Comparison Sony PlayStation VR vs HTC Vive

The signal source in VR headsets reveals where exactly the image comes from and who performs the main "heavy" graphic processing. In one case, the image is generated by a powerful PC or console, in another — a mobile phone, and for FPV goggles, the signal comes directly from the drone via a radio channel. Stand-alone devices that do not require connection to external gadgets deserve special mention. The chosen signal source affects the image quality, latency, the range of available games and applications, as well as how the VR headset is connected — via cable, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or through a specialized transmitter.

— Stand-alone Device. VR headsets where the headset itself acts as the signal source: it has a mobile processor, video chip, memory, and its own operating system inside, so the image is generated directly in the headset, not on a computer or phone. The user wears the headset, connects to Wi-Fi, and launches games and apps from the built-in store — no wires, no PC, and no mandatory smartphone at hand. Such solutions are closer in power to a good Android smartphone and fall short of a Windows PC setup, but are noticeably more convenient than mobile headsets, where everything is tied to the phone: no need to insert the device into the casing, monitor heating, or charge two devices at once. Stand-alone VR headsets are especially suitable for everyday games, fitness, and education, where freedom of movement and ease of launc...h are more important than maximum graphic settings.

— Android. VR headsets are tied to Google's mobile platform and work either in tandem with a smartphone or independently as an Android stand-alone device. In the first case, the phone is inserted into the headset casing or connected to it wirelessly, forming the image and transmitting it to the headset's screens, in the second case, the headset contains a built-in chipset, memory, and app store, and the phone is used only for setup and streaming. This signal source makes VR mobile: a smartphone and headset are enough to run simple games, 360 videos, and educational apps without a powerful PC, but in terms of graphics, these solutions fall short of full-fledged PC and console systems.

— iOS (iPhone). Similar in concept to Android, but tailored to the Apple ecosystem and iPhone smartphones. In this case, the VR headset receives an image either from the phone itself, installed in the headset casing, or through a special streaming/mirroring mode from the iPhone via Wi-Fi or Lightning/USB-C cable. iOS support means that the user can access a large number of applications, 360 videos, and educational content from the App Store, while the system is generally simpler and more reliable in setup, but the choice of "real" VR games is smaller than in the Android or Windows world.

— Windows. VR headsets work in conjunction with a PC running Windows, which is fully responsible for 3D graphics output. Typically, the headset connects via USB-C / DisplayPort or via Wi-Fi in streaming mode, and the headset acts as a "display with sensors." This signal source provides the most advanced VR gaming: major gaming platforms, simulators, mods are supported, and the quality and stability depend on the computer's graphics card and processor.

— MacOS. VR headsets can receive images from Apple computers — iMac, MacBook, and other models with macOS. Here, VR is more often used for demonstrations, design, 3D viewing, and professional applications than hardcore gaming, so stable integration and proper driver operation are more important than maximum performance. Connection is usually through USB-C / Thunderbolt and specialized software, and the choice of native VR content for macOS is noticeably more modest than for Windows.

— PlayStation. VR headsets are designed to work with PS4 or PS5 consoles, which render all graphics. Proprietary HDMI/USB connections and Sony's own protocols are used here, and the headset itself is optimized for the console's ecosystem. This option provides a predictable experience: PS VR games are carefully adapted to the specific model of headset, latency is minimal, and the user does not need to think about drivers or hardware configuration.

— Xbox. The Xbox signal source implies compatibility with the console in display mode or via an intermediate PC. In the traditional sense, Xbox lacks complete VR support, so the headset is more often used as an external display rather than a comprehensive VR solution with game space tracking. If the manufacturer still declares Xbox as a signal source, it is worth carefully studying the description: most often these are specific scenarios like a "cinema" or streaming output, rather than full VR projects.

— Drone (quadcopter). A separate class of VR headsets where the image comes directly from the drone's camera in real-time via radio channel. Such goggles have a receiver operating on specific frequencies and protocols inside, so compatibility is usually strictly tied to a specific system: the headset "understands" only those video transmitters and modules for which it was originally designed. The main task here is to ensure minimal latency so the pilot can safely and accurately control the drone "first-person" rather than launching ordinary games, and it is crucial to check in advance whether the goggles will work correctly with your FPV set or if it will require changing the camera/transmitter to the required standard.

Resolution of built-in displays in glasses equipped with such equipment — that is, models for PC / consoles, as well as standalone devices (see "Intended use").

The higher the resolution, the more smooth and detailed the “picture” is given out by glasses, all other things being equal. Thanks to the development of technology nowadays, models with Full HD (1920x1080) screens and even higher resolutions are not uncommon. On the other hand, this parameter significantly affects the cost of points. In addition, it is worth remembering that in order to fully work with high-resolution displays, you need powerful graphics capable of playing relevant content. In the case of glasses for PCs and set-top boxes, this puts forward corresponding requirements for external devices, and in standalone models you have to use advanced integrated video adapters (which affects the cost even more).

