What Should You Know When Buying A VR Headset?

Let's talk about virtual reality which is the new thing in gaming. If you ever really wanted to get yourself in the game, the VR headsets will give you a chance to do that. Its good news for all the gamers but the bad news is that it makes it more difficult for you to select the best VR headset. So, first, you need to know all about VR headset before you pick one for yourself. This article will tell you about all the key things to keep in mind when buying your virtual reality headset.

What should you check out if looking for a VR headset? There's no specific device that is right for every person. But we will give you all you need to choose through the options when buying a VR headset and before you buy your VR device, you better have a clear idea about it.

What is a VR headset?

Some of you may be wondering what this VR headset is. Don't worry! It's all set out below.

A virtual reality headset is a device that is head-mounted and provides the viewer virtual reality allowing users to experience and interact with computer-generated environments as a first-person view (FPV). It's just like a simple pair of spectacles you like wearing over your eyes. The headset completely immerses you in a game by blocking all the external light and only shows your eyes the high definition image on a screen. Sounds great, right?

What the VR headset does is that it replaces the natural environment of the user with all virtual content. Just like a film or a game environment looking as real as in the physical world where the users can turn and look around according to their will. You feel like you are inside the game. The VR headsets are now widely used in computer games as well as many different cellular applications.

Most of VR headsets in the market also track the movements of the head. It also includes a stereoscopic display, head motion sensor tracking, and a stereo sound. Isn't this amazing? Whichever way you will look, the screen will follow you. The experience is so real that you forget everything around you in the physical world. VR headsets completely isolate you from the real world.

Why do you need a VR headset?

No matter whom you are or what you do. This virtual reality is applicable to anyone in this world doing anything. Well, you'll know you the reasons why you should get a VR headset within a short time from now.  

Why should you purchase a VR Headset? The simple answer to this is that you can show others what an interactive and immersive experience you enjoy and they can too.

A lot of gaming and non-gaming uses are available for a VR Headset. Don't think that they are just for gamers; they are multipurpose. VR is much more than entertainment and games. There are so many useful Virtual reality applications that you can run on your mobile VR Headset like virtual reality meditation and mood changes. Many affordable VR headsets are available nowadays which serve are immersive, comfortable and serve the same purpose. You can be in touch and speak your views on the internet using social media and many different virtual reality forums with help of VR headsets. It's the ultimate human resource as it can be used for nearly an infinite number of applications like education, entertainment, business etc.  Adding up, many rich companies invest billions in the virtual reality industry. We all should embrace this Virtual reality technology and discover how it can benefit our lives.

Types of VR headset

Virtual Reality is the talk of town everywhere you look at all the companies like hardware and software developers are much excited about dealing with VR technology and advancement in the future. There are many virtual reality headsets that are available in the market for purchase. The new ones are being developed and will soon be released.

Tethered Headsets

Some of the VR headsets require a tethered PC connection. HDMI or USB cables connect this type VR headset to a computer. The tethered virtual reality headsets are more immersive than other VR types due to their high-quality graphics experience. These VR headsets require some setup space along with a constant connection of the cable to powerful pc used for gaming.  The most famous and favorite tethered headsets among people are Oculus Rift, HTC VIVE Pro, and Sony PlayStation VR (PSVR).

Rift Oculus: A VR tethered headset made by Oculus and released in 2006. It is featured in the best virtual reality headsets. It offers a resolution of 1080×1200 px (for each eye) with ergonomic touch controllers, 6DoF and an intuitive setup of plug-and-play which is easy to use. It can be connected to pc with HDMI, USB and via Bluetooth.  Also, the Oculus earphones are offered separately to have an immersive audio experience by replacing the on-ear pads. This VR headset price is $399.  

HTC VIVE Pro: A tethered headset manufactured by HTC and released in 2018. Its main features include the 360° tracking, 1440×1600 px resolution and 6DoF offering full immersive experience with sound as the VIVE Pro has high resolution built-in audio headphones. It requires a high-end GPU and comes with two motion controllers. The room-scale tracking of VIVE pro is much better than the Oculus. It has dual microphones so you can easily communicate with other players when playing with built-in front camera and hand tracking features. The good part is that it can be connected with Wi-Fi. It is available at $799 which is a little bit expensive than other VR devices.

It's no hidden reality that you need a very strong gaming PC to run either the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive Pro that is definitely a big investment for you. But luckily, this is not the case with Sony PlayStation VR. 

