Stateo f the art
In the ultimate VR showdown which of the big three headsets will reign supreme?
Explore another world with these amazing full virtual reality set-ups. We put the big three VR headsets and controllers to the test
iven the state of 21st G century politics, you can’t really blame us for wanting to escape into pixelated worlds. With the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR headsets all now available, there’s never been a better time to join the virtual revolution, but where to start? Here we put to the test three pieces of gaming tech leading the industry into a new immersive future.
Both the Oculus Rift and Steam’s HTC Vive headset arrived on shelves in spring last year, while Sony’s more affordable PS4 version made waves on release in October. Although Oculus had a serious head start with its staggeringly successful Kickstarter project back in 2012, and subsequent buyout by none other than Facebook two years later, it seems incredible that we’re only really just starting to see what the headset can do now in its first consumer iteration. The intuitive Oculus Touch controllers, released a few months after the initial launch, cemented the Rift as a force to be reckoned with.
The Vive headset, on the other hand, has the clear advantage of being affiliated with PC gaming’s beating heart, Steam, and the benefit of offering a complete solution. While you’ll have to buy every accessory for the PlayStation VR headset, pushing up that initially attractive price tag, everything you’ll need for full interactive room scale VR comes in the Vive box. The only downside compared with the PS VR, then, is that for both Oculus and Vive’s attractive offerings you’re going to need a stellar gaming PC to make the most of them. Here’s T3’ s definitive opinion on which one deserves your attention and your cash.