#technically i do have a headset already but its the ORIGINAL rift its old as fuckkk and not in the greatest shape

[munch-mumbles]

WELL DAMN OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! guess i have to finally figure my vr situation out

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Want to play Half-Life: Alyx? Here’s the VR gear you need

Valve’s new Half-Life game, Half-Life: Alyx, a first-person shooter set in the period before Half-Life 2, is finally here, and it’s amazing. You control Alyx Vance in the virtual reality world as she and her father fight an alien empire — but you need a VR headset to play the game. You’ll be happy to know that a lot of VR headsets are compatible. Valve’s own VR headset, the Index, is an excellent way to play — but it’s expensive, and there are other options.

Half-Life: Alyx works with various Windows-based Steam VR-compatible headsets, and even with Facebook’s standalone Oculus Quest. I’ve played on both the Index and Quest so far. Your VR gaming options for ways to play are wider than you may think.

Here are some options to consider to start playing this virtuoso VR game (and also remember, you need a gaming PC with certain specs, too).

Read more: Playing the dystopian Half-Life: Alyx in a real-life dystopia

Now playing: Watch this: The cheapest VR gear for playing Half-Life: Alyx

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Sarah Tew/CNET

Valve’s expensive VR setup has its own unique motion controllers that measure finger motion, and Half-Life: Alyx is designed to make the most of those controllers. If you have a Vive VR, you can get Valve’s new controllers separately and add them on for less money than a whole new headset would cost. Valve is including Half-Life: Alyx for free with purchases of its Index bundles. 

The Index provides a great display and audio experience but requires installed Lighthouse light-emitting tracking sensor boxes in your room, instead of using in-headset self-contained motion tracking. The Index is a pain to set up because of its cables and lighthouse boxes, but it’s excellent for an immersive experience. It’s hard to find in stock, however. Read our Valve Index review.

Angela Lang/CNET

The years-old Vive still works and is often on sale. It doesn’t have the best display resolution any more, but it’ll do. You can get this and add on Valve Index controllers separately if you want. The Valve Index and its new controllers are cross-compatible with Vive’s hardware, which also runs off SteamVR. If you want to upgrade to pieces of the Index later (I’d recommend the controllers, at least), you can.

The Vive comes in the original version and a higher-res Vive Pro model. Shop around and see what deals you can get. Read our HTC Vive review.

Samsung

Microsoft’s line of third-party VR headsets are inexpensive and work with built-in headset tracking. Many of these Windows Mixed Reality headsets are affordable and work with Steam. The Odyssey, often on sale, has a high-quality display and build. It’s the best of the now nearly forgotten headsets that Dell, HP and Acer put out a few years ago. I haven’t tried it out yet with Half-Life: Alyx. 

Oculus

Oculus’ PC-connected VR headset doesn’t require external cameras, doing all motion tracking through the cameras on the headset. The Rift S is a great headset, and it’s SteamVR compatible. It’s also relatively affordable at $399. I’m not sure it’s the best Half-Life: Alyx option for your gameplay experience, but it should work. The Rift S is hard to find in stock lately too. Read more about the Oculus Rift S.

Read more: The best VR headsets for 2020

Sarah Tew/CNET

The Oculus Quest is a standalone VR headset. Technically, it could work with Half-Life: Alyx when using the right USB-C cable to connect to a PC. It wouldn’t be the best option for gameplay, but could be a fascinating choice for someone who already has a Quest.

Read more: Oculus Rift S vs. Oculus Quest: Which VR headset is for you?

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Oculus Quest review: VR freedom comes at a cost

if the oculus Go was an appetizer for truly wireless VR which is entirely self-contained and doesn't rely on PC the quest is closer to main course it's not as immersive as desktop virtual reality but it's currently the easiest way to show off the potential for this new medium you don't have to setup any sensors just throw on the headset pick up the motion controllers and you can jump into a complex virtual world anywhere you can think of the 399 oculus quest is a massively upgrade version of the go it's powered by 4 gigabytes of RAM and the snapdragon 835 a two-year-old processor that's far beefier than the meager 821 the NGO used it's OLED lenses each have a 1440 by 1600 resolution sharper than the ghost fast switching LCD most importantly it supports oculus insight system which relies on 4 sensors on the headset to keep track of the room and controllers that's even better than the oculus rift which requires setting up external sensors for room scale tracking unlike the go you're not stuck with a single remote the quest comes with oculus is revamped motion controllers which have triggers grip buttons analog sticks and two face buttons they'll let you play the same sorts of games that desktop VR headsets like the rift can in fact the new rift s comes with the same controllers they're a bit smaller than the original versions which I genuinely loved and they have tracking rings above your fingers instead of below oculus tells us this helps a quest keep a better eye on the controller's the headset resembles the rift except there aren't any distracting wires hanging around there are four tracking sensors up front along the USBC charging port and power button along the sides a redesigned adjustable head strap dominates the rear it's more flexible than the rifts but more rigid than the ghost stretchy straps while the quest has built-in speakers you can plug in headphones either 3.5 millimeter port along the sides of the headset and if you're wondering why it has two that's because oculus has custom ear buds that lorelei on both ports so you won't have to worry about maneuvering cables around your head the quest easily fit over my glasses and they only took around 5 seconds to get the head strap in the right spot it felt secure but I noticed very quickly that the headset is a bit front-loaded at 1.2 pounds its own point two pounds heavier than the go in the rift but I easily felt that added weight along my face especially around my eyes and nose it's not a deal breaker but I definitely had to rest more often than I did with other oculus headsets when I put the quest on I saw a ref black-and-white view of my surroundings from there I had to set up the Guardian system to avoid bumping into anything obviously you'll want to use the headset in a clutter-free area I marked the floor level by placing a controller down then I use it to map a boundary around my play space if you're just sitting or standing one spot you can skip that step afterwards I saw blue walls as I edged closer to the boundaries that's similar to the rift but the quest goes a step further when I peek through the boundary I got a monochrome view of the real world again with other headsets I've had to remove them entirely to safely navigate my office well the Guardian system works well overall I often had to remap my play space whenever I put the headset down for a few minutes which got to be pretty annoying hopefully oculus will figure out a way to better remember those boundaries based on its specs alone I expected the quest to deliver far more satisfying VR experiences in the go and it didn't disappoint superhot looked sharper than I did on the rift thanks to those additional pixels and it played just as smoothly it wasn't long before I was grabbing pistols in midair dodging bullets and knocking out bad guys with the motion controllers and speaking of which the new controllers feel great even though I prefer the slightly larger grips of the earlier models another plus they only need a single double-a battery instead of two thumper which was a huge hit in the PlayStation VR a few years ago is spectacularly immersive it's a fast-paced rhythm action game that has you've racing down psychedelic roadways fighting giant creatures and simply a blast on the quest the graphical fidelity is a noticeable step down from what the PlayStation 4 and my PC put out there are fewer particle effects and visual flourishes but it's still impressive for souped-up mobile VR most importantly thumper always felt as fast as it did on those platforms beat Sabre another VR mainstay works flawlessly in the quest it's also a great way to test motion tracking since the game is all about hitting directional blocks quickly the headset had no trouble keeping up with my wild swings even when I tried to trick it by turning my head away I only wish the game had a bigger selection of songs to play but if you're looking for a good VR demo for newcomers this is it I was surprised that the quest built-in speakers delivered clear and thumping sound with all these rhythm games I never felt the need to plug in headphones just be aware the speakers are open so other people will definitely hear you're embarrassing beat saber tracks for some slightly slower paced gameplay I try that journey of the gods a new Zelda style adventure game I enjoy swinging the sword around and taking down monsters with the crossbow but I was more hooked on the sense of immersion I've yet to find the perfect VR RPG but this comes close I enjoyed simply wandering around the serene world and exploring every nook and cranny watching 360 degree content on the oculus video app worked well but that's relatively simple stuff that even the go can do without a struggle the quest sharper resolution helped somewhat but that weight issue made it uncomfortable for longer viewing sessions other apps like Netflix weren't available to test unfortunately to help think we are more of a communal experience oculus also added chromecast streaming to the quest for the chromecast Ultra third generation devices in the Nvidia shield it works surprisingly well in my testing though the video quality can be hit or miss still it's nice to have a way to share your virtual adventures on the big screen oculus claims the quest gets around two to three hours of battery life and that fits with my experience after some heavy gaming for an hour it typically got down to around 50% it'll also charge over USB see in around 2 hours if you really want to spend the chunk of time in VR you can also use it well to being charged but that sort of defeats the purpose of having a truly wireless headset the quest starts at 399 with 64 gigabytes of storage and you can also bump up to 128 gigabytes for 499 games typically clock in under 500 Meg's though a few massive titles like face your fears too can surpass 2 gigabytes at this point though I think you'll have a hard time filling up 128 gigabyte headset the quests biggest competition at the moment are oculus as other headsets the $200 goes still a great option if you want a more inexpensive taste of mobile VR and the 399 rift s will get you better quality VR if you have a powerful computer and unlike a few years ago there are plenty of your already laptops around today Lenovo's mirage daydream which is $400 is technically a competitor since it's an all-in-one headset but we didn't like it too much in our review as for the PlayStation VR which you can find for around $230 now it's a solid platform for ps4 owners with tons of games but it's cumbersome setup might be a turn-off the oculus quest is so close to being my ideal Wireless VR headset it's more powerful in the go has some great motion controllers and there aren't any sensors to set up I just wish it were more comfortable and at 400 dollars it's not something average consumers will jump on immediately especially when the 200 go is still around but if you're looking for a great way to play some trendy VR games easily without the hassles of PC or console it's your best bet that's pretty much it for the oculus quest but if you're looking for more VR headset reviews subscribe to us on YouTube and check out our website and gadget

