VR Owners - Opinions Please

Bump!

I own an Oculus Rift and personally iv been very happy with it. My biggest issue with it is the headphones that come with. They don't lay flat on my ear but that's probably because I have such a big head, but like you said you plan on wearing your own earphones. so not that big of an issue. My friend has a Vive, I tried it out and unless the straps were exactly right I had a lot of light that leaked through around my nose. Plus the Vive controllers are bulky and annoying in my opinion. I know you didn't list the Oculus Rift but it might be something to look at before you make a final decision. Good luck! let us know what you go with. :)

A lot of potatoes passing through!

I've been pondering VR recently, but I don't think I'm quite ready to take the plunge. Once you make a decision and try it out, come back and give us a report!

I have an Oculus Rift as well. The resolution could be better but overall I'm happy with it. The software IPD changing would definitely make me nervous, I find that makes a big difference. But presumably the software solution will be designed such that the vast majority of people can see clearly.
As far as Quest vs Rift S goes, do you have any games with VR support that you'd play? If so maybe the Rift S makes more sense. My computer room is fairly small and I don't have much trouble, but there are definitely times where I'd appreciate a larger area, so the Quest has that going for it. Tough decision, I'd look at what titles you want most and see if any don't support the Quest.

I have the HTC Vive but am looking at upgrading to a Valve Index. With the 1060 you are not going to be getting the best experience so I would suggest looking for a used system and saving serious cash.

have a bump! (also, I'll use this comment to return to lurk at the poll results)

While I don't own none of the above, I've been eyeballing Windows Mixed Reality as I really like that they're not exclusively manufacturing the headsets through themselves. Although I would much prefer to see augmented reality integration for it to be considered true 'mixed' reality. However, I am sad to see Microsoft may be ending the project due to poor sales. I have also been watching the new Valve Index Headset to see how well it competes with HTC Vive and the Oculus in terms of functionality and price.

I recently bought my first headset, being the Index. So far I'm loving it! I've previously tried the Vive pro and the PSVR as well as some phone solutions. However, I am probably a different case from most people. I bough my headset not for gaming alone, but also for creative and professional aspects. One thing I am looking to explore with my headset it VR content creation, from small to large experiences in games, to possible video content. I intend to hopefully make back my investment into the headset.

When it comes to gaming and VR, I personally find that there still isn't much in the realm of games yet. Yes, we have great games like Beat Saber, Sparc, Super Hot VR, Doom VFR, and more, but unfortunately you're going to not just a headset, but also a computer that can run the game. A 1060 can get you in the door, but I'm concerned about how it will run in delivering the higher framerates.

I'm personally interested in the Quest, as it is an inside out AIO that runs independent of a PC. It seems to have a decent library of games on the Oculus store and I will presume it runs them at an admirable framerate seeing that they are under the "quest" section. Unfortunately from what I'm reading, it's a closed environment that doesn't let you natively run games from your Steam library, so that is a negative, but I will presume there will eventually be a workable workaround for that.

For other VR solutions, I would advise upgrading your PC first, and even then probably wait till the 3080ti (or whatever is the next top end GPU for the upcoming generation) as hopefully technology will be much better at handling VR then. VR has a bit to go in regards to becoming a standard customer solution, and this is due to the unfortunate situation that the marketshare has a small population so there are few quality games and experiences, but because there are so few quality games and experiences there isn't too much overall demand for VR yet. There needs to be a bigger investment into the industry and better technology driving it. This isn't to deter you from VR, of course! Just know what you're looking at, what you want, and what you need to drive it. Also be aware that if you really do enjoy what you find out of it, there will likely be a better solution for VR in another 3-5 years, so plan for that as well.

I would say forget the vive and either get the S or Quest.
Quest is fun, but fewer games and image quality is lower and it has the mobility advantage.
Don't own a S, but I've been following the VR scene for a few months now and it seems to be of a comparable quality to the Index.
With the S you have to keep in mind it doen't have adjustable IPD. If you are outside of their range, you might not have a clear picture.

