Major Quandry...

[Pville_Piper]

So I've decided to get a VR setup and today the Rift is down to $349 on Amazon. I'm kind of sold on the Windows Mixed Reality BUT... With issues reported on the Samsung here in the forums make me pause. I really liked the

Samsung ​

when I tried it and while its $449 for the next few days, I'm not sure that the difference in quality makes up for the difference in price to the rift.

The Lenovo Explorer is also on sale for $299... I really like the flip up headset design, the lightness of the unit and I have an excellent headphones all ready that will work with it so the savings are real. Not having to setup base stations in my room, which I have no real space to do standup VR is a plus.

Of course the down side to all this is my GTX970... How much will the slightly higher resolution in Windows MR tax the GPU? I know that the Rift will work with the GTX 970, but is the text harder to read at lower resolutions?

Buying a headset now before I get a better GPU is sort of like putting the cart before the horse. But I really want to wait until it is clearer if the Volta GPUs are coming and buying one of them. I hate always buying a new GPU so late in the cycle....

Decisions, decisions...

 

[loribee]

So I've decided to get a VR setup and today the Rift is down to $349 on Amazon. I'm kind of sold on the Windows Mixed Reality BUT... With issues reported on the Samsung here in the forums make me pause. I really liked the

Samsung ​

when I tried it and while its $449 for the next few days, I'm not sure that the difference in quality makes up for the difference in price to the rift.

The Lenovo Explorer is also on sale for $299... I really like the flip up headset design, the lightness of the unit and I have an excellent headphones all ready that will work with it so the savings are real. Not having to setup base stations in my room, which I have no real space to do standup VR is a plus.

Of course the down side to all this is my GTX970... How much will the slightly higher resolution in Windows MR tax the GPU? I know that the Rift will work with the GTX 970, but is the text harder to read at lower resolutions?

Buying a headset now before I get a better GPU is sort of like putting the cart before the horse. But I really want to wait until it is clearer if the Volta GPUs are coming and buying one of them. I hate always buying a new GPU so late in the cycle....

Decisions, decisions...

Personally, I'd get the Rift --It's a known quantity for ED. Like they say about nobody getting fired for buying IBM ...

If I wasn't getting my Pimax 8k in Jan, I would be ordering one this weekend. I think the Windows Mixed Reality is too new of a platform at the moment, and the driver for SteamVR is not quite there yet.

 

[[VR] zodd]

Get the Vive. I love it and the basestations/controllers are compatible with the Pimax should you decide to get one down the line. I tried the Oculus for a month but it just didn't seem quite as good as the Vive. So I swapped it out. Love the Vive.

p.s. you can use Revive to play any Oculus title.

 

[loribee]

Get the Vive. I love it and the basestations/controllers are compatible with the Pimax should you decide to get one down the line. I tried the Oculus for a month but it just didn't seem quite as good as the Vive. So I swapped it out. Love the Vive.

p.s. you can use Revive to play any Oculus title.

yah that's true .. if it wasn't so expensive still I would consider one - but I already have a Pimax 4k/BE which is technically a better headset (resolution wise) for Elite - I know it's not got the tracking and the controllers - but for sitting down games like Elite, it's really awesome

I am planning on picking up a set of lighthouses and controllers when my 8k arrives though - i just don't need the headset

 

[[VR] zodd]

I got the 8KX pledge so will be using my controllers and base stations. Probably won't see a headset until June/July.

 

[NW3]

So I've decided to get a VR setup... I'm not sure that the difference in quality makes up for the difference in price to the rift.

Buying a headset now before I get a better GPU is sort of like putting the cart before the horse. But I really want to wait until it is clearer if the Volta GPUs are coming and buying one of them. I hate always buying a new GPU so late in the cycle...

I understand completely.

I opted to get a Pimax 8K with the full knowledge that my 980Ti won't be able to reach the headset's full potential. I'll simply run at greatly reduced settings until mid-2018, when I'll buy a GTX 1180 (or whatever). A 1080Ti really isn't quite sufficient for an 8K, imo.

 

[Athracht]

Well, the Rift folks are going to recommend the Rift, the Vive folks are going to recommend the Vive.... I myself do have a Rift, and love it, love it, love it. Searching the interwebs, as we do, there doesn't seem to be a clear winner between the two. In other words, they both seem more than capable, so why not go with the substantially less expensive option? As for the Windows solution, for now, they are an unknown quantity. The Samsung has really good, compelling reviews, but I think Loribee here actually returned one, if I'm not mistaken. The Rift and the Vive, on the other hand, have been out there in the great VR jungle for more than a year now, more if you count the DK iterations, and have passed the test of time.

So to bring it full circle, I'm a Rift guy, so I say.... step into the Rift!

PS: I'm VR'ing on a painfully weak computer... FX-8320(!!!!) with an RX-480 GPU. And my Rift runs beautifully! ED too!

