Virtual reality is becoming increasingly popular. There are now hundreds of companies developing new headsets and applications for consumers. If you want to experience VR, you’ll need to get a headset.
In this article, we will talk about what resolution is VR. Let’s find out!
What Resolution Is VR?
The resolution of VR depends on the type of device that you use. The most common devices used in virtual reality today are:
- Google Cardboard – A smartphone holder with lenses. It has a resolution of 360 x 180 pixels.
- Oculus Rift – A PC-based system with a resolution of 1280×800 pixels.
- HTC Vive – A PC-based system that has two 1080p screens. One screen is placed in front of your eyes and one behind your head. This allows you to see both screens at once.
- PlayStation VR – A PS4-based system with a resolution between 800×600 and 960×1080 pixels.
Best VR Headset For PC
HTC Vive Pro 2 HTC VIVE Pro 2 Overview
- Resolution: 2448 x 2448 per eye|
- Refresh rate: 120Hz |
- Tracking: External Lighthouse V2 sensors |
- Controllers: HTC Vive Pro 2 wands, or Valve ‘Knuckle’ controllers
- Best for: Playing PC games at the highest detail
When it first released, the Vive Pro was HTC’s flagship VR headset and that’s why it has remained one for years now.
It’s the highest-resolution headset we’ve seen yet, so if you want the best VR experiences out there, you need to get yourself an HTC Vive Pro 2.
It can run at up to 120 frames per second, which is the kind of smooth animation and frame rates only previously available on the Valve Index.
Those higher specifications come from using an LCD display instead of the OLED used in the original HTC Vive Pro. It might sacrifice some colour quality and brightness, but it allows for a better refresh speed and less screen tearing when viewing certain high-contast scenes.
If you’re already using a Vive or Vive Pro headset, then the Vive Pro 2 is a simple upgrade. It supports both first and second generation SteamVR Lighthouse tracker units and works with either the original Vive or Vive Pro controllers, or the Valve index “knuckle” controller.
You can use it with the Vive Wireless Adapter, but you won’t be able to play it at its maximum quality or frame rates when using the wireless adapter.
The HTC Vive Pro is not an inexpensive headset, but it is definitely high quality, especially when used in well-lit VR applications. It’s also a good choice if you want to show off some 3D content to clients or explore detailed 3D objects in the highest of details.
Pros
- Big library of SteamVR content to play
- Wireless option
- Very high resolution
Cons
- Wireless mode limits the resolution considerably
- LCD screens don’t offer the contrast of the first Pro’s OLED
Where Is Oculus?
There’s no need to include an Oculus headset on our top 10 VR headset lists because they don’t exist any longer.
It doesn’t mean that the company is no longer around, or that their headset isn’t around anymore, but rather that they’re now called Meta, and the branding for their headset has changed.
The Oculus Quest 2 has become the Meta Quest 2. It’s basically the same headset, just with a different name.
Which Is The Highest Quality VR Headset?
It ultimately depends on what you’re looking for from a VR headset, whether you want something high quality or something comfortable and easy to use.
At the time of writing, the most extreme resolution and refresh rates for VR headsets are the Pimax 12k, which has two 6K displays. It hasn’t been released yet, so you can pre‑purchase one now if you’re interested. Otherwise, the Pimax 8k is coming soon.
For the most part, the HTC Vive Pro is the best VR headset out there right now. It has the highest quality display, the best tracking system, and the best controllers.
All of these headphones will give you almost no screen door effect and will make games appear more immersive and realistic than any others available. However, they require a powerful computer to run.
What Should You Look For In A VR Headset?
When choosing a VR headset, there are several important features and specs you should be aware of. These include the following.
Resolution
Higher resolutions mean crisper images, which means better overall visual experience. Lower resolutions mean more noticeable pixel grids, which means worse overall visual experience.
A higher resolution screen can also mean a wider viewing angle, both horizontally and vertically. However, that isn’t always the situation.
Higher resolution means you’ll need a faster computer to run them, or else you’ll be limited by lower quality graphics when using headsets that rely on their own processors, like the Oculus Quest2.
Refresh rate
A high refresh rate means that the screen refreshens faster than 60 frames per second (fps), which makes VR feel smoother and more comfortable.
A higher refresh rate helps prevent nausea, so if you want to avoid feeling sick, you need to set your monitor at a higher refresh rate.
The bare minumum is considered to be 90 Hz, but some headsets offer 120 Hz, or even up to 150 Hz in some cases.
The 120Hz headsets don’t necessarily offer a superior gaming performance than their 60Hz counterparts, but they do provide an improved visual quality. However, if you’re looking for a high-end headset, then you might want to consider one that offers a higher refresh rate.
Tracking
There are three ways to track using VR headsets:
External tracking devices follow sensors on the headsets and controllers to keep tabs on you and your position in both the real world and the virtual one.
Six degrees of freedom means that there is no limit to where the camera can move, which makes it the most accurate option for VR experiences. However, it requires more set up time and space than the others.
Inside-out camera systems use cameras built into the headsets themselves to keep an eye on where they’re at. These are super easy to set up without any external hardware needed, but they can be prone to lose their view of the controllers if you ever pass one behind your back or put them too low or too far away from you.
With onboard tracking from smartphones, these devices don’t track your physical position, only whether you’re tilting forward, backward, left, right, up, or down.
So they can’t tell if you’re moving in and out or up or down, but for static experiences, it doesn’t really matter. They’re the most limited of VR experience because they don’t allow you to move in any direction.
Controllers
Motion controllers make a big impact on your sense of presence in VR, making it feel real. However, they’re not cheap, and for some, quite expensive.
Most VR headsets come with some form of controller, but two controllers are better than one, and motion tracking on them makes a big difference.
At the time of writing, the best controllers for virtual reality (VR) are Valve’s Knuckles, which offer the most realistic interaction and excellent motion sensing.
Some headsets use camera technology to track your hands, and this can be useful for certain applications, but you’re limited by the range of vision provided by the camera.
Conclusion
So there we go! That’s all we have got for now, but hopefully, this helps you get started with VR. There’s plenty more information available online, including our guide to choosing a VR headset.
If you have any queries feel free to reach out in the comments section below.