Valve Index vs. HTC Vive Pro vs Oculus Rift S: the showdown of VR headsets

This is a historic week for fans of virtual reality games: like Facebook who dropped the details on the launch of the Oculus Rift S, Valve stepped in to offer his own details on his top helmet. Valve Index VR range.

It was a duplicate of the news of premium virtual reality that would radically transform the virtual reality landscape dominated largely by the less expensive and console-centric PlayStation VR.

The only problem with all these new options, however, is that two new headphones, along with the very pre-existing (and very good) HTC Vive Pro, could cripple potential users of high-end VR.

If all this valuable VR material leaves you confused, let us dispel the confusion, call the differences and generally compare the three most performing headsets that await us in 2019.

Here's how the HTC Vive Pro, Oculus Rift S and Index Vive pile up.

Design

As head-mounted peripherals, there are some similarities between these three headphones, but they all adopt somewhat different approaches.

the Oculus Rift S uses a Halo style headband with a button that squeezes it so that it fits snugly to the head. This helps reduce the pressure on your face from the screen case. There is also an adjustable band that goes over your head.

the HTC Vive Pro and Valve index use similar headband styles, with a band around the sides of your head and a top band. This style can cause a little more pressure on the front of your face. But, all three use a button to dial in the seal, making it very easy to put on and take off and suits different heads of users.

l & # 39; Audio

the Rift S Features small built-in speakers in the headband for stereo audio, but also includes a 3.5mm headphone jack for use with your own headphones. the Vive Pro has built-in headphones that you can position on your ears as needed. Meanwhile, the Valve index has an audio design similar to the Vive Pro, but uses small speakers that are not pressed directly on the ears.

Configuration, cameras and connectivity

The three headsets require cables connecting the headset to a powerful PC. the Valve index has a cable that splits at its end into USB 3.0, DisplayPort 1.2 and 12V power connectors. the HTC Vive Pro The cable connects to a junction box with power connections, DisplayPort and USB 3.0. the Oculus Rift S the simplest remains with a cable divides it into a USB 3.0 and HDMI connector.

The three helmets also have cameras on them. the Valve index includes two cameras at the front that aim slightly down, but they currently have no function. the HTC Vive has two on the front that aim straight, and they can enable native tracking of hands and fingers in some programs. the Rift S has five cameras, two at the front, two on the sides and one on the top, which can track and cross your environment when needed.

As we will see in more detail in the Follow-up section of this comparison, the Rift S only needs integrated cameras for virtual reality. Meanwhile, the Vive Pro and Valve Index also need external base station cameras to track the movement of headsets and controllers.

Display

Screens are an extremely important aspect of virtual reality headsets because they can help to make the experience or to break it. And, between Vive Pro, Valve Index and Rift S, the differences in display are considerable.

At the bottom of the pile is the Oculus Rift S. It uses a single fast-switching LCD display, resolution 2560 x 1440, with a refresh rate of 80Hz. Although this improves the original Rift resolution, it reduces the refresh rate and the LCD does not offer the rich black OLED panels. The helmet uses improved lenses that reduce the reflective aspects we had seen in the original Rift. However, there is only the IPD tuning software (to adjust the distance between your students), which does not have as much reach or efficiency as a hardware slider as moving screens and lenses.

the HTC Vive Pro intensify things with his displays. It uses two separate AMOLED displays, the combine for a resolution of 2880 x 1600 and a frequency of 90 Hz for smoother movements. Although AMOLED displays have problems with the virtual reality door screen effect, the improved Vive Pro resolution usually eliminates this problem. The Vive Pro offers a 110 degree field of view and a hardware IPD setting.

the Valve index dominates the field in many ways. With its two 5-degree sloped screens, it offers a 130-degree field of view with a hardware IPD fit. And, this view is sharp with a combined resolution of 2880×1600. Although this resolution corresponds to that of Vive Pro, Valve uses LCD screens with more subpixels than conventional pentile OLED screens, which makes the images sharper. In addition, Valve offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz up to 144 Hz for incredibly smooth images that can dramatically improve immersion.

