My DK2 is starting to show its age (I don't know how many hours this thing has been strapped to my face like some face-sucking alien, but it's a lot) so I decided to push the button and finally get the release version (CV1) as it has come down in price since release.
My brief comparison of the DK2 to CV1 while it's still fresh in my mind:
The good:
* The software is obviously much better with the CV1 than the DK2. The setup process was very smooth. My PC crashed with a BSOD (or I guess CSOD since it's Windows 10 - the Cyan Screen Of Death) halfway through setup, but the setup recovered in the spot where Windows crashed.
* Size of objects in the CV1 compared to DK2: The scale is now correct! When I see myself in Elite Dangerous, I am no longer the size of an 8 year old child! I'm actually adult-sized! This is probably by far the biggest part of the update: that stuff is actually now the correct size and not some half scale version.
* Physical IPD adjustment: The DK2 software IPD never really worked. The physical IPD (distance between your pupils) set by actually physically moving the lenses actually works. The software knows how much you've moved the lenses, too. This is possibly why the scale is now right - IPD adjustment that actually works.
* Headphones: More comfortable and stay in place better than regular headphones, and because they are mounted on the HMD straps there's no clamping force. Sound quality is decent.
* Fills up more of your vision than the DK2.
* Text is a lot more readable.
* The increased frame rate is actually noticeable - I notice this most in 'busy' places like asteroid rings and planets where things just feel a bit more real. It's just smoother.
* Nice touches like detecting when it's put on - the software automatically starts up and shuts down when you put the headset on. AND NO MORE ANNOYING SAFETY WARNING EVERY TIME YOU START SOMETHING!
Neutral:
* People said the screen door effect is gone. It's not. It's better than the DK2 but it's only an incremental improvement.
* Resolution: The resolution isn't that much better. It's improved, but it's an incremental improvement.
* Comfort: No better or worse than the DK2. I have done very long sessions in the DK2 and it was fine.
Bad:
* The god rays are REALLY BAD. Although I think "god ray" is a misnomer, it's more like wearing a smeary pair of glasses while driving a car with an old windscreen which the wipers have scratched, everything seems smeared and because of this I tried to clean the lenses a few times. Fiddling with the gamma reduced them a bit, and they are less noticeable on planets (and you stop noticing them in combat). The DK2 by comparison is totally crystal clear. Fresnel lenses might be lighter but I think they were a mistake.
* No microphone. I have to wear my old headphones around my neck to have a mic. I have a proper vocal mic which will probably be the long-term solution, but it'll need an XLR adapter.
Overall: It's definitely an upgrade, but it is incremental - if you're satisfied with the DK2 and have any issue spending the money, stick with the DK2. If you don't mind spending the money it is an upgrade but don't get hyped up about it - it's not a "night and day" difference. I'm really glad I didn't rush out to get the CV1 when it came out, I think I would have regretted it if purchased at the initial £500 or post-Brexit £550.
My brief comparison of the DK2 to CV1 while it's still fresh in my mind:
The good:
* The software is obviously much better with the CV1 than the DK2. The setup process was very smooth. My PC crashed with a BSOD (or I guess CSOD since it's Windows 10 - the Cyan Screen Of Death) halfway through setup, but the setup recovered in the spot where Windows crashed.
* Size of objects in the CV1 compared to DK2: The scale is now correct! When I see myself in Elite Dangerous, I am no longer the size of an 8 year old child! I'm actually adult-sized! This is probably by far the biggest part of the update: that stuff is actually now the correct size and not some half scale version.
* Physical IPD adjustment: The DK2 software IPD never really worked. The physical IPD (distance between your pupils) set by actually physically moving the lenses actually works. The software knows how much you've moved the lenses, too. This is possibly why the scale is now right - IPD adjustment that actually works.
* Headphones: More comfortable and stay in place better than regular headphones, and because they are mounted on the HMD straps there's no clamping force. Sound quality is decent.
* Fills up more of your vision than the DK2.
* Text is a lot more readable.
* The increased frame rate is actually noticeable - I notice this most in 'busy' places like asteroid rings and planets where things just feel a bit more real. It's just smoother.
* Nice touches like detecting when it's put on - the software automatically starts up and shuts down when you put the headset on. AND NO MORE ANNOYING SAFETY WARNING EVERY TIME YOU START SOMETHING!
Neutral:
* People said the screen door effect is gone. It's not. It's better than the DK2 but it's only an incremental improvement.
* Resolution: The resolution isn't that much better. It's improved, but it's an incremental improvement.
* Comfort: No better or worse than the DK2. I have done very long sessions in the DK2 and it was fine.
Bad:
* The god rays are REALLY BAD. Although I think "god ray" is a misnomer, it's more like wearing a smeary pair of glasses while driving a car with an old windscreen which the wipers have scratched, everything seems smeared and because of this I tried to clean the lenses a few times. Fiddling with the gamma reduced them a bit, and they are less noticeable on planets (and you stop noticing them in combat). The DK2 by comparison is totally crystal clear. Fresnel lenses might be lighter but I think they were a mistake.
* No microphone. I have to wear my old headphones around my neck to have a mic. I have a proper vocal mic which will probably be the long-term solution, but it'll need an XLR adapter.
Overall: It's definitely an upgrade, but it is incremental - if you're satisfied with the DK2 and have any issue spending the money, stick with the DK2. If you don't mind spending the money it is an upgrade but don't get hyped up about it - it's not a "night and day" difference. I'm really glad I didn't rush out to get the CV1 when it came out, I think I would have regretted it if purchased at the initial £500 or post-Brexit £550.
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