Update: read our blog here The Best VR headsets of 2021.
The best VR headsets of 2019
Virtual Reality Glasses come in all shapes and sizes. But which is the best? And why are one pair of glasses better than another. In this article we explain the advantages and disadvantages of each pair of glasses for you step by step.
HTC VIVE Pro
Starting off in this list is the HTC VIVE Pro. These VR glasses are currently the standard for business and professional VR users. This has to do with with the crystal-clear display, high comfort level and professional build quality. The HTC VIVE Pro are VR glasses that use external sensors. with this way of tracking a space of 6m x 6m up to a maximum of 10m x 10m can be tracked down to the centimeter. The VIVE Pro connects to the graphics card of a Computer, allowing games to be played in high quality. This provides a real high-end VR experience that certainly belongs in the professional market.
Pros and Cons of HTC VIVE Pro
- High image resolution of 2880 x 1600 pixels.
- Built-in headphones with surround sound.
- Very accurate tracking of movements in a large space.
- High purchase price for the entire set.
- Complicated installation and setup of sensors.
look at the HTC VIVE Pro Headset, HTC VIVE Pro Full Kit and HTC VIVE Pro Eye Full Kit here.
Pimax 5K Plus and Pimax 8K
Pimax is originally a Kickstarter venture, but is slowly taking the VR world by storm with with VR Glasses of exceptionally high quality. with the Pimax 5K Plus and Pimax 8K offer a VR Glasses with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 (5K Plus) and 3840 x 2160 (8K) . But the biggest surprise of these headsets is that they both offer a 200º field of view. Once you've had the Pimax Headset you won't want to go back to a Headset with smaller field of view. The headsets of Pimax are compatible with with HTC's VIVE accessories, so it's a nice Headset when you plan to upgrade your old HTC [[ MD5_61]] upgrade.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Pimax 5K Plus and Pimax 8K
- Extremely wide field of view of 200º
- Very high image quality with low SDE.
- Compatible with accessories from HTC VIVE and VIVE Pro.
- You need a very powerful video card (minimum GTX 1070).
- Complicated installation and setup of sensors.
look at the Pimax 5K Plus and Pimax 8K here.
Oculus Rift S
The Oculus Rift S is the successor to the original Oculus Rift CV1. The biggest difference with from the original is that the Oculus Rift S works without external sensors. This significantly increases ease of use; Finally, all you have to do is set up the Headset and you're ready to go. The Oculus Rift S has a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, which gives good - but not very special - image quality. For this reason, the Oculus Rift S is recommended for Consumers, but less so for business and professional VR users.
Pros and Cons of the Oculus Rift S
- Very easy setup without external sensors.
- Good image quality with little SDE.
- Nice new Touch Controllers from Oculus with finger tracking.
- You still need a VR ready Computer.
- The tracking is not always accurate.
look at the Oculus Rift S here.
Oculus Quest
with the Oculus Quest you have VR glasses that work completely without cables and Computer. The processor is, in contrast to, for example, the Oculus Rift S, already built into the VR glasses. This allows you to simply put on the Oculus Quest and get started right away with Virtual reality! In terms of ease of use and accessibility, this is the perfect solution, but the graphical power of the VR glasses is less powerful than VR glasses attached to a Computer. Hierdoor is de Oculus Quest bijzonder goed geschikt om te gebruiken in mobiele opstellingen of voor laten zien van een VR-video of simulatie, maar minder goed geschikt om fanatiek op te Vr-gamen.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Oculus Quest
- Completely wireless and without sensors.
- Very suitable for showing VR experiences.
- Nice new Touch Controllers from Oculus with finger tracking.
- Games are less beautiful and smooth compared to with and wired Headset.
- The tracking is not always accurate.
look at the Oculus Quest 64GB and Oculus Quest 128 GB here.
