The most important part of the decision making process for consumers when purchasing new hardware is invariably bang-for-your-buck, but what that means to the individual could be very unique. Is it the amount of features? The quality of the product? The software line-up? Or simply the price? With it now being just over one year after the launch of the first two high-end virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays (HMDs), VRFocus takes a look at each of these aspects for the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive.
The Oculus Rift made its consumer debut on 28th March 2016, while the HTC Vive followed shortly after on 5th April 2016. Since that time the VR landscape has changed considerably. In the three years since VRFocus launched, VR has become an entirely different animal, and the last year has brought with it more change than stability. We can assess where the modernisation of the industry has been spurred on from – beginning way back in 2012 with the Oculus Rift Kickstarter, through the development kits and the many competitors that emerged – but this history is already well trodden ground. Instead, let’s look at where we are right now and what could lie in wait.
At present, Oculus VR is trying to establish an audience for the Oculus Rift. Following the launch of the Oculus Touch late last year we’ve seen numerous new videogame titles announced as exclusive to the platform. Further to this, we’ve seen a price cut for the hardware arguably making the HMD a much more competitive product. Conversely, there’s been no such movement on the HTC Vive, with HTC instead looking towards new opportunities for their product to aid immersion through additional purchases, including the recently launched HTC Vive Tracker puck.
Of course, we’ve also got mobile VR – namely, the Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream – to consider, along with the PlayStation VR. The Samsung Gear VR is arguably the most mature HMD available today, while the Google Daydream and PlayStation VR are still in their infancy. These three alternatives target very different audiences to the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, but the five together are undeniably leading the pack not only in terms of audience mindshare, but also in terms of quality hardware and content.
The below articles will cover all of this, as well as reminding you of the core differences between the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive. Hopefully this feature will help you to decide which HMD you should invest in, if you are yet to purchase one, or remind you of just why you got into VR in the first place and what you should be excited for. Remember to stay right here at VRFocus for all the latest news on both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive!