Virtual Reality – Headset

Victor Marquez

In just a few years, virtual reality has changed how the world works. Its present and future applications are so many that you would have to be blind not to see them.

It has not only transformed the video game industry but is also being used in education and business. However, we admit that it is still a new technology and everyone might not be aware of its possibilities.

Therefore, if you want to try VR, it is best to be well-informed about VR and its gadgets. Here you will learn everything about VR headsets.

Quick Summary

In this post, we will go over:

What is a VR headset?
How does a VR headset function?
Types of VR headsets

Without further ado, let’s get started.

What is a VR Headset?

Before we hop into VR headsets, you must understand the basics of VR. Therefore, we suggest you read our VR guide here.

A VR headset or VR goggles are devices created to visualize virtual environments in three-dimensional space. They come with a display screen, stereo sound, sensors, and compatible controllers to give you an immersive audiovisual experience.

If you’ve never used a VR headset, once you put it on you can no longer see the world around you. Instead, you only see what’s projected on the display of your headset.

If you’re curious about the VR experience, you can read more about what to expect with VR here.

One feature that sticks out is that once you move your head, the images on the screen also change similar to the real world.

However, unlike augmented reality and mixed reality headsets, it does not use any element of the external world.

How Does a VR Headset Function?

A VR headset is designed with different components and software to ensure it functions properly.

These components are:

Various sensors
Lens and screens
Immersive audio
Controllers

Now, you may be wondering, how to use a VR headset?

The first thing you’ll need to do is charge your headset. Once it boots up, you’ll be presented with a realistic virtual environment that will act as a lobby. Think of it as the homepage of a computer.

From there you can choose different apps, games, change settings and meet with virtual people.

To learn more about VR technology, we also have a separate post that you can read here.

Types of VR Headsets

There are two types of VR headsets:

High-performance headsets
Headsets that need a mobile phone

High-performance headsets are those that have their own display and sensors, and you need external equipment to power them such as a computer or a console. For example, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PSVR.

On the other hand, headsets that need a mobile phone are much lower in quality since phones have less powerful processors and GPUs to run high-quality virtual simulations.

But, naturally, these devices are much more affordable and accessible. For example, Google Cardboard.

The good thing is that you can enhance your VR experience of both these devices through accessories. You can read what accessories you need for VR here.

Conclusion

Virtual reality is extremely popular these days. After reaching 9.63 million shipments in 2021, VR headset shipments are expected to top over 13.59 million this year.

As the demand for VR increases, you can expect new innovations to create VR experiences that are more exciting, accessible, and seamless.

However, like all technologies, VR does not come without its issues. Therefore, as a beginner, we suggest you start slowly.

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