PC-Powered VR

See also: Standalone VR and Phone-Powered AR

A PC-powered (tethered) VR headset, which connects to an external computer for processing.

PC-Powered VR, also known as PC VR, the Discrete HMD or the Tethered HMD, is a type of mostly virtual reality head-mounted display that supplies everything required for an immersive VR experience aside from the processing. It contains the display, lenses, rotational tracking, positional tracking sensors, audio and advanced input, while an external computer runs the application and renders every frame. Discrete HMDs are traditionally connected to PCs through cables. Certain Discrete HMDs such as the PlayStation VR use consoles instead of PCs for processing. Discrete HMDs require powerful PCs to run their demanding games and software. In a 2017 paper, MIT researchers divided the VR systems of the time into PC-based headsets such as the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, which "leverage their computational horsepower to generate rich graphics" but need a cable to the PC, and phone-based headsets such as the Samsung Gear VR (a Slide-on HMD), which need no cable but cannot support the same graphics.

The consumer Oculus Rift began shipping on March 28, 2016 at US$599, and the HTC Vive on April 5, 2016. Early PC-powered headsets delivered positional tracking with external sensors or base stations placed around the user, and they came with custom Input Devices built with 6DOF tracking in mind; later models such as the Oculus Rift S moved the tracking cameras onto the headset. Some standalone headsets can also act as a PC VR display: the Pico Neo 2, for example, was announced as a standalone headset that could also connect wirelessly to a PC.

As of October 2026 the category is in transition. Valve has stopped manufacturing the Valve Index, and its replacement, the Steam Frame, is a "streaming-first" standalone headset with no DisplayPort or HDMI input. Dedicated wired headsets such as the Bigscreen Beyond 2 are still sold. In Valve's September 2026 Steam Hardware Survey, 1.35% of Steam users had a VR headset, and the three most common headsets were standalone Meta Quest models used with PC software.

Reviewed 17 October 2026. Checked every cited source for the launch dates, prices, PC requirements, connection specs, Steam Hardware Survey figures (September 2026), Index/Steam Frame/Varjo Aero status and the Sutherland, Abari and Niehorster papers. About review dates.

How it works

A PC-powered headset acts as a high-quality output and input device rather than a complete computer. The headset houses the panels, optics, internal measurement sensors and headphones, while all of the heavy work, running the game engine, rendering each frame and applying lens distortion correction, is performed by the external host. The rendered frames are sent down a video cable to the headset, and the headset streams its sensor data (head pose, controller pose, button states) back to the host so that the next frame can be drawn from the correct viewpoint. Because nothing has to fit inside the headset's thermal and battery budget, a PC-powered design can drive higher resolutions, wider field of view and faster refresh rates than a self-contained unit of the same era.

This division of labour is why the category is called "discrete": the display and the processor are physically separate. It also means the experience is only as good as the host hardware. A weak GPU forces lower detail, dropped frames and discomfort, so manufacturers publish recommended PC specifications alongside each headset. When the first-generation Oculus Rift launched, Oculus standardised on a recommended baseline of an NVIDIA GTX 970 (or AMD Radeon R9 290) GPU, an Intel Core i5-4590 CPU, 8 GB of RAM, a compatible HDMI 1.3 output and several USB ports, and Oculus said these would remain the target specifications throughout the life of the Rift.

Oculus chief architect Atman Binstock explained the reason for that baseline in May 2015. The Rift ran at 2160 x 1200 at 90 Hz across two displays, which is 233 million pixels per second. At the default eye-target scale, he wrote, the load rose to around 400 million shaded pixels per second, about three times the GPU work of traditional 1080p rendering. He also wrote that "the recommended spec will stay constant over the lifetime of the Rift." Later headsets publish their own minimums. Valve's minimum for the Index was an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD RX 480 with a GTX 1070 or better recommended, and Bigscreen lists an RTX 2070 or AMD RX 5700 XT for the Beyond 2.

History

The arrangement of a head-worn display driven by a separate computer is as old as the head-mounted display itself. In the head-mounted three-dimensional display that Ivan Sutherland described in 1968, built at Harvard University, a computer processed the head-position sensor information once per frame and stored the three-dimensional drawing, while special-purpose hardware (a matrix multiplier and a "clipping divider") computed the perspective image, because no general-purpose computer was fast enough. The equipment could display 3,000 lines at 30 frames per second, and the user's head position was measured either by a mechanical arm hanging from the ceiling or by an ultrasonic sensor.

Consumer headsets for personal computers appeared in the mid-1990s. The Forte VFX1, which Vuzix dates to 1995, was installed by fitting an interface card (the VFX1 HEADGEAR Interface Protocol, or VIP, card) in the PC and connecting it to the PC's 26-pin VESA feature connector. The Oculus Rift DK1 development kit, funded through a Kickstarter campaign in August 2012, began reaching backers in March 2013. It connected to the computer through a control box, using one DVI or HDMI video cable and a USB cable.

The consumer Rift and the HTC Vive followed in 2016, and Sony's console-tethered PlayStation VR in October of that year (see Examples). In 2019 Oculus introduced the Rift S, a US$399 PC headset launching that spring, which used five sensors on the headset for tracking ("Say goodbye to external sensors"), and Valve began shipping the Index on June 28, 2019. In September 2020 Facebook said it would "focus on standalone VR headsets moving forward" and "no longer pursue PC-only hardware", ending sales of the Rift S in 2021, while keeping the Rift platform because of "significant growth in PC VR via Oculus Link".

Microsoft's Windows Mixed Reality platform, which supported PC headsets from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Samsung, was removed in Windows 11 version 24H2. UploadVR found in October 2024 that the headsets no longer worked on that version at all, including on Steam; Microsoft said existing devices would keep working with Steam through November 2026 on Windows 11 23H2. Sony went the other way: from August 7, 2024 a PC adapter let the PlayStation VR2, designed for the PlayStation 5, run SteamVR games on a PC. Valve confirmed in November 2025 that it was "no longer manufacturing" the Index, and announced the Steam Frame, which connects to the PC only wirelessly.

Connection requirements

A tethered headset needs both a video link and a data link to the host. Early headsets split these across separate connectors. The original Oculus Rift CV1 used an HDMI cable for video plus USB for data, and its recommended specification called for an HDMI 1.3 output and, after a March 2016 update, three USB 3.0 ports and one USB 2.0 port. The HTC Vive lists HDMI and USB 2.0 connections. Later PC headsets moved to DisplayPort for video. The Valve Index needs one DisplayPort 1.2 output and a USB port (USB 3.0 for its pass-through cameras), and Valve states that it does not support HDMI or DisplayPort to HDMI adapters. Professional headsets such as the Varjo Aero connect through a headset adapter with DisplayPort and USB-A 3.0 connections, and the Bigscreen Beyond 2 requires one DisplayPort 1.4 output and two USB 3.0 ports.

Even DisplayPort has limits at current resolutions. Bigscreen explained that, because of the bandwidth limitations of DisplayPort 1.4, display controllers and MIPI, the original Bigscreen Beyond uses "visually lossless" Display Stream Compression (DSC): at 90 Hz it compresses the signal to 1920 x 1920 per eye and a hardware upscaler in the headset restores 2560 x 2560. The Beyond 2 lists DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC support as a GPU requirement.

The practical consequence is that the host PC must have a dedicated GPU with a spare DisplayPort or HDMI output, plus free USB ports for data and for any external tracking hardware. Valve warns that laptops that use integrated graphics rather than a dedicated GPU meeting its requirements "may not work with Index", which is one reason PC VR is associated with desktop towers.

How tracking is delivered

PC-powered headsets are typically 6DOF systems and use one of two tracking approaches. Outside-in systems rely on external reference devices placed around the play space: the original Oculus Rift used desktop infrared camera sensors, while HTC Vive and the Valve Index use SteamVR Lighthouse base stations. Each base station starts its cycle with a global flash of infrared light and then sweeps a laser across the room; sensors on the headset and controllers time the interval between the flash and the sweep, which gives their angle from the station. Valve requires at least one base station for the Index and recommends two, and in its review of the Index, Road to VR wrote that the 2.0 base stations included with the full kit support a 22 x 22 foot area, or up to 33 x 33 feet with four 2.0 base stations. Base stations are not included with the Bigscreen Beyond 2 and must be bought separately.

Inside-out systems instead place the cameras on the headset itself, removing the need for external sensors; the Rift S used five sensors on the headset, and the PlayStation VR2 uses four embedded cameras for headset and controller tracking. Either way, the headset reports its pose to the host, and the host renders the scene from that pose, so low latency in this round trip is essential to avoid discomfort. In a 2017 study, Niehorster, Li and Lappe measured an end-to-end system latency of about 22 ms for the original HTC Vive, two refreshes of its 90 Hz display, and treated the figure as an upper bound.

Examples

The table below lists representative PC-powered (and console-powered) headsets. PlayStation VR and PlayStation VR2 are included as the most prominent console-tethered examples.

