AUTOPSY
This month we peer inside the Razer OSVR HDK 2.
BACKGROUND
The VR world is packed with serious contenders. The newest hardware and software solution comes from a dynamic duo: Razer, gaming peripherals giant, and Sensics, virtual reality maven. Their offering: the OSVR HDK 2. Can it hang with the platform heavyweights? We’ll find out soon enough!
MAJOR TECH SPECS
• Head-mounted display (HMD) with dual OLED displays,
2160x1200 combined resolution (441 ppi), 90Hz refresh rate
• IR camera with 360-degree tracking, operating at 100Hz • Belt box with surround-sound audio codec, along with
“signal boosters”
KEY FINDINGS
• Time to hunt for those hidden IR LEDs. Because the HDK 2 is built to be accessible to developers, we aren’t surprised to learn the headset’s gatekeepers are friendly Phillips screws. But with the screws removed, the faceplate seems to be held in place by some mystical energy field (magnets). • This motherboard’s easy access is a teardown engineer’s dream... Until we realize it’s held hostage by two sneaky flex cables snaking down to the displays. Many components are accessible without having to remove the motherboard, so hopefully most users won’t need to go this far. • After removing four Phillips screws, the display assembly lifts out of the headset with ease. A smear of light adhesive attaches each of the screens to the plastic casing. • Not all lenses are created equal. While the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift both offer adjustments for IPD (inter-pupillary distance), the OSVR does not. While the OSVR lacks IPD adjustment, it does boast one claim over the competition— those knobs allow independent eye relief adjustment. Anisometropia sufferers rejoice! Focus adjustments range from +4.5 to -2 diopters, which should allow most (but not all) regular optical-enhancers to ditch their spectacles while using the OSVR. • Repairability Score: 9 out of 10 (10 is easiest to repair). Standard Phillips screws hold the headset and its components together. The motherboard is easily accessible after removing the cover. The cables and foam facepad are sturdy and detach easily. However, reconnecting the motherboard to the two display data cables underneath is tricky. The two OLED screens are attached to the case with adhesive that requires some prying to detach.