Embrace the VR future with these five devices
Virtual reality has had its coming of age. In 2016, it moved from potential to reality. There are two broad types of VR headset on the market today.
The first are the high-end headsets which feature head tracking, their own display, and have all the processing power done by computers to which they are tethered.
The other type is mobile VR which leverages the display and processing power of today’s smartphones to produce the virtual environments and offer a wireless experience.
As you might expect, the former is much more expensive, especially when you factor in the cost of a high-end gaming PC or console necessary.
While VR is a technology being touted by many as the next computing paradigm, beyond gaming, companies are finding it difficult to establish a compelling use case for the technology. That said, YouTube has an increasing catalogue of 360-degree videos created for VR headsets, and as 360-degree consumer cameras become more popular, the amount of content available will increase.
For now, if you want to jump on the VR bandwagon, here are the five best options on the market:
1. PlayStation VR, €399.99
This takes the question of what VR is for completely out of the equation. This is a device built for games and thanks to Sony’s relationship with big developers, there is already some high-profile titles available, including Batman and Star Wars.
The basic PSVR bundle doesn’t include the PlayStation camera which you need to make it work, or the PS Move controllers which make playing VR games easier. You will of course also need a PlayStation 4.
Despite there being a lot of wires, set-up is straightforward and the breadth of games available is great, but the Move controllers are six years old, and not designed specifically for VR.
Despite these drawbacks, the PSVR is still the best pure VR gaming experience you can get.
2. Google Daydream View, €69
Google’s big push for VR dominance in 2016 was its Daydream platform. To that end, it launched a VR app store and a VR headset called Daydream View.
The headset itself is relatively low-tech, with all the processing power coming from the phone, which you slot into the headset. For now only Google’s own Pixel smartphones and Motorola’s Moto Z smartphones work with the headset, but Google wants all manufacturers to join the party.
There is also increasing app support with big name games like EA’s Need for Speed available since launch. The headset comes with a Bluetooth controller which has a trackpad, three buttons, and some limited motion control. It works well and developers have been clever in how they use the controller’s limited functions.
It is made from fabric rather than plastic so feels nice, but it is not hugely comfortable for long periods.
3. Gear VR, €99
The Gear VR was launched before any of the other headsets on the list and is already on its second generation model — though not too much has changed since the original. The Gear VR is a co-production between Samsung and Oculus, with the latter providing the VR technology and the former providing the only phones that work with the headset. In fact, only Samsung’s premium smartphones will work with Gear VR. This means that unless you already own a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S6, the Gear VR is more costly than its relatively cheap price tag would suggest.
Samsung has its own app store for VR content and at the moment it is better stocked than Google’s version, though that is likely to change soon. Samsung has finally launched a Bluetooth controller for the Gear VR, which was announced last weekend alongside a slightly revamped headset, and this replaces the rather awkward system which saw the interface controlled by buttons and a trackpad on the side of the headset.
The Gear VR Controller allows you to point and click as well as tracking its movement.
4. HTC Vive, €899
The HTC Vive is a serious VR headset for serious gamers. It has been designed and built in conjunction with Valve, the game developer which created the Steam publishing platform.
It also has a serious price tag. In order to meet HTC’s exacting standards, you will need a serious gaming rig to power the headset. You are looking at an outlay of well over €1,500. In the box you get the headset, two controllers and a pair of laser Lightboxes which track your movement as well as the space around you. This is what sets the Vive apart from mobile VR and PSVR. You can walk around your virtual environments in a space as big as 15ft x 15ft.
With purpose-built controllers, superb tracking, and powerful processing, you really feel in a different world. The Vive gives a glimpse of how good VR will be in the future.
5. Oculus Rift, €898
Oculus Rift is the product that started the VR trend and has been the most anticipated headset to come to market— it’s also the most polished looking hardware.
The headset initially shipped without purpose-built Touch controllers, shipping instead with an Xbox One controller. While this works OK, the reality is that for that real VR experience, you need specialist controls. Just before Christmas, Oculus finally released the controllers, which offer natural hand movement tracking and gesture control. With the additional tracking camera, the new controllers will set you back an additional €199, bringing the total price in line with the HTC Vive. And of course you will have to pay €43 for delivery — all of which makes this the most expensive VR package on the market.
The Oculus is a great VR headset but despite the hype, it has a number of limitations which put it a step below the Vive as the current king of VR — but that could all change soon.