Headset	Released	Resolution (per eye)	Refresh rate	Video connection
Oculus Rift CV1	March 2016	1080 x 1200 (2160 x 1200 across two displays)	90 Hz	HDMI + USB
HTC Vive	April 2016	1080 x 1200 (dual AMOLED)	90 Hz	HDMI + USB 2.0
PlayStation VR (console)	October 2016	960 x 1080 (OLED)	120 Hz, 90 Hz	HDMI + USB through processor unit to PS4
Valve Index	June 2019	1440 x 1600 (LCD)	120 Hz, 90 Hz, experimental 144 Hz	DisplayPort 1.2 + USB
Varjo Aero	2021 (orders from October)	2880 x 2720 (mini-LED)	90 Hz	DisplayPort + USB-A 3.0
PlayStation VR2 (console and PC)	February 2023	2000 x 2040 (OLED)	90 Hz, 120 Hz	USB-C to PS5; DisplayPort 1.4 through PC adapter
Pimax Crystal	May 2023	2880 x 2880	72, 90 or 120 Hz	DisplayPort 1.4 + USB (PC mode)
Bigscreen Beyond	September 2023	2560 x 2560 (micro-OLED)	75 Hz, 90 Hz	DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC
Bigscreen Beyond 2	June 2025	2560 x 2560 (micro-OLED)	75 Hz, 90 Hz	DisplayPort 1.4 + 2 x USB 3.0

The Oculus Rift CV1 and HTC Vive launched within weeks of each other in 2016 and defined the modern outside-in PC VR market. The Valve Index, released in June 2019 at US$999 for the full kit, used 1440 x 1600 RGB LCDs that Valve said run at 120 Hz with an experimental 144 Hz mode. More recent designs emphasise compactness and clarity. Bigscreen described the original Beyond, with micro-OLED panels at 2560 x 2560 per eye and a weight of 127 grams, as "the world's smallest VR headset", and its successor, the Beyond 2, weighs 107 g (headset only). The Beyond 2 started at US$1,019 and the eye-tracking Beyond 2e at US$1,219 when shipments began, and Bigscreen cut them to US$959 and US$1,159 on August 31, 2026; the base Beyond 2 now ships with a universal-fit cushion, with the custom-fit cushion offered as an upgrade. Pimax's Crystal offers 2880 x 2880 pixels per eye and can also run applications on its own in a standalone mode. Several of these models are no longer made. Varjo's own stock of the Aero sold out in January 2024, and Varjo Base support for it ended on January 1, 2026, although the headset still works with Varjo Base 4.14 and earlier. Index production has ended.

PlayStation VR and console tethering

Not all discrete HMDs connect to a PC. Sony's PlayStation VR, released on October 13, 2016 at a launch price of $399 in the United States, tethers to a PlayStation 4 console rather than a desktop PC. A separate breakout box called the processor unit sits between the console, the headset and the television, with HDMI connections to the TV and the PS4 and a USB connection; Sony lists its functions as 3D audio processing, the Social Screen (mirroring and separate modes) and Cinematic mode. The principle is the same as PC VR: the headset supplies the optics, panels and tracking markers while the console performs the rendering, which is why it is grouped with the discrete-HMD category.

Its successor, the PlayStation VR2, was released on February 22, 2023 for the PlayStation 5 at US$549.99. Sony simplified the connection to a single USB Type-C cable that plugs into the console, and replaced the external camera with cameras on the headset. The PS VR2 PC adapter, priced at US$59.99, €59.99 or £49.99, connects the headset to a PC through a separately bought DisplayPort 1.4 cable; the PC also needs a direct USB connection and Bluetooth 4.0 or later. On PC, HDR, headset feedback, eye tracking, adaptive triggers and haptic feedback other than rumble are not available, but the 2000 x 2040 per eye resolution and 110-degree field of view are kept.

PC VR over a standalone link

The boundary between PC-powered and Standalone VR has blurred. Several self-contained headsets can act as a PC VR display by streaming a compressed video feed from a host PC instead of relying on a fixed video cable. Oculus announced Oculus Link at Oculus Connect 6 on September 25, 2019, as a November software update that would let the original Quest tether to a PC over USB-C and play PC content "more graphically rich and power-intensive" than its mobile chipset could run. Meta's Quest Link (now called Meta Horizon Link) does this over a USB-C cable: Meta asks for a USB-C 3.2 cable that supports at least 5 Gbps, plugged into a USB 3.2 port on the computer. Air Link does the same wirelessly over a (preferably 5 GHz) Wi-Fi network. It first appeared in April 2021 as an experimental feature of the Quest 2's v28 software, and Oculus recommended connecting the PC to the router by Ethernet.

The third-party app Virtual Desktop offers a similar wireless route for Oculus PC and SteamVR content, using a Streamer app installed on the PC. Its developer lists Meta Quest, Pico, HTC Vive Focus, Play For Dream and Samsung Galaxy XR headsets as supported, and asks for a PC wired to a 5 GHz AC or AX Wi-Fi router; PC VR game streaming requires a "VR Ready PC (GTX 970)" running Windows. On November 30, 2023 Valve released its own free Steam Link app for the Quest 2, Quest Pro and Quest 3, which needs only Steam and SteamVR on the PC. Valve's current requirements for it include a GTX 970 or AMD RX 570 or better, excluding the RX 6400 and 6500 XT because they lack hardware video encoding, and a router with a 5 GHz channel and Wi-Fi 5 at minimum, with Wi-Fi 6 or 6E recommended; it also now supports some PICO and HTC headsets. The Steam Frame takes the approach further. It has no video input, connects through an included USB adapter to the headset's own 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E hotspot, and uses eye tracking for foveated streaming, sending a higher-resolution image where the user is looking.

Dedicated wireless kits for wired headsets have also been sold. HTC's Vive Wireless Adapter, which went on sale worldwide on September 24, 2018 at US$299, used Intel's WiGig technology in the 60 GHz band with DisplayLink's XR codec; it was installed as a PCI-e card in the PC with a sensor that broadcasts to and from the headset, and was powered by an HTC battery pack. The Pico Neo 2 noted above was announced with the same kind of 60 GHz link to the PC, which UploadVR said needed line of sight and a dedicated transmitter rather than a router.

This streaming approach gives a standalone headset access to the much larger and more demanding library of PC VR software, but it replaces the video cable with a compressed stream, so image quality and latency depend on the encoder, the link and (for wireless) the quality of the network. Valve's own Steam Link guidance is that switching to a 5 or 6 GHz network significantly improves the experience for most people.

Usage on Steam

Valve's monthly Steam Hardware Survey reports which VR headsets are connected to the PCs of Steam users who take part. In the September 2026 survey, 1.35% of Steam users had a VR headset. Meta Quest 3, Oculus Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3S, standalone headsets that reach SteamVR through a cable or wireless link, together made up 63.77% of those headsets, while the Valve Index was the most common dedicated PC headset. The table lists selected headsets from the survey.

Headset	Share of VR headsets, September 2026	Change from August 2026
Meta Quest 3	26.90%	+0.89%
Oculus Quest 2	25.80%	-1.17%
Meta Quest 3S	11.07%	-0.42%
Valve Index	10.83%	-0.25%
Pico 4	4.76%	+0.29%
Oculus Rift S	3.40%	+0.01%
Sony PS VR2	2.31%	+0.07%
HTC Vive	2.26%	-0.13%
Windows Mixed Reality	1.85%	-0.23%
Oculus Rift	1.80%	-0.03%
Meta Quest Pro	1.53%	+0.01%
Bigscreen Beyond	1.27%	+0.02%
Valve Steam Frame	0.41%	+0.39%

Source for the table: Valve's survey page, which is replaced each month.

Research

Researchers have treated the cable itself as a problem to solve. In "Enabling High-Quality Untethered Virtual Reality" (NSDI 2017), Omid Abari, Dinesh Bharadia, Austin Duffield and Dina Katabi of MIT wrote that high-quality VR systems need to stream "multiple Gbps" from the PC or console to the headset, which rules out ordinary Wi-Fi, and that the cable limits the player's mobility and creates a tripping hazard because the headset covers the eyes. Their MoVR system used 60 GHz millimeter-wave radio, which can carry such data rates but is easily blocked, even by the player's own hand, and needs narrow beams that are kept aligned as the head moves. MoVR added a programmable mmWave "mirror" and used the headset's tracking data to steer the beams, and the authors tested it with an HTC headset.

Measurement studies have also used PC headsets as laboratory equipment. Niehorster, Li and Lappe tested the original HTC Vive's tracking for scientific use in 2017. They found its precision high and its latency low, but reported that its coordinate system was tilted relative to the physical ground plane and that large offsets appeared whenever tracking was briefly lost, so a one-time calibration could not correct it. They concluded that the system was then unsuitable for experiments that need accurate visual stimulation of self-motion.

Advantages and drawbacks

The main advantage is rendering power. Offloading to a desktop GPU enables higher resolution, wider field of view, faster refresh rates and more graphically demanding games than a self-contained headset of the same generation can run. The rendering resolution is also set on the PC rather than fixed by the headset: Bigscreen notes that SteamVR renders content for the Beyond at a user-configurable resolution of 3K to 4K per eye (supersampling) before the image is sent to the headset. The PC software library is large. Announcing PC support for PS VR2, Sony described Steam's library as "thousands of VR games".