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HTC Vive Pro Review -- The Most Powerful (and Expensive) Virtual Reality Headset

In 2016, HTC and Oculus VR released their virtual reality headsets, driving innovation in the medium not seen since the 90’s. In the past couple years, VR has taken off like a rocket with HTC being what I believe the frontrunner in the VR headset market — at least, based on the hardware and performance.

With the original HTC Vive’s two-year anniversary coming up and its updated model — the HTC Vive Pro’s — launch slowly creeping onto our calendars, I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the upcoming model. That being said, after spending some intimate time with the latest head mount display, I can wholeheartedly say that the HTC has solidified its place in the market as the top dog of VR hardware and the HTC Vive Pro is the most potent headset available to date.

At first glance, the most notable feature, which separates the original HTC Vive from the HTC Vive Pro is the color scheme. Unlike the original’s all-black design, the Vive Pro is sporting a deep blue color. Now, I own an original HTC Vive, so when I unboxed the HTC Vive Pro one of the first things I did was compare both models. Although both models are the same size, the HTC Vive Pro is significantly lighter to the original model and arguably lighter than Sony’s PlayStation VR headset.

Circling back to other differences between the original model and the HTC Vive Pro is the new head strap, which was heavily influenced by the Vive’s Deluxe Audio accessory released last year by the manufacturer. Visually, the head strap can look intimidating to some, but it is incredibly simplistic (in a positive way). It allows gamers to place the headset on their face, rest the back strap against their head and adjust accordingly, while the other band (to moderate the precise fitting) is located on the top instead of on the sides like the original Vive.

“…the HTC Vive Pro is the most potent headset available to date.”

I love my HTC Vive, but one of the most significant issues I had was the head strap system (which featured three separate straps located on various parts of the headset) on the first model, essentially making the process of adjusting the HMD nearly a two-man job. Thankfully, HTC learned from its mistakes to ensure a smoother experience for the consumers.

Putting the headset on for the first time was vastly different from the original, primarily because it felt more secure than the original. Thanks to its lighter weight design, I also did not feel like the front of my head was being weighed down.

Another prominent feature consumers will quickly notice is the built-in headphones. When I first saw this feature back in January, I was a bit skeptical. To me, the integrated headphones looked cheap in design — fundamentally a bare minimum accessory onto the headset. However, I am glad that I was wrong about my first impressions because the headphones themselves are incredibly comfortable. Not to mention there is room to adjust the headphones so that it can accommodate any head size.

Now, I know what you are probably thinking: the headphones are probably overstuffing the HTC Vive Pro. However, that is just not true. In fact, while I can concur that the design looks overstuffed, the headphones are still the best choice for audio and more convenient for gamers (unlike the earbuds).  The original Vive had enough wires, so the need to plug in earbuds was another obstacle in your path.

That being said, I would expect in the future that all updated virtual reality models, regardless of manufacturer, will add built-in headphones to their headsets. Not only is it convenient for the consumer, but it is also a natural feature that should have been added from the start.

Speaking of cushioning, the faceplate on the Vive Pro surprisingly offers more cushioning around it; although sweating while gaming is inevitable, the additional comfort on the front and back of my head made long VR gaming sessions less cramped in the long run. While cleaning the headset is a less-frustrating process as well, the padding is replaceable and easier to maintain compared to the original model. Although this might seem insignificant to some, techies such as myself appreciate this feature as it makes managing our gear much more manageable.

Now its time for the technical features, which are the most impressive thing in my opinion. The Vive Pro’s OLED displays run as a consistent 1,440 x 1,600 pixels per eye; a 78% increase from the original Vive. Sadly, while the new resolution is impressive, the field of view is still 110-degrees. Of course, this is no surprise considering all high-end headsets use it, but weighing all the other ambitious risks, HTC took it would have been nice to see a change in the field of view.

When used in gameplay, the HTC Vive Pro makes every look so much better than other VR headsets on the market. From racing on the whacky race tracks in Sprint Vector to fending off the inhabitants of hell in DOOM VFR to exploring the Bostonian wasteland in Fallout 4 VR, I was able to immerse myself in a new way entirely then I could have ever imagined. While it certainly helps that my rig is mighty, the sizeable graphical update is not only a technical achievement on its own, but it pushes the envelope and redefines the term “immersion.” While the new graphics will leave you awestruck, its technical specs are still not enough to justify its current purchase price, especially when you consider what the package contains.

Currently, the HTC Vive Pro is being sold as a standalone product, meaning the HTC sensors as well as its controllers, are sold separately — effectively bringing up the cost to just over $1,100. This can be a significant setback in sales at the start for two reasons; the first being that it alienates customers who do not already own an HTC Vive and also makes this extremely inconvenient to current Vive owners who will be unable to sell their old Vive should they choose to upgrade. HTC is offering all the essential accessories for $299, but considering the HTC Vive Pro’s launch price is already pretty hefty, this will undoubtedly discourage newcomers into buying the HTC Vive Pro at launch.

When we compare the HTC Vive Pro to other competitors such as the Oculus Rift, which is just $399 and comes with better controllers, and the Windows Mixed Reality headsets which do not require sensors, the Vive Pro is up against some good competition. Especially when you can grab PS VR (with all the pack-ins) for a third of the price.

Additionally, depending on what type of PC parts you have in your rig, you might not be able to see the HTC Vive Pro at its full potential. The minimum system requirements for the HTC Vive Pro includes at least an Intel Core i5-4590 processor, and at least an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or an AMD Radeon RX 480 as your minimum graphics card. Not to mention HTC has stated that faster hardware is essential to taking full advantage of what the Vive Pro has to offer. While this is not surprising, especially considering that most people with PC VR headsets have at least a basic knowledge on PC parts, those looking to get this but lack the proper PC equipment need to take these things into account if they are interested in the HTC Vive Pro.

If you follow my work carefully, you’ll know that I own both a gaming laptop as well as a desktop. My laptop and desktop are powered by a 7th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, while my laptop features an NVIDIA 1070, and my desktop includes a 1080Ti. While both computers ran the HTC Vive Pro smooth like butter, the desktop’s performance on the HTC Vive Pro was (predictably) much better than the laptop. That isn’t to say my laptop experienced hiccups, but it is to be expected to see a faster performance from the desktop when you factor the video card is better.

Since DualShockers did not review the original HTC Vive when it first launched, I want to touch on the controllers a bit: the original Vive controllers feel outdated with the HTC Vive Pro. Now, I own both an HTC Vive and a PlayStation VR, and the Vive controllers are leagues ahead of the PS Move controllers regarding quality. However, I have had my fair share of awkward moments with the Vive controllers, especially when compared to Oculus’ Touch Controllers.

