Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) have helped provide a different digital experience to consumers, lowering the barriers between the real and virtual worlds and allowing people to interact with the virtual environment beyond what was thought to be possible in the past. 

As a kid and a computer game enthusiast, I have always wanted to experience what it is like to be in the virtual world and be in the video game characters’ shoes. By the time I was a teenager, although there were breakthroughs in the VR and MR fields, the headsets were still heavy and clunky, and the low resolution and refresh rate did not help make the experience better. Now, while I am in my 20s, VR and MR have improved by leaps and bounds within the span of a few years, and are not just limited to entertainment but have also extended to medical, education and engineering fields.

In this post, I will be analysing the latest VR and MR devices and sharing which of these devices are my favourites. As part of my analysis, I will be comparing the devices based on two main criteria – Price and User Experience

Virtual Reality: 

User Experience: 

Price: 

Best VR Device: Oculus Quest 2

Although Oculus Quest 2 has the lowest Refresh Rate and Field of View than the other 3 VR devices, its much better display resolution could provide a much better viewing experience for the user. Furthermore, being the lightest device out of the 3, and its ability to operate wirelessly, without needing to plug into a computer, not having the user’s movements restricted, Oculus Quest 2 provides the best user experience.

Furthermore, Oculus Quest 2 is the cheapest out of the other 3 devices, way cheaper than HTC Vive Cosmos and Valve Index.

Overall, I choose Oculus Quest 2 to be my go-to VR device due to its low price, and much better user experience.

Trailer for Oculus Quest 2:

Mixed Reality:

User Experience:

Price:

Best MR Device: Nreal Light

Although Nreal Light has a lower display resolution than Hololens 2 and possibly a lower refresh rate, it is lighter than Hololens 2 by more than 80%, providing a much more comfortable wearing experience for the users. Furthermore, it’s sunglasses-like design will be more familiar to the users. Overall, Nreal Light will provide a much better user experience than Hololens 2.

Finally, Nreal Light is more than 85% cheaper than Hololens 2, making it a great entry-level MR device for general consumers.

Overall, I pick Nreal Light to be my go-to MR device due to its much lower price, and much better user experience. It is the best value-for-money MR device for general consumer.

Trailer for Nreal Light:

References:

1. https://sea.pcmag.com/consumer-electronics-reviews-ratings-comparisons/10991/the-best-vr-headsets-for-2020
2. https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-vr-headsets,review-3550.html
3. https://www.toptal.com/designers/ui/augmented-reality-vs-virtual-reality-vs-mixed-reality
4. https://www.republicworld.com/technology-news/gaming/what-do-you-need-to-run-the-oculus-quest-2.html
5. https://www.amazon.sg/Oculus-Quest-Advanced-All-One/dp/B08F7PTF53
6. https://www.aniwaa.com/buyers-guide/vr-ar/best-mixed-reality-headsets/
7. https://www.nreal.ai/light/
8. https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/10/21362407/nreal-light-ar-glasses-lg-uplus-samsung-galaxy-note-retail-launch-availability-price
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60yP8f5E-B4&ab_channel=Oculus
10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zneAnphf44&ab_channel=Nreal

The cross-reality (XR) headset market has matured over the years. There are many big players in the industry with each offering headsets with their own set of pros and cons.

Virtual Reality Headsets

Regarding Virtual Reality (VR) headsets, I have shortlisted a few of the more notable headsets that have stood out to me in various ways and are headsets that I may personally use for media consumption and/or gaming purposes.

Oculus Quest 2

Oculus Quest 2 provides an all-in-one experience and can be used on its own without requiring a powerful PC or a console to play games with, which is a huge plus, making it easy for those without an expensive PC setup or console at home to be able to enjoy VR games as well. Being a battery-powered headset, it allows you to walk around freely in your physical room without being restricted by wires or tripping over them. It also has a high resolution, even higher than the Valve Index, considered to be one of the best high-end VR headsets in the market. On top of that, if you do have a PC suitable for VR gaming, the Oculus Quest 2 comes with the feature to connect to your PC via the Oculus Link cable (which costs an additional 79 USD), allowing you to play PC VR titles as well. 