The drawbacks follow from the same design. A physical cable limits movement and can be a trip hazard, because the user cannot see it while wearing the headset. Wireless streaming removes the cable but introduces compression and network dependence. Cost is higher than the headset alone, since a capable gaming PC is also required; at the original Rift's launch a recommended-spec build was estimated at roughly $850 or more on top of the headset. Setup is more involved than a Standalone VR headset: base-station headsets need at least one base station (sold separately for the Bigscreen Beyond 2), and the PC needs the right video output and free USB ports.

Comparison with standalone VR

Main article: Standalone VR

Standalone VR headsets contain their own processor, battery and storage, so they need no host and no cable and are far more portable, but they run on a mobile chipset; when Oculus Link was announced, TechCrunch described PC VR content as more graphically rich and power-intensive than the original Quest could run. PC-powered headsets reverse that trade: they are less portable and depend on an external host, but they can use the rendering power of a desktop GPU. Many modern standalone headsets bridge the gap by also supporting a wired or wireless link to a PC, letting a single device behave as either a standalone or a PC-powered headset depending on the user's needs. In Valve's September 2026 Steam Hardware Survey, most of the headsets reported by participating Steam users were of this hybrid kind.

Devices	Requires	Display	Resolution	Refresh Rate	Field of View	Tracking	Rotational Tracking	Positional Tracking	Update Rate	Latency	Input	Connectivity
3Glasses Blubur S1	Windows PC with DisplayPort 1.2 or later and USB 3.0	Two custom LCD panels (TFT-LCD), one per eye, with Blue Light Cut filtering	2880 x 1440 (1440 x 1440 per eye)	Up to 120 Hz	110° (manufacturer figure)	Outside-in; 3Wand infrared camera (about 2 m range) plus 9-axis sensor					3Wand motion controllers, gamepad, buttons and touchpad on the headset, voice commands (Microsoft edition)	DisplayPort and USB 3.0
3Glasses Blubur S2	Windows 10 PC; 3Glasses listed an Intel Core i5-7200U-class CPU, Intel HD Graphics 620-class graphics and 8 GB DDR3 memory as the entry-level configuration	Two LCD panels, one per eye; 706 PPI; response time ≤6 ms	1440x1440 per-eye	90 Hz	90° per eye (manufacturer figure)	Inside-out tracking, 6DoF (two front-facing cameras)					6DoF motion controllers (Bluetooth), Cortana voice commands	4 m cable
3Glasses D2	Windows PC with HDMI and USB 2.0 ports; 3Glasses recommended an Intel Core i5-4590, NVIDIA GTX 980 and 8 GB of RAM	Single 5.5" TFT-LCD, 534 PPI	2560 x 1440 (2K)	60 Hz	110°	3DoF (rotational only, no positional tracking)					Touch panel and two buttons on the right side of the headset	HDMI (video) and USB 2.0 (data and power), merged into one cable
ANTVR	HDMI video source; compatible control interface	LCD (2014 beta)	1920 x 1080 (2014 beta)		100° diagonal (advertised)	Inertial	9-axis IMU				Transformable controller	U2B: USB-2.4GHz and Bluetooth
ANTVR Cyclop	Windows PC (64-bit Windows 10) with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970, AMD Radeon R9 290 or equivalent graphics card	2 x OLED binocular	1080x1200 per-eye	90 Hz	110° diagonal	6DoF, inside-out infrared camera with floor or desk markers					2 x controllers with trigger, four buttons and finger sensing	HDMI, 2 x USB 3.0
ASUS Windows Mixed Reality	Windows Mixed Reality compatible PC	Two 2.89-inch LCD panels	1440 × 1440 per eye (2880 × 1440 combined)	60 Hz / 90 Hz, depending on PC configuration	95° horizontal (review specification)	6DoF inside-out, two front cameras	Yes	Yes			Two Windows Mixed Reality motion controllers	HDMI and USB; controllers use the PC's Bluetooth
Acer AH101	Windows Mixed Reality-ready PC with Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, HDMI and USB 3.0 ports, and Bluetooth 4.0 for the controllers	2 x 2.89-inch LCD	1440 x 1440 per eye (2880 x 1440 combined)	90 Hz (HDMI 2.0) / 60 Hz (HDMI 1.4)	95 degrees (Acer); about 100 degrees in reviews	6DoF (inside-out)					WMR Controllers (6DoF)	HDMI 1.4/2.0, USB 3.0
Acer OJO 500	Compatible host PC; legacy Microsoft platform requirements apply	Dual 2.89-inch LCD	1440 × 1440 per eye (1:1); 2880 × 1440 combined	60 Hz (HDMI 1.4) / 90 Hz (HDMI 2.0)	100° advertised; axis unspecified	6DoF (inside-out)	Yes	Yes			Windows Mixed Reality motion controllers, Bluetooth	HDMI 1.4/2.0, USB 3.0
Acer Windows Mixed Reality	Compatible Windows PC; original Microsoft software has version limits (see Software Platform)	Two 2.89-inch LCD panels	1440 × 1440 per eye (2880 × 1440 combined)	90 Hz (HDMI 2.0) or 60 Hz (HDMI 1.4), subject to PC configuration	95° (Acer specification; see Field of View)	6DoF inside-out, two front cameras	Yes	Yes			Windows Mixed Reality motion controllers; two included in the 2017 US consumer bundle	HDMI 1.4/2.0 and USB 3.0
Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset	PC	Two 2.89-inch Impulse BL LCD panels	2880 x 1440 total; 1440 x 1440 per eye	60 Hz (HDMI 1.4); up to 90 Hz (HDMI 2.0)	95 degrees advertised; retail specification does not identify an axis	6DoF inside-out tracking	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer	Inside-out tracking with two front cameras			Keyboard/Mouse, Xbox One gamepad, Motion Controllers (application-dependent)	HDMI 1.4/2.0; USB 3.0; 3.5 mm audio/microphone jack
Arpara Tethered 5K	Windows 10 PC with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or better, or a compatible Android phone (Android 6.0 or later)	Dual 1.03-inch Micro-OLED (OLED-on-silicon, supplied by SeeYA)	2560 x 2560 per eye (5120 x 2560 combined)	Up to 120 Hz (at reduced resolutions); 70 Hz at 5088 x 2544	95 degrees	3DoF; 6DoF with the arpara Tracker and SteamVR Base Stations				Display 2 μs; sensor 1 ms (arpara figures)	Volume, 2D/3D and resolution buttons; SteamVR controllers with the Gaming Kit	USB-C (DisplayPort video); proprietary DisplayPort 1.4 cable for desktop PCs
Arpara VR	PC or phone (Tethered 5K)	Dual 1.03" Micro-OLED; 3514 PPI; 1,000,000:1 contrast; DCI-P3 90% (sRGB 127%)	5120 x 2560 (2560 x 2560 per eye); 32 PPD	Up to 120 Hz (Tethered 5K, at reduced resolutions); AIO 5K: 70 Hz at 5120 x 2560, 90 Hz at 3840 x 1920	95°	3DoF (Tethered; 6DoF with arpara Tracker) / 6DoF inside-out (AIO)					arpara 6DoF controllers (AIO 5K); HTC Vive or Valve Index controllers with the arpara Tracker (Tethered 5K)	DisplayPort 1.4 over USB Type-C (Tethered), wired and wireless streaming (AIO)
Asus HC102	PC with HDMI 1.4 or 2.0, USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 4.0 (for the controllers)	2 x 2.89-inch LCD, 100 nits	2880 x 1440 (1440 x 1440 per eye)	Up to 90 Hz (60 Hz with integrated graphics)	95° horizontal per eye; 105° with both eyes (ASUS)	6DOF inside-out (two front-facing tracking cameras)					Windows Mixed Reality Motion Controllers (two included, 32 LEDs each)	Single 4 m cable with HDMI 2.0 (display) and USB 3.0 (data)
Bigscreen Beyond	Windows gaming PC; SteamVR base station(s); compatible controllers for most games	Dual Micro-OLED displays	2560 × 2560 per eye (5120 × 2560 combined panels); 90Hz input is upscaled	75Hz, 90Hz	Up to 102° (June 2023 manufacturer claim; excludes 70-72mm IPD sizes)	6DoF SteamVR Tracking using external base stations	Yes (6DoF)	Yes (6DoF)			SteamVR controllers, including Valve Index controllers	Tether to link box; DisplayPort 1.4 and two USB 3.0 PC connections
Bigscreen Beyond 2	VR-ready PC, SteamVR Base Stations, VR Controllers	Dual 1-inch Micro-OLED	2560 × 2560 per eye (5120 × 2560 total)	75 Hz (native), 90 Hz (upscaled via DSC from 1920 × 1920)	116° diagonal	SteamVR Tracking, (Outside-in via SteamVR 1.0 or 2.0 base stations, 6DoF)	Yes	Yes		Low-latency eye-tracking (on Beyond 2e)	Requires separate VR controllers, Valve Index Controllers	5 m fiber-optic tether to Link Box
