As much as virtual reality won't sell anywhere near as many units as a new console launch would just yet , the debut of both virtual reality headsets from Oculus VR and HTC/Valve, are some of the biggest product launches of the year. They've garnered hundreds of headlines, rabid fanboyism from both camps and ultimately a lot of discussion about which one you should buy if given the chance.
As with most new hardware launches, we'd caution caution and suggest waiting a few weeks to see how the chips lie after they've fallen. But that's where we are right now. Around two weeks after the Vive began shipping and (despite its problems) around three since the Oculus Rift first started showing up on doorstops, let's take a look at what the world thinks of the pair of them.
The Rift
Looking at the Rift first, because it was the first to market and the first VR headset to capture our hearts, all reports suggest it is a stellar product. Facebook and Oculus have clearly put a lot of time, effort, money and expertise into the creation of a very ergonomically comfortable, very attractive looking product.
It has a very well balanced weighting, built in headphones for reduced cabling and the fabric coating for the whole product is beautiful. It's hard wearing, but doesn't feel like a big chunk of plastic.
That overall polish extends to every aspect of the Rift, whether it's the constellation tracking camera, the remote control or indeed the box for the whole headset.
It's also comfortable over long periods thanks to its lightness and that means you don't need to adjust it while in use very often – something that can plague its rival and previous developer kit releases.
The content line up is reasonably strong, with a stable of interactive and passive experiences. Lucky's Tale is a delight for fans of old school platforming, while more serious gamers may prefer the recent Defence Grid sequel or something like Eve: Valkyrie – especially if you have a joystick and throttle handy.
That's not to say that the whole Rift experience is perfect of course. It is restricted to the gamepad, which means that as free as you are in VR, you are tethered to a relatively unnatural input method. If you're used to gamepads, you'll be fine and dandy, but good luck convincing your nan about the future of VR by handing her something as non-intuitive as an Xbox One controller.
You are also much more tethered with the Rift. The cable is shorter than the Vive's and without a chaperone system or twin tracking sensors, the space you can more around in is also more limited and more dangerous. It's doable, but standing and seated experiences, preferably facing forward, are what the Rift is mainly designed for.
And that's great, if that's the space you have. If you are looking to play racing games, space-sims and more traditional games, the Rift is a fantastic piece of kit.
Gizmag – Great, but second best -
TrustedReviews – 8/10
TechRadar – Excellent deisng, but tethered to PC
Engadget – Fully immersive VR, at a price
CNET – Fantastic, but lacks vital motion controls
The Vive
With an almost identical display technology powering it, you might think that the HTC Vive isn't much different from the Rift. That's where you and any reviewers expecting the same, would be very wrong.
Perhaps not quite as visually strong as the Rift, due to its more traditional fresnel lens design, the HTC Vive's overall construction is solid, but a little bit clunky. The headset itself is chunky and black plastic. It looks like a peripheral, but less friendly and aesthetically appealing then the Rift.
It can also be a little uncomfortable at times, slipping down the wearer's face and requiring a quick readjustment.
What the Vive might lack in ergonomics and visual finesse though, it more than makes up for in style and functionality. Unlike the Rift, it comes with a pair of VR motion controllers as standard and a pair of base station trackers, which allow you to walk around within whatever VR space you have. You'll need at least 2m x 1.5m to enjoy the "roomscale experience" that the Vive promises, but it's so worth it.
The controllers and overall tracking allow for a level of immersion that the Rift just cannot match right now and it even goes some way to countering any nausea problems that these first consumer headsets might face – even at high frame rates.
But that freedom of movement translates to better gameplay too. While some reviewers took off their Rift headsets impressed, but unsure as to why they would pay $600 for the privilege, in comparison many want one of their own Vive's – especially if they have the space to enjoy it.
That's also because the content library is already impressive. There's a number of must have games and experiences and a number of fun asides too. Space Pirate Trainer is fantastically fun and Job Simulator shows the sillier side of VR. There's deep RPGs and puzzlers already and the promise of high-end, AAA experiences within the next year.
You can even shoot other players while flying a hover craft in Hover Junkers. There's plenty to do and plenty to see.
And overall people seem to prefer doing it on the Vive. It might not be as comfortable, but it has shown what the future of VR is. While the Rift seems like the best headset we could imagine two years ago, the Vive is the headset that we'll remember as the one that really gave us our first look at the way we could interact with all sorts of things in the years to come.
Tomshardware – The Vive is the best VR experience right now
Engadget - A Tricky setup, but fantastic experience
PocketLint – A truly astounding experience -
Digitaltrends – forget the Rift, the Vive takes things to a whole new level
ExpertReviews – no real must plays, but you must play it. moment