Technology is developing very quickly these days. What 20 years ago was only in the minds of science fiction writers is now quite realizable in life. For example, if you have seen the movie Ready Player One, you must have been very impressed by the idea of creating such a world in virtual reality, where you can be anything and do anything. Today such a possibility is getting closer, as advanced virtual reality headsets are already on the market.
In fact, the VR market can already present many different interesting models. However, at the moment it is all at the very beginning of its journey. However, after the announcement of Meta about the creation of their virtual Metaverse, the topic of VR has become relevant again. Many users today wonder if it makes sense to spend money to buy a VR headset now.
Do you really need a VR headset
Many people are already wondering if they should buy a VR headset to keep up with the times and begin to explore the technology of virtual reality in its early days. It’s a good question and it’s always a good thing to want to learn something new.
However, the biggest question remains whether it is worth spending the money. Even the cheapest headset will cost a couple of hundred dollars, and in addition to the headset itself, you may need other equipment which can cost a lot more. For example, you may need to connect your VR headset to the PC.
Also, to use the VR headset you need a room where there will be a lot of space. You may need quite a lot of time to set up the VR. In addition, many people are wary of VR technology because they think that it can stop its development in the near future and become useless.
If you decide that you want to learn more about the available VR headsets to see if you should buy them now or wait, then it will not be as difficult as it may seem.
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Why you might need VR
In fact, there is not much practical use for VR headsets at the moment. They’re created mainly for entertainment. Although there are already different technologies that in the future will allow using VR technology to train specialists, for example, to teach pilots to fly planes or mechanics to drive trains.
If you decide that you need a VR headset then first you need to understand what you’re going to use it for. I would distinguish 3 main areas in which consumer VR technology is used now. They are playing video games in virtual reality, communicating with people in virtual universes, and doing creative work.
If with the first two points it is clear, that there are different video games and created a lot of VR chat rooms, on the last one many people have a question, how can you do creative work in VR?
In fact, this is quite an interesting topic as there are different programs that give you a lot of opportunities to implement your weirdest and most interesting ideas. How do you like the idea of creating a movie where you can play all the characters in turn or invite your friends as actors? What about creating your own world in VR or even a small video game with visual programming. Besides in VR you can also draw, make sculptures, and do many other things. If you’re a creative person it will help you develop your imagination into real digital projects.
What games are available in VR
perhaps the most popular thing about VR headsets is virtual reality gaming. They allow you to fully immerse yourself in the gameplay and try on the appearance of your character. With this approach you can experience all the dizzying adventures practically “live” and it is very interesting.
In fact, VR games really quite well done and constantly evolving. Many projects are made with heart and a good idea, they added realistic physics and there are many interesting features that can not give you a regular console or PC.
Of course, among the most popular games, we can highlight Half-Life: Alyx, The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, and Boneworks. To date, these are the biggest VR games that reveal their full potential. In addition, there are a lot of smaller projects, a lot of different indie projects, and exclusives for the PS VR. Just a special niche occupied by games such as Beat Saber, such arcade games are ideal for parties and just meetings with friends.
In general, at the moment not so many projects for VR, but their list every year is expanding and the market for VR games today is quite peculiar.
Is there are any disadvantages to buying a VR headset
If we talk about the disadvantages of using VR today, then we’re talking about physical limitations. The first problem is that the headset can be quite heavy and game sessions that last more than half an hour can become very tedious for you.
Another unpleasant problem is that many users have noted that they get nauseous when using VR frequently. This is especially true for projects that are designed to keep your avatar moving in virtual space. Although the developers have found a way out of this situation and now instead of the usual walk you offer to move by teleporting from point to point.
Also, a problem can be the fairly high price of the most modern VR headset. For example, the price of one of the best VR at the moment Valve Index reaches $ 1000. In addition, in the case of the Valve Index, you will need to place a few sensors in the room to track your movements. This can be quite inconvenient because you will most likely have to mount them on the wall.
You should also keep in mind that to use any VR headset you need a fairly large room where you can freely wave your arms and move at least a few steps in all directions.
What are the most popular VR headsets
Among the popular headset for BP, the most popular in 2022 are 4 headsets. These are Valve Index, HTC VIVE PRO, Oculus Quest 2, and PS VR. The most popular in terms of sales is the PS VR. This is largely due to the fact that you only need a regular PS4 or PS5 (depending on the version of PS VR) to use it. It is also the cheapest, its price reaches $200-300.
The optimal option for beginner VR users will be Oculus Quest 2. It doesn’t require any additional sensors to track your movements, the cameras built into the headset do their job. In addition, it has its own internal operating system with all additional functions like factorу reset, which allows it to work separately from the PC and run some games and programs directly on the headset. It is also the only headset that can connect to a PC via a Wi-Fi network. For other VR headsets, you will need to use a wired connection. Prices start at $300.
If you want maximum quality then you should look at the most expensive model of Valve Index, HTC VIVE PRO. These VRs can track your entire body with special sensors. In addition, for example, controllers Valve Index allow their users to track the movement of all 5 fingers, while other controllers usually offer the ability to use only two fingers. The cost of these headsets starts at $800-$1000.
Read also:
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What else do you need to run VR
If you think that all you have to do is buy yourself a VR headset and you’re ready to start diving into VR technology, you’re a little mistaken. There are headsets that can work on their own, but their power will be enough only for the most simple games and programs, for example, you can see a list of such programs in the Oculus app store. If you need to run something more powerful, you should pay attention to the fact that you will need to connect the selected headset to the PC, which has already been able to run all the games and programs.
Since a good picture in VR you need to have your PC to run the game or program with a high number of frames, you need a fairly powerful system for this. The developers recommend using VR in conjunction with systems not lower than the following parameters:
| Processor | Intel Core i5-4590/AMD FX 8350 equivalent or newer model |
| Graphics processor | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060, AMD Radeon RX 480 equivalent or newer model |
| RAM | 4GB RAM or more |
| Video Output | HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort 1.2, or a newer model |
| USB port | 1x USB 2.0 or newer model |
| Operating system | Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows 7, Windows 8.1 |
And considering that in recent years the world had a shortage of components for the PC and they’re quite expensive it could also be a problem. A good option would be to try a VR headset in some VR club where you can dive into VR for an hourly fee and if you find that you really need it then you can safely build yourself a good PC and a VR headset.