I got me a WMR Dell VR headset, which works pretty great, the resolution is on par with the Vive, and like the PS4 headset got can lift up the face of the headset in case you need to play around with the settings on your computer. They sell em on Amazon real cheap, so they're a good entry level headset.

Out the ones you have listed, definitely the Rift S. Internal tracking is a god send because setting up lighthouses on top of everything else would be a pain in the bum. If the resolution is on par with the Vive, you'll be fine with that one.

I have the Oculus Rift. The most important thing about a headset is the screen. The screen door effect gets annoying after some time. So try to get the one with the best screen according to reviews. Also I remember those 3 had features that made it inferior to the Oculus Rift. The new Oculus Rift S didn't have IPD adjustment if I remember correctly etc. My advice would be to get Rift(not S) if you can find it super cheap. Another thing you could do is go somewhere and test them first(at a friend, shopping center, gaming center etc.). The premium price on the Vive and Index is not worth it. The tech isn't advanced enough yet to be worth that much money. If you have no problem with IPD Rift S might be your best choice though.

I have owned a wireless Vive Pro for about 9 months, and am very happy with it. Playing Racket: NX without having to worry about tripping over a cable is pretty awesome.

My decision was based on wanting tetherless, not wanting to be an early adopter, trusting the ecosystem (SteamVR) would get continual investment, supporting Linux, and oh, not being tied to Facebook.

However, in your price bracket I would strongly consider the Oculus Quest, solely because it is tetherless, doesn't need a PC upgrade, and is reasonably priced.

The headsets are still kind in early adopters territory, though less than before. VR can be fun, but no real killer app yet, unless perhaps you're a dedicated simmer.

Personally, I wouldn't want to give any money to a Facebook-owned company. I'd probably give it a couple more years, the next console cycle could also be of help, at least in the hardware requirements department.

Had an interesting discussion with one of the mods about this just a few days ago, read the discussion and some of the comments - maybe it'll give you some more insight on one the Quest at least..

I own a WMR and a Quest. I got a Quest to play the more active games wireless thinking a bit less graphics would not matter in those type of games. Keeping my WMR to play Steam games with better graphics. I was soooo wrong. Ever since I got my Quest the other one is collecting dust. The graphics are way better than expected and with ALVR I can play my Steam games wireless. The few games I bought again on the Oculus store are my favorites and the comfort of just put it on and play a few seconds later is so great. Now I find myself playing in a spare half an hour while before I didn't want to turn on my pc, start a few programs, plug in cables etc if I knew I only had half an hour.

I did not imagine this was such a big difference for me until I tried. So go for the Quest your 1060 is not wasted as it will allow you to play a lot, way cheaper, Steam games. Reading about worse graphics is completely different from experiencing them I can tell you. The comfort, ease of use and the Quest being wireless makes it a no brainer. Definitely don't go for a Vive as this is worse in every way but I would not go for the Rift S either because of the wires. I LOVE MY QUEST!

i always say: when you are on a bugdet go for the normal oculus, but used! there were like hundrets or thousend(or millions?) of them out there used only once on crismas or so. If possible take one with a thirth sensor(should be around ~220 pound for u)

Best headset of the first gen was the vive, but getting it cheap? nope. In the end it's better than the oculus, but you are a few years to late for that train, worst possibility right now.

If you want to go for a new gen one: pimax 5k or the quest. Don't have a cable is a extrem big +. That's the number one point going on my nerves playing with the oculus(you are turning around so the cables are tangled after a while). the resolution is acutaly not so important. yes it's harder to see thinks far away, but the screen door effect will go away quickly and you will only notice the that stuff when you rly activ think about it.
Heat is also there... but no way to get around that, since you have to have the device not shifting around close to your face sealing it up. the processor will not be a big factor there. going to be farm anyway.

