VR Equipment Guide Author: Belle Tuen

Last Modified: 2020-04-06 Important Information This guide was written in February of 2020. All prices and information may be outdated in the future. Prices may fluctuate.

Introduction This guide contains general information about the big VR headsets that are out in the market in February, 2020. There are mainly 2 big manufacturers that are creating interactive immersive VR, and HTC. There has been a long debate about which company is better, but both have their own strengths. HTC is known to have better controller tracking than Oculus but over time, tracking in Oculus has improved as well. One of the biggest benefits Oculus has over HTC is that it does not need external trackers to set the play area and track the controllers. However, HTC just released the Vive Cosmos that competes with the which is a completely wireless headset that does not need external trackers. One of the biggest reason Oculus managed to stay competitive with HTC is their low prices. They managed to make their headsets affordable and high quality.

A standalone headset does not need to hook up to a computer whereas PC headsets need to be hooked to a computer. If you already have a VR ready computer, you should get a PC headset because it is cheaper and it usually has higher refresh rate than a standalone. On the other hand, if you want a more portable headset and don’t want to pay $1000+ for a PC, you should get a standalone headset. If you want a PC headset and do not own a VR ready computer, there are 3 recommended VR computers below, one desktop and two laptops.

General Advice When looking for headsets to watch 360 photos and videos, you would want less expensive/standalone headsets because of the low amount of cpu power needed.

If you want a more portable headset, you should get the standalone headset. However, if you require a stronger headset, you could get a PC headset with a portable gaming laptop.

If you have a VR program that’s more interactive, then you would want a headset with two controllers.

For use cases that require higher graphics, such as designing, modelling, and/or animating 3D objects, you would need a more expensive, higher CPU headset. Usually PC headsets would be stronger.

Use cases that involve a lot of moving around, you would want a headset with 6 degrees of freedom. If you are concerned with wires, it would be better to get a stronger powered standalone headset. Oculus Oculus Go Type: Standalone Price: $329.99 Specifications: : Android 7.1.2 Memory: 3GB (LPDDR4) Storage: 64 GB internal memory; does not have external memory Display: 5.5" fast-switching LCD (RGB-stripe) 2560×1440 resolution (1280×1440 per eye) 12.67 pixels per degree Refresh Rate: 60 to 72 Hz Graphics: 530 Sound: Integrated Speakers, Also has 3.5mm headphone jacks Dimensions: 190 mm × 105 mm × 115 mm (7.48 in × 4.13 in × 4.53 in) Mass: 468g (1.032 lbs)

Description: The Oculus Go is the first version of standalone headsets that came out in May of 2018. It features one controller with built in audio for immersive sound. It is relatively light and is comfortable with glasses. The Oculus Go was designed for anyone to use thanks to its minimalistic set up and affordable price.

Pros and Cons: Pros Cons

• Great Device with Affordable Price • Limited by Its Hardware • Large Built-In Library of Apps • Only 3 Degrees of Freedom - Meaning only • Easy to Use with Minimal Set-Up head movements and controllers are tracked • Battery lasts 2 hours with 3 hour charge

Suited Use Cases:

- 360 video/photo viewing - Minimal interaction in VR needed - Mostly used sitting down – only movement is head turning (good with google expeditions) - Portable Design

Oculus Quest

Type: Standalone Price: $549.99 – 64GB Specifications: Operating System: Android 7.1.1 Memory: 3GB (LPDDR4) Storage: 64 GB internal memory (can pay more for the 128 GB of internal memory); does not have external memory CPU: 4 Kryo 280 Gold (ARM Cortex-A73 based) @ 2.45 GHz + 4 Kryo 280 Silver (ARM Cortex-A73 based) @ 1.9 GHz Display: PenTile OLED 1440 × 1600 per eye Refresh Rate: 72 Hz Graphics: Adreno 540 Sound: Integrated Speakers, Also has two 3.5mm headphone jacks (one on each side) Connectivity: USB Type-C Wi-Fi Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.1 x 4.5 inches Mass: 571g

Description: The Oculus Quest is the second version of standalone headsets that came out in May of 2019. It features two 2nd generation motion tracked controllers with built in audio for immersive sound. It is heavier than a regular standalone headset and has padding for those who wear glasses. Compared to the Go, this headset has stronger processing power and a higher refresh rate, minimizing the screen-door effect. The Oculus Quest was designed to be a stronger gaming console with little setup required and within an affordable price range.

