HTC Vive is the OG of VR headsets and then we have the first standalone VR headset Oculus Go. A comparison post between these two headsets is definitely going to be interesting and it can possibly be a bit unfair on the Oculus Go.
HTC Vive has always been the best VR headset in the market and along with all the improvements and other developments that roll out.
The SteamVR is probably one of the best places to find VR content where one can expect around 20 or even more new VR releases in a week.
The Oculus Go, on the other hand, has the Oculus Store for some really good content. You can expect some really good games on the Go and you get to move around freely without being tethered to a PC with this VR headset.
The Oculus Go runs on a battery and is the first stand-alone headset that was released. If you do not own a PC with beefy specs then this headset is probably something you should consider.
Both the headsets are pretty good but which one is a better investment? Read the full comparison post to realize which one is going to be a better investment than the other.
Table of Contents
Design and Display
The Oculus Go is a lightweight headset weighing around 470 grams. It comes with a three-way strap that distributes the weight evenly on your face making long hours of gameplay much easier.
The Go is light gray in color and the overall aesthetics of the headset is pretty simple. It is paired with a controller which is pretty similar to the controller you get to see on Daydream VR.
The HTC Vive, on the other hand, is slightly heavier as it weighs around 555 grams and it comes with a three-way strap as well.
Overall, you are going to find the headsets are comfortable, however, you would feel a bit constrained with the Vive as you are going to be connected with a PC/laptop.
Coming to the display on these headsets, the HTC Vive is slightly better than the Oculus Go. The Oculus Go is good on its own but when compared you would feel that the Vive is slightly better since the resolution feels way smoother.
The HTC Vive has a resolution of 2160 x 1200 and contains an OLED display and the Oculus Go has a 2560 x 1440 fast-switch LCD display.
Now the resolution on the Oculus Go is definitely better than the Vive but the OLED display on the Vive makes everything a little brighter and seem like they are real.
So, the display does depend a lot on your preference but personally, I would prefer the Vive. Also, Vive has adjustable lenses which is another advantage
However, when you consider the quality of the Oculus Go for a standalone VR headset, you would feel that you are getting value for your money.
Refresh Rate and Field of View
The HTC Vive has a refresh rate of 90 Hz while the Oculus Go comes with the refresh rate of 60-72 Hz. Now, I know the Oculus Go has much lower refresh rates than compared to the Vive but overall you do not feel that way because the gameplay is smooth.
Both of the headsets have smooth gameplay and somehow Oculus Go manages to not get you motion sick regardless of the refresh rate.
Lag in a VR game can really be a major spoiler and you do not want to end up having that problem with any of your VR headsets. Both the headsets, in this case, give you issue with that whatsoever.
The FOV is a very important feature on any VR headset as it determines how immersive your VR experience is. If you have a wider viewing range then the gameplay seems more realistic.
Coming to the Field of View on both the headsets, one has to say that the Oculus Go has a FOV of 100 degree which is less in comparison to the FOV of HTC Vive which is 110 degrees.
Overall, the VR experience on the HTC Vive is much immersive so one can definitely be sure that you are going to have an amazing time.
The Oculus Go is pretty good for a standalone headset but the Vive does have much better refresh rates and FOV. So, if this feature is pretty important to you, then you should invest your money on the Vive.
Tracking and Controllers
The HTC Vive comes with a room-scale tracking and it happens accurately with the help of the sensors mounted on the headset and the lighthouses that detect the position of these sensors.
The Vive has an amazingly accurate tracking system and the VR headset is definitely worth every penny you spend on it and even more.
The Oculus Go comes with something that is called the inside out tracking and this makes things a lot easier as the controllers are tracked with the software inside the headset.
This means there is no lighthouse setup as required with the Vive. It is basically a headset on the Go and reduces a lot of the tasks that you have to do in the case of the HTC Vive.
One major drawback is that the Oculus Go is not capable of room scale tracking and if you are someone who wants to have a fully immersive VR experience then you should definitely try this out.
In this case, it is basically your preference, if you want a full room scale tracking experience then you should go for the Vive. However, if you want a compact headset that runs with a remote then you can choose the Go.
Things needed to run the VR headsets…
The HTC Vive needs some beefy PC specifications so that it can run with ease. It is a PC VR headset and it needs a PC or laptop to stay connected to in order to play all the games.
Overall, this does make the Vive an expensive setup, however, if you are interested in getting a Vive, make sure you have a PC that follows these specifications.
Oculus Go is a standalone headset, so if you plan on playing games on the Oculus Go, you do not need any console or PC. The headset runs on its own and all you need to is charge the headset and you are good for 2-3 hours of gameplay.
The battery life of the Oculus Go could be much better but as of now it is just 2-3 hours which is average and it does take some time to recharge again.
So, if you are in the middle of the game while on the Go and the battery dies down on you, you might have to wait for it to charge up all again in order to resume your game.
Games on the HTC Vive and Oculus Go
The games on the HTC Vive are amazing. There is no way one can compete the quality of games on the Vive and if you have any doubts then you can go ahead and check out all the games that you find on SteamVR.
There are a ton of games that you are going to find on Vive and trust me, it is the best headset when it comes to the quantity and quality of VR games and apps.
The Oculus Go comes with its own set of games and apps and although both the headset have amazing content, you have way more choices on the Vive.
If you want some amazing and never-ending VR content, then the HTC Vive has to be your VR headset among the two.
Which is a better pick?
The Oculus Go is an interesting headset since it is wireless and probably the first standalone headset at an affordable price.
The Vive is a PC VR headset that comes with some a lot of great features but if you want to take advantage of any of them then you need to have a PC which is compatible with it.
So, if you do not want to invest in a PC with beefy specifications then you can go ahead and look at the Oculus Go as it does not require a PC or laptop to run smoothly.
Both the headsets are amazing and the choice really depends on your preference. If you have a PC that is compatible with the HTC Vive then you should definitely invest in the Vive headset.
Else, you can easily invest in the Oculus Go as it does not require any kind of PC and one can easily play games on it without having to invest in a PC.
For a headset on the Go, Oculus Go would be my preference but if you want the best headset that is out there in terms of quality and features then you should go with the Vive.
So which headset among the two is your favorite?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
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