It’s all about VR right now. Like the wave of 3D TV tech before it, VR is the hottest thing in tech right now and it’s the next big wave coming to wash the money out of your wallet.
As with any new tech out there, it’s pretty important to do your research before you go out and splash your cash on one of these new toys, especially since they’re such a large investment.
Some of the existing and upcoming VR headsets are great, and some aren’t. Some matter as an innovation of the genre and pushing technology forward, and some matter more in terms of accessibility to gamers and mainstream appeal. Regardless of the angle that manufacturer has chosen to go, the 3 headsets listed here are the best of the best amongst the dozen that I’ve found.
The 3 best VR headsets coming to a home near you
Playstation VR
For me, this has to be the #1 most important headset of this generation in VR. Sony’s angle is different from the rest. Where the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift (coming up soon) require expensive computers to run their sophisticated technologies, the PSVR is an extension of the already hugely popular Playstation 4. This means that millions of players out there will be able to access high quality VR games with their existing consoles. The PSVR headset is features a 5.7” OLED display with a 120hz refresh rate and ‘super low’ latency (18ms). Combined with accessories like the Playstation Eye and the Dualshock controller, the Playstation VR is set to prove once again that the Playstation is the ultimate destination for gaming.
The Playstation VR is set for release in October 2016 for $549.95AUD, pre-orders available very soon.
HTC Vive
Also taking a different approach to conventional VR (like as if that’s a thing already), the HTC Vive is probably the next most exciting headset for me. Made in collaboration between HTC and Steam, one of the major draw cards for this headset are the peripherals it comes with. Like the PSVR, the HTC Vive uses cameras to track your position in 3D space, but it also allows you to move around up to 5m from the centre of the camera. Also, it comes with a “context aware controller” that looks really cool and maps to both your hands. The biggest draw card of all, though, is access to Steam’s huge library of games.
Alas, one of the biggest setbacks of the Vive is that it requires a dedicated computer to run this hardware, so it will be interesting to see how the adoption rate goes for this exciting headset.
The HTC Vive is available for pre-order now, shipping from May this year for $927.27AUD.
Oculus Rift
The first mainstream VR headset, made and developed by Palmer Luckey. The Oculus Rift’s popularity on its initial Kickstarter is what got this wave of virtual reality started back in 2012. It then got acquired by Facebook and it’s now finally available for purchase as a fully fledged product. The Oculus Rift features an integrated, low-latency screen, integrated VR audio and can be used with an Xbox controller or special ‘tracked controllers’ made by Oculus.
Unfortunately, like the HTC Vive, it requires a powerful PC to run and it’s also publicly ridiculed Apple for not having ‘good computers’ when describing why they aren’t powerful enough to run the Rift.
The Oculus Rift is available for purchase now, with delivery shipping from this month for $599US (excluding shipping).
Bonus! A few other headsets worthy of checking out
Samsung Gear VR – Early entry into VR and uses Samsung devices (only) like the Galaxy S6/S7 to deliver the experience.
Zeiss VR One – Uses (virtually) any modern mobile device to deliver the experience, even iOS devices.
Google Cardboard – Made of cardboard, it’s the cheapest, easiest, and most approachable way to get started with VR. It allows most modern phones and costs less than $15 bucks.
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