Bigscreen Beyond 2e	Windows 10 or 11 PC (DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, 2 x USB 3.0), SteamVR Base Stations (1.0 or 2.0); SteamVR controllers for hand-driven content (not needed for wheel or HOTAS sim use)	2× 1-inch Micro-OLED (RGB stripe)	2560×2560 per eye (5120 x 2560 combined)	75 Hz and 90 Hz	116° diagonal, 108° horizontal, 96° vertical (manufacturer figures)	Outside-in 6DoF (SteamVR Base Stations 1.0 or 2.0)						5 m fiber optic cable and Link Box; the PC needs 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 and 2 x USB 3.0 ports
Crystal Cove		OLED with low persistence (Oculus: "modified OLED display")	1920 x 1080 (960 x 1080 per eye), as reported by press			6DoF; outside-in optical tracking with an external camera and infrared LEDs on the headset
DPVR E3 4K	Windows PC with an HDMI output and two USB ports	5.5" JDI Fast LCD	3840 x 2160 (single panel)	75 Hz (2019 launch specifications); 90 Hz (DPVR specification sheet, May 2022)	110° (DPVR); 100° (Japanese distributor)	3DoF (6DoF with NOLO)					NOLO controllers (optional)	3-in-1 cable (HDMI and two USB)
DPVR E3B	Windows PC with one HDMI port and two USB ports	Single 5.7-inch Samsung AMOLED binocular	1280x1440 per-eye (2560 x 1440 panel)	72 Hz	110° horizontal, 60° vertical	3DoF (rotational only); no positional tracking					PC gamepad (no controllers included)	3-in-1 cable to PC
DPVR E3C	Windows PC with an HDMI output and two USB ports	Single LCD binocular	1280x1440 per-eye	90 Hz	110° horizontal, 60° vertical	3DoF (rotational only)						3-in-1 cable (HDMI and two USB)
DPVR E4	Compatible Windows PC, DisplayPort and USB connections, external power adapter, DPVR Assistant 4	Fast LCD	3664 × 1920 total; 1832 × 1920 per eye	72 Hz / 90 Hz / 120 Hz	116° advertised; axis not specified	6DoF inside-out tracking with four cameras	Yes	Yes			Two tracked 6DoF motion controllers	DisplayPort 1.4 and USB 3.2
DPVR E4C		Single LCD binocular (5.46-inch Fast LCD)	1832x1920 per-eye (3664 x 1920 panel)	72/90 Hz	116°	3DoF (rotational only)						Single 6 m cable; DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 2.0
DecaGear	VR-ready PC (announced)	Dual LCD (announced)	2160 × 2160 per eye (4.6MP; announced)	90Hz (announced)	114° (2020 interview; axis unspecified)	6DoF inside-out, four cameras (announced)	Yes (announced 6DoF)	Yes (announced 6DoF)	Not specified	Not verified	Two controllers; DecaMove (announced package)	DisplayPort, USB 3; optional wireless mode (announced)
Dell Visor	Compatible Windows PC; see software status below	Two Sharp 2.89-inch LCD panels	1440 × 1440 per eye	90Hz with WMR Ultra/HDMI 2.0; 60Hz with WMR/HDMI 1.4	110° (Dell); 105° (Microsoft’s comparison)	6DoF inside-out	Yes	Yes			VRC100 motion controllers; gamepad or mouse alternatives	HDMI and USB 3.0
Diver-X HalfDive		LCD (campaign chart)	1600 × 1440 per eye (announcement)	At least 90 Hz (announced)	Approximately 134° horizontal (announced)	4.5DoF (maker designation)					Hand controllers; proposed foot controllers
FOVE	PC with dedicated graphics and DisplayPort (2015 campaign)	5.8-inch low-persistence display (2015 campaign)	2560 x 1440 (2015 campaign)	60 fps; 90 fps projected (2015 campaign)	100+ degrees (2015 campaign claim)	Eye tracking	Inertial sensors	Optical tracking developed in 2016 after Lighthouse plans were dropped	Eye tracking: 120 fps per eye (2015 campaign)		Gaze input	USB 3.0, DisplayPort; 3.5 mm headphone port projected (2015 campaign)
FOVE 0	PC	OLED	2560 X 1440 (total display)	70 Hz	Up to 100 degrees (manufacturer specification)	Orientation tracking IMU		External infrared camera				HDMI 1.4, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 (power only)
Forte VFX1		Two 0.7-inch active-matrix color LCDs; Kopin panels	263 × 230 color pixels per eye; 789 × 230 color-element specification	60 Hz vertical RGB scan rate in reverse-engineering account	45° (manual figure; axis unspecified); described as diagonal in 2010 retrospective	Three rotational axes: yaw, pitch and roll					CyberPuck controller: pitch and roll sensing; three programmable buttons	VIP ISA interface board; VESA feature connector; ACCESS.bus for peripherals
Fujitsu FMVHDS1	PC running Windows 10 Fall Creators Update or later, with HDMI or DisplayPort 1.2 output, a USB 3.0 Type-A port and Bluetooth 4.0	2 x 2.89-inch LCD binocular	1440x1440 per-eye (2880x1440 combined)	90 Hz on Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs; 60 Hz on other PCs	100 degrees or more on Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs; 90 degrees on other PCs	Inside-out tracking, 6DoF					Windows Mixed Reality Motion Controllers (Bluetooth 4.0, left and right)	4 m USB 3.0 Type-A / HDMI Type-A combo cable
HP Reverb G1	Windows 10 PC (October 2018 Update or later) with DisplayPort 1.3 and USB 3.0	2 x 2.89-inch LCD with Pulse Backlight technology, RGB stripe subpixels	2160 x 2160 per eye (4320 x 2160 combined)	90 Hz	Approx. 114 degrees (diagonal, manufacturer figure)	Inside-out tracking, 6DoF					Windows Mixed Reality Motion Controllers	2-in-1 cable with DisplayPort 1.3 and USB 3.0; quick-release connector; DisplayPort to mini-DisplayPort adapter
HP Reverb G2	Compatible PC, DisplayPort 1.3, USB 3.0 and AC power adapter; software requirements depend on runtime	Dual 2.89-inch LCD panels with pulse backlight	2160 × 2160 per eye (4320 × 2160 combined)	90 Hz specified; 60 Hz option in historical WMR setup guide	Approximately 114° (HP specification)	Inside-out, six degrees of freedom					HP Motion Controllers	DisplayPort 1.3, USB 3.0 Type-C (Type-A adapter included)
HP Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition	Windows PC with DisplayPort 1.3 and USB 3.0 Type-C; Windows 10 May 2019 Update or later	2 x LCD (2.89 in diagonal each)	2160x2160 per-eye	90 Hz	~114 degrees (HP figure)	Inside-out tracking, 6DoF, four cameras (two front-facing, two side-facing)					Two motion controllers (Bluetooth, two AA batteries each)	6 m 2-in-1 headset cable
HP VR1000	Windows 10 PC with HDMI or DisplayPort video output and a USB 3.0 port	2 x LCD binocular (2.89-inch diagonal each)	1440x1440 per-eye	90 Hz	95° horizontal, 91° vertical	6DoF inside-out tracking with two front-facing cameras					Windows Mixed Reality Motion Controllers	2-in-1 cable with HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 plugs; removable extension cable
HP Windows Mixed Reality	Compatible Windows PC; legacy Windows Mixed Reality software	Dual LCD	1440 × 1440 per eye (2880 × 1440 combined)	60Hz / 90Hz	95° horizontal (U.S. retail datasheet; advertised)	6DoF inside-out (cameras and inertial sensors)	Yes	Yes			Windows Mixed Reality motion controllers (2 included)	HDMI 1.4/2.0, USB 3.0
HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset	Compatible PC, HDMI and USB 3.0 connections; PC Bluetooth for original motion controllers.	Two LCD panels, 2.89 in diagonal each	1440 x 1440 per eye (2880 x 1440 combined)	90Hz when paired to HDMI 2.0 port; 60Hz when paired to HDMI 1.4 port (HP specifications)	95 degrees horizontal (2017 HP datasheet)	6 degrees of freedom; Inside-out tracking					Windows Mixed Reality motion controllers; gamepad or keyboard/mouse, depending on application	HDMI; USB 3.0; 3.5mm audio jack
HTC Vive	Compatible PC, powered link box and Base Station 1.0 units	Dual 3.6-inch AMOLED panels	2160 x 1200 combined (1080 x 1200 per eye)	90 Hz	110 degrees (manufacturer specification; axis unspecified)	6DOF, SteamVR Tracking 1.0	Gyroscope, Accelerometer	Base Station 1.0 infrared sweeps received by headset sensors		About 22 ms upper bound in a specific 2017 motion-to-display experiment	Two wireless motion controllers with trackpads, grip buttons and dual-stage triggers	HDMI, USB and power through link box; alternative PC-side Mini DisplayPort; 3.5 mm audio; Bluetooth (listed among headset connections in HTC's specification)
HTC Vive Cosmos	Windows 10 PC with DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 3.0 (HTC minimum: Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB or AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB, 4 GB RAM)	Dual 3.4-inch LCD (RGB subpixels)	1440 x 1700 per eye (2880 x 1700 combined)	90 Hz	Maximum 110 degrees	6DoF inside-out (six cameras); SteamVR Tracking with the External Tracking Faceplate					Vive Cosmos controllers (2x AA batteries each)	USB 3.0 and DisplayPort 1.2 to the PC through a converter box; optional Vive Wireless Adapter
