While it may be true that Oculus helped move VR, at the moment I am not so sure the next generation will bear the name Oculus on it.

Nearing Christmas, Oculus decided to update its software, creating a problem that more than three weeks later it has not been able to solve: thousands of headsets are, RIGHT NOW, expensive paper weights!įacebook’s Chief Researcher, Michael Abrash, recently said that: ‘when the next generation of VR shows up, it will be because we did it’. But either way, expect to spend $900 or more to build a VR-ready PC.Oculus Rift S: how Oculus bricked thousands of headsets this Christmas Oculus requires double the RAM at 8GB, and also demands four USB ports, including three with USB 3.0, compared to just one USB 2.0 for the HTC Vive. Both require an Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290 graphics card, and an Intel i5-4590 CPU (though HTC also supports AMD FX 8350 or greater CPUs). The Oculus Rift and HTC Vive have similar spec requirements if you’re building your own PC. Alternatively, you’ll be able to stick a Leap Motion controller to the headset for about $90, though it’s unclear how much app and game support this third-party accessory will get in the long term. Bundled game: Eve: Valkyrie (with pre-orders)įor hand-tracking, Oculus plans to sell its Oculus Touch controllers in the second half of this year, but the company hasn’t announced pricing.Likewise, HTC and Valve are aiming for a big catalog of games that follow your hands and body around the room, so you can’t opt out of the Pre’s position-tracking controllers.īy comparison, Oculus is taking the minimalist approach with its Rift headset, which starts shipping in late March and comes in at a lower price than the Pre.

By bundling Kinect cameras-and making consumers eat the cost-Microsoft hoped lots of games would include motion-tracking and voice controls by default. Bundled game: Fantastic Contraption (limited-time offer)Īs Jason Cross noted on PCWorld, HTC’s approach resembles what Microsoft originally tried to do with the Xbox One.Bundled game: Job Simulator (limited-time offer).One head-mounted display with front-facing cameras.

Oculus rift usb 2 vs usb 3