Why I bought it
-----------------------
I never really thought about buying a VR headset.
I did read about it a while ago since I love technology and I was curious.
But last time i checked, it was too expensive and the reviews around the net stated that there was not enough content,
Based on those 2 facts, the reviews didn't really recommend it as something worth purchasing. So I didn't.
Then, one day, i was checking the current prices of those headsets and i noticed that the Oculus Rift was on sale for just 400$.
*Edit: on black Friday it was as low as 350$
I then started looking for updated reviews and was reading some great stuff about Rift's new touch controllers.
I did not think twice, I knew that 400$ is a price i am ready to pay to try some new and cool technology.
Build quality
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I must say that the build quality of this product is really outstanding.
It feels very stable, beautiful, it feels nice in your hands and on your head.
You can wear it for quite a long time without getting uncomfortable.
You'll notice that luxury feeling from the moment you see the box and the unboxing process.
One big problem is when you start sweating. The foams that are sitting on your face are soaking water instantly and becoming really disgusting. Making it difficult playing with others.
*Edit: after a few times that I've been using the headset, I suddenly noticed dirt stuck inside the right screen, it was clearly stuck inside and I sent a video to their support and they agreed with me.
It was very noticeable as a big black mark when wearing the headset.
The screens are sealed so I couldn't open in order to clean it. It probably happened during manufacturing.
I tried contacting them and sent them the information that they have requested, but then they replied and requested even more
information with some serial number that should be located on the headset strap, which I didn't find.
I did not want to spend even more time understanding what they want from me, so I left it as it is.
Later the dirt has moved again to the sides so at least it does not interrupt any more. until next time :P
My first Usage impression
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The 3D effect is quite amazing, you really do feel like you're in a different world, but you'll feel the full effect
when you start interacting with the world, and it's so nicely done with those controllers, they are so intuitive and comfortable.
It does give you the "wow" effect when it comes to the full experience.
But, if you're expecting to enter the ocean and see everything crystal clear as if you're really swimming there, then the VR experience is still not there. It's not terrible, but the screen quality is not satisfying enough (more details below).
More about the display
------------------------------
One of the things i was waiting to try with this headset is watching 3D movies.
I was quite disappointed because the quality is not that good, which makes the entire thing not enjoyable.
The main issue is not the resolution of the movie, but the problem is the low resolution of the screens in those headsets and basically the distance between the pixels.
You might not notice it when you're watching your regular computer monitor, but try getting your eyes very close to the monitor on a white page and you will suddenly notice a little black margin between each one of the pixels.
When you're wearing the headset, you have 2 little screens right next to your eyes so you do notice a thin black grid, it's like you're watching through a flyscreen.
You're starting to forget about it when you're playing a game and interacting with the world, but if you're trying to watch a movie, you'll quickly realize that you rather do it on your computer monitor than sitting in a virtual theater while wearing the headset.
Still, it's worth mentioning that after reading about it over the net, people stated that on the RIFT the grid is less noticeable than on the HTC VIVE.
The resolution is obviously going to be improved in the next generation.
* Edit: An example of that is HTC's new headset, the "VIVE PRO". the image is so much clearer. But I wouldn't recommend that headset any way because the image quality is the only advantage, everything else is a disappointment, including the insane price.
Gaming with the Headset
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Don't expect to find a big library of quality games for VR, but still, there are enough small games in order to keep you busy and find
something suitable for your taste.
One game i was waiting to try is a boxing game called "The thrill of the fight", it's basically boxing in VR.
My sister tried it, my GF tried it, my mom, my dad, my mom's friend... everyone LOVED it and were swinging and sweating like crazy.
Some even screamed :)
It's more than just something to try and forget, You can actually play for hours.
What you're doing in the VR is also visible on the computer screen so it's a lot of fun for the entire family.
Make sure you have enough space in your room (at least 2x2 meters) to allow you to move.
