Virtual Reality in 2016

VR Headsets to Keep on Your Radar in 2016

Virtual Reality (VR) has become a big buzzword in technology in recent years. With increasing media attention, most VR manufacturers are gearing up to release products within the year. While detailed specifications are not available about all of the offerings, some major contenders have managed to capture a lot of attention through demonstrations at events like CES 2016 and through pre-releases of developer versions of the devices.

The intent of this article is not to give a comprehensive review of all VR products in development, as much of the information out there is speculation. I would, however, like to present you with the most notable products, a little bit of what to expect with each device, and a link for more information.

Oculus Rift

Price: $599

Currently available for pre-order
Owned by Facebook
Specs:

• Resolution: 2160x1200
• Refresh Rate: 90Hz
• Display Tech: OLED
• Controller: Oculus Touch (release delayed until mid-2016), Xbox One Controller
• Area of control: Unknown

Requirements:

• Nvidia GTX 970/AMD 290 or better
• Intel i5-4590 or better
• 8GB RAM or better
• HDMI, two USB 3.0 ports

https://www.oculus.com/en-us/rift/

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HTC Vive

Price: TBA
Partner with Valve/Steam
Specs:

• Resolution: 2160x1200
• Refresh Rate: 90Hz
• Display Tech: OLED
• Controller: SteamVR controller, any PC compatible gamepad
• Area of control: 15x15 feet

Requirements: TBA, but will likely be a pretty powerful PC
http://www.htcvive.com/us/

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Samsung Gear VR

Price: $99
Currently available for purchase
Partner with Oculus/Facebook
Specs:

• A Galaxy Note 4/5 or Galaxy S6 functions as the processing power and display
• Resolution, refresh rate, and display technology will vary based upon the phone used 
• Controller: Android compatible gamepad

Requirements:

• A compatible Samsung phone

https://www.oculus.com/en-us/gear-vr/

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Microsoft HoloLens

Price: $3,000 for the developer version

Specs: Quite a mystery.
Requirements: None, this is  a stand-alone device.
The HoloLens is one of the most unique VR offerings. Rather than approaching VR as a gaming headset, HoloLens is looking to become an augmented reality device, allowing you to see the world in front of you with technology-enhanced abilities. If you haven't looked into this product yet, I encourage you to check it out. There's enough features packed into this device to keep you reading for quite a while.
https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-hololens/en-us

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Sony PlayStation VR

Price: TBA, some leaks pointing to $499
Specs:

• Resolution: 1920x1080
• Refresh Rate: 120Hz
• Display Tech: OLED
• Controller: Dualshock 4, Playstation Move wand(s), Playstation Camera

Requirements:

• Sony Playstation 4

https://www.playstation.com/en-au/explore/ps4/features/playstation-vr/