Choosing a new headset

[Ganogati]

That's still $800 more
There is a reason why there are so many Vive pro owners who buy Gear vr sets, get's 3d printed adapters and swap out the lenses with that in the gear, even though this will result in a completely voided warranty and permanent error in the lens distortion profile.
Those vive pro deals are still $400 more than I would currently pay for something as outdated as a 2017 vive.

Now I am probably the first around here to say through the lens shots are next to worthless, but this one is fairly compelling.

View attachment 171994
(I print-screened this old video

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NlDaam6izM
)
It should be fairly visible how much a pentile screen degrades the picture, even though the pro has technically 200 pixels more in the vertical the screen door pretty much jumps at you in most settings.

I simply would not buy any HMD with a pentile, or Oled screen for that matter.

I do have to say that as a Vive Pro owner, that screenshot looks nothing like what I'm used to seeing. It's clear as day for me.

Also, I've found myself a bit of the opposite now on the OLED; I can't imagine a headset without it. I've seen what an LCD screen looks like and I can't imagine it for ED. I simply love have true blacks while playing, and feels a bit easier on my eyes over time.

All together, I'm pretty set on hanging on to my Vive Pro a bit longer as I haven't experienced anything yet that beats it out, with 1 exception: the Pimax. But those are all sold out everywhere I've been trying desperately to get my hands on Pimax 5k XR oled headset for some time to no avail, but I don't intend to give up just yet!

 

[aXeL]

I could accept that if you are talking first gen rift and vive, the differences between the S, or Index is not that great.
Quite frankly, Elite is a kind of game where you really don't need the added resolution between the S and the reverb.
Reading the the gauges in FSX or DCS, or even some racing sims, yes.
But the difference between Elite and these titles is a bit like comparing a childrens book with print lettering the size of my thumb with the f18c NATOPS manual.

Maybe you don't but I completely disagree, the 'verb made me realise just how bad the Rift S is. And your point about the print lettering comparison, to me, is just not remotely true.

And if you do any VR games at all aside from seated pit games the controllers wobble gets disturbing. Just for pointing around on a desktop in optimum distance yes, but even the S controllers get a little finicky when aiming two handed guns, or close to your face, and that's close as in a little less than a full arms length, so yeah, not super.

I've heard this also, although mine are ok.

Also, the rift-S has no god rays, at all.
And you would need a 2080ti to even hope to see 90fps.

I'm on a 1080Ti and can happily hit 90fps if I don't go mad on SS and HMD so this isn't true either. If you said, "Stay always above 90fps", I would've agreed with you.

 

[aXeL]

That's still $800 more
There is a reason why there are so many Vive pro owners who buy Gear vr sets, get's 3d printed adapters and swap out the lenses with that in the gear, even though this will result in a completely voided warranty and permanent error in the lens distortion profile.
Those vive pro deals are still $400 more than I would currently pay for something as outdated as a 2017 vive.

Now I am probably the first around here to say through the lens shots are next to worthless, but this one is fairly compelling.

View attachment 171994
(I print-screened this old video

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NlDaam6izM
)
It should be fairly visible how much a pentile screen degrades the picture, even though the pro has technically 200 pixels more in the vertical the screen door pretty much jumps at you in most settings.

I simply would not buy any HMD with a pentile, or Oled screen for that matter.

My Vive pro generally looked worse than this comparison but the O+ is a different story. For objects very close to the viewer, they're pin sharp on the O+. I used to marvel at the complete lack of aliasing when I looked at something very close up. Conversely, looking at anything mid to far and the O+ view was headache inducingly smudged. It took weeks for my eyes to recover their normal prescription after I stopped using it.

 

[aXeL]

I do have to say that as a Vive Pro owner, that screenshot looks nothing like what I'm used to seeing. It's clear as day for me.

Also, I've found myself a bit of the opposite now on the OLED; I can't imagine a headset without it. I've seen what an LCD screen looks like and I can't imagine it for ED. I simply love have true blacks while playing, and feels a bit easier on my eyes over time.

