FOVE is the newest entrant in the VR arena that gives 120 fps eye tracking as the next generation of VR controls and coming from a highly successful Kickstarter. Its eye tracking gives you a new world of possibilities in both gaming and non-gaming applications. It is based around both how the eye interacts with an image, and how it serves as a cue for emotions.

Foveated Rendering is one of the biggest benefits, and it amplifies rendering power where the eye is focused and at the same time reduces the render of peripheral scenery. Without significantly impacting immersion, the hardware requirement of the FOVE VR is reduced. As a matter of fact, in some contexts, foveated rendering works to optimize immersion, such as when it is employed through a depth of view effect which can blur out distant scenery when seeing close-up objects, and vice versa.

Even with this HMD’s high-quality screen, all these features make both eye and your GPU to perform conveniently. Presently, FOVE prototypes come with a 5.8-inch screen and have a resolution of 2160×1440, a rough 100° FOV, and low-latency tracking.

The system lends as well as to game development and comes in handy in the assistance of handicapped, even in medical research and much more and this like one of the coolest things about FOVE. Currently, FOVE still needs to hit the perfect balance in eye tracking, as the eye moves far faster than what is perceived by our vision as a result of a process called saccadic suppression. This could certainly bring about hiccups in tracking, particularly when combined with head tracking.

What We Liked

• It comes with an advanced eye-tracking that adds a new level of control and immersion
• Its foveated rendering lightens graphical requirements
• It has a resolution of 2160×1440 WQHD and 100°+ FOV

Sign up to Pre-order Fove

What We Didn’t Like

• Work still needs to be done on its eye-tracking sensitivity so as to get saccadic movement
• There could be an issue of Funding for a larger release

   2. StarVR

Starbreeze Studios came off as the definition of an underdog when they showed up unannounced at E3 2015 with their new StarVR headset still being worked on. Even though no one expected their partnership with InfinitEye. the partnership as gamers thrilled as StarVR looks forward to a release that will establish new benchmarks for VR.

The biggest feature of StarVR is its display, and it is essentially a 5K resolution as a result of its ultra-wide FOV, 210° horizontal and 130° vertical. This is twice what any other VR headset gives at this time, and it can even go 75% farther than the limit of human field of vision. What this implies is that the game is rendering extra content even above your peripheral vision, nearing full visual immersion.

It comes with two 5.5 inch QHD displays which offer a resolution of 2560×1440 QHD per eye (5120×1440 total), and while their current E3 2015 prototype comes with a refresh rate of 60 Hz, they project that their final product will release with a 90 Hz refresh rate.

One obvious downside is that the HMD will have much more demanding minimum specs, making at a significant expense to provide this sort of display. There are most definitely trade-offs present at this point,  

So long as the StarVR presented at E3 2015 was just a prototype, then much is subject to change. One thing that is bound to be improved is the StarVR’s positional tracking, which is currently managed via QR codes. Using QR codes is handy because it allows the natural use of additional accessories, but Starbreeze is already in works on ways to improve this system

What We Liked

• It comes with a 5120×1440 resolution and 210° FOV
• It has a QR-based positional tracking which can easily incorporate accessories
• It is usually  produced alongside the custom Valhalla game engine

What We Didn’t Like

• As at the time of writing this article, a release date for this unit is not certain
• .Its Custom engine may only work with Starbreeze Studios games
• Its FOV which is unconventionally wide will require a very high-performing PC GPU

  3. Zeiss VR One Plus

With a set up that offers an alternative mobile-based HMD rivaling Samsung’s Gear, VR – the precision Lens crafter have now entered the VR arena as well.Its low price tag gives it quite enough traction to become the complete entry point into virtual reality and while its feature set is lighter than that of the Gear VR.

In a surprising move, Zeiss has made mobile VR reachable to those with any smartphone powerful enough to run the software. This is done by using a tray system to fit a variety of phones into the headset.

You can purchase one that comes with either an iPhone 6, Galaxy S5, or Galaxy S6 phone tray, or you can have your 3D printed if you’re a user of any other type of smartphone order than those mentioned above, as long as the screen size is between 4.7 and 5.2 inches.

