Virtual reality headsets comparison: what are the best VR glasses?

We debate which is the best virtual reality (VR) headset for gaming and viewing apps and films. Our VR glasses comparison includes the popular Oculus Rift, Playstation VR, HTC Vive, Samsung Gear VR, and Carl Zeiss VR One Plus. Share your experience on the discussion forum below.

Best VR headset

Virtual reality is finally a reality. Technology geeks are very excited. Watching movies, documentaries and series on a TV screen may soon become an old-fashion practice. The gaming world may be also be revolutionized by VR. You can now purchase or pre-order your VR system from your favorite stores. The big problem for early adopters is to make the right choice of platform. VR headsets require a considerable investment and there is already a relatively wide range of options to consider. Some of the major technology companies, such as HTC, Samsung, Sony and Carl Zeiss have jumped into the virtual reality world and have developed their first generation headsets and software. We have collected feedback from different experts in order to let you choose which are the best VR glasses. Find out the VR which best fits you either if you want a simple VR viewer or if you plan to engage in VR gaming.

VR Headset Comparison

• Samsung Gear VR: The South Korean company is among the first to experiment with VR. This VR hardware is compatible with Samsung Note 5, Galaxy S6 and S7. The quality of the experience may vary, from one phone to another. For instance the Samsung Gear VR has a 518 ppi pixel density with a Note 4 while with the newer Galaxy S7 it reaches 577 ppi. You simply need to fix your Samsung smartphone to the headset to use some of the apps which offer VR mode. On the negative side, this VR headset feels a bit bulky compared to others. However, the handset nicely slides into the front tray, making it more compact. Moreover the Samsung Gear VR has good build quality, offers a high resolution display and works with phones which are already very popular. Samsung Gear VR is out now and can be purchased by about $100 in the U.S. There is an optional controller which can be purchased with it.

• HTC Vive: the VR headset from the famous Taiwanese consumer electronics company offers, arguably, the most complete VR experience available today. Its advanced features come at a higher price than its competitors: $799. Moreover, as the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive requires a powerful PC to run. One of the main pros of this VR system is that it allows free movement, a feature that most other current systems have not developed. HTC Vive employes infra-red sensors to map the location and transfer it to the virtual space. It comes with two hand controllers to enhance the experience and facilitate the interaction with the virtual reality. This headset contains two 1080p screens and it is relatively light. HTC's software partnership with Valve means that it has potential to become the best gaming VR headset for PC.

• Oculus Rift: the development of the headset from Oculus, now part of the Facebook Group, is probably the one which has attracted more media attention over the last few years. It was designed to be the best virtual reality headset for gaming and was launched through a very successful Kickstarter crowdsourcing campaign. The Oculus Rift, despite being the pioneer, does not use room-technology and does not come with specific VR hand controllers yet. As an advantage, the Oculus Rift VR glasses have a significantly lower price, $600, than the HTC Vive, and it is even lighter and more comfortable to wear. Moreover, a sophisticated controller which tracks the movement of your hand, the Oculus Touch, is being currently developed to improve the experience. Currently the Oculus Rift comes with an XBox One controller. 

• Carl Zeiss VR One Plus: the German company Carl Zeiss has developed a high-quality VR viewer which is already available at an affordable price, $129. This VR headset supports many popular high end smarphones such as the iPhone 6, Samsung Galaxy S5, LG Nexus 5, Xiaomi MI3, Nokia Lumia 930, Sony Xperia Z2 and Huawei Ascend P7. Although there are a limited number of Zeiss apps, VR One Plus owners can also use the apps designed for Google Cardboard. It offers a sharp image with a 100-degree field view and allows users to wear glasses with the headset on.

• Sony Playstation VR: the virtual reality headset of the Japanese multinational has been created to dominate the VR console gaming market. Playtation VR, previously known as Project Morpheus, will arrive on 13 October 2016 at a cheaper price, $399 than its rivals in the gaming VR headset segment, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. Moreover, Sony PS4 gamers won't have to buy a high-end PC to enjoy the VR. Although Playtation VR uses a similar technology than the HTC and Oculus glasses, it delivers a lower screen resolution. Yet, Playstation VR offers headset is often considered the most comfortable, offers a 360-degree vision, a smooth 120Hz display, and 3D audio. More than 50 Playstation games with VR features are expected to be available by the date of the headset launch.

Samsung Gear VR vs Oculus Rift vs Playstation VR vs HTC Vive vs VR One Plus: which one would you recommend? Which one offers the best value for money?Which VR headset will have a longer lasting impact?

Watch this video showing some unexpected things you could do with VR:

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