Initial Impressions - Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive

[Magnusvermagnussen]

So I've been playing Elite now for the past month or so on my HTC Vive and enjoying the experience, but honestly, not being blown away by things. The problems are all there - poor resolution, overly bright, poor optimization, but I have enjoyed it a lot. I consider it a modest step up from the DK2, which I also owned.

So I got my Rift about a month ago, and have tried to sell it, but with no luck as a new, unopened box product. Finally, after much thought and consternation at having lost the "NIB" from my future sale of the Rift, I decided what the hell, and opened it up for the sole purpose of playing Elite.

Wow.

I cannot explain how significant of an improvement the Rift is over the Vive in Elite: Dangerous. Just wow.

Major positive differences:
1) Resolution: Holy hell I just about peed myself once it was up and running at VR High with SS turned to 1.5. After an hour or so of RES hunting, the improvement in clarity was unbelievable. Then, I turned it up to 2.0. No judder at all and even better clarity. Cannot overemphasize how great the improvement is with the Rift.
2) Speed: My GPU (Gigabyte 980ti OC) struggles with the Vive. With the Rift, it absolutely flies - like a hot knife through butter. I got no judder, no hesitations whatsoever ... at SS 2.0.

Major negative differences:
1) Comfort: The Vive has a much more comfy foam padding and greater flexibility with adjusting to your head. I have a massive cranium, and for me the Rift was just a bit too snug.
2) FOV: SLIGHT (and I mean slight) edge to the Vive.

I don't have a lot of time right now, so I can't get into much more detail, but as I use the Rift, I'll add to this post, to help those who may be on the fence about which HMD to get.

 

[Magnusvermagnussen]

Well, after three days gaming in the Rift exclusively, I went back to the Vive just to see whether I noticed any major differences.

It felt like I was looking at VR through a pool of cloudy water. It was all there, where it was supposed to be, but it just felt painful to experience after the near-flawless Rift experience.

Some pointers:

1) The Vive is indeed heavier than the rift (surprise!) and it absolutely feels like it's pulling my face down a bit. No biggie if you're using it exclusively I would imagine as I didn't notice it too much until I started using the Rift

2) The God Rays are FAR worse on the Vive. On the Rift, I barely even noticed them.

3) The resolution on the Rift - my god, the resolution. Incredible. Cannot say enough about it really.

4) The scale is far better on the Rift. Don't know how to explain this one really - I just felt as though my character was shrunk or something and that I was somewhat larger than real life flying my ship.

5) The lighting on the Vive is just ... off. The cockpit of my Asp looked darker than it should have. I didn't see the details that I did while I was in the Rift. Probably has something to do with the Rift being lighter (blacks not as black, not weight-related) than the Vive.

So in short, I maintain my original position on the Rift. It is a vastly superior experience to the Vive in E.

 

[gamer101]

Ditto. I concur completely. And the rift has been made even better again with the Pixel Density tweak which improves the image even more.

 

[PvtTUX]

Good to know that there is massive room for improvement on the vive then as the two devices "should" be closer.

Are you reading this FD, or the Vive focus thread ?

 

[Surefoot]

The Rift's ATW makes it smooth even when facing non optimal frame rates.
Also while the foam is a bit too hard, the rigid "baseball cap" system makes it feel a lot lighter (in weight) in use, and extended usage is a breeze since it doesnt press against your face, or rest upon your nose.
Whereas the Vive is just an upgraded DK2, i.e. ski mask system, that presses against your face and nose, with good old elastic bands. As an ex-DK2 user i can attest the long term comfort difference is quite noticeable.
What i'd like to see now is alternative foam pads for the Rift...

 

[Magic Man]

As noted, there is no real reason why both shouldn't present the user with virtually identical visuals running at identical levels of performance - the only real difference between them is on the software side.

The Vive is not an "upgraded DK2" - it uses a different strap mechanism which may suit some people better than the fixed straps of the RIft (e.g. those with bigger heads). Comfort is also down to preference, there are just as many saying they find the Vive fits more comfortably than the Rift.

 

[Magnusvermagnussen]

The Rift's ATW makes it smooth even when facing non optimal frame rates.
Also while the foam is a bit too hard, the rigid "baseball cap" system makes it feel a lot lighter (in weight) in use, and extended usage is a breeze since it doesnt press against your face, or rest upon your nose.
Whereas the Vive is just an upgraded DK2, i.e. ski mask system, that presses against your face and nose, with good old elastic bands. As an ex-DK2 user i can attest the long term comfort difference is quite noticeable.
What i'd like to see now is alternative foam pads for the Rift...

Agreed completely. I was at first hesitant to say that the lightness of the Rift would outweigh the comfort of the Vive, but it actually has with time. I have I guess 'broken in' my Oculus to the point where I don't feel the harshness of the facial pad as much.

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Ditto. I concur completely. And the rift has been made even better again with the Pixel Density tweak which improves the image even more.

Pixel density tweak? You mean using Oculus debug for SS 1.5 and up? Just wanna' make sure I haven't missed out on something that will improve my experience more although frankly, I'm not sure what could at this point!

