Note: If you buy the Odyssey+, please make sure to get the correct 1.6V Ni-Zn AA batteries with it for the best operation of its controllers and tracking mechanism. They're not very expensive on Amazon, and they're rechargable! But you can't use any old AA battery charger, you need a Ni-ZN charger so get a set that comes with both.
Another note: if you've bought the Odyssey+, make sure to claim your free two months of Viveport Infinity! It's a subscription service akin to Game Pass but for VR games.
So, there was a thread earlier recommending the Oculus Quest for people trying to get a VR setup before Half Life: Alyx launches next March.
But I think that's not a great idea. The main selling point of the Oculus Quest is its portability. It's essentially a Pixel 2-tier smartphone strapped into an head-mounted display, running a Snapdragon 835. But if you're not planning on using its portable features and just want a PCVR headset, why waste money on them? The Quest will not run Half Life: Alyx on its own, only connected as a HMD to a powerful PC with the Oculus Link software. Oculus Link is currently in its early stages, and it contributes input latency, as well as only working on Nvidia GPUs, not AMD. Don't get me wrong: the Quest is a super impressive device for what it is.
But the options that newcomers to PCVR should be looking at instead are the excellent Black Friday deals for dedicated PCVR headsets. The most remarkable one is this exceptional deal for Samsung's flagship Odyssey+. If you're in the US, it's $229 at B&H, and $249 at most other sources including Samsung's website and the Microsoft Store, down more than 50% from its original retail price of $500. Edit: Amazon has now matched the $229 deal, shooting the Odyssey+ up to the top of their VR headset sales charts. The Odyssey+ is the highest-end Windows Mixed Reality headset and it will work with the Windows MR store, SteamVR, as well as the Vive and Oculus store via Revive. It even comes with a two-month subscription to VivePort Infinity, a Game Pass style VR subscription service that includes a library of over 700 VR titles including Superhot VR and Obduction. Edit: the deal is now available in Canada as well through the Microsoft store.
As the HMD itself, it's generally seen as better than the original Vive (although not in terms of tracking, and I'll come to that), on a similar footing with the Rift S, but not as good as the high-end options like Index and Vive Pro. But for $229, it's an amazing value and really hard to resist. It doesn't require any base stations or external setup as it uses inside-out tracking. That's controversial, as higher-end headsets like the Vive Pro and Index use external base stations called "light houses" to track the controllers even when outside of the players view, but also require wall-mounting or freestanding lighthouses in your VR space. These inside-out headsets, which include the Odyssey+ and the Rift S, instead use cameras located on the front of the device to track your hand movement and the movement of the controllers. It's not as effective as the full base station tracking of the really high-end options, but it will work well enough for the vast majority of VR games out there.
The other thing to mention about the Odyssey+ is its exceptional 90hz Samsung OLED display, versus the Quest's 72hz. Both have similar 1600x1400 resolutions per eye, although the Odyssey has a higher refresh rate. Samsung's screen uses a technology that prevents the "screen door effect" commonly criticized on these headsets because of visible pixellation, but this does slightly blur the image. Some people prefer it, some people don't. Another thing to check out if you're going with the Odyssey+: make sure you get the right batteries! They need more juice than regular AA batteries can provide, so go for 1.6v Ni-Zn batteries instead. You can get an eight pack of batteries with a charger on Amazon here, and there are cheaper options for 1.6v Ni-Zn batteries too. Just make sure they're Ni-Zn AA batteries, not regular 1.2v AA batteries. Also: some people complain about comfort with the Odyssey+ (although some don't and find it comfortable enough stock). If you end up having comfort issues, there are three options: an aftermarket strap from Studioform Creative that the weight from the headset onto the top of the head instead of the face, and a replacement face cushion from VR Cover that will do a better job of blocking out light and providing long-term comfort. Edit: I've read that you can use two of these velcro straps from Amazon attached to the sides, running left to right over the top headspace of the Odyssey as a less expensive alternative to the Studioform headband to displace the weight from the face, so I'm gonna give these a try instead since I can return them if I don't need them. Edit 2: the velcro straps aren't quite working out. Returning them gonna try the Studioform headband, although comfort is already good with the VR Cover only. But again: don't buy these until you know you need them. Try out the stock experience. But people who have comfort issues generally say with these two additions it's one of the most comfortable headsets out there.
Another option worth checking out is the Rift S. It's going to be $349 on Black Friday, and it's worth a look for its improved touch controllers and tracking solution. The controllers are great and a cut above the Odyssey+'s MR controllers, and the tracking solution is a bit better, although they both have the same basic inside-out camera tracking limitations. It's not on sale yet, but it will be soon on Amazon.
It's actually a really good time to get into PCVR with all these great deals. Quest is a good option for $400 if you want a mobile VR device, but there's not really much point buying it exclusively for PCVR with the limitations Link provides, as well as its lower refresh rate and higher price. Go for the $229 Odyssey+ or the $349 Rift S. Both are PC headsets specifically designed for that ecosystem, not a mobile headset reworked to function with PC.