HTC may be the best of the best in head mount displays right now, but Oculus clearly has the better controllers. Now, Valve has its own updated VR controllers coming for SteamVR later this year, but the fact that HTC has yet to make an update to the controllers after two years is slightly disappointing.

“The HTC Vive Pro’s significant performance update is a plus, and it’s overall more comfortable than its predecessor.”

Is the HTC Vive Pro terrible? Well, of course, it isn’t — the new features added to the HTC Vive Pro ups the ante on what we should expect from this particular side of the gaming industry concerning performance and visuals. While I cannot deny that it is an essential piece of hardware released this year, I cannot help but feel that HTC made one step forward, but two steps back when it came to executing the HTC Vive Pro.

The HTC Vive Pro’s significant performance update is a plus, and it’s overall more comfortable than its predecessor. However, the $799 price tag with no sensors or controllers is a major turnoff for many outside of extreme VR enthusiasts. At its current state, I can only recommend this headset to those who currently own an HTC Vive and have a high-end PC capable of flaunting the HTC Vive Pro’s power. However, if you are looking to enter the VR scene, I would suggest either waiting for the HTC Vive Pro for a bit until the packaging is retooled or, if you cannot wait, then research other VR options.

This post contains an affiliate link where DualShockers gets a small commission on sales. Any and all support helps keep DualShockers as a standalone, independent platform for less-mainstream opinions and news coverage.

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Oculus Rift

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Oculus Rift

Update: The Oculus Connect 4 conference kicks off on October 11 with a keynote, and it's here Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Co. will talk about where VR is headed, as well as potentially unveil new products. If you want to tune into the action, here's how to watch the Oculus Connect keynote live stream beginning at 10am PT/1pm ET/6pm BST (4am AEST on October 12).

Original review below…

It's hard to believe the Oculus Rift is over a year old already. It was one of the biggest launches of last year and yet, by most accounts, it was still early days. The year since has provided an opportunity for the headset to stretch its wings a bit – a number of high-profile games have launched on the hardware and it's finally received motion controllers in the form of Oculus Touch.

To make matters even better, it's also received a permanent price cut moving forward: $499/£399 (around AU$640) for the headset, two sensors and the Touch Controllers. That's a far cry away from the Rift's closest competitor, the HTC Vive, which comes in at a blistering $799/£749 (around AU$1,000).

This price drop could be interpreted in a number of ways. In one sense, it could point to the fact that Oculus Rift sales have been less than what Facebook expected them to be – and the price drop is an attempt to drum up sales. Another perfectly fine interpretation is that Facebook desperately wants this hardware in customers' hands – even if that means selling it at a loss.

But you're not here for speculation, right? You're here because you're interested in reading about one of the world's coolest, most bleeding-edge technology: VR. Now, after a full year with the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive and PlayStation VR, can we finally say 'virtual reality is here to stay'.

OK, before we dive too deep into the virtues of VR, let's take a moment to talk about the two most important aspects to consider before deciding to buy a Rift of your own: price and the minimum PC requirements.

If you've been following the virtual reality scene you probably know this already, but the Oculus Rift requires a wired connection to a PC in order to have enough power to drive two 1080×1200 resolution images to each lens inside the headset. It can't just be any old run-of-the-mill PC, either – you're going to need a top of the line gaming PC to enjoy everything the Rift has to offer.

Originally, the minimum specs put out by Oculus called for an Intel Core i5 4590 or equivalent processor, 8GB of RAM and an NVIDIA GTX 970 or AMD Radeon 290 video card. Most of the hardcore gaming community might already have these components on hand, but if you're a casual gamer or currently more of a PC layman, these parts will be the first of two costly investments you need to pay for upfront.

Recently, however, that minimum spec has been brought down to an Intel i3-6100, instead of the more expensive Intel i5-4590, and GPUs can now start from the Nvidia GTX 960 from the recommended 970.

That change brings down the cost of the system required to play VR games to around $499 by Oculus's estimates, and says that it's teaming up with Cyberpower to bring pre-made rigs like that to the public.

The other expenditure is the Oculus Rift itself, duh.

When paired with the proper hardware, the Oculus Rift is far superior to PlayStation VR, and light years ahead of Google Cardboard and Samsung Gear VR, both of which only rely on the power of your cell phone to gaze into the plane of virtual reality. It's not quite as immersive or as capable as the HTC Vive, but I'll touch on that point more in a bit.

So what exactly are you buying? What does the Oculus Rift do?

How the Oculus Rift works

I've tried my best to explain virtual reality in words and, on multiple occasions, have completely and utterly failed. At best all I can do is paint a half-cocked image in hopes to inspire you to go out and find a friend or coworker with an Oculus Rift of their own who'd be kind enough to let you give it a whirl. Here goes nothing.

Imagine standing on the ledge of a 100-story building. Imagine looking down at the street below you. Imagine the tightening of your stomach and the sense of dread that you might, at any second, fall to your demise.

Now imagine taking one step forward.

You're falling and the world is whipping before you. You're petrified. But you also feel alive. The second right before you hit the ground is the worst – your brain is actually prepared for the moment by dumping adrenaline into your system as a mild painkiller.

But while all this is happening, you haven't actually moved. You've been sitting in a chair in your own home, staring into a screen. Your biometrics have changed, but, geographically speaking, you're exactly where you were 10 minutes ago.

This is what it's like to use virtual reality, to get the experience of being somewhere else in a different time, a different place, sometimes as far as an alien world, all without ever leaving your home.

This product is the fruit of a four-year research project that launched on Kickstarter, made $2 million, then was purchased by one of the most powerful tech companies in the world, Facebook. The Oculus Rift shipping these days is the first commercially available unit – the fourth evolution of the headset that started back in 2012 with Developer Kit 1.

The latest iteration of the headset is significantly better than any of the previous development kits. It's easier to setup thanks to an intuitive program that you're prompted to download when you plug it in, and it takes less technical knowhow to install games and troubleshoot when things go awry.

Like other virtual reality headsets, the Oculus RIft has the arduous task of completely immersing you in a video game by producing two images simultaneously. It does this by hooking into the back of your graphics card's HDMI port and using a camera to track your head movement. You can either sit or stand while wearing the headset, whichever you find more comfortable. But, unlike the HTC Vive, you won't be able to use the hardware inside the box to actually walk around at all (what we commonly refer to as "room-scale VR"). For that, you'll have to shell out another $200/£189 or around AU$265.

What you'll get inside every Oculus Rift box, however, is the headset itself, the Oculus Sensor, a small Oculus Remote that can be used to control videos and change the volume on the headset, a Xbox One Wireless Controller with 2 AA batteries, an Xbox One controller adapter and extender and Lucky's Tale, a platforming game that is best compared to a 360-degree version of Super Mario Bros. If you pre-ordered the Rift, it also came with EVE: Valkyrie Founder's Pack.

Once you've plugged the headset into the HDMI port on your GPU, the two USB cables from the headset and sensor to two USB 3.0 ports on your PC and the Xbox One controller adapter into a USB 2.0 port on your PC, you're ready to start the short and simple setup process, which only takes about 10 minutes.

What you'll find when you're done is a library of about 100 titles that are longer than anything found on the HTC Vive. I've played a good deal of them, and while some were better than others, there weren't any that I felt were a waste of time or money. I'll cover them in more detail on the next page but, in the broadest of strokes, the Rift is a fun gaming system, even if it's not number one right now.

It's almost scary how far the Oculus Rift has come in such a short period of time.

The headset we tested just two years ago felt rough, cheap and borderline shoddy. It didn't track well and trying to get lag-free gameplay – even on a powerhouse gaming rig – was just short of impossible.

The final consumer version of the headset on the other hand is an elegant, sleek and, dare I say, stylish black brick you stick on your face. You may not look great wearing it, but the actual hardware can't be faulted for aesthetics.