 

[CylonSurfer]

As noted, there is no real reason why both shouldn't present the user with virtually identical visuals running at identical levels of performance - the only real difference between them is on the software side.

The Vive is not an "upgraded DK2" - it uses a different strap mechanism which may suit some people better than the fixed straps of the RIft (e.g. those with bigger heads). Comfort is also down to preference, there are just as many saying they find the Vive fits more comfortably than the Rift.

LOL - Didn't you just order a VIVE like yesterday? I'd be saying the same in your position. As people that own both have said, when it comes to Elite the CV1 currently provides the best experience. The Vive has a slightly lower pixel density than the Rift, and the Rift has ATW which gives it a huge advantage over the Vive at this moment in time, particularly in demanding VR games such as Elite.

 

[PvtTUX]

LOL - Didn't you just order a VIVE like yesterday? I'd be saying the same in your position. As people that own both have said, when it comes to Elite the CV1 currently provides the best experience. The Vive has a slightly lower pixel density than the Rift, and the Rift has ATW which gives it a huge advantage over the Vive at this moment in time, particularly in demanding VR games such as Elite.

Yes we hear you AGAIN but..... ahhhh I'm not going to repeat myself

 

[CylonSurfer]

Sorry PvTUX, I miss your meaning. AGAIN? Again what exactly? Besides of which I was responding to Magic Man, hence the quote in my post.

 

[PvtTUX]

The point is every Vive user is aware of the issues in ED, myself included.

We no doubt all agree that the VR experience with the CV1 is second to none for the various reasons you are constantly regurgitating, we get it.

Mocking someone for buying one device over another is a bit immature, I'll leave it there.

Edit, Apologies for the AGAIN bit and some of the above I got you confused with someone else and am just over the flu and old and cranky[blah]

Gets coat

 

[CylonSurfer]

The point is every Vive user is aware of the issues in ED, myself included.

We no doubt all agree that the VR experience with the CV1 is second to none for the various reasons you are constantly regurgitating, we get it.

Mocking someone for buying one device over another is a bit immature, I'll leave it there.

Edit, Apologies for the AGAIN bit and some of the above I got you confused with someone else and am just over the flu and old and cranky[blah]

Gets coat

No problem mate. BTW, I was not mocking him for buying a device. I was merely pointing out that a couple of days ago he created a thread asking which unit to buy, because he didn't know which one to buy. Today he is in a Rift Vs Vive thread... without either headset in hand....

 

[Magic Man]

Yep, I did order the Vive but the points still stand . There is no fundamental reason, beyond software, that the Vive shouldn't look virtually identical to the Rift in ED and certainly no reason why the performance overheads of both shouldn't be the same.

They have identical resolution, identical fps requirements. The panels are slightly smaller on the Rift giving it effectively a slightly higher PPI at the expense of a slightly smaller FOV than the Vive.

Any differences in Elite come down to the maturity of the Rift SDE and the current optimizations it is capable as well as the implementation within ED itself.
The Vive should be able to implement similar SS adjustments and their own version of ATW.

Again, just trying to keep this balanced and fact based and everyone friendly... It's a good time for all of us.

 

[Jonathan E]

There are a couple of reasons why they will look different, the lens design, the FOV they used and the orientation of the display (ok, that's three ). Oculus went for the best config to minimize SDE effect, and ended up with a better looking display - note I'm a DK2 and Vive owner, and I'm going by the many people that have both and what I have seen photographs through both lens/display systems - the simple fact is that the image looks better on the CV1. I'm happy with what I get in the Vive now, and I'm pretty sure there is room for improvement. I really wish the Vive had ATW as I could crank SS up to 2 and still have it usable.

 

[Magic Man]

As I said, the panels are slightly smaller on the Rift giving it effectively a slightly higher PPI (resulting in a potentially sharper image) at the expense of a slightly smaller FOV than the Vive.

Many users have reported an increase in clarity and getting even more fov by removing the foam on the Vive and using something thinner for padding, the effect being the lenses closer to the eyes, increasing the 'sweet spot'

 

[VR Cmdr Paine]

As I said, the panels are slightly smaller on the Rift giving it effectively a slightly higher PPI (resulting in a potentially sharper image) at the expense of a slightly smaller FOV than the Vive.

Many users have reported an increase in clarity and getting even more fov by removing the foam on the Vive and using something thinner for padding, the effect being the lenses closer to the eyes, increasing the 'sweet spot'

OP I have a big bonce too, try the Sleep mask mod made a Huge difference for clarity and 10-20 deg extra on the FOV plus its more balanced too as the headset is closer to you

1. the sleep mask Mod https://www.reddit.com/r/Vive/comments/4gezog/8_sl...rked_better_than_expected_and/ Just £1.30 of ebayhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301940094621?_trksid=p20...&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
2. for the that integrated headphone feel.. Thread the head phones through the top of the headset like thishttps://www.reddit.com/r/Vive/comments/4eemqq/an_e...en_better_earbud_wire_routing/ pretty much as good as integrated you forget about them tbh i put mine through the triangle near the front and through the side straps and they dangle just right

 

[Dread Lord]

As I said, the panels are slightly smaller on the Rift giving it effectively a slightly higher PPI (resulting in a potentially sharper image) at the expense of a slightly smaller FOV than the Vive.

