VR headset - which to go for?

That Bald Fella

That Bald Fella
I've found myself in a once-in-a-lifetime situation of having a bit of money available to spend thanks to an inheritance (bye Dad). I'm putting a third away for the kids, investing a third in the house, and spending a third on shiny things.

So as part of the fun third, I finally gone and done it, I've ordered a gaming PC. Not just for myself you understand, my kids have expressed an interest in geting into game development when they're older so it's an investment in their future. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Now also seems to be the perfect opportunity to buy a VR headset, and as I can't really get out to try headsets in the flesh because of, well, all this (gestures all around) I wondered whether I might be able to tap into the wisdom of the ED VR community hive mind for some advice on what to go for?

I've only got a small desk area available so external sensors are not really viable, which I think might rule out the Valve Index and HTC VIVE Elite.

The standalone aspect of the Quest has a certain appeal, although my living room is also quite small and my children are lummoxes so I foresee a matter of minutes before one of them punches the TV, so that's out.

So I'm thinking of a shortlist of Oculus Rift S, HTC VIVE Cosmos or HP Reverb G2. My questions are...

1) Would they all be able to run on the PC I've ordered (i9-9900K 3.6GHz, RTX 3070, 32GB)?

2) Same question but for occasional use on my laptop (i7-10750H 2.6GHz, GTX 1650, 16GB)?

3) Is the step up in price from Rift to the other two worth it?

4) Any other factors I ought to be thinking of that as a complete noob I haven't considered?

Thanks for any advice anyone is able to offer.
 

Helmut Grokenberger

Helmut Grokenberger
I started with the Rift S and upgraded to a G2 recently. I run it on a 3700X with a 2080 Super and 32 GB 3600 MHz RAM. I had enough power to run the Rift S at it's full resolution, I can run the G2 only at 50%. My thoughts on the comparison:

  • I found the Halo headband of the Rift S more comfortable than the G2's headband. The G2 is much tighter and less easy to adjust - see below.
  • The sweet spot (i.e. the area of the lenses where you get a sharp image) is bigger on my Rift S than the G2. I have heard that the sweet spot of the G2 varies alot between headsets.
  • The G2's image at 50% is still clearer than the Rift S. While the Rift's screen door effect is small, it is still noticable. It is virtually gone in the G2.
  • Audio of the G2 is very good - I believe the speakers are the same as on the Index. The speakers in the headband Rift S are absolute crap. I attached 3rd party speakers to mine. You can because the Rift S has a headphone jack, the G2 doesn't.
  • The Rift S is purely USB powered. I had to add a powered USB card to my PC to run the Rift S reliably as none of my USB ports could supply the power properly. The G2 is powered by a laptop PSU.
  • The Rift S is a facebook product.

If you have the horsepower to run the high resolution, the G2 is really great, with a few caveats. The facial interface is very narrow, if you have medium to large facial features I'd say too narrow, for me it became uncomfortable quickly. I solved the problem with a new, smaller 3D printed facial interface with a Vive face cushion that also improves the FOV. Also, if you wear glasses, be prepared to invest in prescription lens covers. What I'm saying: Be prepared to tinker and spend some more time and money until the setup is perfect. Also, be prepared for a steep learning curve.

For me the switch from Rift S to G2 was absolutely worth it, even if I lack the horsepower to run it at full resolution. I tried it out and only got 20 fps, but boy was it gorgeous. It is so pretty I'd immediately buy a graphics card if I could get one ;) . I cannot comment on how well the 3070 will do, but I've heard that a) the 3000 series has ALOT more rendering power than the 2000 series and b) there are a few driver issues that make VR stutter - not sure if that is sorted out by now. Your PC will run the G2 fine I think, on the laptop you will have to compromise in terms of resolution and fidelity.
 
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LutzBY

LutzBY
I had Rift S, and now have Pimax 5K (dont buy it). Rift S is a great versatile HMD, decent controllers and tracking and if you can find it around 300$ its a bargain. As for G2 i can expect it to be better in seated sims, so it depends on your preferences and budget.
And Rift is more "performace friendly", so your 3070 should run it like a champ
 

That Bald Fella

That Bald Fella
Thanks for your feedback @Helmut Grokenberger and @LutzBY. Regarding the size issue of the G2, my head is absolutely huge and I wear glasses so I think of the two I'd opt for the Rift S.

