Microsoft has gone with a platform economy for its Virtual Reality push. What this means is that they create a platform (WMR) and let other manufacturers actually build the headsets. The massive advantage of this is that dozens of companies will be building headsets for your platform. Valve has done something similar with SteamVR.
The point of all this is that it has led to a number of awesome product offerings coming to WMR, especially from consumer electronic giants Samsung and HP. We will be looking at some of the best WMR headsets available right now.
1. Best Overall/ Highest Resolution
- Field of view: 114°
- Connectivity Technology: Wired
The undisputed champion not only of the WMR line up but in my opinion amongst all VR headets. Sure, the Valve Index has better controllers and tracking, but the Reverb has 2160 x 2160 pixels per eye compared to 1440 x 1600 for the Index. And as someone who has owned both, I can tell you the Reverb most definitely has the better screen.
If your jam is mostly flight and space simming or other seated games like sim racing, then this is the headset you need. If you also play room scale games which require a lot of slashing and excellent controllers, then the Index might be a better jack-of-all-trades although you will lose a bit of screen clarity.
2. Best Value for Money
- 3K anti-sde AMOLED display (2880x1600) with wide 110O field of view
- Direct Full Array Backlight 4X: Concentrated Zones of Precision-Controlled LEDs Auto-Adjust Contrast...
The O+ has an anti-SDE screen that really made it revolutionary when it first released. The lack of SDE made it superior to other competing headsets like the Vive and Rift. Of course, better headsets have been released since (like the Reverb, Index and Rift S) which beat the O+ in clarity, but it still is the #2 best WMR headset after the amazing Reverb.
But why should you buy it? Well, the O+ has an unbeatable price point for what it offers. Samsung has been offering it at sale time and time again. No wonder the O+ is one of the most popular WMR headsets around.
3. Best Budget/ Entry Level
- MIXED REALITY HEADSET: Taking just minutes to set-up, the Lenovo Explorer headset combines the...
- Display resolution : 2880 x 1440.COMFORTABLE DESIGN: Journey far and wide in real comfort with this...
The Explorer is the best entry level VR headset. The Lenovo has allowed thousands of users to experience VR without breaking the bank. It’s the best entry point for those who just want to experience VR and not commit to other enthusiast-level headsets. It’s also suitable for those with kids who don’t want to spend too much on something that is likely to face a lot of abuse.
It actually beats out the Gen 1 headsets like the Vive and Rift in terms of clarity and comfort. Its clearer, lighter with a good field of view.
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