Picture resolution is dependent on the particular kind of phone you are using with the VR One (as is processing, audio, and tracking), but the Zeiss precision lenses give an FOV of about 100°. You can rest assured that the lenses are top quality, and do not provide any blurry, headache-inducing visuals. Ensuring you get the best picture available, it comes with several ventilation openings that prevent the lens from fogging.

This Virtual reality headset is sleek and comes in a reasonable size, but you will most probably need the overhead strap to give it a good fit. Apart from the two touch-sensitive side surfaces, there are no buttons on the device, which works well enough but can be puzzling for those who are new to VR.

Any open source platform that already has loads of content available and any apps that have been developed for unity3D SDK can support The Zeiss VR. This VR Headset also comes with a couple of proprietary apps, which includes the VR One Media Center app, which enables you to launch other downloaded VR apps without having to remove the headset. There is a lot of potential for growth on the software end, as the VR One even offers a see-through front shield, which enables the use of smartphone cameras for augmented reality apps.

Find more Zeiss VR One Plus information here.

The VR One performs everything you would want it to, particularly considering the incredibly low price. Nonetheless, you can’t be sure if this and other smartphone-based VR headsets will continue to evolve at the same speed as the standalone HMDs, or even PC-based VR.

What We Liked

• This VR headset can support any smartphone with screens between 4.7 – 5.2 inches (no PC needed)
• It comes at a highly affordable price
• It has a strong app support

What We Didn’t Like

• It requires separate smartphone tray
• Its built-in controls are quite minimal
• Since it is a mobile-based VR headsets, it might not have the same longevity

Buy the Zeiss VR One Plus here.

   4. Visus VR

With Visus your ambitions are bound to run high, as they aim to disrupt both PC-based and mobile-based VR headsets by using them both to design one ultra-affordable gaming HMD.

The main idea of Visus VR is to use your already owned iOS or Android smartphone as a wireless display, as it leaves the heavy image processing to your PC’s high-end Nvidia GTX graphics card. Although it has garnered much disbelief, Visus’ wireless display doesn’t plan to go and has it got some appealing specs. The headset will work on most smartphones, and the resolution will vary from one model to another.

You know most smartphone screens have at least HD screens, Visus rather focuses on delivering the lowest latency in transmitting video data from PC to smartphone, and head tracking data from the HMD to your PC.

It can provide HD (1280×720) video in about a 110° FOV (depending on the phone model) at a latency of roughly 70ms, a fairly appealing number for wireless data transmission. Visus’ advertised 30ms ultra-low latency could only be gotten with standard graphical output, which may not be as pretty, but it will be highly functional.

Nevertheless, both output modes have a latency well below the 100ms mark at this point motion sickness starts to set in as a result of visible lag, for headsets triple its price the Visus VR will perform 60Hz V-synced tracking. Even though this does mean that content will be more or less capped at HD quality, as this is also the case for any headset, as HDMI cannot provide the proper fps for immersive UHD or 4K VR.

Another incredible feature of the Visus VR is its Tridef 3D software, which removes the need for specially-made VR content.

Tridef works by assuming control of a game’s player camera and rendering it in stereoscopic 3D, creating immersive 3D content from 2D titles. Its determined head tracking also transmits data from HMD to PC game via mouse emulation, which means that tracking controls will universally support any game that uses mouse input.

Visus’ VR also plans to come with several other features to round out the experience, including a headphone jack of 3.5mm that allows you to connect any pair of headphones. There’s also an anti-fog air channels to prevent lens fogging, it also comes with a 2000 mAh built-in battery pack made to keep your phone charged up to an extra 4 hours as you use it as your wireless display. Despite all these enticing features, Visus still has not shipped out any units, so the eager public will have just to wait and see.

There have been some predictions that the fact that it takes any phone it may cause geometric distortion and chromatic aberration, as it also stands to reason that adjustable lenses can correct this with ease.