Valve Index

Next, the Valve Index is one of the most expensive VR headsets in the industry but the higher price also brings with it some premium features that may not be found in other headsets. It comes with a larger field of view and a higher refresh rate of 144 Hz. More notably, the Valve Index Controllers offer a full individual finger tracking built into its grips, which can provide a more immersive experience.

However, one of its downsides is that with the use of external base stations for tracking purposes, setting up the Valve Index may be more troublesome and take a longer time than other VR headsets. Though this makes for better tracking capabilities, it could be difficult and frustrating for new VR users and may prevent them from quickly being able to start playing VR games.

Preferred Choice: Sony PlayStation VR

My personal preferred VR headset would be the best-selling PlayStation VR (PSVR) headset by Sony that is designed for use with its consoles, the PlayStation 4 and 5. As the headset requires only the console to run, an expensive PC setup is not needed. Given that I already have a PS4 at home, I would not need to worry about my desktop not being capable enough to run VR games. Another benefit that the PSVR has that the other headsets might not have would be that Sony already has a huge catalogue of games to choose from, providing a wider variety of games for users.

PSVR definitely comes with its disadvantages as well. It loses out to other headsets in terms of tracking. As it uses the PlayStation Camera for tracking, the tracking space becomes more restricted and does not provide true-room scale VR. The space the player can move freely within without venturing out of the boundaries is quite limited and thus, most PlayStation VR games recommend playing the game in a stationary position, either while standing up or sitting down.

Nonetheless, what really caught my attention about the PSVR and ultimately the reason for why I chose it as my preferred VR headset, is their PSVR aim controller. As a huge fan of first-person shooters (FPS), it looks like the aim controller could really elevate my experience of playing FPS games and create a more engaging experience. I never got used to playing FPS games using the PS4 DUALSHOCK 4 controllers as it never felt natural to me. But seeing the aim controller used with the PSVR made me feel excited to play FPS games on the PS4 again. Additionally, although not many games are currently supported on the aim controller, Borderlands 2 VR and Doom VFR are titles that I would be very interested to try playing in VR and would most likely to be sufficient enough for me to spend all of my free time on (which, in the first place, I do not get a lot of). That being said, I do hope to see more VR titles compatible with the aim controller.

Mixed Reality Headsets

As for Mixed Reality (MR) headsets, I will also cover a few options that seem more attractive to me personally.

Nreal Light

Made by a Chinese startup, the Nreal Light MR headset is probably the headset that looks and feels most like normal sunglasses, allowing users to wear it in various settings without standing out too much. Despite its ordinary design, it comes with a variety of features. The 52° field of view is larger than some other MR headsets, including the Microsoft HoloLens and Magic Leap One, which are notably much more expensive. It is also lightweight, which means users can wear it for prolonged periods of time without feeling too uncomfortable. Additionally, the headset offers built-in speakers with spatial sound, providing a seamless mixed reality experience.

Preferred Choice: Zappar ZapBox

Inspired by the Google Cardboard and fully funded on Kickstarter, ZapBox by Zappar is the most affordable MR head-mounted device to date, priced at just 40 USD. It works with Android and iOS smartphones compatible with Google Cardboard and has display sizes between 4.5 and 6 inches.

Due to its unbeatable price, this is definitely my preferred MR headset. As I personally do not see much use for MR in my life currently, I would not be willing to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on just to experience MR without it adding much value to my present lifestyle. However, if I ever wanted to try out MR for the fun of it, investing 40 USD into a MR headset for its basic features would not be a bad idea at all. Furthermore, as the headset is affordable, it could mean having your friends play the same games with you as well, allowing the experience to be more enjoyable.

List of hardware – Head-mounted Displays

1. Hololens

List of hardware – Glasses

• Facebook Ray Ban smartglasses (https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/16/21439929/facebook-ar-smart-glasses-ray-ban-announcement)
• Apple glass (https://www.tomsguide.com/news/apple-glasses)

List of hardware – VR Walker

• https://www.stekiamusement.com/vr-walker-virtual-reality-cs-shooting-simulator/

Most preferred devices for VR

The possibilities of VR are limited by it’s physical environment when it comes to simulation for open-world scenarios.

