Virtual reality headsets have majorly impacted hardcore gamers since they have hit the markets in 2016. Companies that were able to cultivate passionate and niche enthusiastic communities are Oculus, HTC, and Valve.
According to The VR Reviews, 2021 will be a good starting point to enter into VR because this generation offers some of the best games, with innovative controls and a well-supported ecosystem. About 90% of the Oculus Quest users are new to the Virtual Reality world, meaning the demand for this field is getting stronger by the day.
Many shoppers face some barriers when it comes to VR, like do they want to buy such a product, and if yes, where they should start. It appears that not being adequately educated about VR is the most significant barrier. I hope this article will break down some of those barriers and make it clear if VR is worth it or not.
Price is always the most crucial factor for most people when it comes to buying a product. It is well known that VR is a pricy hobby, especially in 2016.
In the beginning, both HTC Vive and Oculus Rift were very pricy because they were equipped with pricy lenses and high production cost specifications. Also, you were supposed to have a powerful computer if you wanted to run the headsets, along with trackers that you needed to put around your room.
You see, not everyone could afford the VR and the required attachments, and that’s why it was not considered to be worth buying. But, in 2019, they released Oculus Go, and it was a huge hit. It was obvious that if they lowered the prices, the sale would rise. The PlayStation VR is one of the accessible headsets; PSVR has a platform for play and power.
On the other hand, if you want more powerful headsets than the Oculus Rift S and HTC Vive will offer you a higher quality experience. These headsets give you benefits like playing heavy-hitter games.
After some time, the market is moving towards a more accessible headset version, meaning the devices can work independently from the computer and hardware.
In 2018 the market got introduced with standalone VR headsets. All you needed was included in the headset. That meant you would not need a super-powerful PC to run it. These headsets did not require complicated adjustments. All you needed to do is strap it on and dive into the VR. They were able to act as a platform by themselves, just like a game console, with no need for heavy hardware.
The Oculus Go was a big hit in 2018; it was a great starting point towards VR for only 200$. On the downside, this headset had confined controls and was extremely low powered. This concept was able to give you a little taste of VR, but it needed further expansion. The 3DoF cannot match the quality that offers the 6DoF.
The Oculus Quest is just what the masses of gamers needed; it is the headset that will satisfy many of your needs for 400$. This headset comes with 6DoF controls, which is an improvement from the Oculus Go controllers. Users have noted that this headset is good for games like Beat Saber, and this headset can lift some of the barriers of VR. People seem more willing to buy this product.
The Oculus Quest was able to presell a huge number of the item. It even was a top seller on Amazon for its category. Once the word spread out, people were willing to buy even more of this item. The price was reasonable, it had excellent controls and quality titles. The item was selling as fast as it was making.
So, what are the main factors that make Oculus Quest stand out and also make it worth buying?
The first thing would be its price. We mentioned above that the biggest obstacle for people to buy VR was because it was pricy. But the Oculus Quest offers a lot for only 400$. Another factor is the games, and this product has many awesome games available from launch. This product is also easy to use. You can just pick it up, put it on, and you are ready to step into the VR madness.
In 2020 Facebook introduced Oculus Quest 2, and let’s see why this one is better than the previous one. First of all, the price is lower, and it is 300$. It is more powerful because it holds 6GB RAM and runs on the Snapdragon XR2 platform. This headset is lighter than its predecessor by 10%. Immersion is improved with more pixels. It is the right headset for people who want a taste of VR at a reasonable price.
So far, we have discussed the importance of the headset’s price and how accessible it is. But we have to emphasize that a great headset needs to be complemented with good software and apps so that you can travel the world of virtual reality and get most out of it.
The Oculus Quest, for example, offered fewer games but with greater quality. You can say they were going for quality rather than quantity. It may seem disappointing when you see only a few games available, but there is no point in having hundreds of games if they give you a poor quality experience.
Another barrier is motion sickness, there are people that struggle with this issue, and it is a big obstacle for them. The VR motion sickness has the same or similar symptoms as the ones someone would experience from general motion sickness. The symptoms include nausea, headache, disorientation, or fatigue. While some will have minor symptoms, others might even start vomiting and feel substantial discomfort. It creates confusion in your body, and it can’t handle it.
An example would be a game where you shoot zombies. Your eyes will see the zombies running to you while you are sitting on a chair or a sofa. Or, the zombie will attack you while again you are comfortable sitting in your home. It all plays games with the mind.
As all innovations get better after time, we hope that the motion sickness barrier will be broken down. Before that happens, do a little test before you decide to buy a VR headset for yourself.
So, is VR worth trying? Yes, it is!
With its current prices, it is available to many masses, and it can give them a taste of something new and unusual.
