Desktop VR Headsets for 2018

Last year proved to be a watershed year in the world of VR. The technology edged towards mainstream acceptance and prices slowly started to drop. With the shipment of Microsoft’s Mixed Reality platform, standardization is also starting to happen. This upcoming year will see the technology get even better, with higher screen resolutions, lower prices, and better tracking. In this article, I’m going to look at what’s available now for desktop VR headsets in 2018. 

What to look for in a VR Headset

Since VR is a rather new technology, it can be confusing as to what features are important. When it all boils down, a VR headset is really just another display on the computer. In that respect, the size of the display is very important, as are refresh rate and color depth. Lower resolution displays can give you what’s called the “screen door” effect, where the individual pixels are visible and the VR world looks like it is being viewed through a screen door. Most current headsets have resolutions a little bit above 2K resolution, which can still look a little grainy. On the horizon are 4K and possibly 8K screens which should smooth things out considerably. For refresh rates, the higher the better. Lower refresh rates are more likely to induce dreaded motion sickness. Current headsets top out at 90hz for refresh.

Tracking is another big concern. While the headset is primarily a display, the fact that it does “VR” means that the display needs to be tracked to the movement of your head in real time. This tracking can be done either through external tracking stations that triangulate to the headset, or via internal tracking. Typically, external tracking is more accurate, but it requires that you configure the room by placing the tracking stations and linking them to the headset. Internal tracking, while less accurate, can be used anywhere and is better for those on the go.

Comfort can also be a deciding factor. Lighter headsets are certainly more comfortable over the long haul, but usually the more technically capable headsets also are the heaviest, since they’re packing more technology into the goggle. Other ergonomic factors such as ventilation and the padding on the straps can also play a role. So, when deciding, try on headset, if you can.

Finally, there is the issue of software support. Some applications and games will still only work with certain headsets, so that fact alone may drive your decision. Those incompatibilities, however, are fading as the technology matures. Microsoft’s Mixed Reality environment offers a common software interface and I suspect that 2018 will see convergence on standardization across manufacturers.

As it stands today, “desktop” means Microsoft Windows, simply because Apple’s MacOS hasn’t quite caught up in the area of dedicated VR. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what is currently available for the desktop.

Oculus Rift

Probably the granddaddy of modern VR headsets, the Oculus has certainly earned a name for itself.  It is arguably the most popular headset on the market, and a recent price drop to $399 (with two handheld controllers) has kept it cost-competitive with newer headsets. The hand controllers are compact and easy to use. Headphones are included with the headset. The Rift has wide software support throughout the VR community, including support from Steam as well as software companies such as Autodesk, Unity, and Unreal.

Hardware specs : Two 1080x1200screens for a resolution of 2160x1200 with a 110 degree field of view. The headset is externally tracked, requiring two base stations be positioned in the room. 

HTC Vive

After Oculus, the HTC Vive was the second dedicated VR system to hit the market, and it earned the reputation as the higher end VR system, and the higher price seems to reflect that. The screen size and refresh rates of the Vive are pretty much identical to the Oculus, but there are some other differences. The Vive has a front-facing camera that can pass through to the headset, allowing you to “see” the room without taking off the headset. The hand controllers are much larger than those of the Oculus, and I find them a little less ergonomic, though the touch pads are quite useful. The Rift has wide support throughout the VR community, including support from Steam as well as software companies such as Autodesk, Unity, and Unreal.

Hardware specs : Two 1080x1200screens for a resolution of 2160x1200 with a 110 degree field of view. The headset is externally tracked, requiring two base stations be positioned in the room. 

HTC Vive Pro

At the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show, HTC announced the Vive Pro. This headset focuses on premium features. The Pro includes dual-OLED displays for a crisp picture resolution of 2880 x 1600 combined, a 78% increase in resolution over the current Vive. The Vive Pro also features integrated, high-performance headphones with a built-in amplifier. Ergonomics have been improved with a new headstrap that includes a sizing dial for a more balanced headset that decreases weight on the front of the headset. Additional improvements include dual microphones with active noise cancellation and dual front-facing cameras.

Another benefit to both the Vive and Vive Pro is the possibility of true wireless. A separate wireless unit can be configured for use with the HMDs, allowing for a degree of freedom not seen on the other wired headsets covered here. The Vive also has much better tracking, allowing for a 15 foot wide area, compared to a 5 foot wide area for the Rift.