One way to overcome physical boundaries is to use a VR walker.

Imagine playing a game of counter strike in VR where you can physically interact with the counter strike world without environment limitations. VR walker significantly improves the impressiveness since player can now “freely” walk in game.

Most preferred devices for MR

For Mixed Reality, I foresee that the widespread adoption will be on consumers and smart glasses can be the enabler for that.

MR may seem really cool but we cannot ignore the fact that it is weird to hold your phone up and catch pokemons in a public setting. For the use of MR to be considered “normal”, the interaction with the device that enables it need to be “normal” and “natural” as well.

Therefore, smart glasses fits the use case because the usage of MR is hand-free and the consumption of the MR content is natural in a way that it does not disrupt the natural day-to-day movement of an individual.

One of the exciting release is the Facebook first smart glasses where it collaborates with Ray-ban. (see below)

For the widespread adoption of smartglasses, it not only need to provide the necessary functions, but it also needs to “look” normal when wearing. This is where I think Facebook and Ray-ban collaboration really shines since Facebook can take care of the tech aspect really well while the look and feel of the physical glass can be handled by a well-established brand such as Ray-ban.

Introduction

My first Virtual Reality experience was 3 – 4 years ago with the Oculus DK1 device. While it was fascinating to experience how it was able to immerse the users into the game, I did not fully enjoy it. The low resolution and refresh rate of the device made me nauseous within 15 minutes of usage. As a result, I did not invest in any Virtual Reality games and devices since then. Hence, being relatively new to the recent trends in VR/AR/MR, the analysis below will be based on what I’ve researched and read online.

VR Devices

Personal Experience

The table below shows a comparison of the Virtual Reality devices that I’ve used before:

I’ve only had experience using Oculus DK1 and HTC Vive. Comparing these 2 devices that I’ve used before, I prefer HTC Vive over Oculus DK1. Just by comparing the specifications of these 2 devices, HTC Vive provides a better user experience due to the 6 Degree of Freedom (DOF) specification. With 6 DOF, both translational and rotational motion are being tracked. This gives the users more freedom to explore locations and perform real-life tasks/actions virtually. More importantly, the HTC Vive has a higher resolution and refresh rate which drastically reduce the chances of feeling nauseous upon wearing the head set. With the HTC Vive, I was able to play my Virtual Reality game for 45 minutes without feeling nauseous.

Latest Devices

The table below shows a comparison of latest Virtual Reality devices:

Looking at the specs of the other latest Virtual Reality Devices, I would choose Oculus Quest 2.

Oculus Quest 2 is the jack of all trades. Even though the field of view is not as wide as the other 2 devices, the other specifications makes it attractive. Firstly, the Oculus Quest 2 has the highest resolution and a decent refresh rate of 90Hz. This guarantees that the user experience will be enjoyable due to the clear graphics and smooth motions. The device is also lightweight and wireless. This makes the device comfortable for long usage hours and eases the users’ mobility.

Furthermore, Oculus Quest 2 is the cheapest headset among the three devices. With it’s attractive specifications, it is a good and affordable device to invest in.

MR Devices

Here’s a list of Mixed Reality the latest devices:

Between the 2 devices, I would choose HoloLens 2. With my previous experience with Oculus DK1 which had a refresh rate of 60Hz, I would prefer a HoloLens 2 with a higher refresh rate and resolution to prevent dizziness when using the device. Furthermore, HoloLens 2 has other main features like hand tracking which allows for better immersion.

My pick for VR: the Valve Index.

