The PSVR 2 goes to undergo from extreme sticker shock. On prime of getting to personal a PS5, the headset costs $550. I’m mentioning this up entrance as a result of that is more likely to flip lots of people off earlier than I even get to the perks of the system. But in the event you can carry your self to spend extra on an adjunct than the console itself, there’s rather a lot to like right here.

Sony’s new headset is an enormous enchancment over its predecessor in nearly each approach. Gone are the exterior digital camera and processor bins. Now, you’ll be able to simply plug the headset straight into the entrance of your PlayStation 5. The previous Move controllers (which have been initially designed to compete with Nintendo’s Wiimotes) have additionally been upgraded to extra strong Sense controllers. It may even observe your eye actions contained in the headset itself.

In brief, it is top-of-the-line VR headsets you may get proper now. But does that make it price it?

A New Kind of Comfort

One of probably the most important hurdles to VR adoption is making an enormous piece of tech that may sit in your face with out being uncomfortable. Conventional knowledge is that one of the best ways to do this can be to make them smaller—in an Iron Man-esque fantasy world, a easy pair of glasses can be ultimate—however Sony has taken a unique route. And for the higher.

The headset itself is pretty cumbersome, however not heavy, per se. The lens module can slide ahead or again alongside a observe, and the scarf is sturdy sufficient to take a seat in your head and distribute its weight. On the rear, there’s a big dial that can be utilized to tighten the scarf to your consolation. Compared to the Meta Quest 2—even utilizing its upgraded strap that actually needs to be normal—the PSVR 2 is rather more snug.

The lenses contained in the headset might be adjusted utilizing a dial on the skin that can transfer them nearer or additional aside. This is essential, as a result of if the lenses are misaligned, every thing can get very blurry and tough to deal with. For lots of people, that is seemingly a part of the explanation they get complications or movement illness whereas utilizing a headset. So, it is welcome to see the management so conveniently positioned.

Finally, there are a pair of earbuds that plug into the rear of the headset. While technically you should use any wired headphones you want, these included ones are designed to connect to the headset and might be positioned in little divots on the aspect when not in use. The earbuds are … positive. The audio high quality is nothing to put in writing house about, nevertheless it’s a lot simpler to get immersed in a sport when the sound is not coming out of your TV throughout the room.

Speaking of, one other nifty function of the PSVR 2 is that it mechanically streams what the VR person is seeing to the TV. Other methods usually have a fancy or finicky system to drag this off, which is actually boring for anybody else simply watching one particular person wave their arms round in the lounge.

Eye on the Prize

There are nonetheless treasured few video games for the PSVR 2. The headset is not backward suitable with earlier PSVR titles, and the large libraries presently on platforms like PC or the Quest will take time to port over. But in some methods, that may be for the very best. The PSVR 2 has options that almost all headsets haven’t got and, when a sport makes correct use of them, they’re unimaginable.