Oculus Quest vs PSVR: Which is Better?

The Oculus Quest and the PSVR represent the most affordable “full VR” experiences available right now. By full VR, I’m referring to the ability to interact fully in the VR environment, otherwise knows as 6DOF (6 degrees of freedom). Other cheap headsets, such as the Oculus Go or Samsung Gear VR only offer 3DOF limiting your ability to interact with the VR environment.

The PSVR has been out for a few years now and has a huge backlog of games and experiences, while the Oculus Quest uses newer technology. Which one should you get and why? Let’s take a look at both side by side to see what the best option is in 2020

Oculus Quest VS PSVR

Specs

SpecsPSVROculus Quest
Image  
Field of View 110°100°
Max Resolution 1920×1080(960 × 1080 per eye)2880 × 1600
ScreentypeAMOLEDOLED
Pixel Density386ppi538
SensorsAccelerometer, gyroscopeGyroscope
Max Refresh Rate90Hz, 120Hz72 Hz
Tracking6 DOF PlayStation Camera optical 360-degree LED tracking6DOF Inside Out Tracking
Weight610g570g
RequirmentsPlaystation 4, Playstation CameraNone
PriceCheck Price on AmazonCheck Price on Amazon

So what do these figures mean? Let me break it down for you.

Screen

The Oculus Quest is the clear winner here. The Quest’s built in screen is capable of displaying 1,600 × 1,440 pixels  per-eye, compared with the PSVR 960 × 1080 pixels per eye. Put simply, this means that the image on the Quest screen will look sharper, clearer and more realistic, producing a more immersive experience.

The PSVR and Quest use different screen types, with the Quest opting for an OLED and the PSVR and AMOLED. The PSVR’s AMOLED is actually considered to be the better screen type, providing higher refresh rates and superior color control. Whether this makes up for the lower resolution will be up to the viewer.

The refresh rate is actually quite important when coming VR headsets, particularly if you’re getting one primarily for gaming. A high refresh rate means any moving object on the screen will look smoother, sharper and have less of a ghosting effect. The PSVR win’s outright here with a very high refresh rate where as the Quest only manages 72 Hz. Overall it looks like the Quest offers the superior screen experience mostly due to the much higher resolution.

Tracking

Tracking refers to how the headset monitors your movements in the real work and translates this into movement in the VR world. As I mentioned previously both headsets offer 6DOF, which for many is considered the full VR experience. How the tracking works on both headsets is quite different however. The PSVR requires you to use the PS Camera and to plug your headset directly into your PS4. The Quest doesn’t need any external cameras or a wired connection, instead it uses internal tracking with 4 cameras on the headset itself.

The Quest is the first VR headset to offer 6DOF VR without a wired connection, representing a big leap in terms of accessibility and user friendliness. I’ve used the PSVR multiple times and one of the most annoying aspects of it is the wires. It limits your movements and requires a long set up time. With the Quest you can just pick it up and use it right away, provided you are indoors! 

The tracking on the PSVR is mostly accurate, however it will largely depend on where you place the PS camera. If you stray out of sight of the camera the tracking will fail and you’ll need to find your way back into view. The tracking on the Quest is room scale; so you can essentially use an entire room as your VR play area, just don’t trip over the sofa.

Power and Performance

The PSVR is powered by the PS4. If you have a PS4 Pro your PSVR will likely run smoother and produce a higher quality experience, however the original PS4 is perfectly capable of running the PSVR smoothly. I’ve rarely encountered issues with lag or per performance while using the PSVR, although some more complicated games do take a while to load.

The Oculus Quest is powered by its own internal processor, the Snapdragon 835. When this information was released there were hints of disappointment in the VR community due the the age of this processor (it’s 2017’s flagship processor). Never the less, the Quest has demonstrated it can keep up with even the higher end VR headsets, albeit with some limitations. Both of these headsets are capable of playing the latest VR games so you shouldn’t worry about accessibility.

See Also: Oculus Quest 2 vs Oculus Quest

VR Library

Just like Apple and Android, or PlayStation and Xbox, different VR headsets have their own libraries of Apps and games. Some are shared across platforms and some are exclusive, so it’s a good idea to check out what’s available for each headset before choosing!

The PSVR has been out longer than the Quest and has amassed an impressive selection of games. Titles such as Resident Evil 7, Wipeout VR and Farpoint are all excellent games exclusively available for the PSVR. If you subscribe to PlayStation Plus you’ll also occasionally get access to PSVR games for free. There are literally hundreds of titles to choose from in the PSVR games library, along with VR apps from National Geographic, Netflix, YouTube and many others.

The Quest is the newest VR headset on the block, so hasn’t has time to build a large exclusive library, however Oculus does have two other headsets with many titles. Thankfully Oculus has stated that many of the games available on the Oculus Rift will be ported to the Quest, making the library of games and experiences pretty impressive straightaway. The Quest will also be getting its own exclusive games, such as the impressive looking Vader Immortal and The Climb.

It’s hard to say which headset has the best library of VR games and experiences, but both should have enough to keep you busy for months until new titles are released.

Price

Obviously the price is a key consideration, because we all like a good deal. The PSVR can be bought for around $250 – $300  including the camera and controllers and possibly some games. It really depends if there are deals running for the PSVR, which happens often on Amazon. You’ll also need a PS4 to use it, which pretty much doubles the price if you don’t already have one.

The Quest is priced at $399 for the 64GB model and $100 more for the 128GB version. While the Quest is the more expensive option it doesn’t require anything else to run and is completely wireless.

Conclusion

So which is the better VR headset, the PSVR or the Oculus Quest? In terms of easy of use, accessibility and screen quality I would have to give it to the Quest. It’s the first all in one VR headset that doesn’t need anything else to run, and at $399 it’s not ridiculously expensive either. It’s pretty much the first VR gaming console. It has a higher resolution screen which is great for gaming and watching 360 videos.

The PSVR is more of an accessory to the PS4 and while it does have some advantages, like superior refresh rate and exclusive game titles, it is a pain to set up and the wires limit your movement. Still, if you already have a PS4 and you find a good deal, the PSVR is loads of fun and I’ve loved it every time I’ve played.

You can find the PS4 and Oculus Quest on Amazon

 

The 360 Guy

The 360 Guy

Owner of threesixtycameras.com. Writer, photographer and videographer. You can see my YouTube channel for guides of how to shoot 360 video. I've written for The Times, Digital Photography School and Sunday Express. 

3 Comments
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  1. Eh the game catalog is a no brainer, PSVR wins hand down. The PSVR should be the winner here. The Quest will never have the power to play good games.

  2. But as a wireless streaming vr interface for a pc with steam. Now that is something. I am seeing good reviews for this using ALVR. It is what sold me on the quest. Can’t wait for it to arrive and give it a try.

  3. Both VR has the different positive things. Oculus Quest’s graphic and realistic are better than PSVR but I am a strategy and storyline game lover, I go for PSVR more.

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