What We Liked

• It has a highly affordable price
• This VR headset supports any smartphones with screens between 4.7 – 6 inches
• It has Tridef 3D software that can render any 2D game in stereoscopic 3D

What We Didn’t Like

• It requires both a smartphone and a Nvidia GTX or GTXm 600+ graphics card
• This headset only supports up to HD content at the moment
• The Tridef software is a $29 separate purchase

Buy the Visus VR here

   5. Razer OSVR

OSVR (Open Source Virtual Reality) is an outstanding undertaking compared to other forthcoming VR headsets because it is more for developers than consumers. There are no definite plans from Razer to produce consumer models, but this is still a possibility. Razer OSVR will always have a special place in my heart just because it is the only this product in particular that approaches VR from an open source perspective.

Razer is the type of headset that Razer you would want to put in the hands of as many people as possible, just because runs on a modular software platform which can be customized by anybody.

This VR headset can use any game platform, any proprietary VR software, and any controller, and this makes it a highly versatile tool for someone trying to create new applications. As a matter of fact, Razer’s hardware is fair game, and they offer schematics and drawings that can help you design your own at home.

It comes with a low-latency 5.5 inch OLED Display offers 2160×1200 FHD resolution with 90 fps, and it provides an appealing and submerging picture. But most appealing is that this screen can be interchanged with other types of screens, again opening a massive number of possibilities with developers. It includes about 100° FOV, but this too can change by swapping out the lenses.

Taking in cognizance of the fact that OSVR has potential as a functional and affordable headset, it is a huge disappointment to hear the lack of plans for a consumer release. But need I remind you that you can build your own, which would be no walk in the park, but opens a lot of possibilities. The OSVR can also be run on solid less expensive hardware than its PC-based competitors.

As a result of this, any hardware developer can use the OSVR as a building block for technology with even greater applications, most notably training surgeons, creating new forms of therapy, or even a system for controlling security cameras.

Specific aspects of this HMD are still rough around the edges, but it has a limitless potential for growth. It now comes with a kit to add positional tracking with shipped developer kits, and there will most likely be more in the future for augmented reality functions, mobile support, and more.

What We Liked

• It has an open source software and hardware
• This VR headset supports any peripheral or API
• It can be run with mid-tier graphics equipment

What We Didn’t Like

• They still don’t have consumer product in the works
• There’s still work to be done on it Diopter adjustment
• It is not likely to be shipped  with its peripherals (besides positional tracking kit)

Buy the Razer OSVR here

  6. Oculus Rift – BEST BUY

Every VR buff must have heard about the Oculus Rift, and even if you are not  VR buff, but just a gamer or lover of technology and or social media, at one point you must have come across this name. They are one of the biggest names in VR, and now one of the first to be delivered to consumers. Oculus and their critically acclaimed Rift headset have been known with this decade’s VR boom since the project’s conception in 2012

The Rift comes with a motion sensor, headset, the necessary HDMI and USB cables and a remote. This first Gen kits also come with a wireless Xbox One controller and a copy of Lucky’s Tale for out-of-the-box gaming.  You can upgrade the controller to the Oculus Touch, which hasn’t yet seen its debut but promises to provide additional gaming potential.

The experience you get from Rift goes beyond words; its motion sensor provides a fluidity of movement that rivals reality. This VR headset weighs just over a pound and fits comfortably on most head sizes. The headset comes with a full positional tracking and a gyro meter, which enables you to perform nuanced actions such as looking around a corner.

Speaking Visually, the Rift sets the benchmark with its specs. This headset gives an astonishing resolution of 1080×1200 in both of its OLED screens (2160×1200 total), and its FOV (field of view) of 110° is pretty strong enough, The headset encompasses the experience with a microphone and integrated headphones that provide spatialized HRTF audio.

The Oculus Home software plans to become your figurative VR home, re-creating a cozy apartment that can serve as a menu for navigating between 360° videos, games, and other media.

What We Liked

• It has a 2160×1200 resolution and 110° FOV
• It comes with positional tracking for enhanced movement
• This VR headset comes with a massive game library. Pretty impressive right?