However, owing to a foolish mistake on my part my circumstances have changed. I mistakenly let the cat out of the bag by telling the kids I'm getting a VR headset, and to cut a long story short I have been outvoted and persuaded to spend their grandad's inheritance money on a Quest 2 instead (I'm assured it's what he would have wanted!)

If they completely monopolise the thing and I barely get to use it then I guess I could always get a Rift S for myself...
 

SushiCW

SushiCW
I'm pretty happy with my Quest 2 + 3070. Elite still takes a surprising amount of tweaking and compromise to get it to run "well" but everything else I've tried it's handled very satisfyingly.

Going wireless (via the new "airLink", which I haven't tried yet, or Virtual Desktop, which I have) is super fun if you have a router that can handle it, and definitely recommended for anything you're playing standing up.
 

Kyokushin

Kyokushin
There are two reasonable option now:
1) Reverb G2 for ultimate (for 2021) quality
2) Quest 2 if you want spend less money.

All other have noticable worse resolution and image quality. Only Pimax 8KX will have good quality but is noticably more expensive than above.
 

LutzBY

LutzBY
Kyokushin said:
There are two reasonable option now:
1) Reverb G2 for ultimate (for 2021) quality
2) Quest 2 if you want spend less money.

All other have noticable worse resolution and image quality. Only Pimax 8KX will have good quality but is noticably more expensive than above.
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Pimax is an overkill for casual player, and overall i dont think they cost their sticker price. And base station tracking is unacceptable for TS.
@That Bald Fella Considering that you now have Quest i dont think you should spent more money to buy something else. Maybe just keep an eye on good deal on G2
 

SixthVG

SixthVG
I enjoy the Quest 2. I've linked to my s/o FB account because I still do not have any social media. I keep it off and locked it in the closet when not in use. Still, really do not trust any FB product in my house, but it is cheap and lets me play ED in VR.
 

That Bald Fella

That Bald Fella
UPDATE: after some fun and games with the delivery (see here) I love the Quest 2.

I've not had quite as much time on it as I'd like, primarily because the kids have been monopolising the new tech and I barely get a look in. But on those rare occasions when I have managed to get a go myself, I've been hugely impressed with ED VR. Can happily sit there grinning just looking round the cockpit or watching the surroundings.

Can also recommend Project Cars 2 and Vader Immortal.
 

Boomtrooper

Boomtrooper
I really don't see how you can go wrong with the Quest 2 - and when you've never played Elite in VR, you end up giggling like an inmate in the jacket with the long sleeves... it is absolutely EPIC. The scale is just crazy, and the ability to just look round when hunting/mining is ridiculous - plus you can have a wander around your ship cockpit deck... I use Quest 2 via virtual desktop (although airlink may replace that - not had a play yet) and I would say HCS voicepacks are a must. Takes a bit of setting up, but the ability to control everything via voice command is just so immersive - plus useful macros like "get me outta here" when getting ganked is a lifesaver! The graphics on the Quest 2 are plenty good enough, but you absolutely need to buy a decent headstrap for it (not the official one - massively overpriced, but the cheap clones are great). The headstrap it ships with is an abomination. Set up right, super comfortable though. Play with a decent gaming headset and you will never see your family again.... 🤣
Oh, and if you really want to blow your brain, get hold of Half Life Alyx....
Ps. Headband I use which I woudl recommend: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08MFH6V6C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

NEWZEROL Head Pad Replacement for Oculus Quest 2 Elite Strap​

 

VR StarLightPL

VR StarLightPL
For someone who stumbles on this thread: Quest 2 obsoletes Rift S and Quest 1. There's no point getting Rift S (I think it's not sold anymore by Oculus). Rift S has the worst resolution of all aforementioned hmds and no ipd slider.

Downsides of Quest 2: short battery life (around 2h), mandatory good Facebook account connection (if that s/o decides to leave you @SixthVG , she's taking your game collection with her 😂), and the default strap is said to be uncomfortable and you need to spend a bit more for the deluxe version.

