Reverb-G2

HP Reverb G2 Review and comparisons

The original Reverb was my favorite VR headset. I even chose it over the otherwise great Index. The reason for this was obvious – the Reverb had the best screen clarity of any consumer grade headset.

The Reverb G2 has the same industry leading screen resolution but it has a new and improved panel which reduces mura, improves colors and is a straight up masterpiece. But is it the best VR headset for sims?

1. Where to order the Reverb G2?

Use this link to order the Reverb G2 form the official HP store or official HP partner in your country:

HP Reverb G2 VR Headset With Controller, Adjustable Lenses & Speakers...
  • THE NO COMPROMISE VR HEADSET - Realistic visuals, soundscapes, and superb performance come together...
  • IT’S ALL INSIDE - Packaging includes HP VR Headset, 6m headset cable for desktop and mobile PCs, 2...

2. How does the Reverb G2 compare to the G1?

The original Reverb and the G2 have the exact same resolution, but the G2 has better lenses which makes the sweet spot a bit larger and the colors a lot better. Additionally, it also has manual IPD adjustment which can be game changer for those that need to tweak the IPD. 

Other than that, there are also improvement sin comfort. The cable is a lot lighter, the fit is better and it feels slightly better quality.

3. What about quality control issues?

The G2 is the successor to the original Reverb and addresses most of its issues. There have been no reported issues with the G2 like we had with the first few batched of the original Reverb. 

4. How is Reverb G2 tracking?

The G2 has four cameras instead of the two  that come standard with most other WMR headsets. This allows for much better tracking for both the headset as well as the controllers.

As a long time Reverb user, I can tell you that even Gen 1 didn’t have tracking problems as long as you keep the lights in your room switched on. I didn’t notice much of a difference with the G2 but that’s because I didn’t have any issues with the original Reverb either. 

5. HP Reverb G2’s resolution?

Here is a breakdown of the resolution of the top VR headsets. Note that the original Reverb and G2 have the same resolution, even though the panels are improved.6. How is the FoV on the HP Reverb G2?

 

HeadsetResolution (per eye)Total Pixels (both eyes)Refresh RateHorizontal FoV
Reverb G2 2160 x 21609,331,20090 Hz114°
Quest 2 1832 x 19207,034,88072 Hz 
Vive Pro 2 2448 x 244811985408120 Hz120°
Pimax 8K X 3840 x 216016,588,80090 Hz200°
Index 1440 x 16004,608,000144 Hz130°
Cosmos Elite 1440 x 1700 4,896,00090 Hz110°
Vive Pro 1440 x 16004,608,00090 Hz110°
Rift S 1280 x 14403,686,40080 Hz110°
Vive 1080 x 12002,592,00090 Hz110°

The official advertised FoV is 114 degrees, same as Gen 1 Reverb. Normally, the actual practical FoV is slightly lower than the advertised one because the extreme edges lack clarity but the Reverb is better than other headsets in that regard.

But the real difference is in the sweet spot – the area in the center with maximum clarity. I definitely feel like its bigger for the G2 compared to the original Reverb. 

7. Manual IPD adjustments on Reverb G2?

Yes, the Reverb G2 does have manual, physical IPD adjustment! The lack of this feature in many other headsets upset quite a lot of people and it’s inclusion is great news for those with above or below average IPDs.  

8. Recommended Graphics Card (GPU) for Reverb G2

The minimum recommended graphics card for a HP Reverb G2 is the Nvidia GTX 1080 or its AMD equivalent. This is the official recommendation along with an i7 processor and 16 GB of RAM.

However, the truth is that it really depends on the game. On a game that is not very graphics intensive like Beat Saber, I have zero issues with my test 1070. But on a demanding game like DCS, even a 3090 starts sweating like a pig. 

If you are in the market for a graphics card for this headset, here are the best ones:

Best Graphics Card for VR Gaming (2020)

9. Recommended CPU for Reverb G2

Unlike pancake games, VR games also tend to get bottle-necked by the CPU. A lot of VR rendering utilises techniques that rely on the CPU. For example, pre-rendering frames requires the CPU to create a command buffer. So you really need the best CPU as well. In my VR gaming sessions, I am usually usually CPU-limited rather than GPU-limited. 

This article explains it in more detail along with the best CPUs for VR gaming:

Best CPU for VR Gaming (2020)

About the Author

Gary (Flanker)

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Gary has been "hard landing" into runways and driving his Mitsubishi Evo off of cliffs since the early 2000s. These days, he spends most of his precious hobby time with his favorite flight, racing and space simulations in VR.He also has an Engineering Degree in Computer Science which helps a lot with his obsession with optimizing PC hardware like CPUs, Graphics Cards, VR Headsets, HOTAS, Racing Wheels etc. for high end sims.