Comparison of VR Headsets

Manufacturers are producing more and more virtual reality headsets. But which headset is the best? To answer that question, we have created a handy comparison table that shows all the important specifications of the VR-brillen at a glance.

In this comparison table, several terms are used to indicate how the hardware is constructed. Based on these specifications, you can decide for yourself which VR-headset is the best for you. Are you looking for something suitable for gaming? Or do you want to use the VR-headset in a business environment? There is a specific VR-bril for every situation. Need help choosing your VR-bril? Feel free to contact us!

The type of screen, also known as the display, is important for your viewing experience. Generally, three types of screens are used: OLED, (super) AMOLED, and (dual) LCD. One is not necessarily better than the other, but they do have different characteristics. The first in this list, and perhaps the longest on the market, is LCD. By efficiently managing colour, it consumes the least energy. However, the downside is that black colours can appear as dark grey. OLED, on the other hand, makes black colours appear truly black. Lastly, there is AMOLED. The advantage is that it has a faster refresh rate, making the screen's response time smoother. But this also means it consumes more energy. Generally, only LCD and OLED are used in newer VR-headsets.

The resolution of a VR-headset indicates the number of pixels that can be displayed. This is usually shown as width x height (e.g., 1080x1200). The higher this resolution, the sharper the image. Note that in a VR-bril, the image is often displayed on two screens (one for each eye). Therefore, the image resolution is generally shown as 'per eye'.

The field of view, also known as FoV, shows how far you can see to the sides and above without turning your head. This is always indicated in degrees and can sometimes be mentioned both horizontally (left and right) and vertically (up and down). You might think the higher, the better, but it must be balanced with the weight and size of the headset. The sweet-spot in most high-end models is around 110 to 120 degrees. When the field of view becomes larger, you might experience scherm-distortion. The downside is that while you have a very wide field of view, it may not look as sharp.

The refresh rate indicates how often the image is refreshed. With a low refresh rate, the image appears more choppy, while a very high refresh rate makes the image much smoother. The refresh rate is directly connected to the graphical power. This means that if you have a headset with a high refresh rate and want to play a graphically intensive game, you will need a good graphics card to play the game smoothly.

The tracking method indicates how a headset and its controllers can move around the room. SteamVR tracking is characterised by the base stations (or lighthouses) placed in the corners of the room. This tracking method is often seen in VR arcades because it provides the most reliable (360-degree) tracking under most circumstances. The inside-out tracking is becoming increasingly popular with many consumer headsets. This is due to its ease of use, as you no longer need to set up external sensors with inside-out tracking. The tracking in inside-out tracking takes place within the headset itself. The quality of the tracking often depends on how many inside-out tracking cameras are built into the headset (this varies from 3 to 6).

The recommended GPU is the graphics card that needs to be in the PC to play the VR-headset smoothly and beautifully. Generally, the higher the image resolution of the VR-headset, the more powerful the GPU needs to be.

Curious about the right PC for your VR-headset? Check out our range ofVR-Certified Desktop PCsor contact our VR-specialisten!