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There is no such thing as a comfortable headset.

inovator
Consultant
Reviewers always talk about the most comfortable headset. But in reality there is no such thing. There are headsets that are more comfortable that will make them tolerable for longer periods of time. It would take a headset about a third the size of todays headsets to truly achieve comfort. Hopefully within the next 5 years.
181 REPLIES 181

Anonymous
Not applicable

inovator said:


dburne said:


inovator said:

That's the point guys its which headset is the most comfortable. But not really comfortable in comparison to future gen. I can play a game for several hours when I move around to play a game but can really feel the weight when sitting still trying to watch a movie which is hard for me. I have the cv1, the rift s and the quest. Sorry but they dont have true comfort.

Lol, how can one compare the comfort today to what the comfort might be in the future? Future is not here, this is the here and now we be a living in.
Sorry but my Rift S has, for me, true comfort today.
I don't worry about tomorrow.


This thread is about the future. Someday you will laugh at thinking that the rift s has true comfort in comparison to goggle size headsets. I can guarantee you won't say no I'd rather have the heavier ones.

LOL, odd I though this thread was about : "There is no such thing as a comfortable headset".
Which is why I stated " Sorry but my Rift S has, for me, true comfort today".

inovator
Consultant

dburne said:


inovator said:


dburne said:


inovator said:

That's the point guys its which headset is the most comfortable. But not really comfortable in comparison to future gen. I can play a game for several hours when I move around to play a game but can really feel the weight when sitting still trying to watch a movie which is hard for me. I have the cv1, the rift s and the quest. Sorry but they dont have true comfort.

Lol, how can one compare the comfort today to what the comfort might be in the future? Future is not here, this is the here and now we be a living in.
Sorry but my Rift S has, for me, true comfort today.
I don't worry about tomorrow.


This thread is about the future. Someday you will laugh at thinking that the rift s has true comfort in comparison to goggle size headsets. I can guarantee you won't say no I'd rather have the heavier ones.

LOL, odd I though this thread was about : "There is no such thing as a comfortable headset".
Which is why I stated " Sorry but my Rift S has, for me, true comfort today".


Lmaf

Anonymous
Not applicable

inovator said:

It's a fact that all vr headsets are uncomfortable when compared to a next gen headset that would be a third the size. Headsets of this gen are not comfortable. They are tolerable. If you were to put on a headset that was a third the size I believe you would agree.


False argument - in that - headsets like Quest will only increase in weight if they are going to push for more storage of power or increase in performance over time. The only way out of it is if they artificiality limit themselves. Even though there is a road map to to keep getting chips smaller and smaller - its also getting harder and harder to do so for the mobile sector to pull extra IPC out of it. The public is also demanding more performance as well from these devices to be at least on level or close to what a PC can do. While the CPU can maybe relax in this field - the GPU can not and that means more power usage, heat generated, better cooling, and more AI.

Even if you can cool it better than lets say a phone to push it even harder for more performance - that cooling method still will take up space and weight to make it so. So unless you move to a always connected device to do the offset work - you will at some point hit a thermal and weight  limit as well. We see this with the new consoles too.

As other pointed out as well - comfortable is a relative term. In that - some will find current headsets already "good enough" while others could still be improve on. Any extra weight less could just be seen as a "nice to have" instead. 

On the flip side, headsets will get a bit smaller because of a few key technology such as for smaller lenses using flat lenses and curve screens so the HMD doesn't get larger on the sides. As for current technology - a VR headset can only do so much in terms of adding features to improve the visual aspect. HD3 + Curve Screens + Flat Lenses + Eye tracking is more than likely going to be the max we can do in a headset for even always connected devices. Over all I say weight wise we will hit a hard limit of maybe half that of the CV1? Any lighter or smaller then we will have to go to a new display technology.

Key changes:
1) Samsung new OLED/MLED screens that will focus on the number of layers it needs and a new method of "printing" on pixels. This will result in less weight and making them more flexible while improving in other ways such as better colors (RGB) and better brightness while fully controlling off and on states. This will come out in the next 5-25 years as they make progress in removing the layers and improving the methods.

2) Flat lenses - while still a lens - its not the same or as bulky as how current lenses work with more fine control. While on paper it sounds great - so far it has been really challenging to fine that right methods that works across the board for all the colors along with the required lens effect. I say this technology is still another 10-15 years out. I would also consider this a "different technology" as well considering its not a progression-able change, but a radical one in how it works.

3) Removing wasted space - while Rift S did remove a lot of the wasted space - it still has a ton that could be used better or simply remove more plastic for a different material. Something like Del More I am sure will focus on by cramming more of the same stuff in a tighter place. 

4) I would say a better head strap - but I feel like this will always be up to the person - some will like more padding while others will just want the strap for less weight.