Sports without leaving your room
-------------------------------------------
Just like the boxing game I've mentioned above, you can find rhythm games, tennis games and other games that can get you tired
really quickly and make you sweat without leaving your room.
It has actually become my warm-up regime .
Motion Sickness
----------------------
If you get motion sickness quite often, then you might get it here as well.
I am a bit sensitive when it comes to motion sickness and there are some VR games that i basically can't play
because they make me feel bad quite quickly.
When it comes to other games, i am trying to not play for too long in order to avoid sickness.
It's different for each person and it gets a bit better when you get used to it, but it's something worth mentioning and be
awared of.
Conclusion - does it worth it?
---------------
People are sometimes complaining about the fact that you're not just paying for the VR but you have to pay an additional 1000$ for a suitable PC.
I don't agree with this statement. You shouldn't buy a new PC JUST for the VR experience.
If you like playing computer games and you have a suitable PC, then in my opinion 350-400$ are worth it.
I think you'll have enough hours of fun to justify the price.
If you're planning to upgrade your computer somewhere soon any way, then this headset might be the reason to finally do it.
*** July 2018 Edit: Nvidia is about to launch their next generation video cards in the upcoming months, if you're planning to upgrade your PC, don't do it yet, wait for the new video cards and your PC will be ready for the next generation of VR as well. ***
If you don't play games but for some reason do have a high-end PC and you want to watch those VR movies that you see on youtube,
then just buy some cheap glasses for your smartphone such as the google cardboard. You don't need a full VR set for that.
BUT if you're not playing computer games, or you have a computer that suits your current needs but not good enough for VR, then
I don't think it's currently worth buying a new PC.
Yes, it is fun, yes, it's entertaining, but the quality of the games that currently exist is still mediocre, VR is still new so it will
take time till we see some dedicated large-scale VR games.
Therefore you can wait a couple of years until there's better content and even better headsets without feeling that you're missing much.
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Reviews with images
Quite an experience for the current price
Ok I know the first question most of you will have is Oculus vs Vive. Personally I can't answer this from experience so I will do my best from a research standpoint.The similarities: Both the oculus and vive have identical resolutions so you won't be regreting either in the sense of resolution. Both weigh similar so head strain will be similar and minimal with either. The tracking is really a middle ground. The vive is orders of magnitude easier to set up and works better right away. However the oculus can have very very close room scale with 3 sensors.The differences: For me the largest difference was the controllers. The vive has the wands which, as I have read, are kind of unintuitive to use compared to the oculus and are a bit heavier which isn't nesicarily a bad thing. I can easily say that after 30 seconds with the oculus I had the controllers down. I love the haptic feedback and touch sensitive buttons. Other differences are a shorter oculus cord which is actually hard to extend, you need a few parts. One is a working hdmi cable and hdmi repeater. The oculus also needs many usb ports. It recommends usb 3.0 but I use 2.0 for the sensors and it works fine. However I would highly recommend purchasing a usb expansion card. The oculus also looks a bit better in my opinion. The final difference is the tracking systems. The oculus sensors are a bit of a pain to set up and you really need 3 for room scale however I'm still using 2 because I haven't bought the expansion card yet. Once all done though oculus can keep up most of the time with the vive in room scale.My conclusion on which vr is superior: All articles you read will say it doesnt matter, me, not so much. I think the vive is a better vr. So why did I buy the oculus? Because it is better. Wait, I just said both are best, this spent make sense. Yup that is true and I will explain. The vive is best because the tech inside is much more advanced and easier to use. My one complaint is the controllers which will most likely be upgraded in the future. So why is the oculus better? Two reasons, one the controllers in their current state are far superior and two is the elephant on the table, price. The oculus is $400 and the vive is $600 and I don't know about you but better sensor tech isn't worth an extra $200. So I would recommend the oculus only due to the price drop. If it was still $500 I'd say go with the vive