Virtual reality is here – 2016 is the year when the likes of Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR and the HTC Vive take the medium mainstream. And it's well on its way.
For the uninitiated, VR is an immersive experience in which your head movements are tracked in a three-dimensional world, making it ideally suited to games and even movies.
Explained: How does VR actually work?
While VR was a non-starter back in the 90s, developers are now creating mind-
blowing experiences that look set to revolutionise gaming and entertainment.
But what are the best VR headsets and which one should you choose? We've put together the definitive selection of the most gob-smackingly awesome devices just waiting to be strapped to your face.
Read on for the full list…
HTC Vive
The HTC Vive, is the Steam VR headset made in collaboration with Valve, the makers of legendary gaming series Half Life, and it hit shops in April.
The HTC Vive plugs into PCs and work with Valve's mammoth gaming ecosystem. It packs in 70 sensors to offer 360 degree head-tracking as well as a 90Hz refresh rate; the stat that's key to keeping down latency, which is the technical term for the effect that causes motion sickness. Thankfully, that wasn't an issue in our review time.
Essential reading: Best HTC Vive games
However, the key to the HTC Vive's success is the Lighthouse room tracking that enables you to move around with the headset on. It means mounting some sensors in your home, but the effect is next level. Check out our HTC Vive review to see how.
Out now, $799,
Oculus Rift
Oculus Rift is the headset that started the current hysteria. Developed by Palmer Luckey, funded via Kickstarter and snapped up by Facebook for a cool $2 billion, the Rift plugs into your computer's DVI and USB ports and tracks your head movements to provide 3D imagery on its stereo screens.
The consumer edition Rift uses a 2160 x 1200 resolution, working at 233 million pixels per second, with a 90Hz refresh rate. It's high tech stuff, which matches the HTC Vive for refresh rate, but lags behind PlayStation VR. However, given its access to the power of latest PCs, it will be pushing a lot more pixels than Sony's headset.
Essential reading: Best Oculus Rift games
Oculus Rift has had some shipping delays, but the headset is finally arriving in homes. The Oculus Touch controllers however, are slated to arrive later in the year, so you'll have to settle for an Xbox One controller in the box. Be sure to read Out now, $599, oculus.com
Sony PlayStation VR
We finally have a launch date for the PlayStation VR headset: 13 October 2016.
A new version was announced at GDC 2015 and gone is the 5-inch LCD display of the original prototype; in its place a 5.7-inch OLED one which enables low persistence, which should mean less motion blur. The display's refresh rate has also been ramped up to 120Hz, making 120fps gaming a real possibility.
The reported latency issues of Morpheus Mk1 have been addressed, with a new 18ms reading, and tracking accuracy has been tweaked with a total of nine LEDs now aiding the positional awareness of the headset.
Essential reading: Best PlayStation VR games
With its low price and pre-Christmas on-sale date, PlayStation VR has the chances to go big – even if by its own admission, the tech isn't up to the standards of its competitors. Check out our early PlayStation VR review for more information.
Out 13 October 2016 $399, sony.com
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