VRGamerDude: HP Reverb G2 Live Unboxing and First Impressions

At least the 8KX has a power indicator when the headset is on. With Reverb G2, you don’t know if it’s working until it lights up after a software update.

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Update: I tried plugging it into my laptop directly with USB C and the displayport to mini dp adapter. Nothing happens. Also has the latest windows 20H2 installed. So this seems to confirm it’s a problem with the headset! I think it’s dead :frowning:

Update: I finally got it working lol. Turns out the displayport WASNT fully plugged in. I pushed it in even more and it connected. I feel so embarrassed that I wasted so much time on this :sweat_smile:

It freaking didnt push in anymore if it wasnt in the exact correct orientation.

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Glad to see you figured it out. So what are your first impressions?

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I haven’t used it long enough to give fully formed impressions but there are some things I disagree with Sebastian on and some things I agree. Resolution and clarity is very good so far. Text on desktop is very easy to read.

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@vrgamerdude thanks for the Sim stream. Really glad to hear the distance clarity is greatly improved. That’s a pretty big limitation for me in the 5k+ in being able to pick out markers in the distance for consistency. I’ve been running the 5k+ in ‘normal’ fov at 120hz so hopefully the fov loss is worth the additional clarity.

It’s been frustrating as so many of the mainstream guys just focus on gauges in the cockpit when really, none of us driving competitively car. It’s all about distance clarity. AC modded with CSP and SOL should look amazing. Can’t wait! :smiley:

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@vrgamerdude thanks for the stream, enjoyed it very much.

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This is same what I think. When testing, guys please do not look gauges, look away trough window. I know gauges, but I do not know what is comming from distance.

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Because when you do need to look at gauges - especially in aircraft rather than cars - you want to get the desired information, as fast as possible, and then return to looking outside. And when following IFR procedures (even under VFR conditions), such as doing formation flying, refueling, landing, patterns, navigation, etc, flight basically means a continuous cycle from from one instrument to the next, over and over again.

When those numbers and gauges are barely readable, it would be downright awful if not for the fact that at least we get to own and fly many $$$millionsOfDollars$$$ jets at less than $$$tenOfThousandsDollars$$$ per hour! Or Formula1 cars, etc, if that’s your deal.

Before the 5k+, the Oculus/Vive were so bad, a person would have to lean towards the instruments to read them, and even the HUD with big numbers took too long to read. Before the 8kX, it could still take way too long to read the numbers, and even the HUD with big numbers was fuzzy or pixelated enough to cause severe eyestrain.

The 8kX, and perhaps the HP Reverb G2, are a huge milestone in VR history. Now, VR is at least not massively less readable than IRL.

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But as he said it is also important to be able to see far distance clarity. Near objects is definitely a good metric but far objects are also very important. The Vive Pro also has decent clarity on gage reading. And tbh we had great clarity during og vive and rift with the pimax 4k many flight simmers liked it for that reason. With the 4k if your head movenents were not quick ghosting was not bad.

To see the clarity comparisons checkout @Century ttl shots.

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No disagreement. I can see how that could be important for ground vehicle racing games.

No. Barely adequate. Every specification I went over and everything others said placed the Vive Pro placed it at or very near the 5k+.

Original Vive and Rift CV1 were just barely usable. Just enough for VR to get started. Having to lean in to see any instrumentation, virtual computer monitors, etc, as well as having ‘blinders’ on from the lack of FOV, were major inconveniences that the Pimax 5k+ removed. From what I have heard, the Pimax 4k - at least the best assembled units - were comparable to the 5k+ in terms of angular resolution at the sweet spot. That would have been more convenient than the Original Vive or Rift CV1, but that’s it.

What makes the 8kX and maybe Reverb remarkable is how much continuous productive time can be spent in the headset. For professional VR, this is where it starts. Seeing the gauges, knowing they are readable, and also knowing the bright HUD text doesn’t cast huge beacons of blurry haze in all directions as with Elite Dangerous and a 5k+ or worse is a huge deal.

Elite dangerous on epic free next week btw :sunglasses:

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Just another reason to send your money somewhere other than FDev. :wink:

Not true on the og p4k. It had a lot more clarity than the 5k+. It also featured Aspherical lenses that help immensely to having a great picture. All the p4k units had 2 key flaws. Ghosting as the Sharp 4k panel that was used in the og Xperia 4k phone was not suitable for major vr use and the Focus was designed for Myopia to 20/20 vision which caused some eyestrain even with some 20/20 sight users. And of course featured fixed lenses.

There were quite a few folks from flight sims into the 4k. The Reverb of course replaced clarity and it seems at present though likely not by much trumps the 8kX. Distance Object clarity is also very important in combat flight sims as well.

As for FoV restrictions keep in mind helmets reduce FoV usually by design to some extent unless pilots are now wearing skateboard helmets. :wink:

Both near and Far have equal needs by application. Some one side has more weight. Ie your refueling in the air and like maneuvers.

That being said like the og 8k the 8kX is likely to improve with updates as we go. Save where it cannot improve til new hmd hardware in a next version with things like improved lenses.

The Vive Pro and 5k+ are more similar. While the Vive pro has greater resolution in the main view area the pentile matrix reduces some of the clarity making the 5k+ more similar.

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Hey so glad you liked it! []-)

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Yeah that’s why I wanted to focus on that aspect… Pretty gauges are cool and all but people who are into racing really wanna know about the ability to see further into the distance… It is sooo much easier to judge corners now! []-)

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Yes, the Pimax 4K is definitely much higher in pixel density than 5K +, given its 1920x2160 per eye and small horizontal FOV.
5K + is 1440p, Lenovo Explorer level, rift s, but not higher. Against 2160p, it’s much behind.

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Yes 4k was underrated.
Just like the 8k actually…and even the +.

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Very interesting. Would be cool to compare that to the 8kX units I have!

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I would imagine just keep a look at Century’s 8kX entry and his previous posts where he has p4k pics.