In the previous two articles (Yangguan Avenue to the Metaverse: The Strongest High-End VR Headset Review (I) Yangguan Avenue to the Metacosmary: The Strongest High-end VR Headset Review (II)), we bring you an overview and basic parameter comparison of the six VR headsets, and a detailed comparison of the six headsets from the aspects of visual performance, audio quality, tracking accuracy and ergonomics.
This article will summarize the VR headset, predict the future development direction, and make recommendations according to different application scenarios.
Part V: Price Comparison
The Pimax 8KX is priced at $1257 (with KDMAS strap), $1399 (with DMAS strap) and $1234 (with SMAS strap). Compatible base stations and controllers are purchased separately and cost about $600 more. The hand tracking module costs $149.95 and the eye tracking module costs $229. To use the headset, you'll also need a high-end PC.
XTAL 8K is priced at $8330 for personal use, $9210 for a corporate license (extended warranty, unlimited online technical support, and full emulator and software support, including Autodesk, Dasault, and other leading products), and R&D and university prices are $8810. Tracking stations, controllers, audio solutions, and VR-ready PCs should be purchased separately.
The Varjo VR-3 headset costs $3195 and requires an active Varjo subscription of $795 per year to use the headset. Subscriptions include access to Varjo's proprietary software, Varjo's commercial license to integrate eye tracking and hand tracking capabilities, and premium business support.
The Varjo XR-3 is priced at $5495 and has a subscription period of $1495. Compatible tracking stations, controllers, and VR-enabled PCs should be purchased separately.
The HP Reverb G2 Omnicept costs $1249 and controllers are purchased separately for $179 per pair. The Omnisept SDK allows developers to acquire and use sensing data in external applications, and developers who use the SDK in their commercial products will receive a 2% revenue share, with an enterprise solution starting at $1499.
The StarVR One costs around $3200 and is only sold to businesses through a list of trusted resellers in each country. VR-compatible PCs, tracking solutions, and headsets should be purchased separately.
The HTC Vive Focus 3 headset with two controllers sells for $1300. This standalone headset doesn't require a PC to operate and has a built-in audio solution, which makes it the cheapest enterprise-class headset on the market today.
Part VI: Summary of the six headphones
Part VII: Application Scenario Recommendation
Pimax 8KX gaming application
The Pimax 8KX is not widely used as a business-facing device, as over the past few years the company has focused primarily on targeting the consumer market, expanding distribution into European and U.S. markets, and supporting kickstarter backers. As of now, Headset's eye tracking and hand tracking modules can't compete with industry-leading solutions from Varjo and XTAL.
However, due to their high resolution and visual performance, the headset can be successfully used in a variety of racing, flight, and arcade VR simulations.
XTAL 8K military-grade simulation
From the beginning, VRGineers has focused on the development of headsets for enterprise-level R&D, automotive and aerospace simulation. Thanks to its ultra-high resolution, realistic optics, image clarity, and VR immersion, this military-grade headset has been used in pilot training simulation training for NASA astronauts, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Air Force.
"The feeling of driving the F18A in full VR mode in XTAL is really amazing. It's so close to reality that I feel like I'm in F18A. As a pilot, that's exactly what I need for training purposes. ”
—Captain Taimeir, CEO of Mirage Technologies and former F18 pilot of the Swiss Air Force.
Other common XTal applications include surgeon training, virtual prototyping, and staff training.
Varjo's applications in training simulation and prototyping
The Varjo VR-3 and XR-3 are other enterprise-class headsets that have found many uses in professional VR simulations.
Boeing launched the Boeing Starliner program, which allows astronauts to use Varjo headsets to complete a complete spacecraft training program in virtual reality, from pre-launch to docking.
Pictured above is the Boeing Starliner, developed in collaboration with NASA. Varjo headsets provide crew with a clear, high-resolution system that enables them to read instruments at normal distances, which is essential for astronauts to train effectively.
Other notable partners of Varjo include Audi, Siemens and the Volvo Car Technology Fund.
In June 2021, Varjo launched the Reality Cloud Platform to capture and share real metaverse worlds, allowing people to scan their 3D environments and invite others into their virtual reality replicas.
Research applications of HP Reverb G2 Omnicept
Equipped with a variety of sensors, omnicept is the perfect headset to collect rich real-time human behavior data during virtual reality simulations.
The data collected can be used for research purposes or to construct human-centered, adaptive virtual worlds that respond or change based on the neurofeedback of current users.
Scott Rawlings, product manager at HP, describes a scenario in which trainers can monitor the stress an individual might experience while dealing with difficult simulations, such as flying an airplane at 60 mph winds, or track how an engineer's mental state improves after practice and further guidance.
