What is PlayStation VR?
Sony has joined virtual reality gaming with PlayStation VR. The headset represents the cheapest of the “big three” on the market right now, and is the only option for console gamers interested in the technology as things stand.
Priced at £349.99, it’s significantly cheaper than both the Oculus Rift (£549 without Oculus Touch) and HTC Vive (£759). However, players will also need to invest in a PlayStation Camera priced at £44.99, and, to enjoy the “full” experience, a couple of PlayStation Move controllers, with a twin pack costing £69 (although you could probably find them for less). This brings the total cost to £464, which is still cheaper than the Rift headset, with Oculus also charging £189 for its own controllers.
PLAYSTATION VR LAUNCH BUNDLE – Installation and setup
In the box is the PlayStation VR headset, a processor unit, an HDMI cable, instruction manuals, a set of in-ear headphones, a lens-cleaning cloth, a demo disc and all the power cables you need. So many cables.
For the longest time I believed it was witchcraft that made the PlayStation VR work. Having taken a boxed one home and set it up, I’ve discovered the truth: it’s all about cables. Lots and lots and lots of cables. And then some more cables.
The setup process, to be fair, sounds trickier than it actually is. The whole process took around 30 minutes, feeding a series of HDMI cables from the PS4 to the PSVR processing unit, then to the headset itself.
Related: Best PS4 Games
The processing unit was a mystery for a long time before Sony revealed what it actually does – and it’s all pretty important stuff.
While the processing unit adds no power to the console itself, nor can developers actually program anything into it, it handles a few key functions. Firstly it helps carry out object-based 3D audio processing, which basically means you can pinpoint exactly where noises come from in games – so far, in my experience, it’s made sound design in games brilliant and terrifying. It also displays the “social” screen, basically rendering the image you see in VR onto the TV, though at a lower resolution and framerate. It also displays the standard PS4 screen in “cinematic” mode, allowing you to play non-VR games or watch movies on a display the size of a movie theatre screen.
The one annoying thing about this processing unit is that it requires a dedicated power supply, which is fine in itself, but when you turn the PS4 completely off, the unit remains in a semi-powered state, with a red “off” bar permanently lit. This means the thing is constantly using electricity, so even when the whole setup is powered down you’ll have to unplug it if you wish to save the pennies or simply get rid of the annoying light before bed.
by
But, once everything is plugged in, the headset simply works. No drivers to update, no system requirements to fiddle with, no graphics options to tweak; you’re simply ready to go. Yes, there’s a software update, but let’s not split hairs.
Related: Best PlayStation VR games
PlayStation VR – Design and comfort
The Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets aren’t the snazziest bits of kit. The first consumer models look like glorified prototypes. The PlayStation VR, on the other hand, looks like an expensive bit of tech that you’d be happy to have on your shelf.
Everything about it looks gorgeous: the sleek white edging, the black fascia and the cool lights to allow for motion tracking.
The headset is pretty sizeable, with a cable coming out of the back, trailing down to a small adaptor with controls to turn the volume up and down on your headphones (which plug into the adaptor), as well as a power button to turn the headset on or off. Putting the headset on, I immediately noticed how comfortable it is.
Unlike other VR headsets, PSVR doesn’t fasten to your face with Velcro. Instead you press a button at the back of the headset to extend the plastic band, place it over your head and then it automatically adjusts to fit, kind of like a vice – a cuddly vice.
Sony has joined virtual reality gaming with PlayStation VR. The headset represents the cheapest of the “big three” on the market right now, and is the only option for console gamers interested in the technology as things stand.
Priced at £349.99, it’s significantly cheaper than both the Oculus Rift (£549 without Oculus Touch) and HTC Vive (£759). However, players will also need to invest in a PlayStation Camera priced at £44.99, and, to enjoy the “full” experience, a couple of PlayStation Move controllers, with a twin pack costing £69 (although you could probably find them for less). This brings the total cost to £464, which is still cheaper than the Rift headset, with Oculus also charging £189 for its own controllers.
PLAYSTATION VR LAUNCH BUNDLE – Installation and setup
In the box is the PlayStation VR headset, a processor unit, an HDMI cable, instruction manuals, a set of in-ear headphones, a lens-cleaning cloth, a demo disc and all the power cables you need. So many cables.
For the longest time I believed it was witchcraft that made the PlayStation VR work. Having taken a boxed one home and set it up, I’ve discovered the truth: it’s all about cables. Lots and lots and lots of cables. And then some more cables.
The setup process, to be fair, sounds trickier than it actually is. The whole process took around 30 minutes, feeding a series of HDMI cables from the PS4 to the PSVR processing unit, then to the headset itself.
Related: Best PS4 Games
The processing unit was a mystery for a long time before Sony revealed what it actually does – and it’s all pretty important stuff.
While the processing unit adds no power to the console itself, nor can developers actually program anything into it, it handles a few key functions. Firstly it helps carry out object-based 3D audio processing, which basically means you can pinpoint exactly where noises come from in games – so far, in my experience, it’s made sound design in games brilliant and terrifying. It also displays the “social” screen, basically rendering the image you see in VR onto the TV, though at a lower resolution and framerate. It also displays the standard PS4 screen in “cinematic” mode, allowing you to play non-VR games or watch movies on a display the size of a movie theatre screen.
The one annoying thing about this processing unit is that it requires a dedicated power supply, which is fine in itself, but when you turn the PS4 completely off, the unit remains in a semi-powered state, with a red “off” bar permanently lit. This means the thing is constantly using electricity, so even when the whole setup is powered down you’ll have to unplug it if you wish to save the pennies or simply get rid of the annoying light before bed.
by
But, once everything is plugged in, the headset simply works. No drivers to update, no system requirements to fiddle with, no graphics options to tweak; you’re simply ready to go. Yes, there’s a software update, but let’s not split hairs.
Related: Best PlayStation VR games
PlayStation VR – Design and comfort
The Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets aren’t the snazziest bits of kit. The first consumer models look like glorified prototypes. The PlayStation VR, on the other hand, looks like an expensive bit of tech that you’d be happy to have on your shelf.
Everything about it looks gorgeous: the sleek white edging, the black fascia and the cool lights to allow for motion tracking.
The headset is pretty sizeable, with a cable coming out of the back, trailing down to a small adaptor with controls to turn the volume up and down on your headphones (which plug into the adaptor), as well as a power button to turn the headset on or off. Putting the headset on, I immediately noticed how comfortable it is.
Unlike other VR headsets, PSVR doesn’t fasten to your face with Velcro. Instead you press a button at the back of the headset to extend the plastic band, place it over your head and then it automatically adjusts to fit, kind of like a vice – a cuddly vice.