Windows Mixed Reality

Fairly new to the scene are Windows Mixed Reality headsets. These include headsets from a number of manufacturers that all meet a hardware standard defined by Microsoft. Since this is a standard hardware definition, manufacturers can reduce development costs and, hopefully, reduce prices. 

The term “mixed reality” might be a bit confusing to some, but this first generation of headsets are pure virtual reality. That means the reality displayed on these headsets is entirely computer-generated (i.e. virtual).   In order to truly “mix” CG and reality, you’ll have to step up to something like the Hololens.

The standard Windows Mixed Reality hardware has a resolution of 2880x1440,which is higher than either the Vive or the Rift. The Windows headsets are internally tracked, which means no base stations. While this makes setup a lot easier, it does have a cost in reduced accuracy. You’ll witness this mostly during quick movements of the body and/or head. Since the headset is also tracking the hand controllers, these can also be less accurate. The hand controllers themselves are lightweight and compact, though I think Oculus still has an edge in ergonomics.

As of today, the software support for Windows Mixed Reality is not as robust as the Vive or the Rift, games and applications must be downloaded through Microsoft’s own portal. This, however, will change quickly, as the hardware is quite new and most vendors have announced support. Steam is already underway, for example, and others will follow. Because Windows Mixed Reality is an operating system standard, I suspect that most vendors will write to it.

As of today, there are a number of Windows Mixed Reality headsets on the market. In terms of hardware specs, these are more alike than different. The design and ergonomics, however, vary widely. With that in mind, here’s a list of current headsets and some of the (minor differences). The most notable differences are design; field of view, and in the case of the Samsung Odyssey, a better quality display and built-in headphone.

Acer WMR: 1440 x 1440 per eye (2880 x 1440 combined), LCD display, 95 degree field of view.

ASUS HC102: 2880 x 1440 single display, LCD display, 95 degree field of view.

Dell Visor: 1440 x 1440 per eye (2880 x 1440 combined), LCD display, 110 degree field of view.

HP WMR headset: 1440 x 1440 per eye (2880 x 1440 combined), LCD display, 95 degree field of view.

Lenovo Explorer: 1440 x 1440 per eye (2880 x 1440 combined), LCD display, 105 degree field of view.

Samsung Odyssey: 1440 x 1600 per eye (2880 x 1600 combined), AMO LED display, 110 degree field of view. Integrated AKG Headphone.

Pixmax

Finally, there is one more disrupting force in the market, and that is Pixmax, a Chinese manufacturer that is producing much higher resolution displays for a competitive price.  This company seems to be at the front edge of a trend that may see Chinese manufacturers undercutting the old guard. Currently, there are two Pixmax headsets on the market – the 4K, which is shipping now, and an 8K, which is coming to market soon.  Both of these offer support for Steam, which makes them quite competitive in the gaming market.

Both of these headsets are internally tracked, so like the Windows Mixed Reality headsets, they will be slightly less accurate when it comes to positioning. That said, they will be easier to set up.

Pixmax 4K is a $339 headset that offers a 3840x2160 display (1980x2160 per eye). This means that it isn’t really a “4K” display, since it delivers 2K to each eye. This is still a lot more resolution than other headsets, but this resolution comes at the cost of a 60fps refresh rate (compared to 90fps for the others). This means that, while the “screen door” effect may be diminished, the possibility of motion sickness increases slightly.  Field of view is set at a respectable 110 degrees.

Pixmax 8K has been anticipated ever since they launched a very successful Kickstarter campaign. The 8K basically doubles the screen size to 7680x2160 (3840x2160 per eye) and uses this extra screen real estate to widen the field of view to a whopping 200 degrees. Because the pixel height is identical to the 4K version, and the field of view is wider, it uses the pixels differently than the Pixmax 4K. This means it won’t exactly be “double” the resolution seen by the eye in terms of pixel density. The larger screen is also very graphically demanding, requiring two dedicated displayport connections. One nice thing about the 8K is that Pixmax is planning a wireless module that will, hopefully, free the user from tripping over cables. 

It's great that we're seeing so much choice in 2018 and I think any of the headsets covered in this article would be a great introduction to desktopVR.