Oculus Rift Is a Big Name When It Comes to VR Gaming
Since their inception, Oculus have set the standard for innovation in the VR industry. Thanks to Oculus high quality virtual reality experiences no longer sit within the realms of science fiction.
With a huge collection of games available for the Oculus Rift, from triple A titles to smaller more arcade like experiences it’s safe to say gaming could be about to enter a new golden era, but Oculus are not the only game in town. The Facebook owned VR company faces growing competition from HTC and Samsung, and now google have also entered the fray with their own VR solution: the Google Daydream VR headset.
Google Unveiled the daydream VR experience at a press conference in October last year.
But What About Google VR? Does it Support Gaming as Well?
Anyone looking to start their VR experience with the Oculus Rift, be prepared to pay for it. With the most basic model coming in at $600, the technology still looks to be just short of mainstream appeal. In comparison, the Google Daydream VR headset comes in at $79, and for good reason. The Daydream VR viewer has little to no built-in technology, instead it functions as a frame to hold your smartphone which provides the computing power, sensor and display for the Daydream platform.
One of the key features of Google’s is that developers must meet googles criteria to be part of their platform, which should go some way towards improving the VR experience compared to previous mobile platforms. Another feature to consider is that the controller for the Daydream comes as standard, whereas Oculus users want the full experience should be ready to pay $99 for the privilege.
The Oculus Rift uses the power of your PC to create incredible virtual reality experiences.
How does it match up against the Oculus Rift?
So how do the two experiences compare?
The answer is that both provide their own unique experience and the better option is really going to depend on you as a consumer.
The Daydream platform is still in its early days compared to the wide range of games and apps available for the Oculus Rift. Not only that, but as the Oculus takes full advantage of the power of your PC the quality of the apps available is much higher than that of the smart phone powered Daydream. In comparison as the power of graphics processing increases each year it’s hard to see the limits of what the Oculus will be able to achieve over the coming years.
Processing power isn’t the only difference to consider however, headset tracking is extremely important for an immersive VR experience. While the Daydream VR still has a reactive tracking system, it is dependent on built in sensors to track your movement. The Oculus Rift on the other hand features more innovative tracking solutions that in turn function more naturally.
Ultimately given the difference in price points, the better option is going to depend on your needs.
If you’re a hardcore gamer with a pc that meets the Oculus minimum specs then you’re going to want the most cutting edge VR experience, but if you’re looking for a more casual experience then the Google Daydream may be just the thing you’re looking for, at a much lower price.