HTC Vive Cosmos Elite	VR-ready PC and compatible SteamVR base station(s)	Dual 3.4-inch LCD panels	1440 × 1700 per eye (2880 × 1700 combined)	90 Hz	Maximum 110° (manufacturer; axis not specified)	6DoF SteamVR Tracking with External Tracking Faceplate	Yes	Yes			VIVE controllers; compatible Valve Index Controllers; headset button	Host DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 3.0
HTC Vive Developer Editions	PC	2015 kit: two OLED panels	2160 x 1200, 1080 x 1200 per eye	90 Hz	About 110 degrees (Valve, 2015; axis unspecified)	6DOF	Vive Pre contemporary report: Gyroscope, Accelerometer; laser positioning	Base Stations			Controllers in both hands	HDMI and USB through interface/link box; headphone connection
HTC Vive Focus Vision	PC for PC VR mode; VIVE Wired Streaming Kit for DisplayPort mode	2 x LCD (fast-switch)	2448 x 2448 per eye (4896 x 2448 combined)	90 Hz; 120 Hz in DisplayPort mode (beta, added December 2024)	Up to 120 degrees	6DoF inside-out (4 cameras)					Controllers, hand tracking, eye tracking	Wi-Fi 6/6E, Bluetooth 5.2 + BLE
HTC Vive Pro	Compatible PC, link box and external base stations	Dual 3.5-inch AMOLED panels	2880 x 1600 combined (1440 x 1600 per eye)	90 Hz	110 degrees (manufacturer specification; axis unspecified)	6DOF, SteamVR Tracking	Gyroscope, Accelerometer	Lighthouse with Base Station 1.0 or SteamVR Base Station 2.0			Tracked motion controllers	PC: DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 3.0 or newer through powered link box; headset: USB-C accessory port; Bluetooth
HTC Vive Pro 2	Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC with DisplayPort 1.2 or higher and USB 3.0; SteamVR base stations	Dual RGB low persistence LCD	2448 x 2448 per eye (4896 x 2448 combined)	90 Hz, 120 Hz (90 Hz only via VIVE Wireless Adapter)	Up to 120 degrees horizontal (HTC figure)	SteamVR Tracking V2.0 (outside-in, compatible with SteamVR 1.0 and 2.0 base stations)	Yes	Yes			VIVE Controllers (2018), Valve Index Controllers or other SteamVR controllers	Bluetooth, USB-C port for peripherals; Link Box to PC via DisplayPort and USB 3.0
HTC Vive Pro Eye	Windows PC with DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 3.0; SteamVR base stations	Dual 3.5-inch OLED	1440 x 1600 per eye (2880 x 1600 combined)	90 Hz	110 degrees (HTC figure)	SteamVR Tracking (outside-in, SteamVR Base Station 2.0)					Two Vive Controllers (2018) in the full kit	USB-C 3.0, DisplayPort 1.2, Bluetooth; link box to PC
HTC Vive XR Elite	VR-ready PC for PC VR streaming (optional)	Dual LCD	1920 x 1920 per eye (3840 x 1920 combined)	90 Hz	Up to 110 degrees	6DoF inside-out (four tracking cameras)					Two 6DoF controllers, hand tracking, volume button, headset button	Wi-Fi 6 + 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 + BLE, USB-C
Huawei VR 2	Compatible Huawei or Honor smartphone, or a Windows PC	Dual 3.5-inch Fast LCD	1600 x 1440 per eye; 2880 x 1600 combined (marketed as "3K")	90 Hz	100 degrees (manufacturer figure)	3DoF					3DoF controller with touchpad, trigger, Home, Back and volume buttons
IIS VFX3D		2 x 0.7-inch color LCD	360,000 pixels per LCD (IIS 1999 specification: "Dual 360K pixel AMLCD Displays (789X480)")	Accepts 640 x 480 VGA input at 60, 62.5 or 75 Hz (stereo or mono); up to 1600 x 1200 at 64 Hz (mono only)	35° diagonal	3DoF (VOS Virtual Orientation System): yaw 360°, pitch and roll ±70°, 12-bit					Optional CyberPuck game-port controller; two rocker buttons on the headset	Link box with 15-pin VGA (with monitor pass-through), 9-pin RS-232 serial, S-Video and 3.5 mm audio inputs
Immersed Visor		Dual micro-OLED (supplied by BOE, per Immersed)	"4K" per eye (manufacturer description)		100 degrees (manufacturer figure)	6DoF (inside-out, 6 cameras)	Yes	Yes			Hand tracking (gaze-and-pinch), Smart Touch	USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
LG VR Headset	PC	OLED (2017 prototype)	1440×1280 per eye (reported prototype specification)	90 Hz (reported)	110 degrees (reported)			Lighthouse			Two tracked LG motion controllers	USB-C cable (reported prototype connection)
Lenovo Explorer	Compatible PC; software and Windows-version requirements depend on the driver path (see Software platform)	LCD, 2.89-inch display specification	1440 × 1440 per eye	Up to 90 Hz; historical Microsoft PC tiers also provided 60 Hz	105° listed in Microsoft's headset comparison; axis unspecified	6DoF inside-out; two headset sensors	Yes	Yes			Motion controllers, Windows-compatible gamepad, keyboard/mouse; historical voice features with audio headset	HDMI video and USB 3.0 through a 4 m Y cable; PC Bluetooth for motion controllers
Lenovo Windows Holographic HMD	PC (tethered prototype)	OLED (announced prototype specification)	1440 x 1440 per eye (reported)			Inside-out tracking (planned)		Two front cameras; planned six degrees of freedom			Xbox controller and compatible third-party controllers discussed in 2017	HDMI, USB and audio jack (mockup)
Medion Erazer X1000	Windows 10 PC with the Fall Creators Update	Two 2.89-inch (7.34 cm) LCDs	1440x1440 per-eye	Up to 90 Hz	Up to 105 degrees horizontal (manufacturer figure)	Inside-out tracking, 6DoF					Two Medion Erazer X1001 motion controllers (included)
NVIS nVisor SX60	PC/workstation and video control unit	LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon)	1280x1024 per eye (SXGA)	60 Hz (institutional equipment specification)	60° diagonal (monocular)	Optional motion trackers	With a compatible tracker	With a compatible tracker	Tracker-dependent			DVI, VGA, RS-232
OSVR HDK1	PC	5.5-inch IPS LCD (HDK 1.0); 5.5-inch OLED (HDK 1.1-1.3)	1920 x 1080 total; 960 x 1080 per eye in side-by-side mode	Early HDKs: 60 frames/s; HDK 1.3 reports differ (see Display and optics)	Launch specification: 100° diagonal, 90° horizontal x 90° vertical	Orientation tracking; positional tracking included with HDK 1.2	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer	IR-LED faceplate and external infrared camera (HDK 1.2; earlier versions could use an upgrade kit)	400 Hz fused orientation and 100 Hz positional reports, according to a September 2015 technical roadmap		Application-dependent gamepad, mouse/keyboard and supported peripherals; optional Leap Motion faceplate announced	External and internal USB expansion; cabled video/power through a belt box (version-dependent)
OSVR HDK2	Windows PC with an HDMI 1.3 output and two USB 2.0 ports	Dual low-persistence OLED displays, 441 PPI	2160 x 1200 (1080 x 1200 per eye)	90 Hz	110 degrees (as reported at launch)	6DoF: on-board IMU plus IR LED faceplate and rear IR LEDs read by an external 100 Hz IR camera					None included; third-party controllers through OSVR	Wired, through a belt-worn breakout box and a 4-meter HDMI and power combo cable
Oculus Rift	Windows PC with HDMI 1.3 video output and USB 3.0 ports	Two AMOLED panels with low persistence	2160 x 1200 (1080 x 1200 per eye)	90 Hz	100 degrees (Oculus launch specification, as listed by Road to VR); 110 degrees per PCWorld	6DoF Outside-in tracking (Constellation infrared LEDs and Oculus Sensor cameras)					Xbox One controller, Oculus Remote, Oculus Touch (from December 2016)	Single 4 m tethered cable with HDMI and USB connectors; 2.5 m sensor cable
Oculus Rift DK1	Host computer with video, USB and external power connections	7-inch Innolux HJ070IA-02D LCD	640 × 800 per eye (1280 × 800 combined)	60 Hz native display mode	110° diagonal / 90° horizontal in the 2012 campaign; actual view varies with fit/profile	3DoF orientation from inertial sensors	Yes (pitch, yaw and roll)	Not provided by the stock orientation tracker		Depends on host, application and synchronization; see measurements below	Head orientation; keyboard/mouse or gamepad according to application	HDMI or DVI video plus USB tracking through the control box
