PlaystationVR – Headset Review

The Playstation VR was launched over 2 years ago, and according to a recent news release from Sony has shipped over 3m units to date.  And coupled with that over 21.9m apps and games have been sold to those users.

This by far makes it one of the most popular VR platforms around today so we thought it deserved a special review in case you’re thinking about which VR headset to put your hard-earned money into.  There’s also rumours of a Playstation VR 2 but a release date has yet to be confirmed.  Although some expect it to be released along with the Playstation 5 in 2019.

What’s in the box?

So first up, here’s the downside.  The PSVR consists simply of the headset, cables and an additional processing unit.  You will need a PS4 to plug it into and the obligatory Move Motion controllers and Playstation Camera to get the full VR experience.  Luckily, there’s a few bundles out there that provide most of this as well as a few games to get you started.  The Playstation 4 VR Starter Pack + Doom VR being one.  Regardless, be prepared to shell out at least another US$500/£500 to get everything you need and that might entail purchasing a second-hand PS4 at that rate.

Price

At the time of writing the current price of the VR Starter packs are around US$250/£250.  These usually include the Playstation Camera and a single game.  The Move Motion controllers you can get for around US$70/£70 bring the total price up to circa. US$320/£320.  If we see any offers coming up over the Festive period we’ll be sure to update this article.

Immersion

The field of view is only 100 degrees on the existing PSVR headset which is about 10 degrees less than the Rift & Vive however the experience doesn’t really degrade as a result.  The device can handle 1080p games on its 920 x RGB x 1080 OLED display at either 90Hz or at 120Hz depending on the VR game or application which is considered high enough to avoid any motion sickness or faltering VR experiences.

In addition, if you have a PS4 Pro there’s some extra processing power that makes slight differences to the experience.  Better shading and textures for example which whilst not essential are worth pointing out.

Comfort

One of the key differentiators with the PSVR is that the weight of the headset is carried mostly at the top of the device, and therefore at the top of your head.  The ‘halo’ type arrangement thereby limits the amount of weight carried on your forehead or around the bridge of your nose as some other devices tend to.  This makes it easier to wear for longer periods which is a must for any hardcore games enthusiast.

However, the recommendation is that users still take a break from VR every 15 mins or so, especially during the initial stages of use.  The trick being to slowly acclimatise your brain to virtual reality.

Summary

If you’ve already got a PS4 or PS4 Pro then adding a PSVR to your armoury is a no-brainer.  Especially consider the vast catalogue of existing VR titles that you’ll be able to dive into.  The additional cost of the Playstation Camera and the Move Motion controllers aside.

However, if you’re still on the fence about VR or don’t have PS4 console and are only looking to get your first taste of what all the fuss is about we’d have to recommend the Oculus Go.  You won’t have some of the titles you might like to try but at least you won’t have burned through a pile of cash in the process.