The viewing angle provided by virtual reality glasses is the angular size of the space that falls into the user's field of view. Usually, the characteristics indicate the size of this space horizontally; however, if you need the most accurate information, this point needs to be specified separately.

The wider the viewing angle — the more the game space the user can see without turning his head, the more powerful the immersion effect and the less likely that the image will be subject to the "tunnel vision" effect. On the other hand, making the field of view too wide also does not make sense, given the characteristics of the human eye. In general, a large viewing angle is considered to be an angle of 100° or more. On the other hand, there are models where this indicator is 30° or even less — these are, usually, specific devices (for example, drone piloting glasses and augmented reality glasses), where such characteristics are quite justified given the overall functionality.

The refresh rate supported by the glasses' built-in screens, in simple terms, is the maximum frame rate that the screens are capable of delivering.

Recall that screens are provided in models for PC / consoles and in stand-alone devices (see "Intended use"). And the quality of the picture directly depends on this indicator: other things being equal, a higher frame rate provides a smoother image, without jerks and with good detail in dynamic scenes. The flip side of these benefits is an increase in price.

It is also worth considering that in some cases the actual frame rate will not be limited by the capabilities of the glasses, but by the characteristics of the external device or the properties of the content being played. For example, a relatively weak PC graphics card may not be able to pull out a high frame rate signal, or a certain frame rate may be set in the game and not provide boosting. Therefore, you should not chase after large values and points with a frequency of 90 fps will be enough.

The ability to move the lenses of the glasses back and forth, thus changing their location relative to the screen and the user's eyes. The specific meaning of this function can be different: it can adjust the angle of view (so that the screen fits completely in the field of view and at the same time is not too small), play the role of diopter correction (which is important for users who wear glasses) or focus, change the setting interpupillary distance (see below), etc. These nuances should be clarified separately. However, anyway, this function will not be superfluous — it makes it easier to adjust the glasses to the personal characteristics of the user.

The ability to adjust the interpupillary distance of glasses — that is, the distance between the centers of two lenses. To do this, the lenses are mounted on movable mounts that allow them to be moved to the right / left. The meaning of this feature is that for normal viewing, the centers of the lenses must be opposite the user's pupils — and for different people, the distance between the pupils is also different. Accordingly, this setting will be useful anyway, but it is especially important for users of a large or petite physique, whose interpupillary distance is noticeably different from the average.

At the same time, there is a fairly significant number of glasses that do not have this function. They can be divided into three categories. The first is devices where the lack of adjustment for the interpupillary distance is compensated in one way or another (for example, by a special form of lenses that does not require adjustment). The second is models where this adjustment is not needed in principle (in particular, some augmented reality glasses). And the third — the simplest and cheapest solutions, where additional adjustments were abandoned to reduce the cost.

Availability of DisplayPort input in glasses; the version of this interface can also be specified here.

DisplayPort is one of the most popular high-resolution digital video interfaces these days (however, audio transmission is also possible). It is especially common in computer technology, and is actually a standard in Apple PCs and laptops. Only glasses for computers and set-top boxes are equipped with this type of input (see “Purpose”) - it is used to receive a video signal (and audio signal, if necessary) from an external device. As for DisplayPort versions, the options here could be:

- v.1.2. The earliest (2010) version that is relevant today, but at the same time a more than functional version. Fully supports video quality up to 5K (30 fps), and with certain restrictions - up to 8K.
- v.1.3. Update released in 2014. It provided the opportunity to fully work with 8K resolutions at 30 fps, and with 4K and 5K at 120 and 60 fps, respectively.
- v.1.4. Updated in 2016, in which the bandwidth was further increased - up to support for 5K video at 240 fps and 8K at 120 fps. In addition, there is compatibility with HDR 10 technology, which improves color reproduction and overall picture quality.

The presence of a microphone in the design of VR glasses.

This function is mainly equipped with models for PC / consoles (see "Intended use"). The built-in microphone is mainly used for voice communication in online games. At the same time, it often turns out to be more convenient than a desktop microphone or a microphone built into a headset: glasses can interfere with the comfortable wearing of a headset, and a desktop device is not applicable because at least the user’s head (or even the whole body) is constantly moving in VR games, and constantly it is impossible to be at the optimal distance from the microphone.

For added convenience, your own microphone can be made retractable or removable.

The presence of your own headphones in the design or delivery of virtual reality glasses.

A full-fledged "immersion" in the virtual world requires not only a picture on the screen, but also an appropriate sound accompaniment, for which headphones are the best option. However, glasses take up quite a lot of space on the head, and not all “ears” can be comfortably combined with them (this is especially noticeable on large over-ear headphones). In addition, when connecting headphones with a wire, there may be problems related to the length and/or location of the audio cable. Thus, some models provide this function. These models can have any purpose (see above); most of these are for PC/console glasses, but headphones are also popular in standalone devices. Also note that some glasses use speakers located in the ear area; such speakers are also considered headphones in this case.

An alternative to the bundled "ears" is a headphone output; however, there are models with both functions at once — either folding / removable cups or the simplest speakers mentioned above play the role of headphones in them.