Oculus Rift DK2	Host computer, compatible graphics output and SDK/runtime	Single Samsung AMS568 AMOLED panel, also used in Galaxy Note 3	960 × 1080 per eye (1920 × 1080 combined)	75 Hz default; 60 and 72 Hz modes also listed in EDID	90-110° in Oculus' 2014 presentation (axis not specified)	6DoF (inertial sensors plus external IR camera)	Yes	Yes, within camera visibility		Depends on rendering and compensation; see research section	Application-dependent keyboard, mouse or gamepad; no controller in kit	HDMI and USB 2.0, with separate tracker USB and sync cables
Oculus Rift S	VR-Ready PC	Fast-switch LCD	2560×1440 (1280×1440 per eye)	80Hz	Not numerically specified by Oculus	Inside-out tracking, (6DOF)	Yes	Oculus Insight			Oculus Touch	DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0
Pimax 4K	PC	Customized low-persistence 4K panel (manufacturer description)	3840 x 2160P (1920 x 2160 per eye)	60 Hz; advertised as up to 90 Hz with "binocular frame technology"	110 degrees (manufacturer claim)	3DOF	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer		Rotational: 1000 Hz	18 ms motion-to-photon (manufacturer claim)		HDMI 1.4b, USB 2.0/3.0
Pimax 5K Plus	Compatible Windows PC, DisplayPort and USB connection, power adapter; base stations for positional tracking	Dual LCD (CLPL, manufacturer terminology)	2560 × 1440 per eye (5120 × 1440 combined)	90 Hz initially; later manufacturer listing: 72/90/120/144 Hz (see mode limits)	200° diagonal, 170° horizontal and 115° vertical (advertised values in January 2020 sheet)	SteamVR/Lighthouse positional tracking, or 9-axis mode without base stations	Yes, including 9-axis seated mode	With Lighthouse base stations			SteamVR controllers: Valve Index Controllers, VIVE and Pimax Sword (manufacturer compatibility listing)	DisplayPort 1.4 and USB; external power adapter
Pimax 5K Super	Windows PC, SteamVR Tracking base stations	2x LCD (RGB stripe matrix), customized low persistence liquid (CLPL)	2560x1440 per eye (5120x1440 combined)	90 Hz, 120 Hz, 144 Hz, 160 Hz, 180 Hz (experimental)	200° diagonal, 170° horizontal, 115° vertical (varies by mode)	6DoF (SteamVR Lighthouse 1.0/2.0)					SteamVR-compatible controllers (sold separately)	DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0 (data), USB 2.0 (power)
Pimax 5K XR	Windows PC with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD equivalent or better, 8 GB+ RAM, DisplayPort 1.4; SteamVR tracking base stations	2 x Samsung OLED	2560 x 1440 per eye (5120 x 1440 total)	82 Hz (Pimax store listing); 85 Hz in 2018-2019 specifications	200° diagonal (selectable: 120°/150°/max)	6DoF (SteamVR 1.0/2.0)					SteamVR controllers compatible	DisplayPort 1.4
Pimax 8K	PC, DisplayPort/USB tether, external power adapter; compatible base stations for positional tracking	Dual LCD panels, marketed as CLPL (customized low persistence liquid)	3840 × 2160 panel pixels per eye; 2560 × 1440 per-eye input upscaled in the headset	80 Hz in November 2018 specification and documented 2019 driver capture	Approximately 200° diagonal advertised in November 2018; software and optical measurements differ	SteamVR/Lighthouse positional tracking; PiTool also documents 9-axis mode without base stations	Yes; documented base-station-free seated mode	With Lighthouse base stations			Compatible SteamVR controllers; original demonstrations used VIVE wands	DisplayPort 1.4 and USB; external power supply
Pimax 8K X	Windows 10 or later PC with a DisplayPort output; SteamVR base stations for 6DoF tracking	2 x LCD (CLPL, customized low persistence liquid), RGB stripe	3840 x 2160 per eye (native mode); 2560 x 1440 per eye input upscaled to 3840 x 2160 (upscale mode)	60 Hz, 75 Hz and 90 Hz native (90 Hz on supported NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series GPUs); up to 114 Hz in upscale mode	200 degrees diagonal, 170 degrees horizontal, 115 degrees vertical (manufacturer figures)	SteamVR Tracking 1.0 and 2.0 (6DoF); 9-axis mode for seated use without base stations					SteamVR controllers such as Valve Index Controllers or HTC Vive controllers; Pimax Sword Controllers	4.5 m combined DisplayPort and USB cable
Pimax Artisan	Windows 10 PC with NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti/1060 or better, Intel i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350 or better, 8 GB RAM, DisplayPort 1.4 output and one USB 2.0/3.0 port (recommended); at least one SteamVR Lighthouse base station for room-scale tracking	2 x RGB stripe LCD	1700 x 1440 per eye	72/90/120 Hz (selectable)	170° diagonal / 140° horizontal (manufacturer figures)	6DoF, SteamVR Tracking (Lighthouse 1.0/2.0)					SteamVR Tracking-compatible controllers (sold separately)	4.5 m DisplayPort/USB cable
Pimax Crystal	Compatible Windows PC for PC VR; onboard apps in standalone mode	Dual QLED LCDs with Mini-LED backlighting	2880 × 2880 pixels per eye; 5760 × 2880 combined	72, 90 or 120 Hz	130° diagonal with standard lenses (manufacturer, May 2024)	6DoF inside-out using four cameras; optional Lighthouse faceplate	Yes	Yes		15 ms motion-to-photon (manufacturer’s September 2023 specification)	Pimax controllers; compatible SteamVR controllers with Lighthouse faceplate; optional hand-tracking accessory	DisplayPort 1.4, USB, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1
Pimax Crystal Light	Windows PC, DisplayPort 1.4a, USB 3.0 and external power adapter	QLED LCD with mini-LED local dimming (local-dimming model)	2880 × 2880 per eye (16,588,800 pixels across both displays)	72 / 90 / 120 Hz selectable; legacy page also lists 60 Hz	110° horizontal (current manufacturer specification); earlier advertised values differ	6DoF inside-out tracking; optional Lighthouse faceplate	Yes	Yes			Pimax inside-out controllers; compatible SteamVR controllers with Lighthouse faceplate	DisplayPort 1.4a, USB 3.0
Pimax Crystal Pro	For PC VR: RTX 2070 or above (minimum), RTX 3080 / RTX 4070 or above (recommended); no PC needed in standalone mode	TFT QD-LCD (QLED) with Mini-LED local dimming, 576 zones per eye	2880 x 2880 per eye (about 17 million pixels total)	72 / 90 / 120 Hz	110° horizontal	SLAM 2.0 inside-out (four cameras, motion sensor, infrared illumination); optional Lighthouse via a swappable faceplate					Two Pimax ringed SLAM controllers (included)	Built-in Wi-Fi streaming with an included Wi-Fi 6E adapter; optional 60G AirLink (third generation); optional DisplayPort 1.4a cable
Pimax Crystal QLED		QLED (quantum dot LCD) with Mini-LED backlight and local dimming	2880x2880 per-eye	72, 90 and 120 Hz; 144 and 160 Hz in a testing mode		6 DoF Inside-out via 4 integrated cameras				15 ms motion-to-photon (manufacturer figure)	2 x Pimax Reality Controller
Pimax Crystal Super	Windows PC, DisplayPort and USB connections	QLED + Mini-LED local dimming; Sony micro-OLED option	QLED: 3840 × 3840 per eye; micro-OLED: 3840 × 3552 per eye	72/90 Hz in optical-engine specifications; see display notes		6DoF inside-out SLAM; optional Crystal Super Lighthouse Faceplate	Yes	Yes			Pimax inside-out controllers; SteamVR controllers with Lighthouse configuration	DisplayPort 1.4a, USB 3.0
Pimax Crystal Super 8K Micro-OLED	Gaming PC with DisplayPort (Pimax lists RTX 2080 minimum, RTX 3070 or higher recommended)	2 x Sony Micro-OLED binocular	3840x3552 per-eye	72 / 90 Hz	116° horizontal, 128°+ diagonal (manufacturer figures)	Inside-out SLAM with four cameras; SteamVR Lighthouse optional (Lighthouse faceplate)					6DoF controllers	DisplayPort 1.4a + USB 3.0 (split cable to PC)
Pimax Dream Air	PC with DisplayPort output; Pimax lists an RTX 2080 minimum and RTX 3070 or higher recommended	2 x 1.35-inch Sony Micro-OLED	3840x3552 per-eye	72 Hz / 90 Hz	110° horizontal, 120°+ diagonal (Pimax figures)	SLAM inside-out (four cameras) or Lighthouse (SteamVR Tracking), depending on version					Pimax controllers (SLAM version); hand tracking; SteamVR-tracked controllers (Lighthouse version)
Pimax Dream Air SE	Windows 10/11 PC with a DisplayPort 1.4a output; SteamVR base stations for the Lighthouse version	2 x Micro-OLED binocular	2560x2560 per-eye (5120 x 2560 total)	72 Hz native; 90 Hz with upscaled rendering	105 degrees horizontal (Pimax figure)	Inside-out SLAM (four cameras) or SteamVR Lighthouse (outside-in)					Two 6DoF controllers (SLAM version); SteamVR controllers (Lighthouse version)
