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Earlier quoted context omitted.
Valve's new Knuckles controllers look very promising and will offer far better hand presence than the Touch controllers. https://www.vrheads.com/valve-knuckles-controllers
True! I'm excited to see them, but I haven't spent time with them so can't really rely on them with a recommendation. Right now, the Vive controllers are a step back.
the rift controllers are nicer, at least until Vive releases their new ones. Tracking is less of a hassle on the vive. Fewer cables, easier. rift has their own ecosystem which can also play almost every game on the steam library. vive primarily has steam, but with some hackery (revive), you can play some rift games. Hardware-wise, they're practically the same. Comfort-wise, Rift takes it. Development-wise? tough, but…
There are a few key deciding factors: people with (1) VR rooms > 4m^2 (~12'x12'), (2) large glasses, or (3) staunch anti-Facebook beliefs. If you fall into one or more of those camps, Vive is your best choice.
Otherwise, at $399 (vs. Vive's sale price of $699) the value of the Rift simply overwhelms all other factors. With ceiling mounted sensors, Rift's room scale tracking is within a percent or two of Vive's, though in a smaller range (as above, about 12'x12'). It also includes more software that adds to the value.
Note that a full apples-to-apples comparison adds the following costs to Rift: a 3rd sensor, a USB card, mounting brackets, and extension cables. Total: about $130 (note that the article misstates the price of a third sensor as $99; it is $59). This remains $170 less than Vive's $700 sale price, excluding software value.
Note that an equivalent comparison could also add costs to the Vive: A deluxe audio strap (for similar comfort and integrated audio), and potentially the upcoming Knuckles controllers. Total: between $200 and $250 (assuming a cost of $100 to $150 for the controllers, which seems conservative given a single replacement controller is $129 from HTC), getting back to the similar price advantage of the Rift.
the rift controllers are nicer, at least until Vive releases their new ones. Tracking is less of a hassle on the vive. Fewer cables, easier. rift has their own ecosystem which can also play almost every game on the steam library. vive primarily has steam, but with some hackery (revive), you can play some rift games. Hardware-wise, they're practically the same. Comfort-wise, Rift takes it. Development-wise? tough, but…
Why do you say that the Rift takes it comfort-wise?I'm only curious because I take issue with the OP for exactly this reason. The latest Vive release ways less than the Rift (according to their specs) for which the hardware has changed very little. They were so focused on the controllers that they haven't bothered to update the main hardware and I think their win with the controllers will be short-lived.
Also, the actual HMD (excluding strap, headphones, cable hooks, etc.) of the Vive is still about 40% heavier than Rift's, so there's still more "face tug" and fatigue over longer sessions.
Again, I have not directly tested this, but it makes sense as there's substantially more plastic in the Rift's strap system (i.e., back of the head) than Vive's.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why do you say that the Rift takes it comfort-wise?I'm only curious because I take issue with the OP for exactly this reason. The latest Vive release ways less than the Rift (according to their specs) for which the hardware has changed very little. They were so focused on the controllers that they haven't bothered to update the main hardware and I think their win with the controllers will be short-lived.
As I understand it, the Rift's weight includes the weight of the integrated headphones. Also, the actual HMD (excluding strap, headphones, cable hooks, etc.) of the Vive is still about 40% heavier than Rift's, so there's still more "face tug" and fatigue over longer sessions. Again, I have not directly tested this, but it makes sense as there's substantially more plastic in the Rift's strap system (i.e., back of the…
Edit: It seems the initial Vive release was heavier than the Rift but the latest release is lighter.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
As I understand it, the Rift's weight includes the weight of the integrated headphones. Also, the actual HMD (excluding strap, headphones, cable hooks, etc.) of the Vive is still about 40% heavier than Rift's, so there's still more "face tug" and fatigue over longer sessions. Again, I have not directly tested this, but it makes sense as there's substantially more plastic in the Rift's strap system (i.e., back of the…
Where are you getting that info? According to the specs on both sites, the Vive is lighter than the Rift (although you're probably correct that this includes the weight of headphones whereas the Vive only comes with the in-ear buds). That to me makes it seem like the HMD hardware has gotten lighter because I can't imagine that they would make the straps less sturdy to shed weight. I could be wrong, but that doesn't m…
The new Vives weigh about 468g. According to Amazon, a replacement back strap weighs 1.8 ounces (51g)[2]. The Vive HMD w/out strap would be - at the least - about 417g.
Even at a 417g weight, that's about 30% heavier than Rift's strapless weight. Since the 1.8g may include packaging, the HMD may weigh a bit more, bringing the % up to 40% or so.
[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/47rb3m/the_rift_cv1...
[2] http://a.co/6PUVw7v: "Package Dimensions 4.2 x 3.9 x 3.9 inches; 1.8 ounces" (so 1.8 ounces may include packaging).