Virtual Reality (VR) was one of the biggest highlights of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco. The show saw series of announcements and demonstration that suggests that this technology is here to stay.
Virtual reality is going to be huge. It's going to change the way we live and see things. There are some incredible VR headsets in development from the likes of Sony, Facebook and HTC.
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Virtual reality is just getting attention. Here are some of the competing VR headsets that will blow your mind.
HTC Vive
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
Sony Project Morpheus
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
Samsung Gear VR
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"
Oculus Rift
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
Google Cardboard
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
Microsoft Hololens
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
