Sony has finally revealed the PlayStation VR release date and pricing details of their much-anticipated virtual reality headset.
The device will be priced at $399, something that many tech pundits believe is a huge blow in the face of Facebook with its Oculus Rift and HTC with its Vive VR. Unlike the two latter options that need more than capable PCs costing thousands of dollars to work with, Sony’s VR headset only needs a PlayStation 4 gaming console that costs about the same price and a bunch of controllers and other accessories. So, basically, assembling everything you need might cost you no more than $1000.
The Oculus Rift is available for $599; however, as pointed out earlier, it needs a PC that costs well over $1000 in order to get the best out of it. As far as the HTC Vive VR is concerned, you’ll need $799 for the headset and another $1000+ for the PC that works with. A quick look at things here reveals that the PlayStation VR is actually the cheapest way to get into virtual reality as compared to Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR.
PlayStation VR lagging behind Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR in terms of quality
Just recently, Sony chief seemed to agree that the PlayStation VR is still wanting when it comes to quality, especially when put head to head with other players in the industry, specifically the Oculus Rift.
You will come across a 5.7-inch OLED display and 1080p resolution on the PlayStation VR headset. The device also comes with sensors to allow 360-degree tracking as well as a refresh rate of 120Hz. The Sony headset also features a decent 100-degree field of view with a latency of less than 18ms.
When compared to what the Vive VR and Oculus Rift have, it is easy to see why Sony’s headset is priced lower than the other two.
Both the Rift and Vive VR have a resolution of 2160 by 1200 pixels. Although not full HD, it a lot better than what the PlayStation VR offers. In addition, the two headsets have a slightly better field of view – 110 degrees – as compared to their competitor.
Of course, this is not the time to start judging what is good and bad in VR because this technology is just coming in. As time flies, there will definitely be cheaper and highly-featured VR headsets, however, for now, it is better to stick with the device that is compatible with what you already have. Those with a PS4 can go for the PlayStation VR while those already using top-notch PCs can opt for either Oculus Rift or HTC Vive VR. In case you are starting everything from scratch, the PlayStation VR way is the cheapest to get into VR. However, the best experience is available on the two higher-end models, HTC Vive VR and Oculus Rift.