Features:
– 120 Hz (with an experimental 144Hz mode)
– 1600 x 1440 LCD displays
– 2 speakers, one at each ear
– controllers are strapped so you don’t have to hold onto them

The Valve Index features a 120Hz refresh rate which decreases motion sickness, increasing overall smoothness. This improves the feeling of realism and makes it easier on the eyes after a long session of gaming. The excellent 1600 x 1400 LCD displays are one of the highest resolution screens in the industry, providing a wide field of view, which reduces the ‘screendoor’ effect allowing for greater immersion. The speakers at each ear are by no means super immersive because they do not cancel nor block out background noise, but they provide good audio throughout. The controllers are great and provide reliable tracking. They are able to sense each finger, as compared to the HTC Vive, which allows for more intuitive controls in situations like throwing an object. The headset is also comfortable with paddings, and can be tightened with a screw from the back for an optimal fit. The Valve Index is a premium VR set designed for enthusiasts, coming in at a steep price of $1,000.

I like the high refresh rates on the Valve Index as smoothness is an important factor to me when using VR. The wide field of view also makes the experience very immersive as there is no screendoor effect, which appeals to me. I also like the controllers, which are strapped to your hand so you do not have to grip them all the time and you can make hand gestures with it, which makes it feel more realistic and immersive in my opinion.

My pick for MR: Acer Windows MR headset.

Features:
– 2880 x 1440 LCD display
– Inside out tracking system: no external motion trackers
– 90Hz

The Acer Windows MR features a 2880 x 1440 LCD display which is one of the highest in the industry. There is no noticeable ‘screendoor’ effect, however the 90Hz display means there are noticeable smearing effects. The inside out tracking system means that the system’s awareness of position is all calculated in the helmet itself rather than relying on motion trackers set up around the room. This makes setup easy and convenient but the VR performance is less accurate. This device also supports SteamVR, meaning it can play the latest VR games.

I like the easy setup of the device, it works right out of the box. The SteamVR support is also a nice feature, allowing you to play games on top of experiencing the MR in Windows. I like that you can navigate a 3D virtual Windows desktop rather than our conventional 2D screen of navigation. For example, you can traverse the Windows ‘world’ and find a Windows ‘bag’ 3D object, where selecting it would take you to the Windows store, which is a pretty cool way to interact with your desktop!

Virtual reality (VR) is an interactive computer-generated representation for real world or activity, and Mixed Reality (MR) is an interactive combination of real-world and computer-generated features. Both of them are changing the way we live and work and the rapid advancement of technology makes the development of VR and MR more varied and rich.

VR games are completely digital and in a computer-generated environment. Players mainly use the advanced VR headsets or goggles to control themselves. Here are some popular VR devices:

1. Oculus Quest 2

SG$431.39 in Amazon Singapore. It is seamless all- in-one system and can connect to PCs.

2. Oculus Rift S

SG$549.87 in Amazon Singapore. It has great game library and built-in room tracking. However, the PC is required.

3. PlayStation VR

SG$750 in Amazon Singapore. It is easy to set up and visually sharper.

4. HTC Vive

SG$1740 in Amazon Singapore. It has the best immersive experience with smooth graphics and little latency.

The VR device I choose is Oculus Quest2. It is lighter and smaller than original version, with 46% more processing power, 33% more graphics processing power and 50% more RAM. It has sensitive controllers, high-resolution image, quick refresh rate and long battery life. Moreover, it is very cost-effective. 64GB will cost US$299 and 256GB will cost US$399. This device can feel like it could expand a wider field of view and has amazing sense of immersion.

MR has digital content to interact the users’ environment in real time. Therefore, MR must be viewed through semi-transparent glasses or MR headsets with a camera in order to display the users’ environment.

Here are some popular MR devices:

1. Magic Leap One ($2295)
2. Microsoft HoloLens (S3000)
3. Nreal Light ($1000)
4. Occipital Bridge ($399)

The device I choose is Nreal Light released in 2019 from China. It has 1920 x 1028 px resolution and the field of view (FOV) is 52 degrees. The main advantage of this device is fashionable design and light weight. It uses SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) algorithm to achieve inside-out tracking and two onboard cameras for seamless MR experience.

Introduction

Virtual reality (VR) is an interactive, computer-generated depiction of a real or artificial world or activity. Mixed reality (MR) is an interactive depiction or view of combined real-world and computer-generated elements. Augmented reality (AR) is a real-world view with additional, computer-generated enhancements.