Pimax Reality 12K QLED	PC VR planned; original standalone mode under reconsideration	Dual 6K QLED (announced); panel technology under development	6K per eye target; "12K" across both eyes	Up to 200 Hz in original PC VR announcement	200° horizontal, 135° vertical, 240° diagonal (2021 PC VR claims)	6DoF inside-out; optional SteamVR tracking cover (announced)	Planned	Planned			Optically tracked controllers and hand/eye tracking proposed; optional Lighthouse cover	DisplayPort, USB-C, Wi-Fi 6E; optional 60 GHz WiGig (announced)
Pimax Vision 8K Plus	Windows 10 PC with NVIDIA RTX 2060 or above, Intel i5-9400 or above, 8 GB RAM or more; SteamVR base stations	2 x LCD, RGB stripe; customized low persistence liquid (CLPL)	3840 x 2160 per eye (upscaled from 2560 x 1440 input)	72 Hz, 90 Hz, 110 Hz (110 Hz listed as beta or tentative)	200° diagonal, 170° horizontal, 115° vertical (manufacturer figures)	6DoF SteamVR Tracking (Lighthouse 1.0 and 2.0); 9-axis 3DoF mode					Power and volume buttons; SteamVR-tracked controllers (sold separately)	Tethered 3-in-1 cable: DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0, 12 V power
PlayStation VR2	PlayStation 5 or compatible PC with PS VR2 PC adapter	OLED	2000 x 2040 pixels per eye	90Hz, 120Hz	Approximately 110 degrees (axis not specified by Sony)	Inside-out tracking, (6DoF)	Yes (Six-axis motion sensing system)	Yes (via 4 embedded cameras)			PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers, Eye tracking, DualSense	USB Type-C (to PS5), Bluetooth 5.1 (Controllers)
QWR VRone PC		Fast LCD, 5.46 inch	1832 x 1920 per eye (3664 x 1920 combined)	72, 90 or 120 Hz (2025 specification); 120 Hz (2026 specification)	116 degrees	6DoF, inside-out tracking with four greyscale global shutter cameras	Yes	Yes			Two 6DoF controllers (external batteries)	Tethered (DisplayPort and USB-A cable to PC; USB-C via adapter)
Razer OSVR HDK 1.4	PC with at least a GeForce GTX 660, a 3 GHz Core i5 or equivalent and 8 GB of RAM	5.5-inch low-persistence OLED (single panel) with diffusion film	1920 x 1080 (960 x 1080 per eye); native panel mode 1080 x 1920	60 Hz	100 degrees diagonal (90 degrees horizontal x 90 degrees vertical, OSVR HDK specification)	6DoF: on-board IMU plus IR LED faceplate tracked by an external IR camera					No controller included; gamepad or keyboard and mouse	Wired, through a belt-worn breakout box and a USB 3.0 and HDMI combo cable
Relativty		5.5-inch LCD (Relativ builds); 2K dual display (2020 reference build); any PC-compatible display can be used	2560 x 1440 (original build)	120 FPS (2020 reference build, per the creators)		3DoF rotational head tracking; experimental webcam-based body tracking
Roscosmos XR-2		2 x LCD binocular	5760 x 2880 combined (reported as 2880 x 2880 per eye)	90/120 Hz (May 2021 announcement); 90 Hz in RK-Tsifra's kit listing	157° diagonal	6DoF, laser-based outside-in tracking with two base stations					Two 6DoF controllers with trigger, stick, four buttons and vibration feedback
Samsung Odyssey	Compatible host PC; software and GPU requirements vary by driver and Windows version	Dual 3.5-inch AMOLED	1440 × 1600 per eye (2880 × 1600 combined)	60 Hz or 90 Hz, subject to host and driver support	110° (manufacturer specification; axis unspecified)	6DoF inside-out, two front cameras	Yes	Yes			Pair of tracked Windows Mixed Reality controllers; compatible PC inputs depend on the application	HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 through a 4 m bound cable
Samsung Odyssey Plus	Compatible Windows PC; native WMR and third-party Oasis requirements differ (see Software platform)	Dual 3.5-inch AMOLED with Anti-SDE	1440 × 1600 per eye; 2880 × 1600 combined	60 Hz / 90 Hz	110° (manufacturer; axis not specified)	6DoF inside-out; two tracking cameras	Yes	Yes			Two Windows Mixed Reality motion controllers; supported apps may also use keyboard, mouse or gamepad	HDMI 2.0; USB 3.0; built-in Bluetooth for controllers
Shiftall MeganeX	Compatible Windows PC; SteamVR base stations and controllers for Lighthouse mode	Dual 1.3-inch Kopin Micro-OLED	2560 × 2560 per eye (5120 × 2560 combined)	120 Hz		6DoF camera-based inside-out; SteamVR Tracking with included adapter	Yes (6DoF)	Yes (6DoF)			SteamVR Tracking controllers in Lighthouse mode; gamepad or keyboard applications in inside-out mode	DisplayPort/USB via converter
Shiftall MeganeX Business Edition	Windows PC with DisplayPort 1.4	Dual 1.3-inch Micro-OLED (Kopin)	2,560 x 2,560 pixels per eye (5,120 x 2,560 combined)	120Hz		6DoF Inside-out tracking (optional SteamVR Lighthouse tracking via adapter)	Yes	Yes				DisplayPort 1.4, USB Type-C, USB 2.0 (via converter box)
Shiftall MeganeX Superlight 8K	Windows 10 PC with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 or higher (NVIDIA only, no AMD support); SteamVR Base Station 1.0 or 2.0	2× 1.35" Micro-OLED (4K per eye), made by BOE	3552×3840 per eye (8K total)	90 Hz	Not officially published by Shiftall	Outside-in 6DoF (SteamVR Lighthouse)						DisplayPort 1.4 + USB 2.0 to the PC through the included converter box; USB Type-C at the headset
Simula One	None (standalone), PC for tethered mode, Bluetooth keyboard & mouse (optional)	Dual 2448×2448 RGB-stripe LCD high-fidelity panels	2448×2448 per eye (4896×2448 total)	90 Hz (up to 120 Hz capable panels mentioned previously)	≈100° diagonal	Inside-out tracking, (6DOF)	Yes (3DOF via IMU)	Yes (6DOF)			Keyboard and mouse compatible (via Bluetooth or USB)	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Skyworth W1 Pro	Historical FAQ (June 2022): PC with Intel Core i3 (7th generation) or above, 4 GB memory or more, NVIDIA 1050Ti graphics or above	2 x LCD binocular	1600x1600 per-eye	72 Hz	94° (manufacturer; axis unspecified)						Confirm and Return buttons; optional VR controller
Somnium VR1	Gaming PC, SteamVR Tracking base stations (for 6DoF tracking)	Dual QLED Mini-LED Fast LCD with local dimming (576 zones per eye)	2880 × 2880 per eye (5760 × 2880 combined)	72 Hz, 90 Hz, 120 Hz; 144 Hz listed as experimental at launch	130° horizontal, 105° vertical (manufacturer figure)	6DoF outside-in (SteamVR Lighthouse); 3DoF IMU mode without base stations (software update of June 2026)	Yes	Yes	Up to 144Hz	<20ms motion-to-photon	SteamVR controllers (Valve Index, VIVE), Ultraleap hand tracking	6 m all-in-one hybrid active optical cable carrying DisplayPort (32 Gbps), USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) and power; second cable on mixed reality models
StarVR	Personal computer	Dual 5.5-inch LCD panels (2015 prototype)	5120 x 1440 across both panels; 2560 x 1440 per eye (2015)	60 Hz (2015 demonstration)	210° horizontal, 130° vertical (advertised 2015 specifications)	6DoF (2015 prototype)	IMU (2015); Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer documented in 2017	External camera with fiducial markers (2015 prototype)
Steam Frame	Compatible PC for PC streaming; standalone play also supported	Two LCD panels	2160 x 2160 per eye	72-144 Hz (144 Hz experimental)	Up to 110 degrees	Camera-based inside-out tracking					Steam Frame Controllers
VPL EyePhone	External video source; configured tracker for head tracking	Dual LCD screens; HRX uses active-matrix TFT	442 × 238 (LX); 720 × 480 (HRX), primary-colored elements per eye		108° (LX), 106° (HRX), both-eye horizontal	6 DoF electromagnetic, with configured Polhemus tracker	Yes	Yes, with tracker	30 or 60 transfers/s (LX tracker)		DataGlove, (sold separately)	RS-170A RGB or NTSC (HRX)
VRgineers VRHero 5K		2 x LCD	2560x1440 per-eye (5120 x 1440 combined)	60-90 Hz	150-170 degrees (depending on IPD and focus, per VRgineers)	Tracking-system neutral; extensions for OptiTrack, AR Tracking and HTC Lighthouse					8 programmable buttons	DisplayPort 1.2 video cable (up to 100 m); USB 2.0 for data
VRgineers VRHero 5K Plus		2 x 5.7-inch Quad HD OLED (one per eye), 518 ppi	2560x1440 per-eye (5120 x 1440 combined)	70 Hz	150-170 degrees (depending on IPD and focus settings, per VRgineers)	External 6DoF: SteamVR Tracking via HTC Vive Tracker, AR Tracking, OptiTrack					Leap Motion hand tracking, HTC Vive controllers, AR Tracking controllers