When you first hold it, it's not weighty – in fact, it almost has a hollow feel, like all the weight has been put into the chassis and there's nothing but glass and thin film inside. Put it on, however, and those expectations of fluffy weightlessness will all go away.

When you're sitting down, the visor portion will weigh heavy on the front of your head. It's not something you notice immediately, but something you'll feel in your neck the longer you're immersed in your new virtual world. Thankfully, it doesn't necessarily dig in thanks to dense foam, but when it's tightened to the proper point, it's a snug fit. There are foam cushions on the back portion of the strap, too, so the back of your head rests in a cushy cradle.

The straps are a bit on the rigid side. They're made from bendable plastic that has some give, but overall holds its shape. There's velcro located on each strap that you use to adjust the position of the headset on your face.

These straps are absolutely vital as the Rift needs to be positioned properly on your face, otherwise the focus in the VR experience is off. This will happen if the headset is hanging a little loose or isn't centered, creating a blurred effect. Too tight, and while the headset is secure and the focus generally spot on, it tends to be uncomfortable. When this happened, it never got to the point where I needed to take the headset off to escape the discomfort, but it ached slightly, and left a headset-shaped impression on my face.

The opposite problem isn't good, either. When it's too loose, gaps allow light to come through from underneath the faceplate. Light will peek through and games will suddenly lose some of their immersiveness when you can see your hands working on the Xbox controller.

But sight is just one of the senses that needs to be transformed to feel fully immersed in virtual reality. The other, as you might guess, is hearing.

To address this, Oculus includes a pair of small ear pads that sit flush on the side of the headset. They can be rotated to sit directly on top of the ear, or flipped up when someone needs your attention back in the real world. I find, for the most part, that the headphones provided with the Rift work well. They offer 3D surround sound and have enough clarity to clearly hear all the in-game audio cues.

The only real problem I had with the headphones is that they randomly disconnect from time to time. I'll be in the middle of a game when, all of a sudden, the sound completely cuts out.

However, like the HTC Vive, the Oculus Rift allows you to use your own headphones instead of forcing a pair on you. I picked a pair of Creative Sound Blaster H5s due to their padding and excellent sound quality, and using an external pair of cans eliminated any issues I had with the sound cutting out. You can plug the headphones into your computer's audio jack or, if you're sitting too far from your PC, straight into the 3.5mm jack on the Xbox One controller.

The other benefit of using your own pair of headphones, especially one with a volume slider on the side or in the cord, is that it makes it easier to manage the volume when it's too loud or too soft. (Though, admittedly, it's almost always the former.)

However, Oculus recently introduced a third option into the mix – Oculus Earphones. These in-ear earbuds replace the on-ear pads that shipped with the original system and promise VR-compatible drivers for more immersive experiences and better noise isolation for only $49.

Another piece of the puzzle here is the Xbox One controller. Now, there's nothing inherently wrong with Microsoft's excellent gamepad – as far as controllers go, it's probably the best.

That said, virtual reality is no place for a standard controller. There are a few titles that feel natural with a controller – Lucky's Tale and Pinball FX VR are two that pop to mind – but that leaves about three dozen games that desperately need Touch controllers to be truly enjoyable.

With the Xbox One controller, games in first-person that use the left thumbstick to move create a sort of cognitive dissonance: it feels like you're moving, but your body is just sitting there, creating a sinking feeling in your stomach. The Rift isn't anywhere close to Nintendo's Virtual Boy system that caused seizures back in the '90s, but expect to get varying degrees of nausea while trying out the different titles.

The last important part is the long strand of cables connecting the headset to the PC. It comes out the rear of the headset and curves over your back or shoulder, so you can then hide it behind your chair. When you're sitting or standing, the cord doesn't get in the way, but if you're attempting to go for complete Matrix-style immersion, it's something you can constantly feel.

Performance and content library

OK, so far everything we've talked about applies to every Oculus Rift setup out there. Here's where we start to venture into "your miles may vary" territory.

What I've found, using a properly spec'd PC, is that performance is rock-solid. I never noticed a screen tear or a dropped frame in any of the games I played. That speaks volumes about the kind of quality control Oculus is exerting on the games that come to its svelte storefront, and again how far this hardware has come in four short years.

Tracking, done through the included Oculus Sensor, is fairly sturdy, too. You're able to turn your body more than 180 degrees and it will still recognize what you're doing. The sensor sits about 10 inches above your desk and can be tilted up or down, depending on what position you're currently in.

Take off the headset and the visor shuts off. Pick it up and put it on, and the screen will light back up. The external and internal sensors are pretty smart, thankfully, meaning you won't need to manually switch the headset on when you want to use it.

What the sensor can't track, at least when you're not holding the Touch controllers, are your hands. And that's a deal breaker.

I can't tell you how many times I wish the Rift shipped with Touch Controllers while playing games on the headset. Using a controller to move a bumper in air hockey simply feels unnatural. Making them an optional upgrade for the many thousands who already pre-ordered and own an Oculus Rift is a major faux pas.

There's a level of intuition that comes from using your hands. You know how to throw a ball, how to climb a rock wall and shake hands in real life. Translating the most basic of movements to a controller is imperfect at best and convoluted at worst, especially if you're someone who doesn't frequently use an Xbox One controller.

Moreover, because every game seems to be shoehorned to work with a controller, it feels like you could take almost any game on the Oculus storefront and port it over to an Xbox One without actually losing anything.

And while some of those games are really fun, immersive experiences, some of them – even the first-party titles – are plain gimmicky. Like looking into a 2016 version of our childhood Viewfinder, animated images will run up to you, roar in your face or threaten you to elicit a psychological response. It's a shallow parlor trick, similar to watching the first movies in 3D.

This is made up for, somewhat, by the huge selection of well thought out titles. All the games you've been drooling over are here: EVE Valkyrie, Elite Dangerous and ADR1FT are all available on the store, with plenty more to come sooner rather than later. Even more exciting, though, are that there are plenty of games that work with the Rift that aren't on the store, including family-favorite Minecraft.

Oculus sorts games by how much motion there is in the game, and how likely it is to make your stomach churn. There are three set levels: comfortable, moderate and intense. Comfortable games barely require moving your head and, if you do, you do so slowly. Moderate steps it up a notch. You'll either need to move more quickly or be faced with more moving objects. Finally, intense games will probably be the ones that do you in. These stick you on the side of a mountain or floating around haphazardly in space; they're more visceral of experiences, but ones that are more likely to provoke anxiety and induce nausea, too.

As this is a new medium, pricing for said games is all over the place. Some games are appropriately priced in the $4.99-$9.99 space, while others come in at $40 or $50 (about £35.37, AU$66.57) for what are essentially extended demos. As of right now there's also no way to try any of the games before you buy them, which means you'll need to make a leap of faith when purchasing.

Speaking of payment, Oculus will prompt you to enter your credit card information as soon as you have your system setup, but will allow you to skip past it if you're not quite ready to hand over your digits sight unseen.

Switching between one game/movie/app and the next is a relatively painless process. Simply press the jewel button on the center of the Xbox controller, select "exit" and you'll be returned to the home screen – in this case, a swanky living room replete with a fireplace, a couch and high-res pillows that throws a standard Xbox-looking interface in the middle of the room. (I'm pointing out the ridiculous nature of having a domestic-looking home screen here, obviously, but the interface that you use to peruse the storefront is actually very well designed.)

While you're able to buy games without ever leaving the confines of the luxurious home screen, some titles require you to take off the headset to complete the installation. And, yes, in practice it's just as annoying as it sounds.

Out of all the questions I've been asked over the past two weeks as I tested out the Rift, the most frequent ones are, "What is it like to spend a few hours in virtual reality?" and "Will it make me sick?"

Well, for starters, I should probably point out that even though games, movies and images are in high-resolution, you'd never struggle to tell the difference between what you're seeing on the Oculus Rift and what you're used to seeing in the real world.

That's not to say it breaks the immersion when you're in a VR world or even that it's overly grainy or pixelated – it's not. But objects in games aren't always completely clear when you really look at them. Now, that's a different story for local media played inside the headset via a virtual TV set up in a faux-living room, but in reality, I'm not sure putting a 1080p image on a $600 headset is a feature worth writing home about.

