the one who started this hole new wave of experiences, so we should say thanks to Oculus I guess.
The headset straps are one of the best in the market because they’re not really straps, these are more like a cage where you head can’t easily escape (I know that doesn’t sound good, but it is). It is really comfy and like the Lenovo Mirage Solo, after few minutes, you’ll forget that you are wearing it. The controllers are very nice and pretty easy to use. They are tiny, so your hands won’t feel tired after hours of playing. I think the sound system of this headset is its best spec. The integrated special audio gives you true 360-degree emotions and high definition fidelity.
As I said backwards, Oculus have its own app store with hundreds of interesting titles. The Rift is more powerful than the Go so you can play games like: Echo Arena, Star Trek: Bridge Crew and Robo Recall. Social and Video apps like Facebook and Netflix can be found here too.
It is the direct competitor of the HTC VIVE and like this one, it needs two sensors and a computer with these minimum requirements:
⦁ Graphics Card: NVIDIA GTX 1050Ti / AMD Radeon RX 470 or greater
⦁ Alternative Graphics Card: NVIDIA GTX 960 / AMD Radeon R9 290 or greater
⦁ CPU: Intel i3-6100 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200, FX4350 or greater
⦁ Memory: 8GB+ RAM
⦁ Video Output: Compatible HDMI 1.3 video output
⦁ USB Ports: 1x USB 3.0 port, plus 2x USB 2.0 ports
⦁ OS: Windows 10
Oculus Rift Specs
⦁ Display: OLED
⦁ Resolution: 2160 x 1200
⦁ Refresh Rate: 90Hz
⦁ Platform: Oculus Home
⦁ Field of view: 110 degrees
⦁ Tracking area: 5 x 5 feet (two sensors), 8 x 8 feet (three)
⦁ Controller: Oculus Touch, Xbox One controller
⦁ Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, Constellation tracking camera.
⦁ Connections: HDMI, USB 2.0, USB 3.0
Where to buy one:
⦁ Amazon: 399.99 USD
⦁ BestBuy: 399.99 USD
⦁ Microsoft: 399.99 USD
If you are a PC User I will recommend the Windows Mixed Reality Headsets and the Oculus Rift, it depends if you want SteamVR apps or Oculus apps. On the other side, if you want to play excellent quality games that people know and play you must stop thinking about it and buy the PlayStation VR.
It is up to you, what do you want to do? Do you like to play? To watch movies? Or just relax watching nice landscapes. Don’t worry, these 9 headsets are the best right now and whatever you choose, it will be a good purchase.
