PC VR vs. Standalone VR

"Which headset do I need?" is a common question in the world of VR. However, answering this question is not as easy as you might think. Are you planning to use the VR headset to play VR games, or do you want to use the headset with groups to view, for example, 360-degree videos? But also whether or not you have a PC, and whether cables are desirable or not, are important to take into account in your decision for the right VR headset.

A standalone VR headset is a headset that works without being connected to a computer. This makes the VR headset very easy to use because it is not tethered to the PC with a cable. However, the disadvantage of a standalone VR headset is that there is (generally) less graphical power in the headset, and the VR content is limited to the mobile VR headsets. As a result, there are certain games or applications that you cannot play on a standalone VR headset, but can on a PC-driven VR headset.

Then, within the standalone VR headsets, there's a difference in the degrees of freedom (or DOF). The relatively simple VR headsets, such as Oculus Go and Pico G2 4K cover 3 DOF. This means that you can only move the VR headset and the controllers up and down, and left and right. With a 3 DOF headset, you cannot physically walk through a space, but only look at something. For viewing a 360-degree video, this is usually not a problem, because you are not physically moving. But if you want to physically walk through a simulation, you'd better opt for a 6 DOF headset, like Oculus Quest or Pico Neo 2.

A PC VR headset, as the name suggests, is connected to a computer. The advantage of a PC VR headset is that you use the graphical power of your computer (instead of the graphical power in the headset, like with standalone VR). This allows graphically demanding applications to be displayed much more beautifully and smoothly. And because developers focus much more on developing PC applications, there are also many more VR games and other applications to be found on the computer (for example, via SteamVR).

A PC VR headset, of course, has its disadvantages. For example, you must always run the headset wired to a computer (and sometimes to a power point) (with the exception of the HTC Vive Pro with a Vive wireless adapter). Therefore, you will always feel a cable coming out above your headset. In addition, there's the practical aspect of the computer. Besides that the computer needs to be "VR-ready" (which makes it more expensive), the computer must also always be close to the place where you want to play. If you have your own place to play, this is usually not a problem, but if you are on the move a lot, or always have to change your set-up, this can be inconvenient.