Pros and Cons: Pros Cons • 6 Degrees of Freedom - Meaning hand • Still less powerfull than wired headsets controllers and body movement are to PC because it has a mobile processer tracked • Need to take into account storage space • No External Tracking Stations • Battery lasts 2 hours with 2 hour charge • Easy to Use with Minimal Set-Up • Stronger hardware than other standalone headsets

Suited Use Case: - If you want an easy to set up device that is more portable and interactive (2 controllers) o Eg. Using it to interact with a 3D model of a flower - Stronger Specs than the Go – if you want higher graphics/cpu power o More then just 360 photo and video editing - If there is a need to track body motion and movement

Oculus Rift S

Type: PC Headset Price: $549.99 – 64GB Headset Specifications: Display: Fast-switch LCD 2560×1440 (1280×1440 per eye) Refresh Rate: 80 Hz Sound: Integrated Speakers, Also has two 3.5mm headphone jacks (one on each side) Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 USB 3.0 Mass: 1.1 lb (500 g)

Description: The S is the second version of Oculus PC headsets that came out in May of 2019, replacing the first generation Oculus Rift CV1. It features two 2nd generation Oculus touch motion tracked controllers with built in audio for immersive sound. Since this headset needs to be connected to a powerful PC, this headset can load in much strong graphics and interactive apps. It has a higher refresh rate, minimizing to eliminating the screen-door effect. The is the same price as the Oculus Quest; however, the price of a VR ready PC will increase the prices drastically.

Computer Requirements: Minimum Specs: Graphics Card: NVIDIA GTX 1050Ti / AMD Radeon RX 470 or greater Alternative Graphics Card: NVIDIA GTX 960 / AMD Radeon R9 290 or greater CPU: Intel i3-6100 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200, FX4350 or greater Memory: 8GB+ RAM Video Output: DisplayPortTM 1.2 / Mini DisplayPort (with adapter included in the box) USB Ports: 1x USB 3.0 port OS: Windows 10

Recommended Specs: Graphics Card: NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 480 or greater Alternative Graphics Card: NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD Radeon R9 290 or greater CPU: Intel i5-4590 / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X or greater Memory: 8GB+ RAM Video Output: DisplayPortTM 1.2 / Mini DisplayPort (with adapter included in the box) USB Ports: 1x USB 3.0 port OS: Windows 10

Pros and Cons: Pros Cons

• 6 Degrees of Freedom - Meaning hand • Needs to be wired to a PC controllers and body movement are • Safety and Durability Problems with tracked Wires • No External Tracking Stations • Needs a VR Ready Computer • Stronger hardware than other standalone headsets

Suited Use Case: - If a standalone headset is not strong enough - If the headset is not going to be moved everywhere - If you have a space already designated for VR o Wired may be a better choice for better graphics

HTC HTC Vive Pro Starter Kit Type: PC Headset Price: $1500 Headset Specifications: Display: Dual AMOLED 3.5’’ diagonal 1440 x 1600 pixels per eye (2880 x 1600 pixels combined) Refresh Rate: 90 Hz Sound: Hi-Res certificate headphones (removable), has integrated microphone Connectivity: USB-C port for peripherals Bluetooth Mass: 741g Description: The HTC Vive Pro is the upgraded vive model that replaced the discontinued HTC Vive. It features two 1st generation SteamVR tracking controllers with built in audio for immersive sound. Since this headset needs to be connected to a powerful PC, this headset can load in much strong graphics and interactive apps. It has a higher refresh rate, minimizing to eliminating the screen-door effect. The HTV Vive Pro includes VIVE Pro HMD. It is a refined fit, balance, and comfort for extended usage. The play area can be up to 15m2, which is approximately a 3.5m x 3.5m area. The whole bundle comes with the headset, 2 controllers, 2 base stations, and cables to attach to the computer.

Computer Requirements: Recommended Specs: Graphics Card: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1070/Quadro P5000 or above, or AMD Radeon™ Vega 56 or above CPU: Intel Core™ i5-4590 or AMD FX™ 8350, equivalent or better Memory: 4GB RAM or more Video Output: DisplayPortTM 1.2 or newer port USB Ports: 1x USB 3.0 port or newer port OS: Windows® 7, Windows® 8.1 or later, Windows® 10 Upgrade to Windows 10® for the best results with the dual front facing cameras * driver is required to download and install before using VIVE Pro's dual cameras on Windows® 7.

