Verdict

The PlayStation VR 2 has all the specs required to offer wondrous immersive experience , but will depend on future first - party PlayStation game to be a worthwhile alternative to the more affordable Meta Quest serial publication .

Pros

Cons

Key Features

Introduction

Virtual reality is going from posture to potency , with Meta continuing to make undulation and engineering science heavyweight such as Apple bundle into the market . So it should come as no surprisal that Sony has resolve to plunge its very own : the PlayStation VR 2 .

This is actually PlayStation ’s 2d attempt at a VR headset , but this time polish up its packing carving - edge engineering such a 4 K OLED display , tactual feedback andeye - tracking engineering science .

But there ’s also a lot more competitor these Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . The Meta Quest 3 not only flaunts a fantastic play functioning , but also allows you to make use of assorted reality for a more versatile offer .

With less modus vivendi apps available , Sony will really need to reduplicate down on its game catalog to make the PlayStation VR 2 a success . But are there enough games to make the most of the hardware ? After calendar month of testing , here ’s my finding of fact .

Design

The PlayStation VR 2 looks really snazzy , with a preponderantly livid design that matches the PS5 ’s colour scheme . That does unfortunately entail scuff marks are more visible – I already have one at the front of the peak – but there ’s no deny this is one of the best look VR headset yet .

There are a few belittled detail I really bed too , with glistening PlayStation Word find out on the sides , and the triangle , round , X and square symbols hide out on top of the visor .

A tidy sum of care has blend in into the excogitation of this headset , making it sense like a luxury equipment that merits the steep cost .

The PlayStation VR 2 features a aureole pattern , with a shaping band snuggly wrapping around my head .

The headband is padded , but it ’s not quite thick enough to forbid the moldable band from toil into my forehead after extended playing period . That said , I still think it ’s a better design than the straps on the Meta Quest 2 , which can slip out of place middling easily .

I also found the compressed clamp of the PlayStation VR 2 to become uncomfortable after an hour or so of maneuver . I struggled to play for longer than this without taking unretentive break , although I assume most people would struggle to be immersed in virtual reality for that foresightful anyway .

you could at least adjust the tightness of the headband by rotate a dial at the rear , as well as moving the front visor frontward or backward , which will be a approving for those who wear glasses .

you may also adjust the breakup of the lens with an well-to-do - to - reach scroll wheel . It ’s great to see Sony providing so many option so you’re able to configure the pure burst .

The PSVR 2 only expect a singleUSB - Cto hack into the PS5 . That means you ’re able to come out playing straight off , as long as you ’ve already finished the eye - trailing setup and created your designated acting space .

But that undivided cablegram can still get in the mode . I trip up over it a number of times during play , making me pine for more wireless freedom afford by the Meta Quest 3 andPico 4 . Being tethered to the PS5 also made it more unmanageable to find a worthy drama space for VR , even with the generous 4.5 m cable system .

Nevertheless , this aerodynamic connectedness is still a massive climb on the originalPlayStation VR , which I would seldom bother to use just because the setup process was so punishing .

The four cameras on the front of the PSVR 2 headset also allow for inside - out trailing , annihilate the need for extraneous detector . Tracking performance is excellent , with the headset capable of monitoring my movements no matter how spry or frenzied they were – although you will need to make trusted your way is well lit for a static functioning .

A earphone embrasure can be located on the undersurface of the band behind your oral sex . This allows you to unite any wired bud you already own , although Sony cluster a pair in the boxful . They may not offer the absolute near audio quality , but I was glad enough with them , especially since their unique intention ( which hugs the headband tightly ) does n’t drop down around your neck . you could of course expend any brace of headphones that expend a wireless dongle for the PS5 instead , so the officialPulse 3D wireless headsetis fully compatible .

tactile feedbacktechnology is built into the headset , giving my head a small bombination whenever an in - game dinosaur crashes into the ground , or I discover a collectible in the adorable platform gameMoss . I ’m a magnanimous rooter of this feature , with the shaking proving insidious enough that they do n’t cause any discomfort – although you are able-bodied to turn this feature article off if you prefer .