What We Didn’t Like

• It has extra degrees of motion can cause motion sickness
• Oculus Touch controllers has not yet been released
• It requires a PC with a high-end GPU

Buy the Oculus Rift

  7. HTC Vive

The Valve and HTC’s Vive headset offers a high-quality VR experience that is a standout option for gaming as expected. The Vive powers some serious gaming capabilities right out of the box, all thanks to its included motion controllers, unlike the Rift

The Vive’s ski pole-like controllers are designed with their IR LED trackers, including a developed control scheme. This offers triggers for gaming, two trackpads that can act as a fusion of a mouse and control stick, and more so a grip that can easily detect squeezes.

It comes with a SteamVR, and so it proves to be a robust client that is already seeing significant third-party support.

In addition to the awesome controllers, this unit also comes with two tracking cameras to support Room sale VR. You can use the Live to map your environment and use it to project new locales if you have enough space to explore after positioning your two laser trackers, with your PC and cables going to each of these, using your furniture as obstacles. This has great potential to eventually be used as a cool feature as well.

Under the hood, the HTC Vive can sport a solid 1200×1080 resolution per each eye (2400×1080 total), which comes out to an FOV of about 110°. This merged with the substantial support for tracking makes for maximum immersion. While this first-gen product comes with a microphone, you must use your headphones for spatialized audio to the experience.

Going at a higher price tag and more extreme computer graphics requirements, the Vive can be difficult for your casual gamers, but the potential for this device is massive and already being thoroughly explored. Keep this headset on your radar.

What We Liked

• Vive comes with a 2400×1080 resolution and 110° FOV
• It gives you room-scale positional tracking for enhanced movement
• It includes the SteamVR which  promises to be a major game platform

What We Didn’t Like

• It comes with a high price tag
• It’s two positional trackers requires a large space
• It Requires a PC with a high-end GPU

Buy the HTC Vive here

  8. Samsung Gear VR

The Samsung Gear VR manages to offer an immersive VR experience using just only a Samsung smartphone. The Gear VR is a combination between Oculus and Samsung, but unlike Oculus’ flagship rift, this device doesn’t require a high-end PC graphics card.

It works with the graphical processing power of a smartphone instead,  and this is something you are far more likely to own than a high-end gaming PC. Don’t forget that your phone options are equally limited because it won’t meet the benchmark that only the best Pc would meet.

At the moment, the Gear VR works on the Samsung Galaxy Note7, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge, Galaxy Note5, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge. All these phones come with least a 2560×1440 Super AMOLED screens and high-powered processors. This assures that you will have nothing short of an amazing experience when hooking into the Gear VR.

The Gear VR has now been updated with a 2016 version that works the new Galaxy Note7; this headset is designed with a modular USB connector that comes with both a USB-C and a Micro USB adapter. This new model comes with an auxiliary USB-C port to make sure your device is charged while you play as well.

Regarding wearability has improved immensely, the headset feels lightweight and free of pressure spots even though it is used with one of the larger Note phones. The headset is designed with plenty of cushioning, and it is made up of a breathable material that won’t allow your lenses from fogging up.

An improved smooth touchpad is also new to the 2016 model of the Gear VR, which works great for navigating through menus. This version now comes with a handy home button to top it already existing back button and volume rocker.

The controls function great, although when it comes to game content, you will most likely go for Bluetooth gamepads for Android phones since many games are built for you to have one. It comes with a large selection of games that don’t require gamepads either, as the content of Samsung’s library is always growing.

The games look awesome powered by the Galaxy phones’ high resolution, and although the Gear VR’s FOV is a quite smaller than the Rift’s at 101°, the display still feels highly appealing. You should just keep in mind that the Gear VR does not yet make use positional tracking, though, regardless are some notable differences in the feel of using one of these headsets versus using a full-on VR system.

Asides its shortcomings, the Gear VR are one of the best values in virtual reality and deliver an accessible peak at the fantastic technology to come.

What We Liked

• It comes with a 2560×1440 resolution and 101° FOV
• The VR headsets has onboard controls for easy menu navigation
• It Does not require a PC with a high-end GPU

What We Didn’t Like

• One shortcoming of this VR headset is that it only works with Samsung Galaxy S6 or later
• It Lacks positional tracking
• It does not include a gamepad

Buy the Samsung Gear VR

  9. PlayStation VR

While the VR experience you get from the Oculus Rift and the Vive is everything it promised, the cost barrier of having a VR-ready PC has greatly reduced the momentum of these products. Now that the PlayStation VR is finally out, this fairly inexpensive peripheral may finally find its place in gaming by connecting to the hardware of the PlayStation 4 (or PlayStation 4 Pro) to giver 360° graphics.

