With virtual reality estimated to grow in popularity and possibly even replace televisions ultimately, a lot of attention has been devoted to the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive. Here is how these two VR headsets perform in a comparison.

Design

The Oculus Rift is already available for pre-order so much of its design has already been finalized, but this is not the case fo the HTC Vive as it has only been released as the Vive Pre for developers. Therefore, it is likely that the design of the HTV Vive could change before it is released commercially.

Currently, the main difference between these two VR headsets is that the Vive has a front facing camera that gamers can switch to when they are using the headset and actually see the real objects within the room. This ensures that they do not bump into objects and they can even search for things or controls with the headset on. As for weight, both these headsets are quite bulky but it is expected that their respective manufacturers will try to slim them down as much as possible before they are commercially released. Users will also be able to wear glasses when they are using these headsets.

Display

When it comes to display type, both the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift come with OLED versions and these offer a resolution of 1080 x 1200 pixels for each eye. This means that users get a resolution of 2160 x 1200 pixels and importantly, a 90Hz refresh rate, which helps prevent any instance of motion sickness.

Specs

In order to use the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, users will have to invest in top of the line computers. However, the specifications for the Vive have not been released, while those who invest in the Rift will need a computer with an Intel i5-4590 processor along with an 8 GB RAM.

Sensors

On the Rift and Vive are an accelerometer and gyroscope. The Vive has a laser position sensor and a front-facing camera, while the Rift comes with 360-degree tracking and a magnetometer.

Price

The price of the Oculus Rift has been pegged at $600, while the price of the HTC Vive has not been revealed.