Ever since Facebook took over Oculus, their array of headsets is ever-growing. Not only are you faced with more options now more than ever, but more than likely faced with plenty of questions. Before you go out and spend hundreds of dollars, here is all of the information you are going to need before you buy your own Oculus Headset.
Oculus Rift S
The Rift S is the main headset when it comes to Oculus. Releasing this spring, this headset will be replacing the original Rift, which was the official Facebook PC VR headset before the Rift S. This headset stays friendly to your wallet while maintaining the strongest of the companies powers at $399.
The Rift S cannot function without the gaming PC, and will not work on most laptops. The controllers that are included are the Oculus Touch Controllers. There is no need for external tracking, as this headset has inside-out positional tracking.
This headset is best utilized when used for gaming, but it can function with much more than that. VR art and 3D art and developing are other things this headset can be used for. The extreme PC graphic cards are more powerful than ever, and this headset certainly takes advantage.
Oculus Go
The Oculus Go is the basic headset of the group. It won’t be playing extreme games, and you most certainly will not be making any 3D sculptures and art inside of this headset. This headset is equipped with 3DoF, which means it is completely standalone, meaning that it is all in one and requires no external computer.
The tracking is only directional and not positional, which limits the Go quite a bit. You can rotate your head left and right, but anything else will not be understood by the headset. The controller is nothing to write home about, as it is essentially a laser pointer. It works well, but too much motion messes with the collaboration.
This headset is meant for basic virtual media consumption. If you’re looking to watch Netflix or Hulu inside of a virtual room on a virtual screen, this headset is for you. 360 degree videos and experiences are great on this headset, as well as virtual hangout and chat rooms. There are a few games for the headset, but none major. Here is a list of games to help you get started.
Oculus Quest
The Quest is another standalone headset from Oculus, but this one is much more powerful. The Oculus Quest was released back in the spring of 2019, and is the best-selling virtual reality headset in the world right now.
This headset is the perfect medium between the Rift S and the Go. Like the Go, it is completely wire-free and requires no PC. Like the Rift S, this headset can offer much more than media consumption and can perform with high-end games. This headset also includes scale positional tracking and the great Touch Controllers.
The Quest has 4 onboard cameras that are imperative for the inside-out tracking. Essential to the fact that this headset does not and will not work with external sensors. This headset is being marketed as a game console, and should perform as such. We expect great things from the Quest.
Which Headset To Get?
The Go and the Quest are simply made for people who don’t own a high-end gaming PC. Now if you do own one, the Rift S should be the clear choice for most. If not, the dependability and the mobility of the Quest should keep it near the Rift S in sales. The Rift S offers more games and better games, along with better graphics as well.
If you’re looking for a basic introduction to VR with a headset, the Go is a great and inexpensive way to enjoy it. If you’re looking for the more hardcore gaming, the Rift S and the Quest will be the best option.