Because of the novel experience that VR/AR/MR can bring to people, more and more people begin to pay attention to VR/AR/MR headset devices, in order to achieve a better game experience. Therefore, this article will analyze several popular VR/AR/MR headset devices recently and make recommendations.

VR Devices

VR technology integrates computer graphics, simulation technology, multimedia technology, artificial intelligence technology, computer network technology, parallel processing technology, multi-sensor technology, and other technologies to simulate the functions of human sense organs such as vision, hearing, and touch. It feels like being on the scene, immersed in a computer-generated virtual world, and can communicate in real-time through language, gestures, etc., to enhance the sense of entry and immersion. Through VR technology, people can feel the reality of the real world while breaking through the constraints of time and space and feel the wonderful experience of entering the virtual world. VR technology is widely used. For example, astronauts using VR simulation technology for training; architects make drawings into three-dimensional virtual buildings, which are convenient for experience and modification, and so on.

My favorite VR Devices

For me, my favorite VR device is Oculus Quest 2.

As we can see, the price of Oculus Quest 2 is much cheaper than others. At $431 with nothing else needed, the Oculus Quest 2 delivers virtual reality games and an immersive VR experience anywhere. It’s faster, smaller, cheaper, and more comfortable to wear than the original Quest, but you have to log in to Facebook in order to use it.

Besides, the Quest 2 takes only seconds to start up and fits really well over glasses. The standalone VR headset has self-contained motion tracking and a full-motion six degrees of freedom (aka 6DoF) VR controller that is the same as the ones on the PC-required Oculus Rift, plus a surprisingly great high-resolution display and built-in speakers. Apps are downloaded right to the standalone headset’s onboard storage. Its more limited mobile processor still plays games such as Beat Saber, Moss, and SuperHot VR extremely well, and it can even connect with a PC if you want to, using a single USB-C cable.

AR/MR Devices 

Augmented Reality (AR) is to use computer technology to superimpose virtual information into the real world, display it through mobile phones, tablet computers, and other devices, and be perceived by people, so as to realize the integration of reality and virtuality and enrich the real world. In short, it is to “live” the content of the plane itself, give more information to the real object, enhance the three-dimensional sense, and strengthen the visual effect and interactive experience. It is a real-world view with additional, computer-generated enhancements. The common application of AR technology is to use the mobile phone camera to scan real-world objects and display corresponding pictures, audio and video, 3D models, etc. on the mobile phone through image recognition technology.

Mixed reality (MR) is an interactive depiction or view of combined real-world and computer-generated elements. It is by introducing real scene information into the virtual environment to build a bridge between the virtual world, the real world, and the user, thereby enhancing the realism of the user experience. The key point of MR technology is to interact with the real world and obtain information in time.

Unlike virtual reality, AR/MR is not limited to a wearable device and is being tested and implemented on phones, projectors, and PCs alike in addition to AR/MR glasses or AR/MR headsets. Although this technology has huge potential for mass adoption, it is fairly less understood than even virtual reality.

My favorite MR Devices

For me, my favorite MR device is Microsoft HoloLens 2.

Besides the features shown in the above table, Microsoft HoloLens 2 has the following features:

• 52 degrees of freedom (Edition 1 had 34); 47 pixel per degree or 2048 x 1080 pixels per eye.
• Transparent lenses, HD 8 MP camera, numerous sensors to track user position from all sides, and a microphone for voice inputs.
• The current updated HoloLens 2 has two 2K 120 Hz (refresh rate) displays that project to overlay 3D color 3D images over natural spaces so the user sees mixed reality and can interact with virtual 3D models and holographs.
• Eye and hand movement tracking to place mixed reality content appropriately and allow proper interaction by the user.
• Popular for enterprises in remote training, remote collaboration, logistics, assembly lines, etc.
• HoloLens 2 used for developing mixed reality apps with Unity and Azure for free trials.
• The remote assist option allows for data sharing and collaboration.
• 4GB RAM, Storage 64 GB. Weighs 20 OZ.
• CPU: Custom-built Microsoft Holographic Processing Unit (HPU Generation 2); Qualcomm Snapdragon 850.

