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Virtual reality and Augmented reality have only become mainstream in the past few years, and many companies are starting to offer their take on a fledgling technology that has the potential to really shake up the way we interact with both video games and our daily life. The HTC Vive is a really fantastic offering as far as virtual reality experiences go, but with a lot of competition on the market, does it hold its own with offerings from new players in the field? How does Microsoft’s Hololens compare to the Vive which has already gained some traction? We take a quick look at the two headsets below and let you know which product is worth your attention.

Before we start getting into everything, I’ll be honest and say that these two headsets are difficult to compare. For one, the HTC Vive is strictly a virtual reality system designed to play games and give an immersive environment for other creative applications. The Microsoft Hololens, on the other hand, is marketed as a “pair of mixed reality smartglasses” and focuses instead on Augmented Reality instead of simply Virtual Reality.

It’ll be helpful to distinguish between Virtual Reality and Augmented reality when we make these comparisons because, as I mentioned above, the two headsets don’t necessarily set out to accomplish the same goal (though there definitely is significant overlap).

Basically, Virtual Reality completely immerses you in a new environment and blocks out the rest of the world while Augmented Reality seeks to enhance the world. While virtual reality may trick your brain into thinking you’re batman in a dark alleyway, augmented reality adds overlays and useful tools to your regular vision. It may be difficult to compare these devices one to one because of their different approaches to augmenting or suspending reality, but we can definitely go over the pros and cons of each and give you a sense of which one has us most excited.

Now that we’ve discussed the differences in philosophy when it comes to the two headsets we can actually start comparing them.

Fit and Design

The HTC Vive is the clear winner in this section. While both headsets rest on your head like a hat, the HTC has a harness system that fits the device more securely to your head and distributes load while Microsoft’s Hololens feels more like a slightly unstable crown. The fact of the matter is, though, that they’re both pretty bulky and unwieldy. Like we mentioned above, the technology is still pretty new, so it’s not surprising that we don’t have a super slick and lightweight option that feels like we’re wearing nothing at all. In time we’ll see that, but the HTC Vive is pretty comfortable when it comes to VR headsets, especially compared to the Hololens.

HTC Vive controllers

Field of View

While you can look all around with the HTC Vive, the Hololens keeps your eyes facing strictly forward. The Vive would also take the cake in this section, but it’s important not to discount the fact that the view that Microsoft’s Hololens gives users is more than enough to accomplish its goal. If you’re looking to be completely immersed and to block out the rest of the world, the HTC Vive is the way to go, but given Microsoft’s focus more on the productivity and enhancement side it makes sense that their augmented reality field of view is more limited.

Manipulatives

The Vive features a controller for each hand with a variety of buttons while the Hololens relies solely on gestural commands to control the device. I’m going to have to go with the Hololens in this category, as it’s much more intuitive to simply move your hands to do what you’ve set out to do rather than trying to pick up a whole new control scheme. Gamers may be more at home with the Vive, though, and will probably quickly pick up the ins and outs of the control system. It’s definitely possible that the Vive’s control scheme allows for more variable actions than the Hololens does, which makes sense given its focus on gaming (a pretty dynamic form of media), but I’ve got to say that the Hololens is more intuitive when it comes to control.

hololens microsoft

External Accessories / Portability

The Microsoft Hololens is hands down the winner in this section. As we’ve mentioned above, virtual reality and augmented reality technology is still in its infancy, and the infancy comes with a whole lot of wires for the HTC Vive. You have to attached a box to your wall, your Vive to your PC, and you’ve got to lug around two controllers. You essentially need an entire room set up for your Vive whereas the Hololens is completely self-contained. While the Vive is a headset that relies on an external PC to run its games, Microsoft’s offering is a completely self-contained computer that you wear on your head. The Hololens might seem like an obvious purchase, but there’s one major detractor that we’ll look at below.

Price

This is the dealbreaker for me. The Hololens seems really awesome in a lot of ways, but it comes with an enormous price tag that just doesn’t make it realistic for the vast majority of consumers. Virtual Reality systems are already usually the price of a new console or even more expensive, but the Hololens is just on a whole other level. The only product available for the Hololens right now is the development edition which comes at a hefty price of $3000. The system is a self-contained computer so it makes sense that it would be a little more expensive than other VR offerings, but 3k is just kinda ridiculous. The HTC Vive is available for a much more modest $799.

Verdict

It’s difficult to declare a clear winner in this competition since the two devices set out to accomplish different things. If you’re seeking to enhance your existing environment and want to wear a full PC on your head (and don’t mind shelling out some serious cash) the Hololens might be the way to go. Because of how early in the development process the Hololens is, though, I’m going to have to go with the HTC Vive as a more realistic but still extremely impressive option.

HTC Vive winner

 

 

 

 

Samantha is very interested in all the latest technological advancements and she loves to show it through her articles. You'll likely find her writing about one gadget or another, but she certainly doesn't shy away from science stuff either.

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More PS5 Metal Gear Solid remakes? Konami Must Know

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Want more classic Metal Gear Solid remakes on PS5? You’ll need to speak Konami’s language—dollar bills—to express your desire.

“Regarding remakes of previous games in the series other than Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, we will listen to player demand and consider accordingly,” a Konami official told IGN.

Konami explained that “we chose Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater because it depicts the birth of Big Boss (Naked Snake), which is the starting point of the Metal Gear series.” Fans wishing it would last forever contributed.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, yes? Maybe you’ll buy another disc to show Konami you’ll pay again?

 

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Sony Accused of Abusing Industry Dominance

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The Romanian Competition Council is investigating Sony for abusing its console gaming market dominance. How exactly? The RCC says Sony sells video games exclusively through the PlayStation Store and blocks competing distributors from accessing activation codes.

“These practices would have reduced the purchasing options for PlayStation-compatible video games, leading to higher prices for video games on this type of console,” the RCC’s press release (in Romanian) states on ResetEra. These practices discourage Romanian studios from making PlayStation-compatible games.

The RCC is serious, too, having inspected Sony’s European headquarters to find out what happened. The press release states that “1.3 million console video game users” and “127 video game development studios” would be affected by Sony’s anti-competitive practices.

We’re not lawyers, but we believe digital game codes can’t be bought from other retailers, preventing price competition. Sony allowed the practice until a few years ago, so it’s interesting that it’s back.

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Sony Expects 108 Million PS5 Sales This Generation

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After the COVID-19 supply collapse, Sony CEO Jim Ryan is optimistic about PS5 sales. The Sony executive anticipates the PS5, the best-selling console for months, will sell 108 million units.

That’s difficult stuff considering Sony needs to sell 70 million more PS5s. Since supply has increased, consoles are selling like hotcakes in major countries, suggesting the firm is above 40 million.

Ryan stated in a recent games business briefing webcast and Q&A (thanks, TweakTown):

“The 70 million, I think, is the existing PlayStation 4 user base, and while we would hope to convert a large number of those people, we will definitely target and definitely be successful in bringing large numbers of gamers who did not own a PlayStation 4, and in many instances, who have never owned a PlayStation at all.”

Mr. Ryan’s numbers—should we focus on the 108 part?

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