The Best VR Headsets: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Project Morpheus and More

The Best VR headsets

At the Mobile World Congress (MWC), HTC announced the HTC Vive, a Steam VR headset made in collaboration with Valve. Unlike Samsung Gear VR, the HTC Vive plugs into PCs and work with Valve's gaming ecosystem. The company promises the Vive virtual headset will deliver "the most immersive experience of any VR package," and that it will include full room scale 360-degree viewing. It's due to hit the market before the end of this year.

Asking price - TBA

 

The Best VR headsets

Sony's Project Morpheus, the PlayStation 4 compatible VR headset, will hit the market in the first half of 2016. It features a 5.7-inch, 1920 x 1080 OLED display, providing a 100-degree field of view, that improves on the previous version's 5-inch LCD display. The OLED screen is also faster it can render 120 images per second, enhancing the immersive feel while playing games. Developers can still render their games in 60fps, but the headset is able to output them in 120fps. Sony calls this technique "reprojection." Sony is planning to release a software development kit (SDK) to output images in 120fps.

Asking price - TBA

The Best VR headsets

Samsung Gear VR is an Oculus Rift powered device that's compatible with the Galaxy Note 4 or Galaxy S6 depending on the version you choose. The Samsung Gear VR is slightly different from other virtual reality headsets. Unlike Oculus Rift or Sony Project Morpheus, the Gear VR doesn't come with any display - instead you'll require a Samsung-made handset.

In our Samsung Gear VR first impressions post, we said that" The Samsung Gear VR is not a gaming console. Its dependency on the Galaxy Note 4 could be the biggest drawback. That means the market for such device is limited. However, we're yet to analyse the Gear VR's true potential"

The Best VR headsets

The Oculus Rift plugs into your computer's DVI and USB ports and tracks your head movements to provide 3D imagery to its stereo screens. The latest version - (dubbed, "Crescent Bay" - brings 360 degree perspectives and 1080p visuals to the table.

Asking price - $350

The Best VR headsets

Yes, Google too offer a virtual reality headset. All you need to insert your smartphone into a cardboard container and then strapping it to your head, but it actually works and it could become a low-cost way to experience virtual reality.

Asking price - Rs. 800

The Best VR headsets

It's called the HoloLens - a 3D headset that's unlike a proper virtual reality headset. So the basic difference between the HoloLens and the Oculus Rift is that the former device comes with its own CPU and GPU, making it an independent headset of sorts. Furthermore, the headset doesn't come with messy wires, indicating a completely wireless experience.

"Microsoft HoloLens is the world's first untethered holographic computer - no wires, phones or connection to a PC needed. Microsoft HoloLens allows you to view holograms in high definition and hear them in surround sound, even if they are behind you. And with advanced sensors, Microsoft HoloLens can see what you are looking at and understand what you are communicating with your hands and voice. By putting you at the center of the Windows 10 computing experience, Microsoft HoloLens allows you to create, access information, enjoy entertainment, and communicate in new and exciting ways," the company said.

Asking price - TBA