The arrival of virtual reality headsets has been long anticipated. In fact, the development for the more popular ones began at least two years ago, and fortunately, for those who have patiently waited, two of the most sought after VR headsets are now available for purchase. Both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive were launched two weeks ago, and both headsets have generated much debate and fanfare.
However, one question still remains unanswered. Which one is the better VR purchase - the HTC Vive or the Oculus Rift? Below is a comparison that might be helpful for anyone who is interested in purchasing a VR device.
Hardware and Performance
Both headsets are equipped with two OLED panels with 2160 X 1200 resolution. The HTC vive and the Oculus Rift also have wider 110 degree view and 90Hz refresh rate, which is far better than Samsung GEar VR's 60 Hz. Moreover, the two devices require a Windows machine in order to function.
According to Digital Trends, the Rift recommends an Intel i5-4590 processor equipped with more than 8 GB of RAM, and should be running on Windows 7 SPI in order to achieve optimum function. The Vive, on the other hand, basically needs the same specifications for the computer it is tethered to; however, unlike Oculus Rift, HTC Vive requires an AMD Radeon R9 280 card, as opposed to the R9 290 the Rift recommends.
Unlike the Vive, according to Tech Radar, the Rift does not have a front camera and its VR space is limited to 5ft by 11ft, compared to the former's 15ft by 15ft.
Design
Both headsets are strapped to the head akin to swimming goggles. The Rift looks infinitely sleeker than HTC Vive. It looks like a black brick as compared to Vive's more bulbous headset. The Rift is also lighter than the Rift by less than 100 grams.
Price
The Oculus Rift is $200 dollars cheaper than the HTC Vive. The Rift sells for $600 while the Vive is priced at $800. However, unlike HTC Vive, Oculus Rift's touch controllers are sold separately. Taking the controller's into account, the Vive and the Rift would most likely cost the same.
Watch the comparison video of HTC Vive and Oculus Rift below:
(Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of Yibada.)