Controllers

The Sense controllers offer the most compelling reason to upgrade to the PlayStation VR 2 from the original headset . Sony has clear taken breathing in from Meta ’s Quest Controllers , with a hooped pattern to ensure speck trailing .

The use of initiation and grip button also allow me to mimic real - world actions , whether it ’s pulling the string of a bow or thrash a pickaxe into the wall to surmount up a mountain .

It also feels far more instinctive to reach behind my shoulder to take hold of an arrow from my quiver , rather than only press a push on a Graeco-Roman controller .

These adaptative triggers are also capable to create vibration and resistor to intensify immersion , such as feeling the tension of a bow when pulling back the strand . These features are rob right out of the PS5’sDualSense controller , and complement the VR format well .

You ’ll also find PlayStation ’s iconic buttons on the front of the pad , which are able to detect when you ’re rest your finger against them . This makes it possible for you to make various hand bod in the virtual world , whether it ’s a fist or a thumbs up .

The Sense comptroller use a USB - C connection for index speech , and each hold up around 4 and a one-half hours of secret plan sentence on a single cathexis . That ’s not a huge amount of stamen , but I doubt many people would want to be swallow up in practical realness for that long . I recommend purchase a charging docking facility , as require to charge both controllers simultaneously ( which takes around 30 minute of arc ) can otherwise be a pain .

Performance

The PlayStation VR 2 lacks an integrate potato chip , and so needs to be tethered to a PS5 to function .

While a wired connection can be irritating , it allowed the headset to leverage the power of the PS5 console and display visually stunning worlds . I ’ll never forget the first metre stepping into the incredibly elaborate jungle of Horizon Call of the Mountain , offering far more gorgeous vistas than what the Meta Quest 2 is adequate to of .

alas , the immense bulk of game in the PS5 ’s launch lineup are in reality ports from the Quest 2 library . This meant experiences such as Star war : Tales from the Galaxy ’s Edge and Moss : Book II did n’t make employment of the PS5 ’s full power , and so do n’t look significantly better than on more low-priced headsets .

biz at least look sharper , since the PlayStation VR 2 supports a 4 K firmness of purpose ( 2000 x 2040 per eye ) , although thescreen door effect – where you’re able to see a mesh net overlayer due to the gap between picture element – is still observable , but only if you focus on it . The OLED display help to make colours reckon more vivacious too , whether it was the lush green flora or the impassioned fire of the Bellowback motorcar .

Despite patronize up to a 120Hzrefresh rate , I did occasionally notice juddery ocular effect from tight moving objective at a distance . The fast - paced dinosaur in Horizon Call of the Mountain would sometimes not fare into clear focus until they stopped moving , although this was n’t a frequent enough issue to bear on the high level of immersion .

Features

The PlayStation VR 2 packs in oodles of feature . The eye - tracking technology has arguably got the most attention , especially since this is one of the cheapest VR headset to support it so far – theMeta Quest Prolaunched at $ 1499 , while theVive Pro Eyewas priced at $ 999 .

Eye tracking has mostly been used in the go-ahead space so far , but Sony clearly thinks it can be used for gaming too . Rez Infinite is confirmed to use it for aiming your weapon system at foeman , whileEDGE magazinereports that horror biz The Dark Pictures : Switchback VR will be capable to detect when you blink for create some shuddery effect .

I was a little disappointed that Horizon Call of the Mountain only used this engineering for carte du jour sailing , which picture eye trailing will only reach its full potential if plot developer are uncoerced to try out with it .

That read , the PlayStation VR 2 does make use of goods and services offoveated rendering , which use the eye - tracking technology to meliorate the visual calibre of whichever part of the screen you ’re looking at , while simultaneously dialling down the fidelity of your peripheral vision in order of magnitude to preserve the H.P. of the PS5 ’s GPU . For that alone , I can see a benefit of having eye trailing , even if it has probably increase the cost of the headset well .

The PlayStation VR 2 also has black - and - white passthrough , which conveniently allowed me to see my surroundings whenever I want to receive my comptroller . The camera quality is n’t good enough here formixed realitylike with the Meta Quest 3 , but I do n’t think Sony has much involvement in going down that route just yet .

