10 Best VR headsets to buy in 2017
The Age of Virtual Reality
The age of virtual reality is upon us (again) with a torrent of devices and content having launched throughout 2016, with many more expected for 2017.Virtual Reality is a fascinating way to travel using nothing more than the power of technology. With a headset and motion tracking, VR lets you look around a virtual space as if you're actually there. It's also been a promising technology for decades that's never truly caught on. That's changing with the current wave of VR products.
The idea of VR isn't new. It's been circulating in the tech space for a number of years, but recently, the technology has broken through some of the long-standing barriers. Enabling access has helped, with devices like Google's Cardboard opening the door for anyone with a smartphone, right up to demonstrating what a fully-fledged premium system like HTC Vive will be capable of. We now have the power in home computers for lifelike virtual environments and this makes it a much more exciting time for VR.
The only problem with all this newfound technology is that it can be tough to choose which one is the best on the market – a decision that becomes even more difficult when you look at each of their sticker prices.
1. HTC Vive | $800
The HTC Vive is unique in its own right due to its included two handheld controllers. Both of which each have 24 sensors for pinpointed accuracy and motion tracking. They also contain dual stage triggers and multi-function track pads with an HD haptic feedback that create a responsive and interactive virtual reality experience. These controllers, with their one-to-one tracking, ultimately mirror your hand movements.
Many Amazon users have stated the HTC Vive is bar none to every other existing virtual reality headset on the market. The included Steam Store software interface has more than 60 VR videogames on it (with more to come) that all function well with the included controllers. More critical reviewers mentioned the steep price, heavy 15-pound weight, and the need for compatible computer hardware with a mid-level graphics card.
2. Sony PlayStation VR | $350
Sony's PlayStation VR is our current Editors' Choice for virtual reality, offering the most polished and easy-to-use tethered VR experience with a relatively reasonable price tag. You can only play proprietary titles on it, like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, but a theater mode lets you play any PS4 game as if you were sitting in front of a large screen, and the VR games we've tried have impressed us. Like the Rift, it also requires an additional investment for full functionality; you need a PlayStation Camera for the headset to work at all, and a PlayStation Move controller bundle for motion controls. Still, for a $400 headset, that means the total is still less than the price of the Rift.
3. Oculus Rift | $600
The current VR arms race is all thanks to one man: Oculus founder Palmer Luckey. As a teenager, Luckey collected VR tech and was fascinated with making his own headset in his garage. Numerous prototypes and a $2bn Facebook buyout later, Oculus is still the biggest name in VR.
Now the consumer version of the Oculus Rift is finally out and we can get our hands on the headset that started it all.
Yet compared to the HTC Vive with its room-scale technology and two included motion controllers the Rift feels like a paired down VR experience in comparison. You're very much limited to a more static VR experience played with a traditional game controller – yes, you can stand up should you choose to do so, however, without proper hand tracking it will never quite feel as immersive as you'd like.
Still though, at $200 cheaper than the Vive, the Rift offers a very compelling mid-range virtual reality option for those with less space to spare.
4. Samsung Gear VR | $99.99
Gear VR has been around since 2015 but remains one of the best ways to get a virtual reality experience on mobile, providing you have a Samsung device. Unlike most other virtual reality apps for Android, Gear VR uses apps made for Oculus Rift. There are some fantastic games available on the Platform such as Minecraft and Eve Gunjack. Samsung's high quality QHD screens offer a more immersive experience for their apps.
It costs around £20 more to add a handheld controller. The headset is now compatible with several generations of Samsung's phones, from the S6 and later, offering plenty of ways for users to get a virtual reality hit.
5. Google Daydream View | $79
Google's Daydream is similar to Google Cardboard in concept. You still put your phone in an inexpensive headset (the $79 Daydream View), and it functions as your display thanks to a set of lenses that separate the screen into two images. A pairable remote you hold in your hand (similar to the Oculus Remote) controls the action. It's impressive when you can find apps that work with it, but the software library is currently very light and it isn't backward compatible with Google Cardboard apps (though Google is working on that with an SDK update).
6. Google Cardboard | $85
Google Cardboard is a somewhat tongue-in-cheek take on VR, but it makes a great weekend project if you want to see what the fuss is about. You can either download the instructions and make your own headset, or you can buy a kit from a variety of vendors for around $25 (the most expensive model is an outlier at $85).
