Compare And Contrast: Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, And HTC Vive

Major VR headsets such as Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, and Vive will finally be available for purchase, now that PlayStation VR launch is coming real close. Each Virtual Reality headset has its own uniqueness and advantages and it's becoming harder and harder for people to decide whether it is worth it to own the latest and coolest headset or which hardware is worth spending their money on.

Below are the details of the mentioned headsets (Specs, Prices and Games)

Starting with the cheapest VR, out of the three major headsets that are already in the market; PlayStation VR which starts at $400, is the only VR that is designed for one particular console only and it is the PlayStation 4. PlayStation VR can be used for watching movies and can be equipped as a second screen if the user would like to play a non-VR game.

Package:

PlayStation VR comes with the headset, its processing unit and all the necessary cables used for connection. There are also accessories that are sold separately which is the PlayStation Camera (required) and Controllers. Sony was able to confirm that bundle with the accessories can be purchased in the North American Regions (PlayStaion VR Worlds is included when the bundle is purchased). Users will be able to download the PlayRoom VR for free at launch. The headset also features head, controller and mobility tracking.

Resolution: 1920cRGBx1080

Refresh Rate: 120 Hz, 90 Hz

Field of View: Approx. 100 degrees

Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, PlayStation Eye tracking system

Connections: HDMI + USB

Audio: 3D audio

Input: PlayStation Move, DualShock 4 controller

Platform: PlayStation 4

Release Date: October 2016

Next is the Oculus Rift which can be purchased at the price of $600. This VR is designed for PC only. It features tons of choices of games through Oculus Home software distribution platform.

Package:

Oculus Rift includes an Xbox one controller, a sensor and free copies of Eve: Valkyrie and Lucky's Tale.

Resolution: 2160 x 1200

Refresh Rate: 90 Hz / eye display

Field of View: Approx. 110 degrees

Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, external Constellation tracking sensor array

Connections: HDMI 1.3 output, three USB 3.0 ports, and a USB 2.0 port

Audio: Built-in headphones and mic, 3D audio

Input: Oculus Touch, Xbox One controller (included)

Platform: Oculus Home

Release Date: Available Now

** Note **

Oculus rift requires a gaming PC with the following specs:

Nvidia GTX 970 / AMD 290 equivalent or greater

Intel i5-4590 equivalent or greater

8GB+ RAM

Compatible HDMI 1.3 video output (required)

2x USB 3.0 ports (required)

Windows 7 SP1 or newer (required)

Lastly the HTC Vive, the headset costs $800. This hardware encourages users to be more physically active since it requires the users to move around. It is equipped with a camera facing front that allows the user to look around.

Package:

HTC Vive includes a headset, a couple of base stations, a link box for the user to be able to connect to a PC, two wireless motion controllers and a pair of Vive earbuds. **Note** This only works for PC.

Resolution: 2160 x 1200

Refresh Rate: 90 Hz

Field of View: 110 degrees

Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, laser position sensor, front-facing camera

Connections: HDMI, USB 2.0, USB 3.0

Audio: Built-in audio, built-in mic

Input: Dual Steam VR Controllers

Platform: Steam VR

Release Date: Available Now

HTC Vive requires a gaming PC with the following specs:

GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970, AMD Radeon R9 290 equivalent or better

CPU: Intel i5-4590, AMD FX 8350 equivalent or better