There are a lot of little differences between this device and its two primary competitors, the Vive and the Rift; but there’s one feature that makes this device SO much better than either of those: the quickness and ease of setup. Even if every other component was merely equal or slightly worse, this would still be my preferred device because the ease with which you can just start playing is so much higher that within two weeks I had already put more hours into this set than I did with the two years I owned the Rift.
* NO EXTERNAL ANYTHING. No lighthouses, no camera sensors, nothing you have to take with you and set up before you can plug yourself in (except the computer obviously!). The internal cameras register your environment amazingly well, even in a room with just a single lamp in the middle of the night. That means that if you are going to be most frequently using your device in a general living space where cables strewn about and black cameras/boxes in the corners would be unsightly and/or inconvenient to set up and take down each time, this is the perfect alternative. And for taking your VR experiences on the go, there is simply no contest. I really can’t emphasize enough how important this one difference in implementation is for my ability to use and enjoy VR. Oculus and Valve are going to have to play catchup in this regard.
Alright, on to the other stuff:
Comfort: largely subjective, but I prefer this over my Rift. While the Rift technically is lighter, this device distributes the majority of the weight onto the stiff crown component which means that most of the weight is across your head while the faceplate itself puts on much less pressure. The Rift largely stays put by being squeezed against your face which can get uncomfortable and can make it more wobbly (since all of the weight is at the front). Also, the padding on this is much softer than the foam on the Rift, which means that it’s better able to be fully flush against your face. But people have varied opinions on this overall. (Side note: since it’s fake leather instead of foam, it doesn’t absorb liquid, which means that it’s easy to use an alcohol-free antibacterial wipe on it after each play through to keep it clean unlike the Rift and Vive which will suck up the sweat. Eww.)
Screens/lenses: it has a higher resolution than the Rift and Vive (it’s equal to the Vive Pro), and that’s critical for some games with small text (Elite: Dangerous benefits hugely). People say it has a higher “sweet spot” (the range of clarity from the center of the lens) but I can’t strongly tell. Also, people say it has fewer “god rays” than the Rift, but I have noticed an equally strong “reverse god rays” which takes the lights from the fringe and diffuses it toward the center which can be equally annoying. It has a hardware-adjustable IPD setting (inter-pupillary distance, basically how spread apart your eyes are), and that elevates it above the rest of the Windows Mixed Devices family (the Rift and Vive both have it too).
Audio: it has built-in headphones which once again makes it easy to just get in and play. They’re not amazing, I wish the bass were stronger, but I’m definitely satisfied. The Rift has this too, the Vive does not (without buying the separate deluxe head strap), and none of the other Windows Mixed Devices do either.
Controllers: this is the one significant downside. There is no getting around the fact that the Rift’s controllers reign supreme in pretty much every way over every other VR device. These are larger, less ergonomic, and have a limited tracking range comparatively. THAT SAID, I do find them quite comfortable to use, the tracking (which disappears about the same place as your vision does) has rarely affected my ability to enjoy my experience in any meaningful way, and the inclusion of both a trackpad and a joystick allows easier interoperability with Vive or Rift optimized games and is really just great to use. They could definitely be better, but unless you know what you’re missing out on and are really looking for the flaws, you’ll be satisfied.
Buying this device was a risk for me, but I took it because I was frustrated by how much the Rift was gathering dust because my inability to give it a designated and permanent play space meant that the hassle of setting up the cameras each time I wanted to play was just not worth it. That problem is completely gone now, and I can go from “I want to play” to “I’m playing!” In under 30 seconds with no setup whatsoever. That is absolutely critical and makes this hands-down the best VR device available today. I’m so glad I tried this out, and I strongly recommend giving it a go yourself!
| Standing screen display size | 3.5 Inches |
|---|---|
| Wireless Type | Bluetooth |
| Average Battery Life (in hours) | 15 Hours |
