[SOLVED] First time VR headset buyer

[amd vs nvida]

Im looking to get into VR and ive been watching probably 3 hours of reviews for different headsets. Ìm pretty sure i want a pc powered one.
My question is what cheap-ish headset is the best for a beginner at the moment?

 

[richiestang_78]

Rift S. There is also the Oculus Quest which is standalone but can now be connected to the computer using a USB cable and what Oculus is calling Oculus Link . However it is still beta and there seams to be some connectivity issues with SteamVR as well as image quality issues since using a single USB cable requires some serious compression tricks.

Here is how Link works. https://developer.oculus.com/blog/h...the-architecture-pipeline-and-aadt-explained/

Short answer everything outside of the center of the image where you will be looking is seriously compressed.

The other difference between the two is that the Rift S uses a LCD screen which does provide slightly higher refresh rate 80hz as well as what some people say is less "screen door" effect (mean that you can see the individual pixels) compared to the Quest which is OLED but does provide better colors and blacks.

Finally the Oculus Quest does have a IPD adjustment, this adjusts the distance of the lenses for people with eyes further or closer together then the "average" which Oculus for the Rift S has determined to be 63.5mm. I would suggest if your IPD is more then a few mm outside of the 63.5 then a headset with an IPD adjustment like the Quest or Vive Cosmos should be considered.


Here is a guide on how to very accurately measure IPDhttp://doc-ok.org/?p=898

Finally make sure your computer is capable of running the required refresh rates as droppping below the normal refresh rate of the VR headsets will cause motion sickness and discomfort.

My thoughts would be if you have the money and really want to invest the HTC Vive or Valve Index would be the top choices. Although Ive been reading that the Index is having some issues with faulty controllers.

 

[Wolfshadw]

It really depends on how much you want to spend on your initial foray into VR. Some people just want to jump in with both feet and drop $400 - $700 on a set up. Others (like me) just want to test the waters and see if it's something I'd later want to invest more into and go with a more inexpensive headset.

I went ahead and picked up the Lenovo Explorer Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) headset for about $200. Don't let the name fool you, it's still a VR headset, but it has it's own Windows based set up. You can still install Steam and most SteamVR games, but not all games/apps are compatible. If you're not looking to spend too much, then I'd probably recommend something like the HP Mixed Reality Headset. Just make sure the kit you get does come with the controllers.

If you're willing to spend a bit more, then I'd also consider the Oculus Rift S or if you're really into Steam, you might consider the Valve Index.

-Wolf sends