Playstation vr2
Sony Slinky VR gear: Take 2

PlayStation VR2 – virtually perfect!

February 20, 2023
10/10

Summary

Sony PlayStation VR2 Headset REVIEW

It takes a lot to send shivers of pleasure up the neck of Witchdoctor tech guru PAT PILCHER but Sony’s new VR2 headset is a real blockbuster.

$999.95

Playstation vr2
Sony Slinky VR gear: Take 2

When the original Sony PlayStation VR headset launched, it created bit of a stir. Once the dust had settled, the team at Sony Computer Entertainment went back to the drawing board with a difficult design brief: โ€œHow on earth can we improve on the already brilliant PSVR?โ€. After a lot of blood, sweat and tears, it has launched the hotly anticipated PSVR2.

Since getting my sweaty paws on the PSVR2 headset, I can say that with some caveats, it is an insanely impressive piece of VR gear.

That said, some gotchas do apply. It isnโ€™t backwards compatible and it comes with a sticker price thatโ€™ll give some gamers pause for thought.

Caveats aside, would I take a crowbar to my much-abused wallet and buy one? Hell YES!

PlayStation VR2 headset and controllers

For a start, there are already over 30 titles available for the PSVR2, and Gran Turismo 7 gets a VR update (take my money, Sony!) With over 30 million PS5 owners globally, the PSVR2 has huge potential.

Perhaps the biggest issue with the PSVR2 needs to be dealt with first. When it launches on February 22 itโ€™s going to cost you an eye-watering $999.95

Even though that buys you a state-of-the-art VR headset with loads of game support, itโ€™s not far off the full cost of a PS5. So, would I spend that sort of money on the PSVR2? After using one for a week, Iโ€™d have to say Iโ€™d even be willing to sell a kidney or my firstborn. Yes, it is that good.

The PSVR2โ€™s organic white-on-black design aesthetic is a perfect fit with the PS5. As it doesnโ€™t have the added weight of a battery, or built-in computing hardware and so on, it weighs in at a shade over 500g, which (for a VR headset) is super lightweight. The importance of this cannot be overstated as its lightweight design combines with a well-thought-out head strap system to make the PSVR2 super comfy, even with extended use.

The PlayStation VR2: Such a comfy fit!

Tucked away inside the PSVR2, there are twin OLED displays, each with a whopping 2000 x 2040-pixel resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Thereโ€™s also an IR camera for tracking eye movement, and embedded cameras on the outer corners of the PSVR keep an eye on controller and head motion tracking along with gyro motion sensing, and critically where you are in the room (more on this later).

The PSVR2 is wired. It comes with a long 4.5m cable that plugs into the USB-C port on the front of the PS5. Where Metaโ€™s stand-alone headset offers smartphone-style graphics, the PSVR2 can tap into the PS5โ€™s graphical goodness to deliver stunning peeper-pleasing 3D virtual graphics.

On the ergonomics front (another key consideration for VR headsets), the PSVR2โ€™s design team has taken learnt from the original PSVR to create an easily adjustable design that has well-thought-out padding and a head strap that goes over the top of your head. Fitting the PSVR2 sees you pulling the back of the strap out and then sliding it onto your noggin. A dial at the back lets you adjust the fit for maximum comfort. Black flexible silicone baffles around the eyes and clever ventilation mean that even though you are encased in darkness, you wonโ€™t get sweaty or have to constantly adjust the PSVR2โ€™s fit. The bundled controllers are also an ergonomic delight. Not only are they lightweight, but their design seems to fit your hands perfectly and their buttons are all in the exact spots your fingers tend to rest in.

Playstation vr2
Playstation VR2 controllers, ergonomic genius

Getting set up was a relatively pain-free undertaking. After plugging the PSVR2 into the USBCC port on the front of my PS5, I was prompted to tweak the display spacing via a dial on the left side. Next, I took an eye-tracking test by moving my eyes to follow a moving dot around the PSVR2’s screen. Built-in external-facing cameras allow you to set up a bounded play area, or you can choose to play sitting down. As there is no longer any need for a camera connected to the PlayStation, the setup process couldnโ€™t be any easier.

In use, the PSVR2โ€™s super hi-res displays made pixels all but impossible to make out. The 120hz refresh rate made motion feel super smooth and accurate. As the displays pretty much filled my entire field of view, the effect was incredibly immersive, especially when combined with the PS5โ€™s 3D audio. Another nifty feature that added extra oomph to my PS5 VR experience is haptics.

In Horizon Call Of The Mountain, the haptics added to a myriad of otherwise unnoticeable extras. Grabbing hold of surfaces or brushing foliage out of the way was accompanied by a subtle rumble in the headset or controllers which helped me โ€œfeelโ€ the virtual environment I was exploring.

The PlayStation VR 2 headset in all its glory!

All told, the PSV2 is easily the best VR headset Iโ€™ve used to date. There are already over 30 titles that support it, and Iโ€™ll be sure to review these soonish!

https://www.playstation.com/en-nz/ps-vr2/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pat has been talking about tech on TV, radio and print for over 20 years, having served time as a TV tech guy and currently penning reviews for Witchdoctor. He loves nothing more than rolling his sleeves up and playing with shiny gadgets.

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