Virtual reality is a booming industry and it has already surpassed most of our expectations.
So the Oculus Quest 2 and HTC Vive Cosmos are two of the best for you to experience VR.
As of the writing of this post, the Oculus Quest 2 is yet to be released or shipped.
Pre-orders are available but the shipping will not happen until mid-October 2020 so get yours now.
Oculus is a company owned and operated by Facebook.
With the best manufacturers and software developers, you can be sure that they always put up products of the highest quality.
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The new Oculus Quest 2 is an upgrade from the previous version of Quest.
This headset is a very powerful one that does not really show its features at first glance.
It is a light headset and a relatively small one.
So the developers from Oculus made sure to fit all the necessary features within this compact headset and they did it so well.
The HTC Vive Cosmos is also another VR headset that can put up a great display and is also a successor of the original Vive.
This is an earlier headset than the Oculus Quest 2.
However, when you compare these two VR headsets, you might notice that they are very similar to each other. HTC was able to produce a VR headset that was a bit ahead of its time.
HTC is a company that has proven time and time again that they can produce the best VR headsets and the Vive Cosmos is a testament to the high-quality standards of the company.
These headsets are made for professional users but they are also very simple and easy to use so that beginners will get the hang of it in no time. So read on to see what they can bring to the table.
Table of Contents
Type Of Headset
The type of headset that you should purchase should be one that fits your preference and overall activity.
There are two types of headsets- 1. tethered, 2. wireless VR headsets.
The HTC Vive Cosmos is one of the unique headsets that are both tethered and wireless at the same time but initially, the Vive Cosmos headset is sold as a tethered headset.
So when you decide to purchase this headset, you need a powerful PC to run it.
However, you also have the option to make it wireless so you can have more freedom in terms of movement.
HTC sells a separate adapter that allows the headset to receive signals from your PC setup without being actually connected to the PC using wires or cords that sometimes get in the way.
This package is a transmitter that uses a new technology from Intel called the WiGig technology that sends signals up to 60GHz for smooth, wireless transmission.
The Oculus Quest 2, on the other hand, is also a type of wireless and tethered headset.
It is a hybrid between the two so you can buy this headset whether or not you have a PC setup.
This VR headset has its own processor and memory inside.
That means that it no longer needs to be powered by a PC setup and it also allows you to move in any direction you want.
The tethered option is also included when you purchase the product.
You have the standard cord that connects the headset to your PC for a more powerful VR experience.
Screen Display
As we have mentioned above, these two headsets are very similar to each other.
Now to the features where we first tackle the type of display that each headset uses.
The HTC Vive Cosmos is one of the best displays on the market when it comes to putting up images with details.
This is because it uses a powerful RGB LCD for its lenses.
RGB is perhaps the best type of color combination when it comes to any screen.
It is a standard for most displays so HTC made the Vive Cosmos with a developed LCD for display.
When you play games or even paint around with an app on the Vive Cosmos, you will see how well-detailed the output is from the display because of the perfect color combinations.
While that is amazing, Oculus did not back down in putting one of the best LCD lenses on the Quest 2. The same LCD that uses RGB but also using stripes instead of pixels.
The display of the Oculus Quest 2 also uses a single-panel, fast switching screen which makes the display smoother. This is the advantage of Quest 2 when it comes to displaying.
By using stripes instead of pixels, the transitions on the lenses are smoother.
They are also more detailed which removes the screen door effect found on most VR headsets.
Color combination is also not an issue with the Quest 2 headset.
It puts up images that are perfectly colored by layering the RGB lights on the screen with precision.
So games and videos with complicated colors and animations are accurately portrayed on the Oculus Quest 2’s display.
Therefore, Quest 2 wins this round for the comparison.
Check out how you can watch VR Porn on Oculus Quest 2– the experience is extremely good!
Screen Resolution of Oculus Quest 2 and Vive Cosmos
The most important part of a VR headset is the display so we are not going out of it yet.
The screen resolution is the measurement of how well-detailed the display of a VR headset can be.
Oculus Quest 2 has one of the most impressive resolutions on any VR headset.
It has 1920 by 1832 pixels per eye which means it has no problem displaying high-definition images.
This is one of the major upgrades of the Quest 2 when compared to its predecessor.
It uses the RGB strip very well and images are crisp and highly detailed because of the amazing resolution.
Games that require you to look further than what is right in front of you are perfect for this VR headset as you can focus on objects from afar even with dark surroundings in the game.
The HTC Vive Cosmos has a slightly lower resolution of 1440 by 1700 pixels per eye.
While it seems far from the Quest 2 headset, it really does well in putting up detailed images.
The combination of the number of pixels and the small 3.4-inch display makes the images perfectly clear. So there are no issues with the resolution of the Vive Cosmos.
With the perfect RGB strip and a high-resolution combination of the Oculus Quest 2, it wins on this feature once again over the already amazing HTC Vive Cosmos.
Refresh Rate of Oculus Quest 2 and HTC Vive Cosmos
The last thing about the display that we are going to talk about is the refresh rate.
This is where the headsets will compete on how fast they can display moving objects without buffers.
While we have discussed how well these two can put up still images, the refresh rate will determine how they do when it comes to displaying videos and transitions.