At this stage, at least, it's easy to tell the virtual world from the real one. For some people, that might make the Rift come off as more of a novelty, like Nintendo's Wii, rather than the ground-breaking innovation that all those critics I mentioned at the beginning see it as.

As for the question about feeling sick while using virtual reality?

The short and sweet answer is yes, it probably will make you sick. Some of you, even the most hardcore of hardcore who play games for seven or eight hours a day, might feel like the world has been pulled out under your feet when you step into virtual reality.

Motion sickness and building a tolerance to VR

According to Oculus, if you want to stay in virtual reality for more than a few minutes, you're going to need to build a tolerance.

The first time I tried VR, I felt very sick. Only by subjecting myself to the feelings of disassociation, anxiety and paralyzing overwhelmingness that can be experienced when you put on a virtual reality headset over multiple occasions could I finally overcome this feeling and start to actually enjoy VR.

Your body isn't used to feeling disconnected to the visual stimuli it's receiving. Even if you game for hours and hours per day, you still are sitting in the real world, periodically removing your gaze from the television to look at your cellphone or interact with another human being. In virtual reality, the only things you see are the screen and the objects on it, yet you can't physically interact with them. This leads to the feeling of disconnection and resulting nausea.

However, once you get your space legs, there are still two big problems you have to face.

The first is that no matter what position you are in, as long as your arms and hands aren't represented in-game, you're forever going to feel a pang of disassociation whenever you look down at your body.

The second problem is that, while I enjoyed every second I spent in virtual reality, the transition of coming back to the real world was one that I found especially difficult. Without dramatizing the emotions, I felt as though I wasn't all there when I took off the helmet. The closest feeling I can pick out is the one where you look at yourself in the mirror and don't really understand the person looking back at you.

You're still you, but it doesn't feel like you at first.

As disconcerting as they may sound, these side-effects don't actually concern me based on previous experience, and I'll keep to my habits of extended use after I'm done writing this review. I've played video games on CRT TVs long enough to know that, while strange, these secondary effects do fade in time without leaving behind permanent damage.

The future of the Oculus Rift and VR in general

Even though you've spent the last few minutes reading the 4,000 words or so I've written detailing how games work, what virtual reality is like and what you can expect from the Oculus Rift when the company finally ships yours – seriously people, if you're still waiting, cancel your order and go to the store to buy one – there's still more to talk about.

Oculus has amazing plans for the Rift. It could very well be the next evolution of Facebook. We might one day hold meetings in virtual reality. I mean, it has a microphone built-in, so there's absolutely nothing stopping Oculus from enabling such a feature next week. (Actually, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg showed off this exact functionality at October's Oculus Connect developer conference. Check it out!)

You might one day use it as a therapeutic tool, letting the hardware transport you to a beach where you can meditate. There are plans to use it as a gateway to music festivals, like South by Southwest and Coachella, as well as live concerts and sports games.

There are even porn companies that are shooting 360-degree videos that you can watch on devices like the Oculus Rift. (If you're into that kind of stuff, we have a great article about it written by my colleagues, Michelle Fitzsimmons and James Peckham.)

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's a lot of potential here, and once we learn how to tap into it better by becoming native VR users, it's only going to get better.

I'm still not convinced the Oculus RIft is the all-encompassing "future of entertainment" that others have labeled it as, but I'm optimistic that it might earn that title in the coming weeks, months and years.

I've tried to avoid the direct comparison as long as I could, but at this point in the review, I just need to come out and say it: Oculus is a smart, if at times somewhat gimmicky, introduction to virtual reality … but it's not the best headset on the market.

Even though it pioneered the space, invested millions in developers and development and has a partnership with one of the foremost companies in the world, Oculus can't hold a candle to the HTC Vive, a system that not only has touch controllers in the box, but also sensors capable of room-scale VR that allow you walk around to naturally explore your virtual space in there too.

But, if you're deadset on Oculus, the Rift has similar technology if you're willing to pay a bit extra. The second Oculus Sensor will give you the ability to get up off of your chair and use your legs as well as your arms and developers will use the new technology to create a slew of more interesting and immersive titles. The Touch Controllers, as we've said in their own dedicated review, are nothing short of fantastic. They feel great in the hand, and improve gameplay tenfold.

That said, even though it's not the absolute best headset on the market, the story of Oculus is and always will be an awe-inspiring one. Oculus has stuck to its vision, even when those early prototypes were questionable and the demos nearly too laggy to bear. In myriad ways, it was wrought from pure imagination, created an entirely new industry from scratch and built out a platform that could one day fulfill the promises sci-fi films and novels made us when they showed us the Holodeck in its various forms for the first time.

The consumer-ready Rift is a lovely piece of hardware. But it's more than just a pretty headset: Oculus has built a whole ecosystem for its baby, from the sound of the built-in headphones to the games to the proprietary Touch Controllers.

As soon as you put on the Rift, you are transported to a whole new world. Touch Controllers, though limited in some ways, will bring the rest of your body along for the ride.

Oh, Oculus Touch Controllers how we miss you.

The problem, of course, is everything that's not the Rift, its promises or its current set of games. The price of the whole package is going to be prohibitive for what you're getting, and it will likely keep many from jumping to Rift right away.

When Touch controllers come included in the box and Rift, one day, drops a few dollars, it may transform how we play games, do work and interact with one another. Oculus has taken the Rift this far, this fast, so I don't think it's going to be much longer before that comes true, too.

We liked

The Oculus Rift is an immersive window into dozens of new worlds, and one day it will play host to hundreds, maybe thousands, of such experiences. The games that are there now are absolutely great. Some might induce a bit of nausea for first-time VR adventurers – I'm looking in your direction, ADR1FT – but some will offer an untold amount of happiness.

Seen simply as a game console, the Rift has a lot to offer. Gameplay is fun in short bursts, and the headset is comfortable to wear, even if it hugs you a little too tight sometimes. What Oculus completely understands, however, is that the Rift is more than just a gaming headset. There's already ways to watch 360-degree movies through Facebook, Vimeo and Twitch, and it's not hard to imagine a future where the Oculus Store is brimming with media content.

We disliked

Similar to that used car you've had your eye on, everything on the Oculus Rift comes with a caveat. It's immersive virtual reality … but you need to buy a costly gaming rig in order to enjoy it. It comes with a pack-in Xbox One controller, but that's only because the real gamepads – the Oculus Touch Controllers that allow you to actually use your hands in VR – are optional and expensive accessories.

Not to beat the proverbial horse here, but only a small handful of gamers will get to own the Oculus Rift – not because others don't want to, but because it's just out of their price range. Remember, that's after you buy a gaming rig that costs at least $500 to run the Rift.

Finally, while it's not necessarily a negative, the onus now is on developers to leverage the technology and push VR forward.

Oculus has created a realm of new possibilities, but what scares me is that all this technology may fall victim to novelty that will wear off in six months should developers decide that designing AAA titles in virtual reality isn't worth their time, effort and money. Without more interesting, eye-catching content, the Oculus Rift is fated for a one-way trip to the cabinet, where it will take up permanent residence next to the Wii and PlayStation Vita.

Final verdict

If it didn't have any competition, the Oculus Rift would be an easy recommendation. Virtual reality is a magical experience, and something that I think everyone who loves technology needs to try at some point.

I see huge potential for Oculus down the road – just imagine how cool it will be to see places like the Louvre or the Pyramids at Giza in real time in first-person. As it stands, though, virtual reality is a nascent medium and therefore suffers from many of the same problems others faced when they were starting out.

The first films weren't Gladiator or The Shawshank Redemption. Art didn't begin with DaVinci or Tiziano. The first songs ever crafted weren't Johann Sebastian Bach sonatas. Similarly, I think Lucky's Tale isn't the end-all, be-all of virtual reality.

One day, Oculus (or one of its competitors) will be a must-own piece of technology – it could very easily be the next personal computer – but right now it feels more like a novelty than a tried-and-true necessity. The games are immersive, but not likely to hold you for hours on end. The entertainment is quirky and fun, but also ephemeral.