VRgineers XTAL	PC with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti or better graphics card for a standard setup	2 x Quad HD high-density OLED	2560 x 1440 per eye (5120 x 1440 combined, "5K")	70 Hz	Up to 170 degrees (2018 launch lenses); 180 degrees diagonal (lenses introduced December 2018)	External 6DoF: SteamVR Lighthouse, AR Tracking, OptiTrack					Leap Motion hand tracking, voice commands, HTC Vive controllers, AR Tracking controllers	DisplayPort, USB and power cables to the host PC
VRgineers XTAL 3	Windows 10 64-bit PC with an NVIDIA RTX-class GPU and at least 32 GB RAM	2 x LCD binocular (fast-switching 4K LCD)	3840x2160 per-eye	75 Hz at 3840x2160 per eye; 120 Hz at 2560x1440 (QHD) per eye	180° horizontal, 90° vertical (announced); 140° x 90° default, up to 180° x 120° maximum experimental (current spec sheet)	Inside-out (infrared cameras), Lighthouse (SteamVR), ART, OptiTrack, Polhemus, Vicon or custom						VirtualLink cable (5 m) or DisplayPort 1.4, USB 3.2 Gen 2, 12 V 3 A power
VRgineers XTAL 3 Mixed Reality		2 x LCD binocular (fast-switching 4K LCD panels)	3840x2160 per-eye	75 Hz at 3840x2160 per eye; 120 Hz at 2560x1440 per eye	180° horizontal, 90° vertical	Inside-out (two infrared cameras); compatible with OptiTrack, ART and Vicon external tracking
VRgineers XTAL 8K	Compatible Windows PC, NVIDIA GPU and VRG Runtime	Two fast-switching 4K LCDs	3840 × 2160 per eye (two 4K panels)	75 Hz (historical 8K catalog specification)	180° diagonal (manufacturer specification)	Internal IMU: 3DoF; external tracking options: 6DoF	Yes (internal IMU)	With compatible external tracking system			Compatible tracked controllers, hands and microphone	VirtualLink; DisplayPort/USB/power adapter
Valve Index	Windows 10, SteamOS, or Linux; NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 / AMD RX 480 or better	Dual 1440×1600 RGB LCD panels	2880×1600 (combined)	80/90/120/144Hz	Valve advertises approximately 20 degrees more than HTC Vive for typical users	SteamVR Tracking, (Lighthouse 2.0)	6 DOF	6 DOF			Valve Index Controllers (included with full kit)	USB 3.0, DisplayPort 1.2
Varjo Aero	Windows PC with a supported NVIDIA GPU; SteamVR base stations; SteamVR controllers	Dual mini-LED LCD	2880 x 2720 per eye	90 Hz	115° horizontal, 134° diagonal (at 12 mm eye relief)	SteamVR Tracking 1.0/2.0					Two headset buttons; SteamVR controllers (not included)	5 m USB-C cable to a headset adapter with DisplayPort and USB-A 3.0 connections
Varjo VR-2	Compatible Windows PC; external tracking	Micro-OLED focus and AMOLED context displays, one of each per eye	Focus: 1920×1080 per eye; context: 1440×1600 per eye	60 Hz focus; 90 Hz context	87° (manufacturer specification; axis unspecified)	SteamVR Tracking with base stations 1.0 or 2.0; third-party tracking integrations	Yes (six-degree-of-freedom headset tracking)	Yes (six-degree-of-freedom headset tracking)			SteamVR-compatible controllers (separate accessories)	Optical headset cable and link box; two PC DisplayPort connections and USB-A
Varjo VR-3	Compatible Windows PC, Varjo Base 3.0-4.14, powered headset adapter(s); base stations for SteamVR Tracking	Two uOLED focus displays and two LCD context displays	Focus: 1920 × 1920 per eye; context: 2880 × 2720 per eye	90 Hz (manufacturer specification)	115° horizontal; product book also specifies 134° diagonal at 12 mm eye relief	Positional and rotational SteamVR Tracking; third-party tracking integrations also documented	Yes, with configured tracking system	Yes, with configured tracking system			Compatible SteamVR controllers; hand tracking; Action and Menu headset buttons	Two 5 m USB-C headset cables to adapter(s); desktop: two DisplayPort 1.4 and two USB-A 3.0/3.1 connections
Varjo XR-1	Windows PC with native Thunderbolt 3, two DisplayPort 1.2 outputs and a USB-A 3.0 port; 2-4 SteamVR base stations for SteamVR tracking	Bionic Display: two 1920 x 1080 low-persistence micro-OLEDs (focus) and two 1440 x 1600 low-persistence AMOLEDs (context)	Focus: 1920 x 1080 per eye; context: 1440 x 1600 per eye; over 60 PPD (3000 PPI) in the focus area	60/90 Hz	87 degrees	6DoF; compatible with SteamVR Tracking and ART					SteamVR-compatible controllers; System and Application buttons on the headset	10 m active optical Thunderbolt cable; Link Box
Varjo XR-3	Compatible Windows PC, powered adapters and Varjo Base	uOLED (focus) + LCD (peripheral)	Focus: 1920 x 1920 per eye; peripheral: 2880 x 2720 per eye	90 Hz	115° horizontal (manufacturer figure)	SteamVR 1.0/2.0; Varjo inside-out tracking (Beta)	Headset orientation via configured tracking system	SteamVR, Varjo inside-out or integrated third-party system		Passthrough below 20 ms (manufacturer claim)	Headset buttons; hand/eye input; SteamVR controllers with SteamVR Tracking	Two headset USB-C cables to powered adapters
Varjo XR-4	Compatible Windows PC with NVIDIA graphics	Two mini-LED displays with local dimming	3840 x 3744 per eye	75 or 90 Hz	120° x 105° (manufacturer specification)	Inside-out; SteamVR tracking depends on hardware version	Supported (6DoF headset tracking)	Supported (6DoF headset tracking)			Varjo Controllers, compatible SteamVR controllers, hand tracking, headset touch controls	Separate DisplayPort display cable and USB-C data connection via powered adapter
Varjo XR-4 Focal Edition	Windows 10 (64-bit) or Windows 11 PC with an NVIDIA GPU, DisplayPort 1.4 and USB-C (10 Gbps)	2x 3.59-inch Mini-LED with local dimming	3840×3744 per eye (4K×4K)	90 Hz (75 Hz selectable)	120° × 105°	Inside-out; optional SteamVR (outside-in); ART and OptiTrack supported					Varjo Controllers (powered by Razer), hand tracking	DisplayPort, USB-C
VictorMaxx CyberMaxx		2 x TFT Active Matrix LCD (HSC unit)	505 x 230 per eye (Model 120, reported)			3DoF orientation (HSC unit)					Head tracking	VGA, Composite NTSC (2.0)
Virtual Research VR4		2 x 1.3" active matrix LCD	742 x 230 color elements per eye (170,660 color elements, equivalent to 56,887 triads)		60° diagonal at 100% overlap; 67° diagonal at 85% overlap	None built in; mounting bracket for an external position sensor (Polhemus; adapters for Ascension and Logitech)						S-VHS (Y/C) or RS-170A RGB video, NTSC timing only; 3.5 mm audio input
Virtual i-O i-glasses!	PC version: VGA output set to 640 x 480 at 60 or 70 Hz and a free serial (COM) port; 486DX4-100, 8 MB RAM and a double-speed CD-ROM drive recommended. Video version: NTSC composite video source	Two full-color liquid crystal displays	180,000 pixels per LCD panel (manufacturer figure); PC input up to 640 x 480 (VGA)	PC interface accepts VGA at 60-72 Hz	30 degrees per eye	PC models: 3DoF (yaw, pitch, roll) sourceless orientation tracker, 250 Hz sample rate, RS-232C serial						VGA input with monitor pass-through, RCA composite video, stereo RCA audio, RS-232C serial
Virtuality Visette 1		Two LCDs; Panasonic or Epson revisions	276 horizontal x 376 vertical (1991 report)			6DoF magnetic; hardware varies by system					Space Joystick (1000CS)
Virtuality Visette 2		Twin active-matrix TFT LCDs	756 x 244, listed visual resolution		60° horizontal, 46.87° vertical (manufacturer)	6DoF magnetic					6DoF Space Joystick 2000	Console networking
Vuzix iWear VR920		2 x LCD (VGA, progressive scan), 24-bit color	640 x 480 per eye; accepts 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768 input, scaled to 640 x 480	60 Hz	32°	3DoF rotational (pitch, roll, yaw)					Head tracking; volume and on-screen display control wheel	USB (power, tracking, full-duplex audio), analog VGA
XEO BIG		2 x Micro-OLED binocular	3840x3552 per-eye	90 Hz	100° horizontal	6DoF inside-out
Z800 3DVisor	PC with a VGA (analog SVGA 800 x 600, 60 Hz) output and a USB port; Windows XP or Windows Vista	Two 0.59-inch SVGA-3D OLED microdisplays	800 x 600 per display	60 Hz input; 30 Hz per eye in frame-sequential stereo mode	About 40 degrees diagonal	Built-in head tracker (360 degrees horizontal, more than 60 degrees vertical)					Head tracking (mouse emulation)	VGA (PC D-Sub, analog RGB) video input; USB

See also

• Standalone VR
• Slide-on HMD
• Oculus Link
• Air Link
• Steam Link
• Virtual Desktop
• Lighthouse
• Inside-out tracking
• Display Stream Compression
• Compare VR headsets