5) Eye tracking - DFOVA - while not really a weight saver, as it will add a little weight, what it will save on as the need for that extra performance for that same hardware. By this, we should see a performance increase of around 15% over current SFOVA methods meaning less cooling is needed or less power is used. Meaning we can keep the battery the same or not increase the heat sink that does add more weight.

inovator
Consultant


Mradr said:


inovator said:

It's a fact that all vr headsets are uncomfortable when compared to a next gen headset that would be a third the size. Headsets of this gen are not comfortable. They are tolerable. If you were to put on a headset that was a third the size I believe you would agree.


False argument - in that - headsets like Quest will only increase in weight if they are going to push for more storage of power or increase in performance over time. The only way out of it is if they artificiality limit themselves. Even though there is a road map to to keep getting chips smaller and smaller - its also getting harder and harder to do so for the mobile sector to pull extra IPC out of it. The public is also demanding more performance as well from these devices to be at least on level or close to what a PC can do. While the CPU can maybe relax in this field - the GPU can not and that means more power usage, heat generated, better cooling, and more AI.



As other pointed out as well - comfortable is a relative term. In that - some will find current headsets already "good enough" while others could still be improve on. Any extra weight less could just be seen as a "nice to have" instead. 

On the flip side, headsets will get a bit smaller because of a few key technology such as for smaller lenses using flat lenses and curve screens so the HMD doesn't get larger on the sides. As for current technology - a VR headset can only do so much in terms of adding features to improve the visual aspect. HD3 + Curve Screens + Flat Lenses + Eye tracking is more than likely going to be the max we can do in a headset for even always connected devices. Over all I say weight wise we will hit a hard limit of maybe half that of the CV1? Any lighter or smaller then we will have to go to a new display technology.




I dont feel it's a false argument because vr won't be mainstream until certain things happen including an abundance of great content. Headsets have to be much lighter to be mainstream. Even half the size would approach true comfort. I'm not as technical savvy as you so forgive me if I don't  get this 100% but there is tech actively  being worked on having having  to do with 5g and cloud computing that will allow powerful pc like gaming coming from 5g or maybe I should say the cloud instead of a constant upgrade of graphic cards. That's what will eliminate the limits on how small a headset can be.
I dont feel comfort is a relative term. Comfort is comfort. Hood enough = tolerable. 
 

RuneSR2
Grand Champion
Man, so many (long) posts and so little time to read them all 😉

Just wanted to say that I think my CV1 is comfy - much more than the Index. Index isn't really comfy, but I forget I'm wearing it when I start a game. I forget CV1 faster though  B) 

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"

inovator
Consultant

RuneSR2 said:

Man, so many (long) posts and so little time to read them all 😉

Just wanted to say that I think my CV1 is comfy - much more than the Index. Index isn't really comfy, but I forget I'm wearing it when I start a game. I forget CV1 faster though  B)


That's a good point. And if the CV comfort is good enough you dont think of it in a good game when you move around. But when I'm still watching a movie game over.

OmegaM4N
Expert Trustee
I order of comfort...
CV1( a utter joy to wear to this day)
Go (Like taking your bed into the imax with you)
PSVR (not a big fan of the halo headstrap but this one works fine)
Dell VR ( again a halo strap design but it is fine)
Vive (the torture device right out of A Clockwork Orange, but it can be fixed with the deluxe strap to PSVR comfort level)
Quest (sent back after 2 days, like having breezeblock hanging on your face)

But i have no doubt we will see a more smaller more evolved sleeker, comfortable glasses type VR HMDs in the next 5 years.

CV1/Vive-knuckles)/Dell Vr Visor/Go/Quest II/ PSVR.

RuneSR2
Grand Champion

OmegaM4N said:


Vive (the torture device right out of A Clockwork Orange)



 😄   

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"

wanoennogs
Heroic Explorer

inovator said:

Reviewers always talk about the most comfortable headset. But in reality there is no such thing. There are headsets that are more comfortable that will make them tolerable for longer periods of time. It would take a headset about a third the size of todays headsets to truly achieve comfort. Hopefully within the next 5 years.


My CV1 is comfortable?

RedRizla
Honored Visionary

inovator said:


It's a fact that all vr headsets are uncomfortable when compared to a next gen headset that would be a third the size. Headsets of this gen are not comfortable. They are tolerable. If you were to put on a headset that was a third the size I believe you would agree.


I wouldn't say the Oculus CV1 is heavy. You also have to take into account that the headset was designed to make you feel immersed in VR. They could get rid of most of the plastic and just have some displays stuck in front of your eyes, but then they still need the space between the lens and display and all the other components. It wouldn't be very immersive though if you could also see your surroundings.
If they created a goggle like design, I don't think I would find that comfortable. Even glasses irritate the bridge of my nose so something with more weight then glasses wouldn't be comfortable for me. Now if you are talking many many years into the future when they place something in your eyeballs, I think that might be comfortable. 
Less weight doesn't always mean more comfort. I wear a motorcycle helmet and find it more comfortable then wearing a swimming hat.