If you can live with that, the Oculus Rift will make for a fun experiment, one that will only improve over time. But, if you have reservations about committing the monetary resources for the headset and (what I'd consider) the requisite Touch Controllers, it's probably best to hold off on virtual reality for just a few more months until the novelty wears off.

[gamingtipsandtrickshacks]

HTC Vive Pro Review -- The Most Powerful (and Expensive) Virtual Reality Headset

In 2016, HTC and Oculus VR released their virtual reality headsets, driving innovation in the medium not seen since the 90’s. In the past couple years, VR has taken off like a rocket with HTC being what I believe the frontrunner in the VR headset market — at least, based on the hardware and performance.

With the original HTC Vive’s two-year anniversary coming up and its updated model — the HTC Vive Pro’s — launch slowly creeping onto our calendars, I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the upcoming model. That being said, after spending some intimate time with the latest head mount display, I can wholeheartedly say that the HTC has solidified its place in the market as the top dog of VR hardware and the HTC Vive Pro is the most potent headset available to date.

At first glance, the most notable feature, which separates the original HTC Vive from the HTC Vive Pro is the color scheme. Unlike the original’s all-black design, the Vive Pro is sporting a deep blue color. Now, I own an original HTC Vive, so when I unboxed the HTC Vive Pro one of the first things I did was compare both models. Although both models are the same size, the HTC Vive Pro is significantly lighter to the original model and arguably lighter than Sony’s PlayStation VR headset.

Circling back to other differences between the original model and the HTC Vive Pro is the new head strap, which was heavily influenced by the Vive’s Deluxe Audio accessory released last year by the manufacturer. Visually, the head strap can look intimidating to some, but it is incredibly simplistic (in a positive way). It allows gamers to place the headset on their face, rest the back strap against their head and adjust accordingly, while the other band (to moderate the precise fitting) is located on the top instead of on the sides like the original Vive.

“…the HTC Vive Pro is the most potent headset available to date.”

I love my HTC Vive, but one of the most significant issues I had was the head strap system (which featured three separate straps located on various parts of the headset) on the first model, essentially making the process of adjusting the HMD nearly a two-man job. Thankfully, HTC learned from its mistakes to ensure a smoother experience for the consumers.

Putting the headset on for the first time was vastly different from the original, primarily because it felt more secure than the original. Thanks to its lighter weight design, I also did not feel like the front of my head was being weighed down.

Another prominent feature consumers will quickly notice is the built-in headphones. When I first saw this feature back in January, I was a bit skeptical. To me, the integrated headphones looked cheap in design — fundamentally a bare minimum accessory onto the headset. However, I am glad that I was wrong about my first impressions because the headphones themselves are incredibly comfortable. Not to mention there is room to adjust the headphones so that it can accommodate any head size.

Now, I know what you are probably thinking: the headphones are probably overstuffing the HTC Vive Pro. However, that is just not true. In fact, while I can concur that the design looks overstuffed, the headphones are still the best choice for audio and more convenient for gamers (unlike the earbuds).  The original Vive had enough wires, so the need to plug in earbuds was another obstacle in your path.

That being said, I would expect in the future that all updated virtual reality models, regardless of manufacturer, will add built-in headphones to their headsets. Not only is it convenient for the consumer, but it is also a natural feature that should have been added from the start.

Speaking of cushioning, the faceplate on the Vive Pro surprisingly offers more cushioning around it; although sweating while gaming is inevitable, the additional comfort on the front and back of my head made long VR gaming sessions less cramped in the long run. While cleaning the headset is a less-frustrating process as well, the padding is replaceable and easier to maintain compared to the original model. Although this might seem insignificant to some, techies such as myself appreciate this feature as it makes managing our gear much more manageable.

Now its time for the technical features, which are the most impressive thing in my opinion. The Vive Pro’s OLED displays run as a consistent 1,440 x 1,600 pixels per eye; a 78% increase from the original Vive. Sadly, while the new resolution is impressive, the field of view is still 110-degrees. Of course, this is no surprise considering all high-end headsets use it, but weighing all the other ambitious risks, HTC took it would have been nice to see a change in the field of view.

When used in gameplay, the HTC Vive Pro makes every look so much better than other VR headsets on the market. From racing on the whacky race tracks in Sprint Vector to fending off the inhabitants of hell in DOOM VFR to exploring the Bostonian wasteland in Fallout 4 VR, I was able to immerse myself in a new way entirely then I could have ever imagined. While it certainly helps that my rig is mighty, the sizeable graphical update is not only a technical achievement on its own, but it pushes the envelope and redefines the term “immersion.” While the new graphics will leave you awestruck, its technical specs are still not enough to justify its current purchase price, especially when you consider what the package contains.

Currently, the HTC Vive Pro is being sold as a standalone product, meaning the HTC sensors as well as its controllers, are sold separately — effectively bringing up the cost to just over $1,100. This can be a significant setback in sales at the start for two reasons; the first being that it alienates customers who do not already own an HTC Vive and also makes this extremely inconvenient to current Vive owners who will be unable to sell their old Vive should they choose to upgrade. HTC is offering all the essential accessories for $299, but considering the HTC Vive Pro’s launch price is already pretty hefty, this will undoubtedly discourage newcomers into buying the HTC Vive Pro at launch.

When we compare the HTC Vive Pro to other competitors such as the Oculus Rift, which is just $399 and comes with better controllers, and the Windows Mixed Reality headsets which do not require sensors, the Vive Pro is up against some good competition. Especially when you can grab PS VR (with all the pack-ins) for a third of the price.

Additionally, depending on what type of PC parts you have in your rig, you might not be able to see the HTC Vive Pro at its full potential. The minimum system requirements for the HTC Vive Pro includes at least an Intel Core i5-4590 processor, and at least an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or an AMD Radeon RX 480 as your minimum graphics card. Not to mention HTC has stated that faster hardware is essential to taking full advantage of what the Vive Pro has to offer. While this is not surprising, especially considering that most people with PC VR headsets have at least a basic knowledge on PC parts, those looking to get this but lack the proper PC equipment need to take these things into account if they are interested in the HTC Vive Pro.

If you follow my work carefully, you’ll know that I own both a gaming laptop as well as a desktop. My laptop and desktop are powered by a 7th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, while my laptop features an NVIDIA 1070, and my desktop includes a 1080Ti. While both computers ran the HTC Vive Pro smooth like butter, the desktop’s performance on the HTC Vive Pro was (predictably) much better than the laptop. That isn’t to say my laptop experienced hiccups, but it is to be expected to see a faster performance from the desktop when you factor the video card is better.

Since DualShockers did not review the original HTC Vive when it first launched, I want to touch on the controllers a bit: the original Vive controllers feel outdated with the HTC Vive Pro. Now, I own both an HTC Vive and a PlayStation VR, and the Vive controllers are leagues ahead of the PS Move controllers regarding quality. However, I have had my fair share of awkward moments with the Vive controllers, especially when compared to Oculus’ Touch Controllers.

HTC may be the best of the best in head mount displays right now, but Oculus clearly has the better controllers. Now, Valve has its own updated VR controllers coming for SteamVR later this year, but the fact that HTC has yet to make an update to the controllers after two years is slightly disappointing.

“The HTC Vive Pro’s significant performance update is a plus, and it’s overall more comfortable than its predecessor.”

Is the HTC Vive Pro terrible? Well, of course, it isn’t — the new features added to the HTC Vive Pro ups the ante on what we should expect from this particular side of the gaming industry concerning performance and visuals. While I cannot deny that it is an essential piece of hardware released this year, I cannot help but feel that HTC made one step forward, but two steps back when it came to executing the HTC Vive Pro.

The HTC Vive Pro’s significant performance update is a plus, and it’s overall more comfortable than its predecessor. However, the $799 price tag with no sensors or controllers is a major turnoff for many outside of extreme VR enthusiasts. At its current state, I can only recommend this headset to those who currently own an HTC Vive and have a high-end PC capable of flaunting the HTC Vive Pro’s power. However, if you are looking to enter the VR scene, I would suggest either waiting for the HTC Vive Pro for a bit until the packaging is retooled or, if you cannot wait, then research other VR options.

