Virtual Reality is one of the biggest deals in gaming and computing, with dozens of companies trying to grab a slice of this futuristic pie. The amount of choice is great for consumers, but it\u2019s confusing too.<\/p>\n
The virtual reality headsets on the market are divided into two mains camps: the PC hardware takes most of the plaudits for high-end performance, are console headsets are beginning to make waves. And then there are smartphone headsets, too.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve delved into the packed market to explain the key differences between PC and console VR \u2013 and to help you get you ready for the best virtual reality games.<\/p>\n
The Big PC Players:<\/strong><\/p>\n The PC VR landscape is dominated by the HTC Vive<\/a> and Meta Quest.<\/p>\n The Vive is a cutting-edge headset that delivers a resolution of 2,160 x 1,200 divided between two screens with a 90Hz refresh rate. The Vive has a 110\u00b0 field of view, and its 32 sensors deliver 360\u00b0 motion tracking. Its two wireless controllers deploy 24 sensors alongside touchpads and triggers with haptic feedback \u2013 perfect for fine control \u2013 and there are two wireless base stations.<\/p>\n \n The Meta Quest VR headset is similarly impressive. Its two screens deliver the same 2,160 x 1,200 resolution and 90Hz refresh rate as the Vive, alongside the same 110\u00b0 field of view.<\/p>\n The Meta tracks movement with infrared LEDs it calls Constellation and a sensor that scans an area of 5 x 11 feet \u2013 a little smaller than the Vive, but ample for most users.<\/p>\n The Meta Touch controller will be launched towards the end of 2016. It\u2019s got analogue sticks, buttons and triggers \u2013 just like the Vive \u2013 and delivers accuracy to less than a single millimetre. Until then, the Meta VR headset arrives with an Xbox One wireless controller.<\/p>\n Both headsets have support from some of gaming\u2019s biggest names. Valve promotes the HTC Vive alongside Steam and Steam VR, but the Meta Quest also works with the world\u2019s biggest PC gaming platform.<\/p>\n Nvidia and AMD are on-board: the former firm has tech demos to show off how VR works on its factory-fresh GTX 10-series<\/a> graphics cards, and AMD has LiquidVR<\/a>. That\u2019s a suite of technologies that enables smoother VR experiences on AMD hardware. It\u2019s important to have both of these big name on-board \u2013 it means PC games like Elite: Dangerous, Star Citizen and other VR games will look their best.<\/p>\n Those are the big PC players \u2013 but there are other contenders, too.<\/p>\n The Sulon Q is a spatially aware headset that blends VR technology with the sort of augmented reality features that have only just begun to appear in games like Pokemon Go. Sulon says that its device won\u2019t just be great for gaming \u2013 that its spatial abilities mean an augmented version of your house can function as your desktop PC.<\/p>\n It functions by mapping your gameplay space in real-time, and it\u2019s wireless \u2013 all of the hardware required is in the headset. That adds freedom, but don\u2019t expect graphical fidelity like on the Vive and Rift \u2013 the Sulon Q uses a mid-range AMD Radeon R7 graphics core and a 2,560 x 1,440 screen for console-level visuals.<\/p>\n Sadly, no release date or price has been announced \u2013 but given the amount of hardware and proprietary technology inside this headset, don\u2019t expect it to be cheap.<\/p>\n The second mysterious PC contender is the STEM. It\u2019s a wireless motion tracking system that allows gamers free body movement \u2013 and it works with virtually any VR-ready game. STEM says that it offers longer range, wireless operation and better tracking performance than the controllers available with other headsets, and its open platform encourages compatibility.<\/p>\n The STEM system doesn\u2019t just work with VR headsets \u2013 it\u2019s also compatible with the Razer Hydra motion sensing control system. Technology like this could open VR up to uses beyond games: graphic design and 3D design could both find a home.<\/p>\n STEM is an interesting prospect, but it faces an uphill battle: VR headsets on PC are already being bundled with their own controllers and some will also allow for motion-tracking hardware. It\u2019s not exactly cheap, either \u2013 the five-tracker bundle comes with two controllers and three STEM position packs and it\u2019s available for pre-order for a whopping \u00a32,495.<\/p>\n Console Wars:<\/strong><\/p>\n Virtual reality for console is dominated by Sony and its PlayStation VR headset \u2013 the device previously known as Project Morpheus.<\/p>\n The PlayStation VR includes one 1080p display that divides between two eyes \u2013 so each pupil views a 960 x 1,080 screen. That\u2019s less than the big PC headsets, and the 100\u00b0 field of view is a little narrower, too. Pleasingly, the 120Hz refresh rate is higher than both of its PC-based rivals, which will mean butter-smooth gaming experiences.<\/p>\n The PSVR looks fantastic and futuristic, and forms to the shape of your head with the push of a button. There aren\u2019t any headphones, though, and the control systems just aren\u2019t as in-depth as those on PC headsets.