Once you've bought or constructed your headset, you can download Google Cardboard apps to your iOS or Android phone, drop your device into the headset, and get playing. It's not the best VR experience out there, but if you have a modern phablet-sized phone with a hi-res screen, it's actually pretty good.
Sarlar’s 3D VR glasses’ design is engineered to assure comfort and provide no pressure against your eyelid. Its strap and viewing enclosure relieves friction and strain against your nose bridge and allows for enough breathing space. A soft sponge foam casing pads and lines the viewing rim of the headset to give users’ faces a gentle fitted feeling.
The VR headset is compatible with smartphones running iOS and Android operating systems as long as they’re measured in range of 4.0 to 6.5 inches. Virtually any user will be able to slot in their smartphone; an iPhone 6 Plus is a tight fit, but still manageable. It weighs only 9.3 ounces and measures 7 x 4.6 x 5 inches.
Some Amazon users have noted that this is a good entry-level VR headset with the company doing a phenomenal job for an ergonomic design meant for human comfort – the elastic band isn’t too tight around the head, and everything stays in place. Other more critical reviews noted that YouTube doesn’t seem to be compatible and that general VR content seems lacking.
8. Homido V2 | $49.99
Unfortunately there are not too many headsets around that work with iPhones from major brands. Homido's headsets repair this gap slightly. They operate with Android and iOS and can be set to work with 4-inch to 5.7-inch devices.
With Homido you can play games from iTunes or Google PlayStore, which both feature virtual reality apps, even if your phone isn't compatible with some of the major headsets. You can pick up this headset for under £50, but you will need to buy an additional GamePad to make the most of some games. Homido's Android controller can be picked up for £30.
9. Merge VR | $51
Many VR headsets come with a single input button on the side of the unit, which doesn’t give much touch interaction for some users. The Merge VR is comfortable, stylish and offers innovative dual touch inputs that are compatible with most VR apps.
While some other VR headsets offer Bluetooth connectivity for a dedicated controller at an extra price, Merge gives users the ability to navigate and control directly from the headset itself. On top of the device are both left and right buttons that allow you to perform multiple actions at once, such as steering left and right or running and jumping.
Merge VR is made of a durable and soft flexible lightweight foam. It’s soft enough to be comfortable on the face, but tough enough to handle against drops. Its purple design makes it one of the most stylish VR headsets on the market today.
Though it’s recommended to be used with newer smartphone models like the iPhone 6, Galaxy S5, HTC One M8, and LG G4, it’s compatible with most iOS and Android devices from at least 2014. Merge VR comes with Merge Start, an app discovery portal that curates a collection of all your compatible data for the device. Apps range from games and 360 videos to tourism and educational software.
10. LG 360 VR | $69
The LG 360 VR is a headset that you have to connect to your LG G5 via the USB Type-C cable, rather than slipping your phone into the front as you do with or devices. It takes the form of a pair of glasses, which you wear rather more conventionally than others.
The headset itself has two 1.8-inch IPS displays inside, one for each eye, each with a resolution of 960 x 720 pixels, resulting in 639ppi. Those displays sit behind lenses that can be independently focused (you can't wear glasses and 360 VR at the same time), as well as being able to adjust the width to get the best fit to your face and ensure stereoscopic vision.
The headset also carries the controls for your VR environment, with an ok and back button for basic click navigation. Otherwise, it has motion sensors, to allow you to look around the virtual world you're in.
When it comes to audio, there's a 3.5mm headphone socket on the underside of the 360 VR headset. If you don't use this, the sound comes out of your smartphone, which may be some distance away, or perhaps in your pocket. It only works with the LG G5, however, which is likely to limit its appeal.
Verdict
VR's adoption and development is difficult to predict, and it could go in many different ways. Google Cardboard gave way to Google Daydream, while Samsung continues to iterate is Gear VR, though neither has set the VR world on fire (though they are among the most economical options). We haven't heard much about future HTC or Rift headsets with more advanced technology, and the PS VR looks like it will stay the same for the foreseeable future. A Finnish startup called Varjo is working on a new VR headset it claims displays 70 times the resolution of the Vive, but it won't be falling into consumer hands anytime soon. We'll keep an eye on the major VR platforms and update this story as new software and hardware are developed.
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