By Will Nicol— August 15, 2015
Virtual reality — technology that allows people to explore artificially constructed worlds as if they were real — has been the great, white whale of science fiction fans for as long as anyone could remember. The technology’s entertainment applications alone are limitless, providing users a way to immerse themselves in the latest video games without them ever having to step out the front door. Imagine stepping into a VR movie where you could walk around the set as the events unfold, for instance, or being able to take a tour of the Uffizi on your lunch break. Hell, envision walking the desolate, basalt-topped surface of Mars before bed.
Unfortunately, the limits of computer processing power and memory have relegated proper VR devices to military and government use. There have been attempts to make VR devices for the consumer market, but they have all been received poorly. Some true believers always remained, however, and now 2016 seems to poised be the Year of VR. The big names in the industry have all slated their devices for release in the upcoming year, and consumers will have a great selection to choose from when the virtual headsets finally hit shelves. Below are some of our favorites, along with their specs and features. Virtual worlds never looked so inviting.
Oculus was founded by video game enthusiasts, and so it should come as no surprise that the Rift is primarily a gaming device. The bulk of the Rift’s content so far has been games, particularly indie titles, owing partly to how readily accessible the Oculus team has made their development tools. However, the device — which was designed with the PC in mind and uses an OLED screen in each eye to display images — requires more than your average gaming rig. The recommend specs include an Intel i5 processor and at least 8GB of RAM, meaning those with older computers might need to upgrade if they want to make the jump to VR.
Yet, while gaming may be the focus of the Rift, Oculus is also aware of the potential VR has for cinema. The company recently established an internal studio to create VR films and reviews of their first project, Lost, have been overwhelmingly positive thus far. There’s no telling whether the device’s filmmaking aspect will take off, but it it does, the Rift might represent the next great advance in film making.
Applications aside, the consumer model of the Rift looks to be an improved version of the company’s Crescent Bay prototype, which added integrated headphones and 360 degree head tracking. The latter components mean the Rift can tell which way the user’s head moves and integrate the motions into games and applications. The new Rift model will also be lighter and less restrictive than previous iterations of the device, though, you’ll still need an input device to play games even if the Rift provides the sights and sounds of VR. Every Rift will come bundled with an Xbox One controller if a keyboard and mouse are too daunting, too, with the added ability to stream games from the Xbox directly to your headset. How good that experience will be — in terms of latency, for instance — remains to be seen.
No price has been announced for the Rift as of yet, either. We can assume the final retail cost will hover around $350 given the price of the Development Kit 2, meaning PC gaming enthusiasts will have to pony up some serious cash if they want to get on board.
| Release date | Spring 2016 |
| Display resolution | 2,160 x 1,200 pixels |
| Refresh rate | 90Hz |
| Tracking | 360-degree positional tracking |
| Other hallmarks | Integrated audio, improved ergonomics |
| Price | TBA |
Vi:-vǝ? Vaiv? The pronunciation may be uncertain but one thing is not — HTC’s upcoming headset is a beast. Developed as a collaboration between smartphone manufacturer HTC and video game juggernaut Valve, the Vive carries a sterling pedigree and the specs to match. With two, 1,080 x 1,200 pixel screens capable of running at 90Hz, the Vive can go toe-to-toe with any of its competitors in terms of display. The refresh rate means that apps will run smoothly, never breaking the immersion with stuttering or dropped frames. The Vive also is intended to be used with a PC like the aforementioned Rift, though HTC has yet to announce specific requirements.
What really sets the Vive apart is its commitment to maintaining an immersive experience through rigorous tracking, even allowing users to move around safely while wearing the headset. The headset itself contains a gyrosensor, accelerometer, and laser position sensors, allowing the Vive to accurately track the user’s movements and map them in game. Users can also use SteamVR tracking stations to map a 15 x 15-foot area in any room. While wearing the headset, one can walk around in this area without fear of bumping into anything, as the tracking stations will map out whatever objects are in the area and warn users when they get too close. You will need 45 square feet of space in your room to to do so, meaning it’s not for those living in cramped quarters.
Of course, the ability to get up and walk around in a virtual world only matters if you have an engaging world interact with. That’s where it helps to have a company like Valve, which developed excellent titles such as Half-Lifeand Portal, involved. The studio’s endeavors are frequently lauded for their level of detail — particularly in terms of physics and environmental design — and it has already shown of an impressive tech demo set in the Portal universe. Moreover, Valve has a sturdy history of supporting other devs, which means SteamVR will likely a solid foundation for making games. HTC has also indicated that the Vive will be able to play any games that can run on the Rift, and furthermore, that the company will collaborate with content creators such as HBO to produce non-gaming content.
Sadly, HTC has yet to show off the consumer model for the Vive. The version being displayed at trade shows is very much a dev kit, designed to show off the tech alone instead of the headset’s final form. It’s currently bulky and outfitted with an onslaught wires, too, even if HTC plans to slim things down for the final release. Pricing also remains up in the air as well, but given the Vive’s powerful design and all-encompassing experience, we doubt it will be cheap upon release.
| Release date | TBA |
| Display resolution | 2,160 x 1,200 pixels |
| Refresh rate | 90Hz |
| Tracking | Front-facing camera, extreme precision tracking |
| Other hallmarks | SteamVR integration |
| Price | TBA |
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