Sony PlayStation VR (PSVR): This VR works with a PlayStation 4 gaming console instead of PC. Virtual reality headset ps4 provides smooth visuals with a high-quality resolution of 1920×1080 px (for each eye). It takes gaming to another level as it is equipped with OLED 120 Hz mirror mode screen enabling other players to play with you and watch your game on their TV. Good news! This VR headset price is just $299 in the market. So, if you have a PS4 at home, it's time to save some money for PSVR to experience real life gaming. More interesting virtual reality games are being made for PS4 now.

The tethered VR headsets are not limited to these only; there are many others like Lenovo Explorer and Samsung Odyssey.

Pros

• Access to the quality content of virtual reality
• Great immersive and real-life experience

Cons

• Strong gaming pc required
• Limited space to move
• Expensive; hidden cost

Mobile Headsets

They use the smartphone for virtual reality experience. Quality of these VR devices depends on the smartphone you are using. You definitely require a powerful smartphone having better screen resolution, camera, and other features as the virtual reality applications use built-in accelerometers of the phone.  Although the good quality mobile VR headsets cost more than $100, there are also cheap ones in the market like Google Cardboard made up cardboard.

VR headset Samsung Gear is equipped with motion Trackpad controller feature that works with Galaxy phones by Samsung; S6 above and requires an Android Lollipop 5.0. An important thing is its compatibility with the Oculus App. You can play, browse and use hundreds of gaming apps. So, Samsung users get ready to buy this Smartphone VR headset in $130. 

News flash! Apple VR headset doesn't exist in the market yet. Don't worry if you own an iPhone. You can still enjoy the virtual reality action as there are many headsets which are compatible with a range of Apple phones.

Problem solved! Here is the list of headsets that works as the virtual reality headset for iPhone.

• Google Cardboard
• Merge VR Goggles
• Carl Zeiss VR One Plus
• BlitzWolf BR-VR3
• View-Master DLX VR
• Carl Zeiss VR One Plus
• Homido Virtual Reality Headset V2
• Xiaozhai BoboVR Z5
• Freefly VR Beyond

How we picked VR headsets?

When looking for a desktop VR headset for testing, a stockpile of the recent buyer trends and comparison guides from VR Heads and The Verge were read thoroughly. Interviews from the IT experts were done to tell us what to look for in your VR headset. There are three different categories of VR headsets available in the market.  One is the desktop headsets like Oculus Rift and others that are mentioned above. Another category is the Smartphone VR sets and then they are upcoming advanced sets like Pimax offering and OSVR.

The price range for VR set starts from $300 and extending till $1,100. All the price ranges are included because sometimes it's worth the money to right VR headset. We considered those that can be used in home and had features to track body and hand movements with good controllers. The best VR headsets in the market have these features:

• Good specs: The sets have good screen resolution and sensors like the top headsets. Good specs will give you a more immersive experience.
• Quality content: Many different applications and games should be available across different fields. The developers should develop keeping VR headsets in mind.
• Comfort: The headset should fit many different shapes of head and face without causing any discomfort.
• Good Controllers: They are necessary for a good VR set and should fit your hands with ease.
• Built-in headphone and microphone: The headset equipped with built-in headphones and microphone save you from buying of extra accessories.

FAQ (Frequently asked questions)

Is it worth to buy a VR headset?

Yes, it is a very useful device having many applications in not just gaming but in education, business, social forums etc.

Does Xbox have a VR headset?

No, but this year Microsoft has announced a whole VR headset line for Xbox. There are many other headsets which work with Xbox like Oculus Rift, GenBasic Quad HD, Hixanny VR Headset All-in-one and HYON VR Headset.

Is virtual reality headset dangerous?

It can induce nausea and dizzy feeling. Because of its extremely realistic simulated motion, VR can have neurological effects. VR headsets don't hurt your eyes directly, but they can show preexisting eye problems faster. The only effect in your eyes is fatigue and dryness.

How long is the time to wear a VR headset?

The VR manufacturers like Oculus Rift and HTC Vive recommend taking a break of at least 10 to 15 minutes after every 30 minutes, even if you feel that you don't need it.

Conclusion

Now you know all the things about buying a VR headset and to understand what virtual reality really is, you have to try it yourself. You will never understand the benefits of VR completely until you experience it, so it’s better to get your hands on the best VR Headset as early as possible. The potential for using the virtual reality are nearly endless! So what are you waiting for?