Sony’s PlayStation VR headset will be available in October 2016 for a price of $399 / £349, but how does it stack up to the main competitors: Oculus Rift and HTC Vive? PlayStation Executive VP Masayasu Ito has already stated that Oculus Rift is better if you’re looking for high-end quality, but we’ve compared all the details to give you a better idea of how they all compare.
There are a number of differences between each device, but the one that gamers will spot quickest is the resolution. The PlayStation VR has a resolution of 960 x 1080 per eye, which is 20% lower than both the Oculus Rift and Vive. The PSVR is also heavier than both the competitors, with ~140g difference to the Oculus Rift.
The included accessories also differ with the competitors, with both the Rift and Vive including controllers and peripherals, and somewhat justifying the higher price point. The PSVR required a PlayStation Camera to operate and won’t be included.
PlayStation VR vs Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive
| PlayStation VR | Oculus Rift | HTC Vive | |
| Display Panel | 5.7″ OLED | 2x OLED | 2x OLED |
| Cost (Excluding PC/console) | $399 / £349 / €399 | $599 / £499 / €599 | $799 / £689 / €899 |
| Consumer Release Date | October 2016 | March 2016 | April 2016 |
| Total Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2160 x 1200 | 2160 x 1200 |
| Resolution Per Eye | 960 x 1080 | 1080 x 1200 | 1080 x 1200 |
| Field of View | ~100º | ~110º | ~110º |
| Max Refresh | 90Hz, 120Hz | 90hz | 90hz |
| System Requirements | Sony PlayStation 4 PlayStation Camera |
NVIDIA GTX 970/AMD 290 equivalent or greater Intel i5-4590 equivalent or greater 8GB+ DDR3 RAM HDMI 1.3 video output 2 USB 3.0 ports |
NVIDIA GTX 970/ AMD R9 290 equivalent or greater Intel i5-4590/AMD FX 8350 equivalent or greater 4GB+ RAM Video Output: HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2 or newer 1x USB 2.0 or greater port |
| Included Peripherals | Processor Unit In-ear Headphones |
Camera Integrated Headphones Oculus Remote |
2x Lighthouse ase Stations Built-in Front Facing Camera |
| Audio | Built-in 3D Audio | Built-in 3D Audio | None |
| Connections | VR headset: HDMI, AUX, Stereo Headphone Jack Processor unit: HDMI TV, HDMI PS4, USB, HDMI, AUX |
HDMI 1.3 3x USB 3 1x USB 2 |
3-in-1 connector to interface box HDMI 1.4 1x USB 2 |
| Weight | ~610g | ~470g | ~555g |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Gyroscope Magnetometer PS Eye Tracking |
Accelerometer Gyroscope Magnetometer Tracking Sensor Array |
Accelerometer Gyroscope Front-facing camera Laser sensor |
| Controllers | DualShock 4, PS Move (sold seperately) | Xbox One Controller, Remote (included) | 2 Wireless Controllers (included) |