Samsung Odyssey Plus
The Samsung Odyssey+ is a windows Mixed Reality Headset. Characteristic of this Headset is that Samsung has developed a technique to minimize the screen-door effect. This makes the Samsung Odyssey+ look extremely fine and makes the Headset ideally suited for longer gaming sessions, for example for simulation games. The tracking works from the inside, so you don't need any external sensors. The Controllers are similar with to the Oculus Rift CV1 Controllers. The image resolution of 2880 x 1600 pixels makes the Samsung Odyssey+ a good all-round Headset for users who want to enjoy a game for a longer period of time.
Pros and Cons of the Samsung Odyssey Plus
- Minimal screen-through effect.
- High image resolution of 2880 x 1600 pixels.
- Easy setup because you don't have to place sensors.
- Windows Mixed Reality software requires some user experience.
- A good PC is required for the maximum settings.
look at the Samsung Odyssey Plus here.
HTC Vive Focus Plus
The HTC Vive Focus Plus is a Headset aimed at business users and developers by HTC. Simply put, the business version of the Oculus Quest. The HTC Vive Focus Plus is distinguished by HTC's high adaptability and business services. HTC VIVE Wave is the platform for VR app developers. When you create a VR app on VIVE Wave, you can easily play this app on all VIVE Wave supporting devices. It is also compatible with with Unity and UE4, so as a novice developer you can also find your way around. The HTC Vive Focus Plus comes with with the business VIVE Enterprise warranty that provides support during commercial use.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the HTC Vive Focus Plus
- High customizability through the VIVE Wave platform.
- 6 DoF allowing you to move in all directions.
- Complete wireless experience without Computer.
- Only recommended for business and experienced VR users / developers.
- Less suitable for playing VR games.
look at the HTC Vive Focus Plus here.
Valve Index
The Valve Index is a high quality VR Glasses. The image resolution of the Headset is comparable with to the HTC VIVE Pro and Samsung Odyssey Plus. The advantage of the Valve Index is that the package can be put together entirely according to your own wishes. You can choose to purchase an entire set including Controllers and base stations, but if you already have this you can also just purchase the Headset (this also works the other way around: if you already have an HTC VIVE Pro Headset, you can also just purchase the Valve Index Controllers). In addition, the new Controllers - also called knuckles - are revolutionary in the field of motion capture. The Controllers can track each individual finger, allowing you to move your fingers one by one in VR.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Valve Index
- High image resolution of 2880 x 1600 pixels.
- The Headset is fully compatible with all accessories of the HTC VIVE Pro.
- Innovative Controllers with individual finger tracking.
- A powerful PC is recommended for maximum settings.
- There are few games that use finger tracking.
look at the Valve Index here.
HP Reverb
The HP Reverb promises to have an unprecedented high resolution of 4320 x 2160 pixels. This means that the HP Reverb has the most number of pixels of all VR Glasses on this list. This results in an ultra-sharp image, but to make full use of this you also need an extremely powerful PC. The Headset has 6 DoF, allowing you to move around freely in a room. Due to its extremely high quality, the Headset can be used in simulation games and professional applications.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the HP Reverb
- Extremely high image quality with 4320 x 2160 pixels.
- The screen-door effect is almost gone.
- Slightly wider field of view than comparable headsets.
- For maximum settings you need an extremely powerful PC.
- The Controllers have not improved compared to other headsets.
look at the HP Reverb here.
HTC VIVE Cosmos
The VIVE Cosmos is the latest VR glasses in the HTC VIVE list. with the VIVE Cosmos HTC directly competes with with the Oculus Rift S. with a higher resolution, extra added tracking camera and Focus on comfort and ease of use, the VIVE Cosmos is a good choice for business VR users. The image resolution of 2880 x 1700 pixels is no less than 88% higher than the original VIVE. En with de inside-tracking geniet van het gemak van de Headset inpluggen and direct aan de gang gaan with VR, zonder eerst de externe sensoren klaar te zetten and configureren.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the HTC VIVE Cosmos
- 88% higher resolution than the original HTC VIVE.
- Powerful processor without connection to a Computer.
- You need enough light for tracking to work properly.
look at the VIVE Cosmos here.
