Oculus Rift S vs HTC Vive: Which is the best VR headset?

01-11-2021 by MNP

There is no interest in buying the HTC Vive instead of the Oculus Rift S. The latter is cheaper and more efficient. In the past, the HTC Vive was considered the crown of virtual reality. Since the launch of the Oculus Rift S, this is no longer the case.

However, let's compare and look at the individual characteristics to see if today, in the year 2021 this is still true.

Drivers and ergonomics: Oculus Rift S or HTC Vive?

Oculus Rift S. As for the ergonomics of the controls, the question goes to the Oculus Rift S. The latter are much more pleasant to have in hand. If the iconic controls on the HTC Vive aren't shoddy, they're far less practical to use and don't follow hand shapes like those on the Rift S.

Another difference, Oculus has opted for an analog stick to navigate menus and interfaces, while HTC has chosen a multi-function trackpad. Regarding the comfort of the helmet, we always prefer the HTC Vive, which perfectly encompasses the head, although the latter is a bit heavy. The HTC Vive viewfinder lets in almost no light, which improves immersion when in-game.

Power: Oculus Rift S or HTC Vive?

Equality. Both viewers require the same recommended settings. a GTX 970 or Radeon 59 graphics card and an Intel Core i5-4590 processor. At a minimum, an AMD Ryzen 5 1500X and 8GB of RAM.

Screen and resolution: Oculus Rift S or HTC Vive?

Oculus Rift S. The HTC Vive is no longer the Roll Royce of virtual reality headsets as many still like to say. The HTC Vive's field of view is slightly lower, 110 grades versus 114 for the Rift S. The resolution is also 1080 x 1200p per eye versus 1290 x 1440p per eye for the Rift S.

Tracking and Sensors: Oculus Rift S or HTC Vive?

Oculus Rift S. This is where the shoe is pinched for the HTC Vive, the latter still has external sensors to place in the room to correctly detect the player's movements, while the Oculus Rift integrates them directly into the forehead of the helmet.