First of all, HoloLens 2 works smarter with the ultimate mixed reality device. HoloLens 2 offers the most comfortable and immersive mixed reality experience available, with industry-leading solutions that deliver value in minutes—all enhanced by the reliability, security, and scalability of the cloud and AI services from Microsoft.

Besides, HoloLens 2 is immersive and ergonomic. It can see more holograms at once through the greatly increased field of view. Read the text and see intricate details on 3D images more easily and comfortably with industry-leading resolution. People can wear HoloLens 2 longer and more comfortably with a dial-in fit system designed for extended use. And keep your glasses on—the headset slides right over them. When it’s time to switch tasks, flip the visor up to step out of mixed reality.

Moreover, people can touch, grasp, and move holograms in ways that feel natural—they respond a lot like real objects. Log in to HoloLens 2 instantly and securely using just your eyes with Windows Hello. And voice commands work even in noisy industrial environments through smart microphones and natural language speech processing.

Finally, HoloLens 2 can move freely, with no wires or external packs to get in your way. The HoloLens 2 headset is a self-contained computer with Wi-Fi connectivity, which means that everything you need goes with you while you work.

Virtual Reality is an artificial environment which is experienced through sensory stimuli (as sights and sounds) provided by a computer and in which one’s actions partially determine what happens in the environment. [Merriam-Webster 2015] With Virtual Reality, you can experience a whole new world without actually going out of your house. This is especially applicable in the current context of the world still under the influence of covid-19. 

The most important hardware with virtual reality is the headset, a device similar a pair of goggles that goes over your eyes. In this post, I am going to list some latest headsets, and state my choices of VR and MR headsets.

Some latest headsets in the market:

• Sony PlayStation VR: Price is around 600 sgd. It has to be connected to PS. 
• Oculus Rift S: Price is around 600 sgd. It has to be connected to PC.  
• Oculus Quest 2: Price is around 400 – 500 sgd. It is an all-in-one HW. 
• Nintendo Labo VR Kit: Price is around 100 sgd. It has to be used with Nintendo Switch. This HW is more like a toy and it is kid-friendly. This is a good choice if the user has already possessed Switch and just wants to have a simple VR experience. 
• Microsoft HoloLens 2: Price is 3500 usd. It is a mixed reality headset. 

My choice or VR headset: Oculus Quest 2

Oculus is a brand owned by Facebook which has the biggest VR headset market share in 2020, with a value of 38.7%. Oculus Quest 2 is an advanced all-in-one VR device. It does not require to be connected to PC like Oculus Rift S (but it can be connected to PC if you want to). Therefore, this makes the device easy to travel with. 

The price of the headset is an important aspect as well. Oculus Quest 2 has a reasonable price that I can accept and it does not require us to purchase other devices. Other VR headsets choices may require other devices like a powerful PC, PS or Switch to connect to. 

Oculus is a relatively mature system in the current market. It has an expansive game library which provides you many choices of immersive game experiences. Oculus Quest 2 has Fast-switch LCD Display and 1832 x 1920 Resolution Per Eye to provide me a nice game experience. 

Moreover, one of my friends purchased Oculus Quest 2 and recommended it to me, stating that this headset gives her very authentic experiences. 

My choice or MR headset: Microsoft HoloLens 2

There are not many choices of headset products in the market dedicated to MR purposes, therefore my conclusion after the research is limited. HoloLens is a mixed reality solution for enterprise and education. 

The main improvements Microsoft made from HoloLens 1 to HoloLens 2 are immersiveness, ergonomics and business friendliness. Below are some fields of improvement that I think are important to note: 

Source: https://4experience.co/hololens-2-vs-hololens-1-whats-new/

I think HoloLens 2 has some very advanced features like eye-tracking and gesture manipulation to provide users an immersive learning and working experience with technology. Although the price is not cheap compared to VR headsets that I mentioned previously, it is still relatively affordable for businesses to use. Especially in the current context of covid-19, this headset might be very relevant to companies that seek work-from-home solutions.