one of the next generation's heralds of VR

Sonic headphones, Knuckle controllers

Virtual reality is so difficult to sell. Beyond the shock of the sticker, it's hard to demonstrate, and many people just want to experience a stress-free experience from time to time without having to power multiple equipment: that's why mobile gaming has become so important lately. 10 years or more.

Oculus Quest, a standalone wireless VR headset that requires a gaming PC, is the first step in this journey to turn virtual reality into a mass product. For the enthusiastic audience, there are the big hitters like the Valve Index.

I have recently had the opportunity to test the index and, although my time and access is limited before the June 28 launch, I will give you a brief overview of some important aspects.

I'm going to break it down again so you do not have to read all that and say, "Wow, it's overpriced, why did I lose my time with this overview?"

The whole shebang, as in the current VR Index unit, the two controllers (officially known as Valve Index Controllers and unofficially under the name "Knuckles"), and two base stations (for tracking, because unlike the Oculus Rift S, it needs anchors). $ 999. If you already have 1.0 base stations with the HTC Vive kit, you can save $ 250 and buy the hardware and remotes for $ 749. Just the headphones cost $ 499, the controllers $ 279 (for the pair) and the base stations $ 149 each.

For comparison, the Oculus Rift S costs $ 400, comes with two remotes and does not require a base station with headphone tracking. Now, when I said that the original release date was June 28th, that's only true if you pre-ordered when the Index came out. Shortly after, the date of shipment was changed in August and even in September from the date of publication.

Similar to HTC Vive, setting the index is probably the worst thing. j & # 39; was just released from my Oculus Rift base stations with the S and, although, thankfully, I no longer need both, connecting the basics of the Index was heartbreaking. Remember, it's the same Vive setup mindset that recommends "mounting hardware". Fortunately, the index itself only consists of two cords (DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 3.0): or one, if you want to shell out $ 40 more than the $ 1,000 of the VirtualLink adapter (and that your graphics card supports it).

Oh, and the helmet must be plugged into a power source. If your base stations are already up and running, it will not be an investment for a day, but work is needed. If you thought that all of the cables and devices above were sufficient, here's what the box below looks like after you've removed that layer. As you can imagine, all this adds up and suggests that the Index is not quite a first-time, easy-to-use VR device.

This is a helmet for enthusiasts, intended to usher in a new era of virtual reality. It comes with additional concessions for DIYers, better conveyed with the concept "frunk", with a USB 3.0 connector. The only goal of the frunk is to spark mods or custom helmet designs. As a person who built and repaired computers for a living, it was my kind of playground. Although I will go into technical details with the full review, the two things that should please to the general public are the controllers (which I will simply call Knuckles) and the audio system.

Although we can question on the importance of a leap in the display of the Index (and that it is noticeable in relation to the Vive ), Knuckle remotes are by far the most advanced aspect of the kit. They follow and simulate each of the five fingers individually (throw those devil horns after sending someone), which is a further step forward compared to the Oculus Touch controllers. Naturally, there are traditional buttons, a motion control and a small analog stick on each remote to help / control all kinds of games in the future, but the movement improvements are at the center of attention. . At the present time, as expected, there is a reduced amount of content to test these limits.

Valve allowed me to access the Aperture Hand Lab app: a Portal– A unique technology demo highlighting individual finger movement with some incredible Aperture Science robots. It's hilarious, it makes me want Portal, and as usual with these teasing: it's very very short and lasts about 10 minutes. Another technological demo, Moondust, you can start grenades by pressing them. A big draw is potential knuckle checks for games like Pavlov VRwho is a military SPF and do not a dog petting simulator, which allows you to handle firearms and ammunition in a way that mimics the real firepower. Arizona Sunshine and Holiday Simulator already have support for the joints during this preview period.

You can already experience it with the Oculus Touch remote controls (Forward, among others), but with full finger tracking, it's a bit more accurate. Having dropped objects manually by loosening up my grip took a while to get used to (in a good way). These things are worth buying alone, which many of you may end up doing if more developers commit.

The audio solution is also remarkable, especially as a result of the Oculus Rift S, which provides only a radial sound (or a 3.5mm bracket) in place of a real headphone (provided with Rift 1.0). The good thing about the Index, and the whole "comfort" angle, is that the device does not actually rest on your ears, but close to them, which avoids friction or the discomfort of long sessions of virtual reality. What is amazing is that the sound is booming and clear, which I could test to its limits with the rhythmic sound. Beat Saber.

I am a strong supporter of long-term integrated audio solutions designed for the headset. It is tedious to have to switch between an ideal solution between the Rift S, the PSVR and the Quest. It would have been very difficult to add an extra headphone in the mix. Instead, Valve has not skimped, which partly explains why the price is so high.

Again, my time has been limited so far and I do not have access to the full range of Steam / Valve treats; so expect a closer look closer to the launch with more details on fidelity, comparisons with the Rift S and technical breakdowns.

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