All together, I'm pretty set on hanging on to my Vive Pro a bit longer as I haven't experienced anything yet that beats it out, with 1 exception: the Pimax. But those are all sold out everywhere I've been trying desperately to get my hands on Pimax 5k XR oled headset for some time to no avail, but I don't intend to give up just yet!

I went from a Vive Pro to other headsets and, while the Vive Pro was great in it's day - I loved it; it really is pants and I mean awfully so when compared with even the Rift S. However, that's just my view having used just about all except the XTAL and the PiM 8K series. If you've used them and found the Vive Pro to be as good as then props to you. If, however, you're speculating based on YT vids, might I submit that you will be very pleasantly surprised.

 

[aXeL]

There are just too many I returned my Reverb its a POS threads to ignore. Its like the Odyssey, a marmite head set some love others hate. Rift S is definitely seen as a good all rounder and the Index gets high praise although there was one video with some worrying build quality issues around the inside lens protection, but he may have been unlucky. The only common issue with the Vive pro seems to be price, but with the new pricing around the entry level set of Vive Pro, v1 lighthouses and controllers at £899 that issue has all but disappeared. That said I am not ignoring the statement by Tor regarding resolution.

Be VERY VERY careful about what you read. They should really be called Reverb version 100 and 200. The first version, ( serials ending 100 - if I recall ) had terrible problems and all the defects you've read about.

The second version released months after the first was stopped and recalled ( serials ending 200 ). Redesigned and without the problems of the earlier version. I'll say this for HP, when it comes to market feedback, they really don't mess around.

If I broke my Reverb tomorrow, looking at the current markets, my only options are another Reverb or an 8KX ( too expensive IMO ).

 

[aXeL]

Of course if you're single ( or want to be ), have money or happy to spend a kidney, we should get this arriving late 2020

VRgineers at CES 2020: Witness the launch of new generation XTAL with unbeatable 8K resolution | vrgineers

The new generation of XTAL with unbeatable 8K resolution is HERE. Be a part of its exclusive launch at CES 2020 VRginners will exclusively launch the new generation XTAL with 4K display per eye (8K horizontal in total) at the CES event in Las Vegas on January 7-10. Join us at booth #21959 & be […]

vrgineers.com

It comes with proper aspheric lenses, none of that sweet spot cr@p, so you get to use almost all the pixels in the panel. Full monitor quality to the eyes. Makes the Reverb look like DK2. I hear they actually ship it with contact details for a divorce lawyer.

 

[Ganogati]

I went from a Vive Pro to other headsets and, while the Vive Pro was great in it's day - I loved it; it really is pants and I mean awfully so when compared with even the Rift S. However, that's just my view having used just about all except the XTAL and the PiM 8K series. If you've used them and found the Vive Pro to be as good as then props to you. If, however, you're speculating based on YT vids, might I submit that you will be very pleasantly surprised.

Interesting- I'll definitely give the Rift S another go. I've never tried a Pimax, but I have my eyes on the 5k XR (I'm running just a regular 2080, not a 2080Ti, so an 8k would probably just cause my computer to catch fire)

 

[aXeL]

Interesting- I'll definitely give the Rift S another go. I've never tried a Pimax, but I have my eyes on the 5k XR (I'm running just a regular 2080, not a 2080Ti, so an 8k would probably just cause my computer to catch fire)

If you get an 8KX you can always turn your settings down, including the resolution, until your next GPU when you can turn them back up - you're future proofed. I've got a horrid feeling that the 5K is OLED pentile submatrix which you really don't want in your upgrade. You'll get many many years out of an 8KX.

From a short term cost perspective - Rift S. To spend less money over the long term - 8KX because, short of an XTAL, I can't even imagine what might beat it.

 

[Ganogati]

If you get an 8KX you can always turn your settings down, including the resolution, until your next GPU when you can turn them back up - you're future proofed. I've got a horrid feeling that the 5K is OLED pentile submatrix which you really don't want in your upgrade. You'll get many many years out of an 8KX.

From a short term cost perspective - Rift S. To spend less money over the long term - 8KX because, short of an XTAL, I can't even imagine what might beat it.

Im actually unfamiliar with the XTAL. I'll check that out!