Sony’s PlayStation VR: The virtual reality dark horse
by Daniel Howley
It’s official, 2016 is the year of virtual reality. But you probably can’t afford it.
Systems like Oculus Rift (from Facebook) and HTC Vive (from HTC and Valve) are too pricey for many of us. That’s because in addition to the Rift and Vive’s already hefty price tags — they sell for $600 and $800 respectively — they also require you to have a high-end PC, which will cost you at minimum another $1,000.
But there’s a dark horse in the virtual reality wars: Sony’s PlayStation VR. Formally announced back in March, the PSVR is both less expensive than its rivals — bundles run $500 — and doesn’t require a hardcore PC to operate; instead, it runs off your standard PlayStation 4.
(The standard PSVR pack will cost $400, but it won’t include the Camera or Move controllers. To get those you’ll have to get the special pre-order bundle for $500 — or else you could presumably purchase everything separately.)
I spent some time with the PSVR during a recent press event in New York, and believe that, while the system could be the first VR headset for the masses, it still has a few drawbacks.
The hardware
I’ve been lucky enough to try out all three of the major virtual reality headsets, and while none of them are exactly uncomfortable, Sony’s is the least noticeable when you’re wearing it. It doesn’t feel heavy; after a bit, you almost forget it’s there.
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