Best VR gear for VAM - Autumn 2022

[strawberryzevia]

I have found a few (pretty dated) threads on suggestions/best setup for VR in VAM. At this point in 2022, amongst what's available and what's potentially coming out in the near future, I'll take any/all feedback and discussion on the matter.

I'm looking to buy a setup in the next few weeks, or later if I end up waiting for something new.

Considerations:
-rather not have to involve myself with facebook account to use Meta Quest 2 - is it really the best out there though?
-I travel fulltime for work so space is a slight issue (though I'm sure I can make room in one of the road cases)
-It seems there isn't a lot of support in VAM for fingers (and I haven't found controllers in glove form anyway) but I really don't know, I've always used on desktop - is this a possibility?
-I'd like to keep it under 1.5-2k for the whole setup if possible
-interested in whether LCD or AMOLED or something else looks best for VAM if one is clearly superior
-I have a pretty good pc and will potentially be buying myself something new this year anyway so please include suggestions/thoughts even on very taxing VR gear setups.

Thanks for reading and thanks for any input

 

[atani]

If you travel all the time I assume you can only go with a laptop. For VAM it has to be beefy AF, because this thing eats tower setups for breakfast.

I have a HP Reverb G2, it is a great device. It has plenty of problems too, don't get me wrong, but so do all VR headsets. I chose it over Quest 2 because at the time I didn't want to be forced into the Meta walled garden crap - you don't need a FB account anymore, btw - and other reasons.
The G2 is not wireless like the Q2, but will you be carrying a router with you as well? I'm not familiar how you connect wirelessly the Q2 from a computer without a router, possibly you can do it but no idea if there's issues in performance. You can connect with a cable too, so at least there's that.
The G2 headset is not something easy to carry around, I expect the Q2 won't be too. Packed is about a 30x20x20 box. *similar to a sleeping bag maybe?

There's other less known brands with quality inside-out headsets, but I don't expect they are much different in terms of size and portability, which seems to be your biggest issue. Finger tracking I won't even go about because I have no experience with it and it would probably mean more stuff for you to carry.

 

[T_bob]

Mmmm, interesting problem, the travelling I mean. As Atani said a laptop that you can carry with you is probably the best option. One of the drawbacks with Vam on a laptop is the fans are going to be on full blast a lot of the time. I had a laptop and with Vam and the fans sounded like jet plane LOL, so if you do get a laptop try to get one with good quiet fans which of course will make it more expensive.

I've had a Quest2 for two years and I've used it nearly every day, I'm very happy with it. It's light and robust and if I was travelling with it I would put it in a suitcase and pack it with clothes around it. Not that I have travelled with it but that's what I would do.

A facebook account is not needed now for Q2. A smart phone is required. The Q2 will run wireless or tethered.

Wireless, you will need a 5K router but after the intial setup with the internet you do not need the internet to run
the Q2 while connected to your PC. You will still need the Router but you do not have to be connected to the internet.

Tethered, just connect Q2 to the PC, no internet required after the initial setup.

Of course it is also a standalone with no PC if you want to buy some games off Meta.

I'm not saying the Q2 is the best option I'm just giving you details to make your own choice.

What I would say though is decide which Headset you want and then spend the rest of the 2k on a Desktop or Laptop.

Good Luck!

 

[strawberryzevia]

If you travel all the time I assume you can only go with a laptop. For VAM it has to be beefy AF, because this thing eats tower setups for breakfast.

Hey, I travel with a MainGear (the house brand for MicroCenter) laptop that actually has the desktop version GTX 2070 ("Super"), with an i7-10875H and 32 GB RAM @ 2933 (along with a couple very loud fans). It handles VAM in desktop version quite well even at pretty high settings, though like I said I may replace it after Christmas anyway, once prices come down, especially dependent on how it handles a VR setup. I believe VR version is much more taxing than desktop? (As an aside, I swear by MicroCenter - they'll price match anyone, and their house brand is incredibly inexpensive - worth checking out.)

I have a HP Reverb G2, it is a great device. It has plenty of problems too, don't get me wrong, but so do all VR headsets. I chose it over Quest 2 because at the time I didn't want to be forced into the Meta walled garden crap - you don't need a FB account anymore, btw - and other reasons.

Are you certain of the change in policy? I feel like I've seen it mentioned even in recent articles that it requires FB. That would be a game changer.

The G2 is not wireless like the Q2, but will you be carrying a router with you as well?

To be honest I hadn't thought of that. I'm sure they would ship me out a portable router that I could commandeer for VAM. Typically I just connect over the hotel wifi, and less frequently the work hotspot. Wired sounds like it makes more sense though, so I don't have to carry a router and especially given the size of the whole setup. We have a couple of road cases that we ship ahead before we fly between cities so the plan is to pack it up into one of those.

There's other less known brands with quality inside-out headsets, but I don't expect they are much different in terms of size and portability, which seems to be your biggest issue.

Are there any you recommend me researching, or do you feel none are generally any/much better than the Reverb G2? Honestly I can find the room in the road cases, and while portability is a factor, I'm most focused on the best setup I can get in my price range. I'm guessing the big manufacturers have better price points anyway but if there's something that might be moderately better for a little extra money I'd take a look.

Thank you so much for the info btw.

 

[strawberryzevia]

I had a laptop and with Vam and the fans sounded like jet plane LOL

Yah, my laptop is outrageously loud and has a desktop GPU in it so its even louder still.

I've had a Quest2 for two years and I've used it nearly every day, I'm very happy with it. It's light and robust and if I was travelling with it I would put it in a suitcase and pack it with clothes around it.

We have a few roadcases so my plan is to pack the whole thing up in one of those - in terms of size I'd only really be concerned with the size/clunkiness of it when I'm actually using it.

A facebook account is not needed now for Q2. A smart phone is required. The Q2 will run wireless or tethered.

Atani said the same - this is good to know.

I'm not saying the Q2 is the best option I'm just giving you details to make your own choice.

Knowing then what you know now, would you stick with it or try another brand?

What I would say though is decide which Headset you want and then spend the rest of the 2k on a Desktop or Laptop.

1.5-2k was budget for VR setup, but it's looking like that was a gross overestimation.

Thank you for the info!