Choosing a Virtual Reality (VR) Headset that works for you can sometimes be tricky.
If you are an experienced VR user (player, connoisseur, etc.), this may actually be very easy. There are refresher points worth assessing.
For those of you who are newer to the game (no pun intended), there are definitely some checklist items. These are things that need to be on your list of considerations. The list is not exhaustive. But, they are basics for your VR Headset shopping excursion.
Starting the Checklist
First of all, let’s make sure that this headset is a quality headset. The last thing you want is to be playing your VR game or having your VR experience and having something that sounds like a dog scratching or grandpa crinkling up last week’s newspaper in your ear. Can you really experience a sense of virtual reality with all of that noise interrupting your experience? No!
So, you need to ensure that your headset has some decent sound quality. One of the best ways to do this is to check out the reviews and what others say about the sound quality. If you can, even ask others what they think about that quality, whether you are asking them in person, or even as a response to a review online. You can also use social media to discuss it. Join a Facebook group that discusses virtual reality and specifically gear and accessories.
Of course, the best way to test any of these things out is to be able to try it yourself, like the “pet the puppy” sales method (though that purpose is to buy and your purpose is to test). But, we can’t always get access to the item to test it, so these approaches would be alternative ways to find out about the quality of that headset or the comparison of headsets.
The Next Consideration
Now, the next one is sort of a binary, meaning it is either a yes or a no. Does the VR headset fit? Along with that, is it comfortable? If the thing is poking you in the face, then the answer is probably, “No.”
You should likely consider another headset if it pokes you in the face.
Does the span of the headset fit the shape of your head properly? Does the headset slip, or does it settle nicely on your head as if it was sort of built for your head, like an extension of you? After all, if you are going to spend hours engaging in VR activities, you want that headset to basically be a sort of extension of you, right?
Now, the final one should be easy to answer, with some research. Is the headset compatible with the intended VR use or uses? If it is not compatible with any of the programs that you have, or the activities for which you intend to use it, then it is a definite “No.”
Beyond the intended use, is it compatible with other systems? Do you need any adapters to make it work with older equipment? What about the future? Does it seem like the headset is forward-thinking? Like the devices that will come out on the market next year? How does compatibility factor into the future considerations?
Granted, we are not necessarily fortune tellers when it comes to knowing what the future holds for VR headsets, but you certainly want to make the best guess and by all means, don’t spend the amount of a mortgage payment on something that may become obsolete in six weeks. Shop wisely with a Buyer Beware attitude.