We have to admit that even the PS4 Pro won’t be able to compete in visual quality with high-end PCs, and this is because Sony isn’t trying to deliver the most cutting-edge visual experience, the whole headset is virtually cheaper and more accessible to your average gamer.

Two Move controller and a PlayStation Camera, are necessary if you want to get the full VR experience.

What visual compromises are we talking about? It has a1080P OLED 5.7-inch single screen display which is 3D stereoscopic and sports an average resolution of 960×1080 per eye for 1920×1080 total. That is a lower resolution as compared to the Oculus, and has a slightly smaller FOV of 100°.

The saving quality of its visual output is that it has a high refresh rate of 120 Hz and a latency of less than 18 ms, and it makes for one of the most fluid VR experiences out there. Don’t forget, that this is made feasible by an external processor unit, which moves with the headset and doesn’t stress your PS4 or PS4 Pro of some of the graphical processing burden.

Nonetheless, this makes for a cleaner setup than either the Rift or the Vive, but it does show that the PS4 may not be the most suitable platform for a cutting-edge VR experience.

The headset still provides a terrific user experience. It is also incredibly comfortable, resting snugly on the crown of your head despite being the heaviest of the headphones we reviewed. The visor and lenses are easy to reposition for those of us who wear glasses. It can also be worn for a long while with no discomfort (aside from motion sickness if you are prone to it).

The headset combines an excellent ergonomics with a sleek design as well. Its dashing blue LED setup looks nice and also serves as head tracking points for the PlayStation Camera to read. The tracking is snappy and goes well to immersion in games, but it has a pretty limited play space.

The headset comes with a 3D audio on all its software; regardless you will need to plug your headphones in via an aux jack. A clean plus is that the cable connecting the headset comes with inline controls for volume, plus mic mute and power buttons.

As for controller integration, players come with an option to use either a DualShock 4 controller or a wand-style PlayStation Move controller. Quite some games work with both, but some are particularly designed for the Move, and you really need one to shine.

The function of the PlayStation Camera is to tracks both controllers accurately, but so far, the Move controllers are the clunkiest controllers of the yet to be released three major VR. They aren’t always ideally tracked, and their buttons are somewhat too small and hard to find. An upgrade in software will gradually alleviate this, but it’s yet to be determined which controller options developers will prefer.

Regardless of its shortcomings, the PlayStation VR gives much of what VR gaming promises at a fair price. If you already have a PS4, trust me this is by far the easiest way to get involved in VR, and the console-powered headset will undoubtedly see lots of exclusive content from Playstation’s top game developer.It is yet to be determined whether it will change console gaming for good, but the PlayStation VR is most definitely going to make a splash this year.

What We Liked

• It has a 120 Hz refresh rate and <18ms latency
• It is designed to be Ergonomic and stylish
• It will easily enable local or online multiplayer

What We Didn’t Like

• It doesn’t come with a PlayStation Camera and Move controllers not included
• The PS4 hardware limits resolution and FOV
• It has an awkward button placement on Move controllers

Buy the Playstation VR here

10. Avegant Glyph

Avegant has a remarkable ambitious Glyph, and it has a lot of things going for it, and within its most interesting features is full portability. More so, these pros must be balanced with the fact that the Glyph is not technically a VR headset. It is called a “media war,” and its goal is to appeal you in your media visually and aurally.

One great feature of The Glyph is that it is light, comfortable, and only a little bigger than a pair of over-ear headphones. It allows you to play video on battery power for up to 4 hours, or play passive audio as long as possible. It is designed to charge via MicroUSB. And to top it all off, it connects via any HDMI-compatible device, so you aren’t held down to one specific platform for content.

