VR Equipment Guide (PDF)
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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 All prices and information may be outdated in the future.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, Oculus 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 Oculus Quest 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: Operating System: 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: Adreno 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 Bluetooth 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 Oculus touch 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 Oculus Rift S is the second version of Oculus PC virtual reality 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 Oculus Rift S 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.