VR Headset Options

[RaidHobbit]

I have:

i5-4690
8GB
Win 8.1
GeForce GTX 960

I want to go VR. While I can afford Oculus or HTC Vive, and could even go the PlayStation route as I have a PS4 I have noticed this:

Pimax 4k VR Headset - http://en.pimaxvr.com/ which is not only 4k but cheaper than them all. What are the options available other than the big two names or PS4 route? I want a decent VR headset but if I can get better for cheaper than Oculus or HTC Vive then I would like too.

 

[RaidHobbit]

Also what about this one - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LLTO1GM?psc=1&smid=A23UTP4XJ1VVJV

 

[Tri23]

You are talking Corvettes and go-carts here.

The ones you mentioned in the lines are for using your smartphone as a VR system. I'm trying to think of an apt analogy for this...
It is like thinking of buying a house, and you start looking at mobile homes that you can hitch to your pickup truck.

Here is the breakdown...
- HTC Vive = Top dog! Roomscape + controllers + Steam!
- Oculus Rift = Working hard to catch up to HTC. Controllers about to be released and roomscape costs extra.
- PS4 = The first console with VR. Not nearly as good as the top two, but PS4 is great if you want VR and don't own a PC.

3rd Party VR = Some people like voting for the Green Party, but they never really win.
(see reviews.. I have never used one, so I can't really give an opinion.)

Cellphone VR = A nice accessory for your phone.
This includes Samsung gear VR and other ones.

These are just goggles that turn your phone into a makeshift VR system. It started as a joke with Google Cardboard, and then people were like, "Wow! This is pretty awesome!", and now the market is filled with them.

It is a great $100 purchase if you have a phone that has enough processing power to do VR.
What you are going to have is a "meh" experience. It will be cool, but you really won't be able to do much, just because the power isn't there in a phone.
That said, if I had a Galaxy, I'd totally pick one of these up. It would make long distance travel a breeze. Also, great if you are forced to see a friends theater performance.
Slap that sucker on and watch Bad Boys2.

 

[Tri23]

In conclusion... my personal opinion....

If you are...
... good on $$$.
... are not living in a NY / Tokyo apartment.
Then get the HTC Vive. Use your current graphics card, and consider upgrading to improve your VR performance.


If you don't have the space for roomscape, and you don't have Steam, and you don't like saving $$$ on games, but love Facebook.
Then get the Oculus Rift.


If you have a high powered smartphone and often take overseas trips, then get a real VR system, and impulse buy one of the cell-phone VR cases for fun.