Also cable extending of the headset is not a big problem, the range of your sensor should be smaler than the length. edit also i don't know if another room with extended cables will be a problem. I would say better go and take the whole pc with you.

overall in my opinion you should go for a new gpu if you want to go for a new one and if not, having a bigger fov with a higher resolution... yes super nice, but it's not so important as you think. Immersion is good enough with the simple oculus that you will try to put something down on a table not rly there in rl...

bugdet version: used oculus
best version: quest
i have to much money version: pimax 5k

I own a Vive, so I can only speak about that one. I had a load of credit with Dell, and got it at a very reasonable price.

I was concerned most about the screen door effect you mention, but after a minute or two in-game, you don't notice it anymore (I've played both dark indoor games where it's not noticeable at all, and brighter outdoor games). The hardest thing to get used to is finding the "sweet spot" in your VR headset. I did a lot of research prior to my purchase, and it turns out a surprising number of people wear their headsets way too low on their face. Once I found the sweet spot, everything looked glorious. Basically, just pulling down on the back of the head-strap til it's under the base of your skull was the trick. Once I was wearing it properly, the weight distribution issue you mention was also gone, and it improved graphic fidelity immensely.

Second, many people weren't bothering to adjust their IPD. I also imagine many were measuring their own IPD incorrectly. I stopped by an optometrist's office on my way home from work, explained I needed my IPD measured to cut eye strain, and they did it for free (all credit goes to the redditor who suggested this). Turns out my own measurement (using the included ruler and instructions) was over 6mm off, which is pretty huge. Instant further (and free) improvement! Definitely worth the 10 minutes it took to stop.

The tracking sensors aren't really a pain to set up, as long as you have electrical outlets on those walls and no huge obstructions between you and the sensors (so put them high up on the wall). Otherwise you'd have to use power cord extensions. Drilled 4 holes (two for each mount), inserted anchors, and had it all ready to go in probably 15 minutes? I also bought a couple extra clip-style camera mounts for about $7 for the pair (1/4 inch standard tri-pod attachment) to make the system portable. I don't know how accurate the trackers are compared to tracking on other units from personal experience, so I will refrain from commenting. I will, however, say they do track perfectly!

The thing I love most (outside of just playing in VR) is the haptic response in the controllers. One of my favorite games is Catch & Release, a simple, relaxing fishing game, and you can actually feel the clicks in your reel as you're either reeling in or fighting a fish. How games decide to use that function is a total game-changer in some cases. Using it for collision detection in games (boxing, for example) really adds to the experience.

The external camera was a pretty big deal to me as well. You can get pretty hot wearing a headset, and being able to quickly and easily locate a drink (or your pack of smokes if you're a smoker, I guess?) without taking off the headset is a godsend I imagine all headsets have that feature, but I'm not sure, and it's worth checking into. Edit: That reminds me - whichever you choose, buy extra face gaskets, so you can take it off after use, and rinse and dry it (the gaskets, of course) with no downtime. Be sure to get the spongey absorbent gaskets - that sweat has to go somewhere, and being absorbed is preferable to dripping down your face and into your eyes.

You've mentioned the upgrade path and cross compatibility with the Index gear, which was a huge plus for me.

At any rate, I'm sure you won't be disappointed with whichever unit you decide to get. It's a whole new world of gaming, and after playing a couple of hours, all I could say to myself was (repeatedly) "Damn, I wish I'd taken the leap sooner!" Enjoy whichever you choose. :D

I just bought a Valve Index, and I am very impressed with it. VR still is in the developing stages, but it has come a long way from the first Oculus. I have only tried the older Oculus, so I can't comment on the newer ones but I have tried the Vive and liked it more than the Rift. The "screen door" effect wasn't too noticeable and the motion tracking is great.

I know you said cost is an issue but if you could save up a little longer and wait for the Index I'd really recommend that. Either way be sure to get Beat Sabre as it's an awesome game.