 

[loribee]

Well, the Rift folks are going to recommend the Rift, the Vive folks are going to recommend the Vive.... I myself do have a Rift, and love it, love it, love it. Searching the interwebs, as we do, there doesn't seem to be a clear winner between the two. In other words, they both seem more than capable, so why not go with the substantially less expensive option? As for the Windows solution, for now, they are an unknown quantity. The Samsung has really good, compelling reviews, but I think Loribee here actually returned one, if I'm not mistaken. The Rift and the Vive, on the other hand, have been out there in the great VR jungle for more than a year now, more if you count the DK iterations, and have passed the test of time.

So to bring it full circle, I'm a Rift guy, so I say.... step into the Rift!

PS: I'm VR'ing on a painfully weak computer... FX-8320(!!!!) with an RX-480 GPU. And my Rift runs beautifully! ED too!

I did return one - i had high hopes for it as well .. it was higher resolution than my trusty Pi 4k/BE and had the tracking and controllers.. but alas, I could not make out text clearly in elite, and its IPD only goes down to 60.5 - my IPD is 60 on the button. Plus you can't wear glasses (well not the type I have) with the Samsung - and false lashes are out of the question (mind you -- that's the case for other VR headsets too!!)

I am more than happy with my 4k/B headset for Elite and get absolutely amazing visuals on it - I guess I am lucky as I don't notice the locked 66Hz fps at all. The only thing I miss is being able to use controllers for stuff like google Earth / VR which I could spend absolutely hours in -- I tried it with the PSMove service and my Pimax and found that to be a very inconsistent experience.

I kinda suggested the Rift mainly due to the crazy price it's going for now -- and I have actually tried one in Best Buy and found it to be an ok experience.

Not tried a Vive, so hesitant to say go buy one purely for that reason alone - I don't feel I am qualified to..

My plan is to enjoy Elite on my Pi4k/B for the next couple of months (and hike around Skyrim on my PSVR) then get a set of v1 lighthouses and controllers when my 8k arrives.

 

[Globusdiablo]

...and false lashes are out of the question...

Damn...

 

[dogbite]

Get the Rift. I'm thinkin you will want something new just about every year now going forward for a while. It's a matter of when you dive in. ATM $350 is a steal for entry. Don't forget Touch. Touch games are a thing to behold in VR and dam near stand up as a self contained VR gaming platform on their own . The controllers are truly elegant.

 

[Pville_Piper]

The Vive is out, there is no compelling reason for me to buy it over the rift at its current price.

I don't care about room scale as I have no place to set it up. Standing is even problematic with the very small space I have to set up my desk.

The Rift controllers are the best but again, I have a very limited area in which to move. My main intention is to use it in Elite for now.

I'm headin to Charlotte again and I will be looking at the Lenovo as well as the Rift and Samsung again to narrow it down.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

I was reading that the tracking in the windows vr is a real issue for a few games. Sports bar vr is unplayable and I don't see how it can be fixed as it can't track the cue properly as it's partly behind you. I guess bowling will be out too and anything that make you reach behind you. (Not issue for Ed of course)

 

[dogbite]

The Vive is out, there is no compelling reason for me to buy it over the rift at its current price.

I don't care about room scale as I have no place to set it up. Standing is even problematic with the very small space I have to set up my desk.

The Rift controllers are the best but again, I have a very limited area in which to move. My main intention is to use it in Elite for now.

I'm headin to Charlotte again and I will be looking at the Lenovo as well as the Rift and Samsung again to narrow it down.

Food for thought. I play most VR titles that allow standing and some room scale from the seated position. This includes the greats like Lone Echo, Robo Recall, The Climb,Serious Sam, Alien Isolation, Doom BFG, Skyrim., you get the point. Just because you can stand up doesn't mean you have to. Best way to play seated room scale is with a rotating stool and suspend the cables from the ceiling. It isn't about my old back, it's more about the low ceiling in my rec room.

 

[Pville_Piper]

We have a winner!

I was reading that the tracking in the windows vr is a real issue for a few games. Sports bar vr is unplayable and I don't see how it can be fixed as it can't track the cue properly as it's partly behind you. I guess bowling will be out too and anything that make you reach behind you. (Not issue for Ed of course)

From what I read and have seen by the way of reviews the tracking works very we and isn't likely to loose tracking in bowling as you are making swing... The Pool cue... That would be problematic. Again, from what I read, which may not be close to reality.

It isn't about my old back, it's more about the low ceiling in my rec room.

LOL, I wish I had a rec room or more space, thanks for the tidbit.

So I went back to the store and checked out the Lenovo. I like the flip up design, the weight is great and the headband is good and the unit sealed to my face very well with no light coming in from the sides.. What I didn't like was that I had to look through the center of the lens. It was blurry towards the edges of the lens. I didn't notice this so much in the Halo Trainer game, but it was noticeable otherwise. I felt that in a game such as Elite, where you don't necessarily concentrate on the game but more the scenery, this would be a negative. I didn't have the IPD adjusted as I felt it was ok, I was looking through the center of the lenses.

