Hey there! In this post I’ll be sharing my views about the top affordable VR headsets of 2020. As a total newbie to the VR/AR tech scene, I did some digging around the web to gather insights into different VR headsets, and the 2 that stood out were the Oculus Quest 2, and HP reverb G2.

Oculus Quest 2 (https://developer.oculus.com/learn/oculus-device-specs/)

Many platforms currently hail Oculus Quest 2 as one of the best VR headsets to get, and their claims are not unfounded. Looking at the Oculus Quest 2 specs, it clearly has amazing software and support, a quick refresh rate, more than decent controllers, graphics quality, field of vision, acceptable sound quality… more than anything, it functions as a standalone device. As opposed to most other VR headsets that require multiple devices to work (such as the HTC Vive, requiring lighthouse positional trackers), with usability now measured by “how quick and easy is it to set up my device?”, a standalone device has a clear advantage above other devices in that aspect. However, it does mean that the Oculus weighs on the heavy side, with more hardware fitted onto the headset than its counterparts. But priced affordably at around 400 SGD, there are hardly any complaints to make about this headset.

HP Reverb G2 (https://www8.hp.com/us/en/vr/reverb-g2-vr-headset.html)

Another VR headset worth keeping an eye on is the HP reverb G2. Classified under windows mixed reality, this headset needs to be plugged into a gaming PC work. However, it’s amazing resolution of 2160 x 2160 with screen door effect almost eliminated far outstrips its competitors, making the VR environment feel virtually, well, real. This headset is light and comfortable, and has a great audio system that rivals the other VR headsets in the market. Although it sells at around 950 SGD, significantly higher than the Oculus Quest 2, it remains a relatively affordable choice for a quality VR experience.

Of course, there are other VR headsets worth keeping an eye on. If your budget can afford it, the Valve Index is a top of the line headset that boasts finger tracking and full body tracking. It might not be the best choice for users looking for an affordable VR experience, but for enthusiasts that are willing to splurge close to 3000 SGD on the most realistic VR experience technology has to offer currently, the Valve Index would definitely be a front line competitor.

– Shanon

Similar to the PC and smartphone industry, the AR/VR/MR industry is also catching up with high-end specifications that offer state-of-the-art gaming experience for users. I do not personally own any AR/VR/MR devices thus I hope this research would allow me to be better informed in any future purchases.

When looking to make any purchase, my top criteria is always value for money. In our current technologically advanced world, new cutting edge technology are developed every year that greatly surpass their previous counterparts. As such, I often restrain myself from spending outrageous amount of money on current high-end devices. Of course, saving on the financials does not necessarily mean that I am compromising the gaming or user experience.

VR Devices

Oculus Quest 2

The Oculus Quest 2 is my favourite pick among the VR devices on the market. Many reviewers have spoken about its low-end price while offering decent levels of gaming experience.

Its $431 price tag is significantly lower than its competitors while offering comparable resolution (1832 x 1920) and refresh rate (72 Hz). Furthermore, Oculus has also announced an update for its native 90Hz support. This helps to move Oculus Quest 2 up in the demand market especially among casual gamers and students with low or no income but are keen to explore the VR gaming world. For a closer comparison, it has about the same price tag as a Nintendo Switch Console.

Other than value for money, the Oculus Quest 2 also provides a wireless VR gaming experience. Personally, I feel that a wireless device provides much more convenience in terms of gaming experience similar to that of a wireless earphones and mouse. Especially in a VR device, I feel that this would bring about more comfort and ease of movement. Moreover, Oculus Quest 2 is also a standalone device which allows users without a PC to enjoy the same gaming experience, increasing its portability and user target pool.

From my research, the Oculus Quest 2 is definitely my current top choice if I were to purchase a VR device. However, in our fast-paced technology industry, I am excited to see if there will be new emerging VR devices that are able to surpass the Oculus Quest 2 in the months to come.

AR/MR Devices

In the field of AR/MR, the market pool is still considerably smaller as compared to VR devices due to its unexplored utility. VR devices are mostly use for gaming or immersive experience where users are brought to another “world” in the comfort of their room. As for AR/MR, many manufacturers and companies are driving towards real-world application such as productivity, brainstorming and even furniture planning. Natuzzi, an Italian furniture company, developed an AR app where it allows users to visualise furniture placements in their own homes.

Microsoft Hololens 2

The Microsoft Hololens 2 landed a lasting impression in me through a live demonstration by Microsoft (which can be found at the end of this post). Notably, it is able to detect human hands without any controller which provides a higher level of convenience as lesser devices are required. Coupled with its audio feedback, this hand-tracking ability allows a more immersive experience when users interact with the augmented components.

Being a large corporation, Microsoft also integrated its products into the Hololens 2. In the demonstration, the user was able to interact with a Microsoft Teams application through hand gestures and vocal commands. From the Hololens 2 documentation, Microsoft has pre-installed multiple software such as Photos, Mail, Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Store. I was intrigued as this posed limitless potential in terms of productivity and multitasking. As Microsoft also owns Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel etc.), Visual Studio and many other useful software, they are able to bring a work desk into AR/MR. As compared to their competitor, the Magic Leap One, Microsoft is miles ahead to create an entire ecosystem of an AR/MR work desk.