Pros and Cons: Pros Cons

• 6 Degrees of Freedom - Meaning hand • Needs to be wired to a PC controllers and body movement are • Safety and Durability Problems with tracked Wires • Stronger hardware than other • Requires Base Stations to Set Up Play standalone headsets Area (i.e. External Tracker) • Needs a VR Ready Computer

Suited Use Case: - If a standalone headset is not strong enough - If the headset is not going to be moved everywhere - If you have a space already designated for VR o Wired may be a better choice for better graphics

HTC Vive Pro Full Kit Type: PC Headset Price: $1750 Headset Specifications: Display: Dual AMOLED 3.5’’ diagonal 1440 x 1600 pixels per eye (2880 x 1600 pixels combined) Refresh Rate: 90 Hz Sound: Hi-Res certificate headphones (removable), has integrated microphone Connectivity: USB-C port for peripherals Bluetooth Mass: 741g Description: The HTC Vive Pro Full Kit is the Vive Pro headset with extra features on to. It features two 2nd generation SteamVR tracking controllers with built in audio for immersive sound. Since this headset needs to be connected to a powerful PC, this headset can load in much strong graphics and interactive apps. It has a higher refresh rate, minimizing to eliminating the screen-door effect. The play area can be up to 100m2, which is approximately a 10m x 10m area. The whole bundle comes with the headset, 2 controllers, 4 SteamVR base stations 2.0 (which is the 10 by 10 play area), 2 base stations (which supports the 3.5 by 3.5 play area), and cables to attach to the computer. The SteamVR base stations allow multiple users to be in the play area and manage to track all controllers with precise accuracy. This package also comes with 24-hour email support and a repair service.

Computer Requirements: Minimum Specs: Graphics Card: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 970 or AMD Radeon™ R9 290 equivalent or better (Recommended graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070/Quadro P5000 or above, or AMD Radeon Vega 56/Pro WX7100/FirePro W9100 or above) CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-4590 or AMD FX™ 8350, equivalent or better Memory: 4GB RAM or more Video Output: DisplayPortTM 1.2 or newer port USB Ports: 1x USB 3.0 port or newer port OS: Windows® 7, Windows® 8.1 or later, Windows® 10 Upgrade to Windows 10® for the best results with the dual front facing cameras * driver is required to download and install before using VIVE Pro's dual cameras on Windows® 7.

Pros and Cons: Pros Cons • 6 Degrees of Freedom - Meaning hand • Needs to be wired to a PC controllers and body movement are • Safety and Durability Problems with tracked Wires • Comes with Strong Customer Support • Requires Base Stations to Set Up Play • Can Track Multiple Headsets and Area (i.e. External Tracker) Controllers • Needs a VR Ready Computer • Stronger hardware than other standalone headsets

Suited Use Case: - If a standalone headset is not strong enough - If the headset is not going to be moved everywhere - If multiple users want to be immersed in the same area at the same time - If you have a space already designated for VR o Wired may be a better choice for better graphics

HTC Vive Cosmos Type: PC Headset Price: $939.99 Headset Specifications: Display: Dual 3.4" diagonal 1440 x 1700 pixels per eye (2880 x 1700 pixels combined) Refresh Rate: 90 Hz Sound: Hi-Res certificate headphones (removable), has integrated microphone Connectivity: USB-C 3.0 DP 1.2 Connection to Mods Mass: 651g Description: The HTC Vive Cosmos is the newest release of the HTC Vive series. This headset has a few improvements to the HTC Vive Pro. First, this headset finally gets rid of the base stations that was needed to set up the play area in the Vive Pro. Instead this headset contains 4 cameras that can locate the controllers and the boundaries of the play area. One of the unique ergonomic feature that exists on the Cosmos is the flip up visor. This allows the user to lift the visor up so that they can switch between the and the real world without taking off the head straps. The whole bundle comes with the headset, 2 controllers, and cables to attach to the computer.

The Visor Flipped Up

Computer Requirements: Minimum Specs: Graphics Card: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 970 or AMD Radeon™ R9 290 equivalent or better CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-4590 or AMD FX™ 8350, equivalent or better Memory: 4GB RAM or more Video Output: DisplayPortTM 1.2 or newer port USB Ports: 1x USB 3.0 port or newer port OS: Windows 10

Pros and Cons: Pros Cons

• 6 Degrees of Freedom - Meaning hand • Needs to be wired to a PC controllers and body movement are • Safety and Durability Problems with tracked Wires • Does Not Need External Trackers • Needs a VR Ready Computer • Allows Eyes to Rest Without Taking off • Not Great at Tracking Controllers the Headset