and buy the better controllers in the future. But it is your decision. If you want an easy setup and larger room scale go for the vive but if you are like me and are willing to settle for slightly less complex tracking with better controllers, the oculus is your headset.Now onto the actual product review.Ok I'm writing this in 2017 and in the past vr was always the future of gaming for me and when oculus cut the price I had to jump on it. Along with the rift plus touch I got a 3rd controller which I still need to utilize with the expansion card. First of all I would like to point out oculus' phenomenal packaging. It really makes the product feel premium and well made.The setup: From start to finish the setup probably took me and hour and a half. Much of this time is due to downloading the oculus software and apps so I would say do that before you receive your oculus. After this I had to setup my sensors. These are quite a drawback on the oculus because they must be plugged into your computer so I do have cables running across my ceiling for the third sensor. The positioning of the sensors isn't as crucial as many make it out to be but I would say have both or all three in different vertical positions. I did have some problems with the software recognizing the headset and sensors so I stress this again, just buy a usb 3.0 expansion card and that will make the whole process much easier. Once they were set up I had few tracking issues unless I was faced away from the sensors.The oculus in use: Thankfully with a pc running the vr the high resolution screens really immerse you and it is easy to not notice the picked or "God rays" which are diagonal lines of pixels that run across the screens. Like I mentioned earlier the controllers are very intuitive and easy to use and really make the vr lifelike. Tracking is accurate and if you have the ability for room scale I would recommend it , it is very fun and worth the extra setup.Games: With the touch controllers a few games are free. My favorite is Dead and Buried. However other classics like Super hot and rec room are very fun titles. Along with the oculus app is steam vr which opens up many more games and simulations. One type is racing sims which I have not personally tried but I can safely assume that they are very fun in vr. One miner caveat is standing on your feet can cause some discomfort so I would suggest wearing shoes or buying those padded flooring mats. No matter what the fame library can only grow and I can't wait to see what the future holds for vr.Extra things to note: Vr is fun but if you don't have a pc yo run it, well your screwed. The oculus is $400 but if you don't have a pc be prepared to spend at least $600 on a pc. That's how much I speant on mine. But you may want to spend more if you want to do other things with your computer. This taken into account with a third sensor, expansion cables, a usb expansion card, computer peripherals if you don't have them and a desk vr can cost easily over $1500. If you are prepared to spend that much or if you have a pc then go right ahead but always keep in mind hidden costs.Conclusion: Is it time to get into vr? In my opinion, yes. With the price cut, and considering you have the pc capable of running vr (oh and by the way to all you mac users, well vr can't run on mac, period. So you will need a windows computer) you can experience at home be for the price of many tv's or even plane tickets. Plus if you have never tried vr it is very fun and really a cool way to show how far technology has come in the past ten years. The future is almost upon us folks and vr is along for the ride. In my opinion vr will be in many homes in upcoming years so if you want to be in on it early or if you want a new and cool way of gaming you are going to be happy.Also here are my gaming rig specs:Intel i7 6700kGtx 107016gb of ddr4 ram1tb hard drive256gb ssd650 watt psu
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2017
Edition: Oculus Rift + Touch SystemVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2017
Edition: Oculus Rift + Touch SystemVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
KeenDreams
Rekindled my joy for gaming and technology. Absolutely incredible.
Reviewed in Canada on August 29, 2018Edition: Oculus Rift + Touch SystemVerified Purchase
Ray M.
La primera generacion de VR realidad virtual como debio ser desde el principio
Reviewed in Mexico on January 5, 2018Edition: Oculus Rift + Touch SystemVerified Purchase
Martin Powell
The best piece of Tech I have ever bought
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2019Edition: Oculus Rift + Touch SystemVerified Purchase
JLuke
Il miglior visore sul mercato.
Reviewed in Italy on December 19, 2018Edition: Oculus Rift + Touch SystemVerified Purchase
Cliente Amazon
Muy divertidas
Reviewed in Spain on November 28, 2018Edition: Oculus Rift + Touch SystemVerified Purchase