Although the Valve Index LCD screen may not offer a contrast ratio as impressive as that of OLED displays, the rest of the set seems to allow it to stay on top of its competitors.

followed

We will start with the Oculus Rift S because it has a unique system compared to others.

the Rift S uses what is called backwards tracking. Using the five cameras built into the helmet, the Rift S traces the area around you and, as you move, changes its view to VR. There is no need for external cameras to track his movements. This makes it the simplest to set up. The cameras also follow the movements of the controller. However, in the absence of cameras at the back of the helmet, the Rift S must guess their movements and can not track them accurately behind the backs of users.

Both HTC Vive Pro and Valve index use outside tracking. This requires external cameras placed around a play area to monitor the movements of the headphones and controllers. Two cameras can effectively create a large gaming space and track the controller's movements, even behind the backs of users. The installation process is however more complex. The overlap does not stop there either, as both helmets can use the same SteamVR 1.0 and 2.0 base stations.

controllers

the Vive Pro uses the same wand controllers as the original Vive. They have side buttons, triggers, two thumb buttons and a touch wheel on the top.

the Rift S uses new controllers with side handles, triggers, two thumb buttons, a menu button and an analog stick. These buttons are also capacitive, so the Rift S detects if your thumb is resting on it even if they are not depressed.

the Valve index Controllers go much further. On the one hand, they use straps that hold them to your hands, so you do not need to hold them by the hand to keep them in your hands. They also have triggers, two thumb buttons, a system button, a vertical touch pad for thumbs, an analog stick and handle sensors. The combination of buttons, sensors, and pressure sensitivity allows the controller to track each finger independently for more realistic and nuanced reproduction of your hands in virtual reality.

Price

the Oculus Rift S really stands out for its price. At $ 399 (about £ 300, AU $ 550), it's by far the cheapest. This price includes the headphones, controllers and all the equipment needed to use the Rift S. The Rift S also offers easy access to Oculus' exclusive games list. (Although other headsets can access many of these games through workarounds). For ease of access to virtual reality, it is certainly the winner, especially since its use does not require as much to a PC.

The HTC Vive Pro and Valve Index are both considerably expensive. the HTC Vive Pro A helmet costs 799 USD (799 USD), and to get two controllers and the set of SteamVR 1.0 base stations, you will add 299 USD to the price.

the Valve index manages to fly under the HTC Vive Pro. For the helmet alone, you will pay $ 499 (£ 459, about AU $ 710). And, for a complete package that includes Index controllers and SteamVR 2.0 base stations with enhanced range and field of view, you'll need to pay $ 999 (£ 919, about $ 1,425 AUD).

You can, however, save a little money on the HTC Vive Pro or Valve Index if you already have another VR hardware. Both helmets can use their controllers and their tracking base stations. So, for example, if you have Vive base stations and controllers, you can just buy the Index Headset and enjoy all the features.

Nevertheless, both devices are more expensive and, with their higher resolution screens and high refresh rates, they also require a more powerful computer (read: expensive) to operate.

So which one is right for you?

Without holding the Valve Index in our hands and playing certain games with him, it's hard to say for sure which high-end headset will win the day. We certainly like the more affordable price of the Oculus Rift S as well as how it tracks your movement without the use of external base stations, but its specifications leave something to be desired.

That said, if you want the most premium VR package, the Valve index It is worth the wait – its controllers add an extra layer of immersion to virtual reality and offer a higher field of vision, a very important specification for virtual reality games.

Last but not least, the HTC Vive Pro With its high-resolution display and compatibility with third-party hardware, it may be more sensible for virtual reality designers and arcade owners to become obsolete after the release of Valve Index later this year. For the moment, however, it is a proven gaming headset that is a significant advance over the original Oculus Rift and HTC Vive models.

Overall, we are very hopeful that the Valve Index will represent everything that the company promised a few years ago by claiming to work on virtual reality. This is perhaps the revolutionary hardware that the PC needs to catch PlayStation VR.