Suited Use Case: - If a standalone headset is not strong enough - If the headset is not going to be moved everywhere - If your eyes get tired easily - If you have a space already designated for VR o Wired may be a better choice for better graphics

Recommended VR-Ready Computers Desktop Alienware Aurora https://pilot.search.dell.com/desktops/alienware%20aurora

(Newer Model) (Older Model)

There is a range of specs that are available to purchase with this desktop. Starting from $1500, this desktop can cost up to $4900 for the highest specs on this computer. The older versions and the newer versions of the Aurora meet the recommended specs for all VR headsets. The price ranges depending on how strong the CPU, how much RAM, and the type of graphics card in the computer. The cheapest Aurora is able to run the VR headsets but if you want to run higher end programs without lag or with better graphics, you would want to opt for one of the more expensive Auroras. Currently the top recommended model is the Aurora S9, which costs around $4900. This computer is an advanced computer that will last for several years without being outdated by the constant changing in VR technology. The S9 features an Intel Core i9-9900K Coffee Lake 16M 8-core processor with a 2Tb SSD hard drive. It has an Nvidia Geforce RTX 2080 TI 11GB GDDR6 top of the line graphics card. The 2Tb hard drive allows the computer to store large files such as 3D Models and large databases. Finally it comes with a 64 GB RAM that’s already built-in. Moreover, this computer allows you to further custom additions if needed, which makes this computer very adaptable. Laptop Falcon TLX https://www.falcon-nw.com/laptops/tlx/design/detail

The Falcon TLX costs $2953 and is one of the more expensive Oculus ready gaming laptop due to its high specs and its small, light weight frame. This laptop features an Intel 9th Gen 4.5 GHz 12MB Cache, Core™ i7-9750H 6-core, 12-thread CPU with a NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2060, 2070 & 2080 Max-Q with 8GB GDDR6 graphics card. It has 3 storage devices 2 .2 drives & one 2.5” SSD and supports up to 32 GB of 2666 MHz DDR4 memory. The TLX is very light and compact with a 16” screen and the whole laptop frame only being 0.78” tall. It weights 4.6 pounds, making it very easy to travel around with. I would recommend this laptop to those who have to bring their virtual projects around a lot and needs a strong CPU to run their VR programs.

Legion Y740 (15”) https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/legion-laptops/legion-y-series/Lenovo-Legion-Y740- 15/p/88GMY701059

If the Falcon TLX is too expensive, you can opt for a Legion Y740 instead. It costs around $1500 and is the cheapest Oculus ready laptop out there. This laptop features a 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-9750H with a NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ 1660 Ti 6GB graphics card. It has 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 (2 x 8GB) with a 1 TB HDD 7200 RPM hard drive and a 512GB SSD PCIe as a second hard drive. This laptop is not as light as the TLX, but it is still very portable with a 15” screen. This laptop can still run VR applications since it meets all of the recommended requirements and is a good size to carry around. This is a good alternative to the TLX, but it might be slower since the TLX has better specs than the Legion Y740.

Comparison Table Standalone Headsets Oculus Go Oculus Quest HTC Vive Focus Plus

Price $329.99 $549.99 $1059.00 Operating System Android 7.1.2 Android 7.1.1 Snapdragon 835 Memory 3GB (LPDDR4) 3GB (LPDDR4) 4GB Storage 64 GB internal 64 GB internal memory 32 GB memory; does not (can pay more for the internal memory; have external memory 128 GB of internal MicroSD slot,up to 2TB memory); does not MicroSD have external memory external memory Display 5.5" fast- PenTile OLED 1440 × Dual AMOLED 3.5” switching LCD (RGB- 1600 per eye diagonal; 1440 x 1600 stripe) pixels per eye (2880 x 2560×1440 resolution 1600 pixels combined) (1280×1440 per eye) Refresh Rate 60 to 72 Hz 72 Hz 75Hz Graphics Adreno 530 Adreno 540 No Info Sound Integrated Speakers, Integrated Speakers, Built-in speakers + Also has 3.5mm Also has two 3.5mm 3.5mm headphone jack headphone jacks headphone jacks (one on each side) Dimensions 190 mm × 105 mm 7.5 x 4.1 x 4.5 inches No Info × 115 mm (7.48 in × 4.13 in × 4.53 in) Mass 468g (1.032 lbs) 571g 695g +/- 1%