The headset supports sitting , standing and elbow room - shell modes . Setting up your boundaries is really easy too , with virtual wall appear if you step too close to your goggle box or wall . The PlayStation VR 2 is capable to think the last bound you make , so you do n’t need to set it up every time you wrench it on – but if you do need to cut the boundaries , or create a raw one from scrawl , I found it very easy to do so .

The PlayStation VR 2 can also be used as an alternative display to your TV for stock PS5 game . I play Witcher on the headset , and since it was n’t designed for VR , it bet like I was watching it on a monolithic cinema screen – the 4 K caliber was impressive too . I even view Rick & Morty on the PSVR 2 via Netflix , although this is n’t the most ideal method acting of stream video since the headset finally started to make my head and cervix sore .

Games

The lineup of PSVR 2 games was nice at launching . Tales from the Galaxy ’s Edge is a basic gun , but still a fun outing for Star Wars fans . Moss & Moss : Book II are delightfully fun platformers with some clever VR mechanics . And Demeo is a compelling RPG dungeon creeper .

However , these games are interface from other headsets such as the Meta Quest 2 , and therefore do n’t make the most of the PS5 ’s graphical powerfulness . It ’s great to see some VR classics such as Thumber , Pistol Whip and Beat Saber go far on the platform too , but they ’re never going to deserve a PlayStation VR 2 purchase alone given the extortionate price .

It ’s also a big shame that there ’s no backwards compatibility here , force you to reconstruct your program library from scratch and pretend the likes ofAstro Bot Rescue Missioninaccessible .

I ’m emotional to try out the likes ofResident Evil VillageandNo Man ’s Sky , which were n’t available to play during the review program – but it ’s these kinds of game that will most likely be the principal attraction on the PlayStation VR 2 .

The handsome star is undoubtedly Horizon Call of the Mountain , which is thebest VR gameI’ve play sinceHalf - spirit Alyx . While most games can be accused of being a shallow arcade experience , Horizon feel like a full - duration risky venture and evince the mellow potential of what the PlayStation VR 2 can provide .

I ’m a piffling disturbed for the future of the PlayStation VR 2 , as now we ’re in 2024 , the game program library does n’t look much good than at launch . Sony has at least confirmed a few upcoming game such as Behemoth , Tin Hearts and Low - Fi . However , I was hoping the PlayStation VR 2 would see more grand scale exclusives , such as spin - offs for the likes of God of War , The Last of Us , Uncharted , Ratchet and Clank and more .

I ’m growing more and more pessimistic that this will ever change . PlayStation did n’t really supply the original PSVR headset with many first - company games at this scale , so it ’s hard to believe it ’s going to be unlike this metre around – although I ’d love to be proven wrong . Either way , it ’s likely worth waiting to see whether more game do arrive before committing yourself to a leverage .

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Final Thoughts

The PlayStation VR 2 is a fantastic VR headset , with all the spec required to deliver marvelously immersive experience . The streamlined setup process and more nonrational control also make it a monumental upgrade on the original headset .

But the PSVR 2 ’s success will depend heavy on its plot depository library – if PlayStation can keep launch game to the standard of the Horizon Call of the Mountain , then there ’s no doubt in my mind that it will become thebest VR headseton the market . But now we ’re in 2024 , there still need to be bounteous improvements made to the biz library .

For now , it pee far more sense to opt for the tuner and more affordableMeta Quest 2 .   And if you ’re unforced to stretch out your budget , theMeta Quest 3offers an even more various experience with the add up benefit of mixed reality .

Trusted Score

How we test

When testing a VR headset , we verify to try out a variety of games and apps . We evaluate various aspects , such as the design , filmdom quality , battery living and the characteristic set .

FAQs

The PlayStation VR 2 will cost £ 529.99 in the UK , $ 549.99 in the US and € 600 in Europe .

Yes , the PSVR 2 must be connected to a PS5 to operate . It ca n’t be used alone or with a PC .

You will need a TV when place the PSVR 2 up for the first time , but you wo n’t need one after that . I often used the PSVR 2 with my television turned off .