Moreover, the Hololens 2 also brought about convenience in team discussions and brainstorming where physical sketch panels, mood boards or simply scribbles can be saved virtually. This extends the potential of AR/MR and also aids in the digitalisation of such activity.

Currently, the Microsoft Hololens 2 is only available on an enterprise level at a steep price of US$3500. There has not been any news targeting at a consumer level. Hopefully in the many months to come, Microsoft is able to extend the potentials and functionalities of AR/MR to bring about positive changes especially in pandemic-stricken industries.

Introduction:

It is crazy how technology can redefine our realities, be it virtually, augmented or mixed. VR, AR and MR might appear to be synonyms of each other, but are actually distinguishable as they come from different places and seek to do different things. Currently, in the market, there are mainly 2 different categories of head wears. Generally, VR applications completely takes over user’s vision, blocking out your surroundings when you wear them. On the other hand, AR / MR applications adds on to your vision, projecting images over whatever you look at.

Virtual Reality:

My favourite VR headset is Valve Index. Of course, there are few other features to take into consideration, such as the price and space required. However, to judge the quality of VR headsets, my main considerations were tracking performance, field of view and how ergonomic the equipment is. Index offers eye-relief adjustment which allows the user to adjust the distance between lenses and his eyes, maximising the user’s view and comfort, especially for users who wear spectacles. Furthermore, Index has a physical IPD adjustment which ranges from 58mm to 70mm, enabling users to align the lenses with the width of his eyes for the sharpest visuals.
As seen in the table, clearly Index offers better tracking performance and field of view. It is also noted that it has one of the best controllers. Furthermore, it has one of the fastest refresh rates, making things feel even smoother and more present.
It was a tough fight between the Valve Index and the Oculus Quest 2, simply because the Oculus Quest 2 has a little bit of everything and is standalone, and only one third the price. But for me, Valve Index takes first place as it has better specifications for criteria’s I deem more important.

Augmented / Mixed Reality:

Mixed reality stands halfway between augmented and virtual reality where digital content is overplayed and interacts with the user’s environment in real time. Hence, for me, I have decided to rate the available head sets in terms of seamless transition, battery life and field of view.

My favourite head gear is the Microsoft HoloLens 2 smart glass. Firstly, it has great ease of use as users are able to control the device through gestures and gaze tracking as well as voice support. Microsoft has shown to have near seamless, fast and responsive eye and hand tracking. Also, the headset accurately maps and interacts with the users’ environment thanks to the 4 visible light cameras (head tracking), 2 IR cameras (eye tracking), 1-MP time-of-flight depth sensor and 8MP stills, 1080p30 video cameras. Instead of just measuring interpupillary distance, the embedded Sensors takes a 3D scan of the user’s eyes, enabling a fast and responsive system.

Furthermore, it has one of the best battery life, despite being lightweight. Battery life is especially important if the device is untethered. This is because it just wouldn’t make sense for an untethered gadget to require constant cable charging. Lastly, with the best FOV in the market, the Microsoft HoloLens 2 really outshines the other devices currently in the market.

Being an avid fan of VR myself, I had the chance to grab an Oculus Quest headset a few months after it was released. Watching the videos of what the Youtubers are experiencing with such an affordable and mobile headset opened the floodgates to many, which received one for their Christmas holidays. The key factor that drew me towards this headset was the lack of the need to have a powerful PC with a GPU as all the required hardware is inbuilt. This reduced the total overall cost and increased accessibility dramatically. Before the Oculus Quest, most headsets required tethering to the PC, and that restricted mobility of the device. Certain devices also required other background-position trackers, which limited use to a single room. However, the tethered devices do have their strengths as they are able to display much higher quality backgrounds for an improved user experience. Let’s look at the breakdown of a few of the most popular devices in the market right now. 

Popular VR Devices in the Market: 

My Choice: Oculus Quest 2 
 

Based on my experience with the Oculus Quest, I will gladly choose the Oculus Quest 2. Being not tethered to a PC is a huge plus and enables so many more people to open the door to VR experience. The price alone was also decreased to $299, making it more affordable to the masses. Even though there are more high-end devices that are in the market, I feel that if I will design an experience, I will do it on the console that has the highest uptake among the population. 

——– 

My first experience of mixed reality is at a tech conference, where I first tried on the Microsoft Hololens. The product presentation opened my eyes to the possibilities that presentations in the future can be conducted on a tabletop, and 3D topography will no longer be as complicated and can be easily visualized. As I was still in the military at that time, the most obvious use case was to have an interactive map on a desktop to easily plant outposts and plan for missions. 

Breakdown of Mixed Reality Headsets: 

My Choice: Microsoft Hololens 2 

Comparing these 2 devices that are dedicated for Mixed Reality, it is clear that they are targeted at professionals due to the relatively high sticker price. For consumers, it is still possible to experience mixed reality through traditional VR devices, such as the Oculus Quest, as it has cameras mounted on the outside, albeit at reduced accuracy (at the moment) and a solo experience. 

The experience that Microsoft Hololens provided enables multiple people to interact with a similar object on the table at the same time. This key feature is the one that draws me towards it, along with the better design as compared to Magic Leap, in my opinion. Being able to have a shared experience with others enables teamwork on the same tasks.