All electronic components of the VR headset are internalized, and it is easy to connect to a device that is it is as simple as plugging in an HDMI. This simple approach makes for near universal application, and the Glyph can be connected to a phone or tablet for streaming content or if you’re a gamer like myself, plug it into your PC or console for gaming. And as this is one of the few HMDs in production that is not specifically designed with gaming in mind, the Glyph is branding its type of design as ‘mediawear’

The device does have head tracking and works with an optional head strap for high-action gaming, but otherwise can be slid over the eyes to display 2D or 3D video content. When the screen is not in used, the Glyph is twice as high fidelity headphones with a frequency response of 20 – 20000 Hz, including active and passive noise canceling.

The Glyph is most ambitious in its display and instead of using a screen like other VR headsets, maximizes their ‘virtual retinal display,’ which uses the retinas of your eyes as a screen. The Glyph, 2 million DLP mirrors, have the capacity to project images directly into both eyes by using your brain as the image processor. This creates an image that is free of pixelation from corner to corner, and the image projected by the Glyph mirrors natural light and it makes viewing less stressful on your eyes.

The Glyph has a resolution of 1280×720 per eye (2560×720 total) and FOV of 45° and will seem somewhat lower compared to other headsets, but the fact that it has a high fill factor of the micromirror array allows the resolution to look much sharper than other headsets.

It has a sharpness that comes at the cost of a lower FOV, which may not be a problem for anyone planning to view non-VR content on the Glyph, but it means that the Glyph can’t deliver the same experience as the Oculus Rift.

Simply put, the Glyph is intended to be more of a high-quality HMD than a VR headset. Nonetheless, it makes use of the same technology and has the promise to grow into something more VR-centric with a future version.

Since the Glyph costs practically the same as the Oculus Rift and only gives a fraction of the functionality, its fate is undecided, but this product has substantial appeal for those who want to use VR for something outside of gaming.

What We Liked

• It comes with a Virtual retinal display that offers sharp, realistic picture.
• Can be used outside of gaming.
• It has portable form factor and battery powered.
• The manufacturer offers a full refund if you’re unsatisfied within a 30-days period.
• Its streamlined graphics work with any HDMI device-compatible device.

What We Didn’t Like

• It has a high price tag
• Its 45° FOV does not provide full VR experience
• Its 4-hour battery life for video needs improvement

Buy the Avegant Glyph Here

Conclusion

You know as VR headsets start appearing on store shelves, the very actual differences between them will start to matter — a lot. So if you’re looking into VR, what should you check out? There’s no one, specific device that’s suitable for each person; in short, once you get down to the cheapest headsets, there are quite a lot for us to name here.  We gave you everything you’ll need to sort through the options like what you’ll be able to do in different kinds of virtual reality, how much you can expect to pay, and the features you should keep an eye on.

If you are yet to try VR, I encourage you to do so if you ever get the chance. One thing that will astonish you is how good VR is right now and how easy it is to get yourself lost in the experience.

I hope you will be able to decide the best Virtual Reality headsets that best suits you from our detailed review, but nonetheless, if you are still stuck on which VR headset to get, I would suggest the Oculus Rift. The Oculus Rift meets practically all the requirement for you to get an “out of this world experience” and also because it is going to make you look like a cyborg. LOL – virtually all VR headset makes you look like an android, but the Oculus Rift is sleeker.

When you take a look at the applications that are still in the works for this technology, as well as the still-growing catalog of content for VR, it’s safe to say that, after decades of an attempt, virtual reality is now more than something only found between the pages of a science fiction novel.

Virtual reality is now a reality.

Sources:

1. How Oculus Rift works: Everything you need to know about the VR sensation
2. What is a virtual reality?
3. How does virtual reality work?
4. Beyond Gaming: Top Things You Can Use VR For.
5. Science behind Virtual Reality
6. What is special about Oculus Rift?
7. Alternatives to Oculus Rift.
8. What is Visus VR
9. Everything you should know about Avengant
10. Why you need to buy the Playstation VR
11. Interesting Facts About the Samsung Gear VR
12. 7 Things You Need to Know about HTC Vive
13. DOES THE RIFT’S TOUCH UPDATE MAKE IT A TRUE VIVE COMPETITOR?