Pimax with the amount of fiddling it requires is for nerds, the same goes for any WMR solution (jank upon jank upon jank). If you only want to play seated sims and don't want to use motion controllers then get the Reverb G2, but be warned it needs a powerful graphics card. 1080Ti is a bare minimum, otherwise you won't be using what you paid for and downsampling.
 

Boomtrooper

Boomtrooper
VR StarLightPL said:
For someone who stumbles on this thread: Quest 2 obsoletes Rift S and Quest 1. There's no point getting Rift S (I think it's not sold anymore by Oculus). Rift S has the worst resolution of all aforementioned hmds and no ipd slider.

Downsides of Quest 2: short battery life (around 2h), mandatory good Facebook account connection (if that s/o decides to leave you @SixthVG , she's taking your game collection with her 😂), and the default strap is said to be uncomfortable and you need to spend a bit more for the deluxe version.

Pimax with the amount of fiddling it requires is for nerds, the same goes for any WMR solution (jank upon jank upon jank). If you only want to play seated sims and don't want to use motion controllers then get the Reverb G2, but be warned it needs a powerful graphics card. 1080Ti is a bare minimum, otherwise you won't be using what you paid for and downsampling.
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Agree with battery life but for seated gaming I use a really long standard USB cable and leave it plugged in to charger whilst playing Elite - doesn't get in the way and not really even aware of it. Because it's a charging cable not a data cable, there's no need to go for anything other than a bog standard USB-C cable, so cheap as chips off t'internet.
 

Arioch

Arioch
As someone who’s recently boxed up their Rift S after getting one - Quest 2 is the way ahead for me. I was worried about the default head-strap prior to purchase due to various reviews, but I’ve honestly had no problems at all with it - I find it perfectly comfortable and have worn the headset up to 2 hours at a time.

I use the Anker USB cable for seated play for the reduced battery usage (as mentioned above) and the AirLink for when I’m having a wander. The FB account I set up has the minimum of personal info, is all set to Private, and has no notifications selected; I think Messrs Bezos & Newell know more about me than The Zuck 😁
 

BlackSpaceCowboy

BlackSpaceCowboy
I have the Rift, Rift S, Valve Index, Quest 2, and G2. For me the G2 is the best but I would only recommend the G2 to someone as their 2nd HMD not their first experience. It's not as easy to use as other HMDs. Also, you need a 3080 or better for the G2 otherwise you need to drop the resolution by the resolution is the whole point of the G2.

So many people like the Quest 2 but I cannot get mine to produce a better image than even my Rift S. The Quest 2 with link cable or air link just doesn't have enough bandwidth to compete with wired HMDs. You end up with a compressed image that doesn't perform well because it has the extra overhead of compressing and uncompressing.

Best is G2 but only if you have a 3080 or better
#2 is the Index but it's expensive
#3 is the Rift S
#4 Quest 2 if you don't care about image quality and prefer wireless play.
 

VR StarLightPL

VR StarLightPL
BlackSpaceCowboy said:
#3 is the Rift S
#4 Quest 2 if you don't care about image quality and prefer wireless play.
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I find this interesting. I am yet to thoroughly compare Q2 to my Index (a friend has Q2 which I will be able to borrow), but Q2 has better resolution and the whole internet seems to agree that Q2 > RiftS. Well, I will be doing some testing in about a month, after full vaccination :cool:
 

VR andysonofbob

VR andysonofbob
BlackSpaceCowboy said:
I have the Rift, Rift S, Valve Index, Quest 2, and G2. For me the G2 is the best but I would only recommend the G2 to someone as their 2nd HMD not their first experience. It's not as easy to use as other HMDs. Also, you need a 3080 or better for the G2 otherwise you need to drop the resolution by the resolution is the whole point of the G2.

So many people like the Quest 2 but I cannot get mine to produce a better image than even my Rift S. The Quest 2 with link cable or air link just doesn't have enough bandwidth to compete with wired HMDs. You end up with a compressed image that doesn't perform well because it has the extra overhead of compressing and uncompressing.
Click to expand...
I have had a completely different experience.

I have owned DK2, Rift, Rift S and now Q2. Took me about 5 seconds to come to the conclusion Q2 trounced Rift S especially in sims. I have never really noticed the artifacts. I have seen screenshots of the beta artifacts but I got my Q2 after it Link left beta.

I think Q2 has awesome visual quality. :)
 
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