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im assuming this is never gonna happen
If you’re looking for a budget system, you really can’t go wrong with the Lenovo Explorer. It is similarly specced with both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The headset itself is fantastic. The big difference comes in its controllers and tracking methodology. Straight up, the controllers and controller tracking aren’t as good. The controllers lack grippy material or shape, which means that in games like Beat Saber, where you’re constantly swinging your arms, you’ll be readjusting your grip every few minutes. As to the tracking, unlike its competitors, the camera is in the headset rather than being external, which is convenient if you have a setup in a communal space or change rooms frequently. The caveat is that having two internal cameras limits the HMD’s tracking to about 100ish degrees in front of you. In other words, while movements in front of you work great, those that happen behind, above, below, or obstruct the camera, you are only tracked via gyroscope and accelerometer estimates, which are inaccurate at best. That makes the headset great for room scale vr, aiming guns, swinging swords, etc, but throwing objects and using a bow can be difficult. Even with this in consideration, given its frequent sale price which rings in at less than half that of its competitors, it’s easy to recommend the Lenovo Explorer (or most any of the displays from the Windows Mixes Reality platform) as a budget-friendly alternative.
I have both and while the Steam store is better, I prefer the Oculus, it's lighter and easier to forget about. Most specs are too similar to complain about but the touch controls came out too late for the Vive to copy and are easily the biggest difference. I greatly prefer the Touch controls over the HTC controls. They are more sensitive and have more gesture controls thanks to triggers being able to detect touch. With 2 towers they track about the same as the HTC controllers but the Touch controls are lighter, smaller, and center of mass is in your hand so they just feel more natural. If I have to use a Vive I use a program to let me use the Touch controls with it. Also, the battery lasts much longer and can be swapped out in seconds with a AA so there's no down time and it's never ruined time I had set aside to use it. For me that's big. The battery on my Vive controllers is already much less than when it was new and I use them less. Touch controls are available for demo at Best Buys. Try them out for yourself, or go to a place where you can play VR and try both. The controls really are the biggest difference. People that exclusively wear glasses may like the Vive more, but the Oculus works with my glasses too, just grabs them a little more. I just wear contacts with them both anyway. The future of VR controls will all be gloves so none of these differences will matter eventually, but it matters today and I think Oculus Touch has that edge right now. Just my two cents.
Oculus would, I don't see HTC doing it, and the Vives controllers are absolute crap anyways. Their lighthouse technique is functional if somewhat of an eyesore, and it does whole room better for sure but overall they need to push their tech further.
The Vive is worth every penny at full retail, IMHO. Don't hold your breath for a drop on any of these any time soon, though. MAYBE Oculus will do it since they've lost so much ground to the Vive. But I doubt it.
Because we all need the $5 google cardboard lowered to that amazing 50 cent price
I will say, I have gotten my vive already and even if there isn't a drop I do recommend it if you have the space and the patience to deal with the bugs it has right now. But if there is a drop...BUY IT IMMEDIATELY!!!
Let's get the Google cardboard!!
If only. I have serious doubts that massdrop will have a drop with the Vice or the Rift any time soon, the companies who own them are not looking for publicity or to boost their sale numbers. They are selling so fast there are year long waiting lists in some places (cough, Rift, cough) & the price is to be honest, lower than what I expected on the vive & higher than I expected on the rift. I guessed the vive would be at least $850, & the Rift for $475 at the most. Well, you can't win them all.
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savage
MichaelHenson
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What is a Vice?