Many users have reported an increase in clarity and getting even more fov by removing the foam on the Vive and using something thinner for padding, the effect being the lenses closer to the eyes, increasing the 'sweet spot'

you Keep forgetting that the Rift and Vive have different lenses! Thats Hardware and the fact that the Rift is way lighter and therefore better suited for Long gaming sessions with Elite.
I tried The Vive here at the first VR arcade in Canada and I tried the Playstation VR Headset in Tokyo.. so I can only compare those two: it was night and day! The Playstation VR Headset sits well ballanced on the head and didnt bother me. The Vive was hooribly front heavy and had a strange weighting down in front of my face Feeling. Even making hte headstraps as Long as they come and tighten it could not get rid of that Feeling... while the PS VR Headset I dint even notice weight issues as it had no bothering effect!

Now when it Comes to Software - good luck getting ATW and SS any time soon! I was close to buy a Vive myself over the last 4 weeks cause I just didnt want to wait any longer... but thanks to this Forum I didnt! The more Facts that are available here for others the better cause it is a significant Investment and I would have hated to have bought the device that is just the second best ELite VR experience...

 

[Mark D]

...... 2. for the that integrated headphone feel.. Thread the head phones through the top of the headset like thishttps://www.reddit.com/r/Vive/comments/4eemqq/an_e...en_better_earbud_wire_routing/ pretty much as good as integrated you forget about them tbh i put mine through the triangle near the front and through the side straps and they dangle just right
[/LIST]

Just tried that and much better - thanks & repped!

Also hid the cables under the foam (pic below). Unlike the pic below, to reduce cable management I've taken out the original earphone extension and plugged the buds directly into the HMD socket, however putting the cover back on is a bit snug.

http://i.imgur.com/jQwI6Dq.jpg

[video=youtube;MigWitzU_oE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MigWitzU_oE[/video]

 

[Surefoot]

The Vive is not an "upgraded DK2" - it uses a different strap mechanism which may suit some people better than the fixed straps of the RIft (e.g. those with bigger heads). Comfort is also down to preference, there are just as many saying they find tIhe Vive fits more comfortably than the Rift.

Well it uses strictly the same 'ski mask' straps as the DK2, has no headphones like the DK2, is front heavy like the DK2. With the same result over time (weighing over the nose in my case, leading to pain / discomfort), with the added wire loom problem which is a surprising oversight for a device supposed to do room scale. To me the Vive seems a bit rushed, i hope the 2nd version will address these issues.
And as to stop the spreading of misinformation, the Rift has adjustable straps (not fixed), they are rigid but all dimensions can be adjusted with velcro, and it's also spring loaded. This make it way more advanced than the DK2 and Vive in that regard, along with the hinged visor that you can slightly tilt up when you want to see outside (very useful, especially in ED since we need so many external tools).
So yeah i could do a 4 hour session on the DK2 or Vive, but with pain in the nose and neck, and ski mask marks. I was quite relieved to remove them.
Whereas my latest sessions with the Rift was flawless in that regard. For sitting VR sessions (which is what are most of the complete VR games today, such as ED, racing games, flight sims, Edge of Nowhere..) the choice is pretty clear IMHO.

 

[Tenshi]

Some of us do not have the luxury to afford both headsets, I gave the Vive a go last year and really liked what it could do. All I have had to do was change the HUD colour to green so I can read the text in game and tone down the HUD brightness to stop it glaring and its fixed it for me. I don't get god rays like many say you do with the vive or if I do get them they don't bother me.

I tried the game on ultra settings and it ran nice in the vive and everything looked great but sometimes I got a stuttering in frame rate and this made me feel sick. So I turned them back down to VR High settings and its all working nice again and I can go for 3 to 4 hours without a break before I notice any kind of discomfort which often comes from the small of my back from sitting down too long.

Its all new technology and the graphics cards for VR are soon to be released latter this year. I guess all VR headsets have their pro's and con's and neither are better than the other as it all depends on what you the gamer wants. I opted for the room scale VR on the Vive because I liked the idea of walking around in a virtual world, so because of this at present there are some flaws in Elite Dangerous with it. Flaws I know the Fdev team are working on.

I also like the vive because I have a small cranium and most baseball caps I have on the minimum size or they fall off easy or get blown away by the wind at a slight gust. Hell even my headphones are on the smallest setting so they don't flop down off my head.

These versus threads are kind of pointless as it tends to pitch all the VR camps against each other. Wouldn't it be better if we could all talk in a constructive and positive light about our own experiences and be honest with the faults and advantages each system has?

After all its not a competition we're in, and all the more information the fdev team gets from us all the better for the game in general.