And, as a massive, lifelong Half Life fan since childhood, I can't wait to experience Half Life: Alyx with everyone else next March :)
Another note: if you've bought the Odyssey+, make sure to claim your free two months of Viveport Infinity! It's a subscription service akin to Game Pass but for VR games.
So, there was a thread earlier recommending the Oculus Quest for people trying to get a VR setup before Half Life: Alyx launches next March.
But I think that's not a great idea. The main selling point of the Oculus Quest is its portability. It's essentially a Pixel 2-tier smartphone strapped into an head-mounted display, running a Snapdragon 835. But if you're not planning on using its portable features and just want a PCVR headset, why waste money on them? The Quest will not run Half Life: Alyx on its own, only connected as a HMD to a powerful PC with the Oculus Link software. Oculus Link is currently in its early stages, and it contributes input latency, as well as only working on Nvidia GPUs, not AMD. Don't get me wrong: the Quest is a super impressive device for what it is.
But the options that newcomers to PCVR should be looking at instead are the excellent Black Friday deals for dedicated PCVR headsets. The most remarkable one is this exceptional deal for Samsung's flagship Odyssey+. If you're in the US, it's $229 at B&H, and $249 at most other sources including Samsung's website and the Microsoft Store, down more than 50% from its original retail price of $500. Edit: Amazon has now matched the $229 deal, shooting the Odyssey+ up to the top of their VR headset sales charts. The Odyssey+ is the highest-end Windows Mixed Reality headset and it will work with the Windows MR store, SteamVR, as well as the Vive and Oculus store via Revive. It even comes with a two-month subscription to VivePort Infinity, a Game Pass style VR subscription service that includes a library of over 700 VR titles including Superhot VR and Obduction. Edit: the deal is now available in Canada as well through the Microsoft store.
As the HMD itself, it's generally seen as better than the original Vive (although not in terms of tracking, and I'll come to that), on a similar footing with the Rift S, but not as good as the high-end options like Index and Vive Pro. But for $229, it's an amazing value and really hard to resist. It doesn't require any base stations or external setup as it uses inside-out tracking. That's controversial, as higher-end headsets like the Vive Pro and Index use external base stations called "light houses" to track the controllers even when outside of the players view, but also require wall-mounting or freestanding lighthouses in your VR space. These inside-out headsets, which include the Odyssey+ and the Rift S, instead use cameras located on the front of the device to track your hand movement and the movement of the controllers. It's not as effective as the full base station tracking of the really high-end options, but it will work well enough for the vast majority of VR games out there.
The other thing to mention about the Odyssey+ is its exceptional 90hz Samsung OLED display, versus the Quest's 72hz. Both have similar 1600x1400 resolutions per eye, although the Odyssey has a higher refresh rate. Samsung's screen uses a technology that prevents the "screen door effect" commonly criticized on these headsets because of visible pixellation, but this does slightly blur the image. Some people prefer it, some people don't. Another thing to check out if you're going with the Odyssey+: make sure you get the right batteries! They need more juice than regular AA batteries can provide, so go for 1.6v Ni-Zn batteries instead. You can get an eight pack of batteries with a charger on Amazon here, and there are cheaper options for 1.6v Ni-Zn batteries too. Just make sure they're Ni-Zn AA batteries, not regular 1.2v AA batteries. Also: some people complain about comfort with the Odyssey+ (although some don't and find it comfortable enough stock). If you end up having comfort issues, there are three options: an aftermarket strap from Studioform Creative that the weight from the headset onto the top of the head instead of the face, and a replacement face cushion from VR Cover that will do a better job of blocking out light and providing long-term comfort. Edit: I've read that you can use two of these velcro straps from Amazon attached to the sides, running left to right over the top headspace of the Odyssey as a less expensive alternative to the Studioform headband to displace the weight from the face, so I'm gonna give these a try instead since I can return them if I don't need them. Edit 2: the velcro straps aren't quite working out. Returning them gonna try the Studioform headband, although comfort is already good with the VR Cover only. But again: don't buy these until you know you need them. Try out the stock experience. But people who have comfort issues generally say with these two additions it's one of the most comfortable headsets out there.
Another option worth checking out is the Rift S. It's going to be $349 on Black Friday, and it's worth a look for its improved touch controllers and tracking solution. The controllers are great and a cut above the Odyssey+'s MR controllers, and the tracking solution is a bit better, although they both have the same basic inside-out camera tracking limitations. It's not on sale yet, but it will be soon on Amazon.
It's actually a really good time to get into PCVR with all these great deals. Quest is a good option for $400 if you want a mobile VR device, but there's not really much point buying it exclusively for PCVR with the limitations Link provides, as well as its lower refresh rate and higher price. Go for the $229 Odyssey+ or the $349 Rift S. Both are PC headsets specifically designed for that ecosystem, not a mobile headset reworked to function with PC.
And, as a massive, lifelong Half Life fan since childhood, I can't wait to experience Half Life: Alyx with everyone else next March :)
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