PC Headsets Oculus Rift S HTC Vive Pro HTC Vive Pro Full HTC Vive Cosmos Starter Kit Kit Price $549.99 $1500 $1750 $939.99 Display Fast-switch LCD Dual AMOLED 3.5’’ Dual AMOLED 3.5’’ Dual 3.4" diagonal 2560×1440 diagonal 1440 x diagonal 1440 x 1440 x 1700 pixels 1600 pixels per eye 1600 pixels per eye per eye (2880 x (1280×1440 per (2880 x 1600 pixels (2880 x 1600 pixels 1700 pixels eye) combined) combined) combined) Refresh Rate 80 Hz 90 Hz 90 Hz 90 Hz Sound Integrated Hi-Res certificate Hi-Res certificate Hi-Res certificate Speakers, Also has headphones headphones headphones two 3.5mm (removable), has (removable), has (removable), has headphone jacks integrated integrated integrated (one on each side) microphone microphone microphone Connectivity DisplayPort 1.2 USB-C port for USB-C port for USB-C 3.0 USB 3.0 peripherals peripherals DP 1.2 Bluetooth Bluetooth Connection to Mods

Mass 1.1 lb (500 g) 741g 741g 651g Recommended Computer Minimum Requirements Graphics Card NVIDIA GTX 1050Ti NVIDIA® GeForce® NVIDIA® GeForce® NVIDIA® GeForce® / AMD Radeon RX GTX 970 or AMD GTX 970 or AMD GTX 970 or AMD 470 or greater Radeon™ R9 290 Radeon™ R9 290 Radeon™ R9 290 equivalent or equivalent or equivalent or better better better CPU Intel i3-6100 / Intel Core™ i5-4590 Intel® Core™ i5- Intel® Core™ i5- AMD Ryzen 3 or AMD FX™ 8350, 4590 or AMD FX™ 4590 or AMD FX™ 1200, FX4350 or equivalent or 8350, equivalent or 8350, equivalent or greater better better better Memory 8GB+ RAM 4GB RAM or more 4GB RAM or more 4GB RAM or more Video Output DisplayPortTM 1.2 DisplayPortTM 1.2 DisplayPortTM 1.2 DisplayPortTM 1.2 / Mini DisplayPort or newer port or newer port or newer port (with adapter included in the box) USB Port 1x USB 3.0 port 1x USB 3.0 port or 1x USB 3.0 port or 1x USB 3.0 port or newer port newer port newer port OS Windows 10 Windows 7, Windows 7, Windows 10 Windows 8.1 or Windows 8.1 or later, Windows 10 later, Windows 10

Upgrade to Upgrade to Windows 10 for the Windows 10 for the best results with best results with the dual front the dual front facing cameras facing cameras

* driver is required * driver is required to download and to download and install before using install before using VIVE Pro's dual VIVE Pro's dual cameras on cameras on Windows 7. Windows 7.

Computers Alienware Aurora Falcon TLX Legion Y740 Dell Computer (AR Sandbox) Type Desktop Laptop Laptop Desktop Price $4900 $2953 $1500 $2117 CPU Intel Core i9- Intel 9th Gen 4.5 9th Gen Intel® Intel Core i7- 9900K Coffee GHz 12MB Cache, Core™ i7-9750H 9700, 8 Core, Lake 16M 8-core Core™ i7-9750H 12MB Cache, 6-core, 12-thread 3.0Ghz, 4.7 Ghz Turbo Hard Drive 2Tb SSD 2 M.2 drives & 1 TB HDD 7200 3.5" 500GB one 2.5” SSD and RPM hard drive 7200rpm SATA supports up to 32 and a 512GB SSD Hard Disk Drive GB of 2666 MHz PCIe as a second DDR4 memory hard drive Graphics Card Nvidia Geforce NVIDIA® NVIDIA® Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 TI 11GB GeForce® RTX GeForce® GTX™ RTX 2060 GDDR6 2060, 2070 & 1660 Ti 6GB 2080 Max-Q with 8GB GDDR6 RAM 64 GB RAM No Info 16GB 2666MHz 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 (2 x 8GB) 2666MHz DDR Weight N/A 4.6 pounds 5 pounds N/A

Glossary

Pixels per degree - a way accounting for both distance from the display and the resolution of the display, which means that the information here is not limited to headsets, and applies universally to any type of display

Screen-door effect - a mesh-like appearance that occurs where visible gaps between pixels are seen on an electronic screen, usually when viewed at close proximity.

More Links To Explore This link contains all possible headsets that are out in the market. This guide only looks at the major 2 companies currently in Canada whereas this page compares all the headsets. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_virtual_reality_headsets)