Ovation partnered with HP to develop a public speaking simulator that helps people overcome public speaking anxiety by using realistic VR scenarios that automatically rate progress using rich Omnicept sensory data.
StarVR For Professional Applications
StarVR has partnered with VR development company WorldViz to add support for Vizard, a toolkit that allows researchers to conduct advanced VR research in near-natural conditions.
StarVR and WorldViz leverage headsets' built-in eye tracking and ultra-wide field of view to give researchers the ability to study human behavior for psychological and behavioral research, training and performance analysis, and marketing research and analysis. Eye tracking research has been conducted by NM State University, the National Institutes of Health, the National University of Singapore, Oregon State University and other institutions.
HTC Vive Focus 3 use case
HTC has worked with professionals and businesses for years, and the Enterprise Focus 3 standalone headset is a natural extension of its business-proven product line.
The headset can be used for a variety of VR training scenarios, remote collaboration, entertainment, and marketing. For example, Bugatti used the Vive VR to save 50 percent of the time designing the Divo supercar in virtual reality, while Nishinay, Japan's largest gas appliance manufacturer, increased potential users of water heaters by 50 percent by demonstrating the installation process of energy-efficient tankless trucks in VR.
Given that most HTC VR products have relied on PCs in the past, the latest Vive Focus 3 is a popular add-on that is a wireless standalone device that doesn't require a separate PC and can be used more easily and freely.
Part VIII: The Future of the High-End VR Market
The VR market is booming, and every year we see virtual reality devices make huge leaps in quality, creativity, and immersion.
Here are some of the upcoming VR devices that may be used in both casual and commercial environments:
Oculus Quest 3 — It's only a matter of time before the upcoming third edition of the extremely popular Quest 2 headset. So far, we know that the third-generation Quest will remain stand-alone, with potential upgrades in vision, optics, and ergonomics, and possibly support for Sony's SualSense controllers.
Apple VR – Although unconfirmed, the sheer number of hints leads us to believe that, given the company's seriousness about dabbling in the AR/VR space with upcoming AR glasses, Apple will launch a new VR device sometime after 2022. So far, apple VR headsets have been rumored to be lightweight, have dual 8K screens, and offer built-in eye tracking and a LiDAR scanner, making them a great gateway device for getting into enterprise VR.
Playstation PSVR 2 — Coming in sometime 2021, Sony's latest VR headset is dedicated to the PS5 and features a VR controller with a high-resolution OLED display (2000 X 2040) and futuristic sensors. The PSVR 2 is not a standalone device and will most likely still be a consumer-facing headset rather than an enterprise headset.
Valve Index 2 — The first Valve Index raised the baseline for VR headsets and did a great job. While it's expensive in the mid-market, we can see that it retains its value at the high end, even though it's been over 2 years old (which is old in the age of the internet). Index 2 should improve its performance, including eye tracking and wireless. This will make it a very strong contender in the category, especially if it maintains its low price tag.
So far, there's no information about Pimax, Varjo, XTAL, HP, StarVR, and HTC's upcoming new enterprise headsets.
What are the best VR headsets?
For enterprise-grade and R&D applications that require the highest quality visuals and attention to detail, the Varjo VR-3 and XR-3 headphones are the place to be.
For optimal comfort, cost-effectiveness, and specifications, HTC Vive Focus 3 offers a viable standalone solution that is easy to scale because focus 3 is the best enterprise-class wireless VR device available today.
The HP Reverb G2 Omnicept is the perfect solution for education, marketing, and R&D organizations who want as much behavioral data as possible without spending a lot of money on VR setups.
For multi-user, military-grade enterprise environments, the XTal 8K could be a good choice, despite the company's high price due to the company's extensive experience in space.
In terms of price/performance, valve index remains one of the best choices for complex commercial VR simulations that require precision and immersion, despite the lack of stunning, realistic visuals. Valve Index uses the most accurate tracking solutions as Varjo and XTAL, with excellent built-in audio and great visuals at a low price. However, we don't recommend buying it, as valve Index 2 may be waiting for you nearby. In addition, Index does not provide you with 4K images.
We haven't seen Valve Index's eye tracking solution yet, so if that's something your app needs, you can check out the other high-end devices on the list.
All in all, as we see more and more ultra-performance devices breaking through our capabilities in VR, the high-end enterprise market is growing exponentially.
The current generation of high-end headsets shows that there are no limits to what we can and will do in VR, which is good news for both businesses and VR enthusiasts.
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Yangguan Avenue to the Meta-Universe: The Strongest High-End VR Headset Review (2)
Yangguan Avenue to the Meta-Universe: The Strongest High-End VR Headset Review (1)
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