Recommended VR headset

[BlackBadger]

Hi Guys, 

 

just recently got a second hand Oculus Go which is a fun experience/intro into VR but not a full fledged headset. I'm looking into getting a better VR headset for PC - mainly for IL2.  A a lot of people seem to still recommend the Oculus Rift. How does this compare to others in 2019? Costwise they're very affordable second hand in the UK.  

 

I'm looking for something I can plug into my pc and at most do a 360 experience but without physical movement if that makes sense. 

For IL2 visibility and spotting are important for me. 

 

My current specs:

 

Win 7

i5 3570K @ 4600 which runs pretty well for singlethreated tasks

ASUS GTX 1660 ti dual OC'd

16 GB DDR3

ASUS P8p67 pro mobo 

 

Dual monitor setup with gaming monitor: Asus VG236H 23" 120hz

 

I realize the setup is getting a bit old in the tooth and will be considering an upgrade this black friday/christmas but for now it's running well.

 

Any help appreciated.

 

thanks,

 

Badger 

 

 

 

 

 

[Alonzo]

With that Cpu and GPU I think you are going to be in “reprojection” mode where the headset runs at half it’s normal refresh rate and fills in the blanks every other frame. Sounds bad but the tech is pretty decent these days—I just ran a low level ground attack flying map of the earth, bombed an airfield and shot down two enemy fighters, and I actually forgot I was running at 40 FPS ASW the whole time.

 

For the headset , you have lots of options. Cheapest is an older Windows Headset like the original Odyssey which can be had for $150. It’s older and low resolution, but it’ll get you a taste of VR and it actually is reasonably well matched to your hardware. Another option is the Rift S—the frame doubling tech will probably mean your GPU can keep up with the game on basic graphics settings, and if you do upgrade in future the Rift S will be able to take advantage of the upgraded hardware.

 

I would probably not recommend a used older headset unless you are getting it for a steal. In particular I think the original Vive was one of the worst headsets for clarity, and better/more pixels are important for spotting planes in VR.
 

Disclaimer: I have had all Oculus headsets and I like them. Other brands are good too.

[chiliwili69]

I think Rift S is the most suitable headset for your GPU. People say ASW 2.0 do a gob job. Rift-S run at 80Hz and it helps to the CPU.

The Reverb could be also an option is budget allows, but you will need to be always at re-projection mode enabled.

I definitely will not go for second hand Rfits CV1 or Vives or old WMR.

[BlackBadger]

thank you guys, I'll look into the Rift-S!

[BlackBadger]

So guys I since updated to a new build as mine was getting old. New build is i7 8700k, GTX 1080, 32 GB RAM @ 3200. I've managed to try things out via the occulus go and a third party app. Obviously not the best choice due to refresh rate, but it worked. Gave me a bit of VR sickness for about 4 hours though.

 

Would you still recommend the Rift-S?  What about something like the Valve Index (with no controllers)?

[Alonzo]

3 hours ago, hnbdgr said:

So guys I since updated to a new build as mine was getting old. New build is i7 8700k, GTX 1080, 32 GB RAM @ 3200. I've managed to try things out via the occulus go and a third party app. Obviously not the best choice due to refresh rate, but it worked. Gave me a bit of VR sickness for about 4 hours though.

 

Would you still recommend the Rift-S?  What about something like the Valve Index (with no controllers)?

 

I haven't used the Index, but I understand it's a nice headset. Possible pros and cons:

• GTX 1080 is only just powerful enough for the Rift S, you are maaaybe going to be in 40 FPS ASW mode most of the time. Index has more pixels, so this performance effect will be more pronounced.
• Index has slightly better resolution and field of view, especially in the vertical. This makes glancing at instruments easier in the Index.
• Index has physical IPD adjustment, so if you are outside the "sweet spot" of the average person's measurements, Index will still work for you. Rift S works great for average people (myself included).
• Index has better sound, by a country mile, but you can add earbuds to the Rift S if you like.
• Rift S is lighter and better balanced so you're less likely to crank your neck when looking around quickly in a dogfight.
• (My opinion) Oculus software ecosystem is still better than SteamVR. You can use OpenComposite to bypass SteamVR and get better performance out of your hardware. Oculus has a big R&D team doing a lot with software to get the most out of their hardware.
• Rift S is cheaper.

If someone said to me "I want a PC VR headset" and provided no further details, I'd say "Rift S is pretty good for $400." It's not the best headset, but it's the best at that price point and will work pretty well for most people, IL2 pilots included.

[chiliwili69]

OculusGo is only 3D ( only rotations) so I would not recomend it for playing games or sims. All other VR headsets (Rift-S, Index, etc) are 6D (rotation and translation).

 

I have an Index and I am OK with a 1080Ti. I can run at 120 or 130% supersampling. With the 1080 you will have less margin, but graphics cards are things that you can always update easily.

 

If you don´t have budget constraints I would go for the Index (you will need at least one basestation). My only complaint is the weight over my cheeks (The Oculus Quest is similar on that, put excessive weight on cheeks), so I made a weight compensation. Look here.

 

If you don´t want to spend too much I would definitely will go to the Rift-S (if IPD is OK for you). The ergonomics is quite good.

 

Before everything you will need to do overclocking in your 8700K with a nice CPU cooler. This is a must in VR.

 

[Blue_Bear]

On 11/15/2019 at 9:18 AM, chiliwili69 said:

I think Rift S is the most suitable headset for your GPU. People say ASW 2.0 do a gob job.

I use the Rift S and ASW 2.0 definitely does not work. Maybe you can give me someone who knows how to do it.

[dburne]

1 hour ago, Blue_Bear said:

I use the Rift S and ASW 2.0 definitely does not work. Maybe you can give me someone who knows how to do it.

 

You keep posting this across several threads, see my response to them...