<\/p>\n Gaming on a PlayStation VR won\u2019t be as high-fidelity as on the HTC Vive or the Meta Quest \u2013 the lesser specifications and accessories will see to that. But, conversely, it means that the PlayStation VR will cost \u00a3349 when it\u2019s released, with another \u00a3100 or so required if you need to buy the PlayStation camera and Move controllers.<\/p>\n Sony says 230 developers are actively working on PSVR titles, and has confirmed that fifty games will be available by the end of 2016. A few big beasts will arrive early, including Batman: Arkham VR, Driveclub VR and Eve: Valkyrie.<\/p>\n The PlayStation VR headset looks like a slick and more affordable bet when compared to the PC \u2013 and, right now, it looks like the only option for console gamers. There\u2019s no sign of an Xbox VR headset, with Microsoft gaming Chief Phil Spencer saying that it\u2019s unlikely because it\u2019s difficult for Microsoft to bring something unique to the table when compared to rival products.<\/p>\n That\u2019s not to say that Microsoft won\u2019t eventually unleash its own VR headset or make the Xbox compatible with the Meta Quest \u2013 and Microsoft already does have a couple of irons in the VR fire. The firm packages Xbox controllers with each Meta, and Meta users can stream Xbox One games to their headset \u2013 although they\u2019re only playable in a \u201cvirtual cinema\u201d mode.<\/p>\n There\u2019s Microsoft Hololens, too. It\u2019s an augmented reality headset rather than a VR device, and it works by layering 3D graphics and images over the world itself. The headset contains a full Windows 10 PC, and objects are projected onto the device\u2019s screen with lasers \u2013 a suitably futuristic-sounding prospect. Right now, though, it\u2019s just a proof of concept, and its development kit costs a cool $3,000.<\/p>\n Wild Cards:<\/strong><\/p>\n The VR market isn\u2019t just divided between PC and console headsets \u2013 other devices rely on smartphones to bring VR to the masses.<\/p>\n The Samsung Gear VR was one of the first into the market. It was developed with Meta and works with numerous smartphone models, and it follows a familiar design blueprint: the phone slides into a tray at the front of the headset, with the screen divided by a lens so different images can be delivered to each eye.<\/p>\n The Gear VR only costs about \u00a3100 \u2013 a boon due to the relative absence of hardware inside the device. A \u00a370 controller is available, too.<\/p>\n Other smartphone firms have jumped onto the bandwagon. The OnePlus Loop VR is similar to the Gear VR but works with a vast array of smartphones, and LG has produced a headset for its G5 smartphone.<\/p>\n Google made waves with its surprising and dirt-cheap Cardboard headset, and the recently announced Daydream \u2013 a beefed-up version of the Cardboard that\u2019ll still cost just \u00a369 when it\u2019s released in November 2016.<\/p>\n It works by sliding your phone into a hatch at the front, and it\u2019s made with smart fabric. There\u2019s a button on the top, just like Cardboard, and the controller has a clickable touchpad and a couple of additional buttons. VR content is managed through the Daydream hub, but performance is up in the air right now \u2013 not least because it depends on the hardware and screen of the phone used.<\/p>\n Conclusion:<\/strong><\/p>\n There are several key differences between PC and console VR hardware \u2013 and hopefully they can help you make a decision about where to invest your cash.<\/p>\n The big PC headsets are the most expensive on the market, but that\u2019s because they\u2019re packed with more hardware and have more innovation when it comes to control methods. The PSVR, on the other hand, is cheaper \u2013 but its screens are lower-resolution.<\/p>\n All of these devices will deliver excellent VR experiences, but the expensive PC headsets are perhaps a little more granular, while the more affordable console-level headsets are a little weaker but could be a tad easier to use.<\/p>\n Here at Overclockers UK we\u2019re favouring the PC approach. The HTC Vive<\/a> is our VR headset of choice, and we\u2019ve got a huge range of VR gaming PCs available \u2013 just click here to browse<\/a>. But, no matter the best VR headset for you, it\u2019ll be an incredible experience \u2013 a certain game-changer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Virtual Reality is one of the biggest deals in gaming and computing, with dozens of companies trying to grab a slice of this futuristic pie. The amount of choice is great for consumers, but it’s confusing too. The virtual reality headsets on the market are divided into two mains camps: the PC hardware takes most […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":1129,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1347,1344,3781],"tags":[84,1001,419,91,420,1002,1003,1004,511],"class_list":["post-415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buying-advice","category-guides-and-tutorials","category-vr","tag-amd","tag-console-vr","tag-htc-vive","tag-nvidia","tag-oculus-rift","tag-pc-hardware","tag-pc-vr","tag-steam-vr","tag-virtual-reality"],"yoast_head":"\n