The HTC Vive Cosmos has an average refresh rate compared to most VR headsets on the market right now.
It has a 90Hz refresh rate which is pretty fast but can be improved.
This speed of the screen simply means that the display can refresh itself 90 times in one second.
Perfect for racing games and other fast-paced displays.
The Oculus Quest 2 has a lower refresh rate of 72Hz.
This is below the average and it means that it can sometimes buffer when put up against high-detailed and fast transitions.
The lower refresh rate is due to the high resolution on the display.
See, the resolution gets more energy from the processor so the refresh rate is a little low.
However, Oculus promises to bring a more powerful processor in the coming months that will allow the Oculus Quest 2 to have the same high resolution with a more powerful 90Hz refresh rate.
Since the HTC Vive Cosmos has a standard 90Hz refresh rate, it wins in this category as it puts up displays with fewer glitches and buffers for a more comfortable, less nauseous display.
Hardware on Oculus Quest 2
The hardware of the Oculus Quest is a very impressive one considering the low price of the headset.
The headset has its own processor, RAM, and internal storage.
This is because the headset is a standalone headset with a tethered option.
So when it is not connected to the PC, it needs something to power up the display and the refresh rate.
The processor of the Oculus Quest 2 is a Snapdragon XR2.
Although not the most advanced, it is one of the best processors that you will ever find in a headset of Quest 2’s price.
This single processor is the one responsible for powering all the electronics in the head-mounted display and it hardly makes a difference compared to the PC option.
The improved 6GB RAM of the Oculus Quest 2 is also impressive.
Because of this, you can now use multiple windows and apps at the same time.
Storage is also not a problem with the Quest 2 headset.
You can store up to 128GB of content or even upgrade the memory up to 256GB for more storage space.
Gaming In The Headsets
Since VR headsets are used mostly for gaming, it is only right that we talk about the experience when playing with these two impressive VR headsets.
The HTC Vive Cosmos is a versatile headset that can play so many games.
In fact, its predecessor is one of the pioneers of VR gaming so you can play most of the games in it.
The headset has enough power to play any game that you want.
It is compatible with most games from Playstore and it can also be connected to SteamVR.
Oculus Quest 2 is another headset that can offer a lot of games.
Oculus has its own app store and you will surely find the best VR games on that app to use with the Quest 2.
The same software that was installed to the original Quest allows you to also access SteamVR. However, there are some limitations where you might need to find the game on other websites.
Nonetheless, these two VR headsets give so much more than games.
Yes, they are available on most platforms and you can find your favorite game and play it on these headsets.
Comfort
When you play games using these headsets, you might want to get comfortable as you will be hooked with the headsets for hours on end.
With that being said, the headset that you should be purchasing is one that gives you comfort no matter how long you play with it.
Not to worry as both of these headsets took that into account.
The HTC Vive Cosmos is a simple headset that has a plastic halo that wraps around your head.
You can adjust the tightness so that the head-mounted display will not fall off.
Along with that, the Vive Cosmos also allows you to see the surroundings quickly just by lifting up the head-mounted display.
There is no need to remove the strap all the way.
The Oculus Quest 2 has a standard halo strap and an over-the-head strap.
Both can be adjusted by clips and velcro respectively.
It is also a very light headset so moving or bobbing your head will not dismount the headset.
Just make sure to be aware of your surroundings so you do not bump into something.
Tracking and Controllers
The Oculus Quest 2 controllers are changed when it comes to the design but not much has changed in terms of functionality.
However, you need to set up trackers for them.
The mounted trackers are responsible for tracking your position.
The cameras on the head-mounted display are for the controllers, and there are also internal sensors.
The internal sensors are for the orientation of the user.
This way, you can concentrate on the display without disrupting the images when you lean left or right, front or back.
The HTC Vive Cosmos also has a standard controller that lights up for the trackers.
The head-mounted display has 6 cameras on it and it uses them for inside-out tracking.
Both trackers of the Oculus Quest 2 and Vive Cosmos have 6 Degrees of Freedom.
It is good for tracking the controllers when you put them right in front of you.
Conclusion
VR headsets are on the rise and companies are developing theirs fast.
There is a lot to choose from so we totally understand if you are having a hard time choosing one.
The HTC Vive Cosmos is a proven VR headset that has an amazing display and fast refresh rate so you can use it for hours without getting dizzy or nauseous.
==> Check out these VR Headsets on Amazon
Oculus Quest 2 is the newest VR headset in town and brings a lot of power.
It has an amazing display and resolution, plus you get to use it hardly feeling its weight.
These headsets can be connected to a PC but Quest 2 is the only one that has an option where it no longer needs a PC to work properly.
Even on the wireless option for the HTC Vive Cosmos, you are still going to need to connect it to a PC so it can work.
So it depends on what you have. If you have a PC setup ready, then the HTC Vive Cosmos is a great choice but if you just want a VR headset with no PC, then go for the Oculus Quest 2.
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Hugo says
You might want tyo mention that with the Oculus quest 2, Facebook tracks everything you do in any VR game and uses that for advertising. The Vive Cosmos has no such drawback, your data stay private