This post contains an affiliate link where DualShockers gets a small commission on sales. Any and all support helps keep DualShockers as a standalone, independent platform for less-mainstream opinions and news coverage.

[gamingtipsandtrickshacks]

HTC Vive Pro Review -- The Most Powerful (and Expensive) Virtual Reality Headset

In 2016, HTC and Oculus VR released their virtual reality headsets, driving innovation in the medium not seen since the 90’s. In the past couple years, VR has taken off like a rocket with HTC being what I believe the frontrunner in the VR headset market — at least, based on the hardware and performance.

With the original HTC Vive’s two-year anniversary coming up and its updated model — the HTC Vive Pro’s — launch slowly creeping onto our calendars, I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the upcoming model. That being said, after spending some intimate time with the latest head mount display, I can wholeheartedly say that the HTC has solidified its place in the market as the top dog of VR hardware and the HTC Vive Pro is the most potent headset available to date.

At first glance, the most notable feature, which separates the original HTC Vive from the HTC Vive Pro is the color scheme. Unlike the original’s all-black design, the Vive Pro is sporting a deep blue color. Now, I own an original HTC Vive, so when I unboxed the HTC Vive Pro one of the first things I did was compare both models. Although both models are the same size, the HTC Vive Pro is significantly lighter to the original model and arguably lighter than Sony’s PlayStation VR headset.

Circling back to other differences between the original model and the HTC Vive Pro is the new head strap, which was heavily influenced by the Vive’s Deluxe Audio accessory released last year by the manufacturer. Visually, the head strap can look intimidating to some, but it is incredibly simplistic (in a positive way). It allows gamers to place the headset on their face, rest the back strap against their head and adjust accordingly, while the other band (to moderate the precise fitting) is located on the top instead of on the sides like the original Vive.

“…the HTC Vive Pro is the most potent headset available to date.”

I love my HTC Vive, but one of the most significant issues I had was the head strap system (which featured three separate straps located on various parts of the headset) on the first model, essentially making the process of adjusting the HMD nearly a two-man job. Thankfully, HTC learned from its mistakes to ensure a smoother experience for the consumers.

Putting the headset on for the first time was vastly different from the original, primarily because it felt more secure than the original. Thanks to its lighter weight design, I also did not feel like the front of my head was being weighed down.

Another prominent feature consumers will quickly notice is the built-in headphones. When I first saw this feature back in January, I was a bit skeptical. To me, the integrated headphones looked cheap in design — fundamentally a bare minimum accessory onto the headset. However, I am glad that I was wrong about my first impressions because the headphones themselves are incredibly comfortable. Not to mention there is room to adjust the headphones so that it can accommodate any head size.

Now, I know what you are probably thinking: the headphones are probably overstuffing the HTC Vive Pro. However, that is just not true. In fact, while I can concur that the design looks overstuffed, the headphones are still the best choice for audio and more convenient for gamers (unlike the earbuds).  The original Vive had enough wires, so the need to plug in earbuds was another obstacle in your path.

That being said, I would expect in the future that all updated virtual reality models, regardless of manufacturer, will add built-in headphones to their headsets. Not only is it convenient for the consumer, but it is also a natural feature that should have been added from the start.

Speaking of cushioning, the faceplate on the Vive Pro surprisingly offers more cushioning around it; although sweating while gaming is inevitable, the additional comfort on the front and back of my head made long VR gaming sessions less cramped in the long run. While cleaning the headset is a less-frustrating process as well, the padding is replaceable and easier to maintain compared to the original model. Although this might seem insignificant to some, techies such as myself appreciate this feature as it makes managing our gear much more manageable.

Now its time for the technical features, which are the most impressive thing in my opinion. The Vive Pro’s OLED displays run as a consistent 1,440 x 1,600 pixels per eye; a 78% increase from the original Vive. Sadly, while the new resolution is impressive, the field of view is still 110-degrees. Of course, this is no surprise considering all high-end headsets use it, but weighing all the other ambitious risks, HTC took it would have been nice to see a change in the field of view.

When used in gameplay, the HTC Vive Pro makes every look so much better than other VR headsets on the market. From racing on the whacky race tracks in Sprint Vector to fending off the inhabitants of hell in DOOM VFR to exploring the Bostonian wasteland in Fallout 4 VR, I was able to immerse myself in a new way entirely then I could have ever imagined. While it certainly helps that my rig is mighty, the sizeable graphical update is not only a technical achievement on its own, but it pushes the envelope and redefines the term “immersion.” While the new graphics will leave you awestruck, its technical specs are still not enough to justify its current purchase price, especially when you consider what the package contains.

Currently, the HTC Vive Pro is being sold as a standalone product, meaning the HTC sensors as well as its controllers, are sold separately — effectively bringing up the cost to just over $1,100. This can be a significant setback in sales at the start for two reasons; the first being that it alienates customers who do not already own an HTC Vive and also makes this extremely inconvenient to current Vive owners who will be unable to sell their old Vive should they choose to upgrade. HTC is offering all the essential accessories for $299, but considering the HTC Vive Pro’s launch price is already pretty hefty, this will undoubtedly discourage newcomers into buying the HTC Vive Pro at launch.

When we compare the HTC Vive Pro to other competitors such as the Oculus Rift, which is just $399 and comes with better controllers, and the Windows Mixed Reality headsets which do not require sensors, the Vive Pro is up against some good competition. Especially when you can grab PS VR (with all the pack-ins) for a third of the price.

Additionally, depending on what type of PC parts you have in your rig, you might not be able to see the HTC Vive Pro at its full potential. The minimum system requirements for the HTC Vive Pro includes at least an Intel Core i5-4590 processor, and at least an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or an AMD Radeon RX 480 as your minimum graphics card. Not to mention HTC has stated that faster hardware is essential to taking full advantage of what the Vive Pro has to offer. While this is not surprising, especially considering that most people with PC VR headsets have at least a basic knowledge on PC parts, those looking to get this but lack the proper PC equipment need to take these things into account if they are interested in the HTC Vive Pro.

If you follow my work carefully, you’ll know that I own both a gaming laptop as well as a desktop. My laptop and desktop are powered by a 7th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, while my laptop features an NVIDIA 1070, and my desktop includes a 1080Ti. While both computers ran the HTC Vive Pro smooth like butter, the desktop’s performance on the HTC Vive Pro was (predictably) much better than the laptop. That isn’t to say my laptop experienced hiccups, but it is to be expected to see a faster performance from the desktop when you factor the video card is better.

Since DualShockers did not review the original HTC Vive when it first launched, I want to touch on the controllers a bit: the original Vive controllers feel outdated with the HTC Vive Pro. Now, I own both an HTC Vive and a PlayStation VR, and the Vive controllers are leagues ahead of the PS Move controllers regarding quality. However, I have had my fair share of awkward moments with the Vive controllers, especially when compared to Oculus’ Touch Controllers.

HTC may be the best of the best in head mount displays right now, but Oculus clearly has the better controllers. Now, Valve has its own updated VR controllers coming for SteamVR later this year, but the fact that HTC has yet to make an update to the controllers after two years is slightly disappointing.

“The HTC Vive Pro’s significant performance update is a plus, and it’s overall more comfortable than its predecessor.”

Is the HTC Vive Pro terrible? Well, of course, it isn’t — the new features added to the HTC Vive Pro ups the ante on what we should expect from this particular side of the gaming industry concerning performance and visuals. While I cannot deny that it is an essential piece of hardware released this year, I cannot help but feel that HTC made one step forward, but two steps back when it came to executing the HTC Vive Pro.

The HTC Vive Pro’s significant performance update is a plus, and it’s overall more comfortable than its predecessor. However, the $799 price tag with no sensors or controllers is a major turnoff for many outside of extreme VR enthusiasts. At its current state, I can only recommend this headset to those who currently own an HTC Vive and have a high-end PC capable of flaunting the HTC Vive Pro’s power. However, if you are looking to enter the VR scene, I would suggest either waiting for the HTC Vive Pro for a bit until the packaging is retooled or, if you cannot wait, then research other VR options.

This post contains an affiliate link where DualShockers gets a small commission on sales. Any and all support helps keep DualShockers as a standalone, independent platform for less-mainstream opinions and news coverage.