Switching over to the Samsung, immediately the colors and brightness was better. The blacks much deeper. Not blurry at all on the lenses. The controllers were a littler better. Hands down, a much better experience than the Lenovo and worth the extra cost. The only downside I saw was the unit had light bleed around my face, but not bad.

The Rift fit my head well, a bit heavy, but not too bad. The screen door effect was slightly more pronounced than Samsung but only by a little bit. The colors were good, but the blacks didn't seem to have that same pop that the Samsung had. I actually played a game with the controllers and they are definitely much nicer than the Windows controllers.

With a game such as Elite you spend more time looking around, taking in the scenery.Playing a game that is fast pace, the Samsung's edge in visual acuity won't be as noticeable as it will in Elite. Elite will be my primary game. So again, it comes down to is the Samsung a $100 better? And how to quantify that... Really hard to do...

In the end it came down to one factor... Asynchronous spacewarp. If I bought the Samsung I would have to buy a GPU. And not just any, but one that could keep the framerates up high enough at high settings to justify the cost of the Samsung. Maybe someday they will have something like that with the Windows MR but right now they don't. I can play the Elite on my GTX 970, I doubt I will be able to on the Samsung. Bugs aside, the Rift is a clear winner.

Mine will be arriving Tuesday, I can't wait!

 

[Mike Reacher]

Loribee. Beauty before comfort?

When I need hardware, I check with Tom's hardware, and Over Clockker's Club. (OCC) They usually tell you a fair bit about hardware. Most times, good advice.
(Haven't needed new hardware for 2 years now. Lucky me!)

 

[shadow133]

I understand the urge to get into VR, but unfortunately I feel gpu investment is advisable if you have a 970 gtx. I have gone through 970, 1070 and 1080 (non ti) and the experiences are completely different on ed. There is no comparison and people may say 970 is fine, there is no way to satisfactorily runwith supersampling. The 1070 will do at 1.5-1.7 if other settings are compromised. The 1080 will get you great views at all times. Im simplifying but I would invest in a gpu first, a 1080 or 1080 ti. Next year some people will migrate to pimax and possibly more used rifts on the market for less. Also Oculus will launch a cheaper $200 wifi version soon from what I read, so next year you can get cheaper hmd. That is what I would do, hang on a few more months.

http://www.techradar.com/news/oculus-rift-2-release-date-news-and-rumors

 

[loribee]

Loribee. Beauty before comfort?

When I need hardware, I check with Tom's hardware, and Over Clockker's Club. (OCC) They usually tell you a fair bit about hardware. Most times, good advice.
(Haven't needed new hardware for 2 years now. Lucky me!)

Of course!!

 

[Pville_Piper]

I understand the urge to get into VR, but unfortunately I feel gpu investment is advisable if you have a 970 gtx. I have gone through 970, 1070 and 1080 (non ti) and the experiences are completely different on ed. There is no comparison and people may say 970 is fine, there is no way to satisfactorily runwith supersampling. The 1070 will do at 1.5-1.7 if other settings are compromised. The 1080 will get you great views at all times. Im simplifying but I would invest in a gpu first, a 1080 or 1080 ti. Next year some people will migrate to pimax and possibly more used rifts on the market for less. Also Oculus will launch a cheaper $200 wifi version soon from what I read, so next year you can get cheaper hmd. That is what I would do, hang on a few more months.

http://www.techradar.com/news/oculus-rift-2-release-date-news-and-rumors

Yes, something better is always just down the road... Until something concrete shows up it is just more rumors. I've found over the years that if you always wait for the next best thing you either can't afford it or it really doesn't work with your setup/reality.


People told me that I shouldn't buy a 144hz, Gsync monitor or with one with a TN pane or 1080p. I did, and for the last 2 years I've been enjoying it. Playing FPS games is awesome on it.

Now that I play other games I decided I wanted either a better monitor or VR. VR is what won.

As far as a better GPU, I will likely pickup a GTX 1080. But, I'm hoping I can stretch it out couple of month because, you know, something better is coming...

 

[dogbite]

Yes, something better is always just down the road... Until something concrete shows up it is just more rumors. I've found over the years that if you always wait for the next best thing you either can't afford it or it really doesn't work with your setup/reality.


People told me that I shouldn't buy a 144hz, Gsync monitor or with one with a TN pane or 1080p. I did, and for the last 2 years I've been enjoying it. Playing FPS games is awesome on it.

Now that I play other games I decided I wanted either a better monitor or VR. VR is what won.

As far as a better GPU, I will likely pickup a GTX 1080. But, I'm hoping I can stretch it out couple of month because, you know, something better is coming...

Congrats and welcome aboard. You'll be ok for a bit with the 970 especially in VR titles. I think you'll like Robo Recall and if that doesn't make you love Touch pick up Lone Echo, it's pretty much a must have VR experience anyway.

 

[Pville_Piper]

Thank you.