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HTC Vive Pro Review -- The Most Powerful (and Expensive) Virtual Reality Headset

In 2016, HTC and Oculus VR released their virtual reality headsets, driving innovation in the medium not seen since the 90’s. In the past couple years, VR has taken off like a rocket with HTC being what I believe the frontrunner in the VR headset market — at least, based on the hardware and performance.

With the original HTC Vive’s two-year anniversary coming up and its updated model — the HTC Vive Pro’s — launch slowly creeping onto our calendars, I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the upcoming model. That being said, after spending some intimate time with the latest head mount display, I can wholeheartedly say that the HTC has solidified its place in the market as the top dog of VR hardware and the HTC Vive Pro is the most potent headset available to date.

At first glance, the most notable feature, which separates the original HTC Vive from the HTC Vive Pro is the color scheme. Unlike the original’s all-black design, the Vive Pro is sporting a deep blue color. Now, I own an original HTC Vive, so when I unboxed the HTC Vive Pro one of the first things I did was compare both models. Although both models are the same size, the HTC Vive Pro is significantly lighter to the original model and arguably lighter than Sony’s PlayStation VR headset.

Circling back to other differences between the original model and the HTC Vive Pro is the new head strap, which was heavily influenced by the Vive’s Deluxe Audio accessory released last year by the manufacturer. Visually, the head strap can look intimidating to some, but it is incredibly simplistic (in a positive way). It allows gamers to place the headset on their face, rest the back strap against their head and adjust accordingly, while the other band (to moderate the precise fitting) is located on the top instead of on the sides like the original Vive.

“…the HTC Vive Pro is the most potent headset available to date.”

I love my HTC Vive, but one of the most significant issues I had was the head strap system (which featured three separate straps located on various parts of the headset) on the first model, essentially making the process of adjusting the HMD nearly a two-man job. Thankfully, HTC learned from its mistakes to ensure a smoother experience for the consumers.

Putting the headset on for the first time was vastly different from the original, primarily because it felt more secure than the original. Thanks to its lighter weight design, I also did not feel like the front of my head was being weighed down.

Another prominent feature consumers will quickly notice is the built-in headphones. When I first saw this feature back in January, I was a bit skeptical. To me, the integrated headphones looked cheap in design — fundamentally a bare minimum accessory onto the headset. However, I am glad that I was wrong about my first impressions because the headphones themselves are incredibly comfortable. Not to mention there is room to adjust the headphones so that it can accommodate any head size.

Now, I know what you are probably thinking: the headphones are probably overstuffing the HTC Vive Pro. However, that is just not true. In fact, while I can concur that the design looks overstuffed, the headphones are still the best choice for audio and more convenient for gamers (unlike the earbuds).  The original Vive had enough wires, so the need to plug in earbuds was another obstacle in your path.

That being said, I would expect in the future that all updated virtual reality models, regardless of manufacturer, will add built-in headphones to their headsets. Not only is it convenient for the consumer, but it is also a natural feature that should have been added from the start.

Speaking of cushioning, the faceplate on the Vive Pro surprisingly offers more cushioning around it; although sweating while gaming is inevitable, the additional comfort on the front and back of my head made long VR gaming sessions less cramped in the long run. While cleaning the headset is a less-frustrating process as well, the padding is replaceable and easier to maintain compared to the original model. Although this might seem insignificant to some, techies such as myself appreciate this feature as it makes managing our gear much more manageable.

Now its time for the technical features, which are the most impressive thing in my opinion. The Vive Pro’s OLED displays run as a consistent 1,440 x 1,600 pixels per eye; a 78% increase from the original Vive. Sadly, while the new resolution is impressive, the field of view is still 110-degrees. Of course, this is no surprise considering all high-end headsets use it, but weighing all the other ambitious risks, HTC took it would have been nice to see a change in the field of view.

When used in gameplay, the HTC Vive Pro makes every look so much better than other VR headsets on the market. From racing on the whacky race tracks in Sprint Vector to fending off the inhabitants of hell in DOOM VFR to exploring the Bostonian wasteland in Fallout 4 VR, I was able to immerse myself in a new way entirely then I could have ever imagined. While it certainly helps that my rig is mighty, the sizeable graphical update is not only a technical achievement on its own, but it pushes the envelope and redefines the term “immersion.” While the new graphics will leave you awestruck, its technical specs are still not enough to justify its current purchase price, especially when you consider what the package contains.

Currently, the HTC Vive Pro is being sold as a standalone product, meaning the HTC sensors as well as its controllers, are sold separately — effectively bringing up the cost to just over $1,100. This can be a significant setback in sales at the start for two reasons; the first being that it alienates customers who do not already own an HTC Vive and also makes this extremely inconvenient to current Vive owners who will be unable to sell their old Vive should they choose to upgrade. HTC is offering all the essential accessories for $299, but considering the HTC Vive Pro’s launch price is already pretty hefty, this will undoubtedly discourage newcomers into buying the HTC Vive Pro at launch.

When we compare the HTC Vive Pro to other competitors such as the Oculus Rift, which is just $399 and comes with better controllers, and the Windows Mixed Reality headsets which do not require sensors, the Vive Pro is up against some good competition. Especially when you can grab PS VR (with all the pack-ins) for a third of the price.

Additionally, depending on what type of PC parts you have in your rig, you might not be able to see the HTC Vive Pro at its full potential. The minimum system requirements for the HTC Vive Pro includes at least an Intel Core i5-4590 processor, and at least an NVIDIA GTX 1060 or an AMD Radeon RX 480 as your minimum graphics card. Not to mention HTC has stated that faster hardware is essential to taking full advantage of what the Vive Pro has to offer. While this is not surprising, especially considering that most people with PC VR headsets have at least a basic knowledge on PC parts, those looking to get this but lack the proper PC equipment need to take these things into account if they are interested in the HTC Vive Pro.

If you follow my work carefully, you’ll know that I own both a gaming laptop as well as a desktop. My laptop and desktop are powered by a 7th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, while my laptop features an NVIDIA 1070, and my desktop includes a 1080Ti. While both computers ran the HTC Vive Pro smooth like butter, the desktop’s performance on the HTC Vive Pro was (predictably) much better than the laptop. That isn’t to say my laptop experienced hiccups, but it is to be expected to see a faster performance from the desktop when you factor the video card is better.

Since DualShockers did not review the original HTC Vive when it first launched, I want to touch on the controllers a bit: the original Vive controllers feel outdated with the HTC Vive Pro. Now, I own both an HTC Vive and a PlayStation VR, and the Vive controllers are leagues ahead of the PS Move controllers regarding quality. However, I have had my fair share of awkward moments with the Vive controllers, especially when compared to Oculus’ Touch Controllers.

HTC may be the best of the best in head mount displays right now, but Oculus clearly has the better controllers. Now, Valve has its own updated VR controllers coming for SteamVR later this year, but the fact that HTC has yet to make an update to the controllers after two years is slightly disappointing.

“The HTC Vive Pro’s significant performance update is a plus, and it’s overall more comfortable than its predecessor.”

Is the HTC Vive Pro terrible? Well, of course, it isn’t — the new features added to the HTC Vive Pro ups the ante on what we should expect from this particular side of the gaming industry concerning performance and visuals. While I cannot deny that it is an essential piece of hardware released this year, I cannot help but feel that HTC made one step forward, but two steps back when it came to executing the HTC Vive Pro.

The HTC Vive Pro’s significant performance update is a plus, and it’s overall more comfortable than its predecessor. However, the $799 price tag with no sensors or controllers is a major turnoff for many outside of extreme VR enthusiasts. At its current state, I can only recommend this headset to those who currently own an HTC Vive and have a high-end PC capable of flaunting the HTC Vive Pro’s power. However, if you are looking to enter the VR scene, I would suggest either waiting for the HTC Vive Pro for a bit until the packaging is retooled or, if you cannot wait, then research other VR options.

This post contains an affiliate link where DualShockers gets a small commission on sales. Any and all support helps keep DualShockers as a standalone, independent platform for less-mainstream opinions and news coverage.