New year, new you. And what’s the best way to innovate in this 2023? It is by upgrading your setup to the next level, with a VR headset, races will never be the same again. Once you try the immersive experience, it is hard to quick, and combined with the right simracing equipment, you will feel nothing but adrenaline, all that without leaving your home!
Now, this is what we call to take a passion as serious as your job, but we perfectly understand the feeling. No one can deny that it is a complete different experience to race with a VR system instead of a monitor, and today we will show you some of the best VR systems for simracing.
1. Oculus Rift S
Oculus Rift S
Oculus Rift S is the latest headset from Oculus, and it’s a big upgrade from the original Oculus Rift.
The set of cameras mounted on the front, sides and top of the Oculus Rift S do an incredible job tracking your position and the position of the controllers!
The Rift S has a display that’s fast-switch LCD and has a resolution of 1280×1440 per eye for an overall resolution of 2560×1200. It features an improved refresh rate of 80 Hz, along with a field of view (FOV) of 115°.
The headset comes with small speakers located on the head strap. They still sound pretty well, but if you want even better audio quality, we recommend using headphones instead.
Oculus Rift S connects via DisplayPort and USB3, so it will be easy to set up in almost any computer!
| Features | Oculus Rift S |
|---|---|
| Resolution per Eye | 1280×1440 |
| Refresh Rate | 80 Hz |
| Field of View | 115º |
| Controls | Two rotation sticks + 10 buttons |
| Compatibility | Compatible with PC only |
Where to buy the Oculus Rift S?
- Buy at Amazon Oculus Rift S
- Buy at Walmart Oculus Rift S
2. Pimax 8KX
Pimax 8KX
This is the headset you’ve been waiting for.
The Pimax 8KX is a step up from other headsets in its class. It has a custom-designed low persistence liquid (CLPL) Gen1 display, which means it’s ultra-fast, with a resolution of 3840 X 2160 pixels per eye (7680 X 2160 pixels combined).
Pimax 8KX
The field of view on this headset is 200 degrees, which means that you’ll feel like you’re surrounded by everything around you as you explore new worlds in VR. It’s like having peripheral vision in real life!
But what about audio? Don’t worry about it—the Pimax 8KX has integrated 3D stereo surround sound so that every single noise feels like it’s coming from a different direction around you, even audiophiles will love the sound of this headset.
Pimax 8KX
The only thing we miss in this headset is that it doesn’t come with its own controllers or sensors, apart from that, this VR headset worth every penny.
| Features | Pimax 8KX |
|---|---|
| Resolution per Eye | 3840X2160 |
| Refresh Rate | 110 Hz |
| Field of View | 200º |
| Controls | Not included |
| Compatibility | Compatible with PC only |
Where to buy the Pimax 8KX?
- Buy at Pimax 8KX
- Buy at Amazon Pimax 8KX
- Buy at Adorama Pimax 8KX
3. HP Reverb G2
HP Reverb G2
The HP Reverb G2 is a step up from the original Reverb. It has 2160 x 2160 per eye, which means that it will be able to render at 4K resolution—and that’s just in one eye!
The 9.3 million pixels are the responsible to display every single detail of the virtual world that surround you, which allows you to really feel like you are there. The HP Reverb G2 comes with a built-in motion tracking system, which uses infrared cameras to track your movements in real time.
HP Reverb G2
This means that no matter what you do in the virtual world, it will be able to keep up with you and update accordingly without any lag.
The HP Reverb G2 counts with two high quality speakers that sit off the ear by 10 mm, giving you a more comfortable fit.
HP Reverb G2
| Features | HP Reverb G2 |
|---|---|
| Resolution per Eye | 2160X2160 |
| Refresh Rate | 90 Hz |
| Field of View | 114º |
| Controls | 9 buttons + a thumbstick |
| Compatibility | Compatible with PC only |
Where to buy the HP Reverb G2?
- Buy at HP Reverb G2
- Buy at Amazon HP Reverb G2
- Buy at Walmart HP Reverb G2
4. Varjo Aero
Varjo Aero
The Varjo Aero is an incredibly high-end headset that offers a generational leap in visual fidelity. With dual mini-LED displays, it offers 35 PPD peak fidelity, 150 nits of brightness, and a 115° field of view for stunning edge-to-edge clarity.
In addition to its exceptional display capabilities, the Varjo Aero has 2880 x 2720 pixels per eye and a refresh rate of 90 Hz—allowing for seamless transitions between objects on screen without any lag time.
The Varjo Aero also includes a built-in eye-tracking at 200 Hz, providing ultra-fast interactions and responses for a full-immersion in the virtual world. These are specially appreciated when it comes to racing games where everything can be changed in fraction of seconds.
Furthermore, the Varjo Aero has a 3-points precision fit headband that allows you to adjust it according to your head size and comfort. It also has an integrated cooling system that prevents the VR headset from heating up during long gaming sessions.
| Features | Varjo Aero |
|---|---|
| Resolution per Eye | 2880×2720 |
| Refresh Rate | 90 Hz |
| Field of View | 115º |
| Eye-tracking rate | 200 Hz |
| Controls | Not included |
| Compatibility | Compatible with PC only |
Where to buy the Varjo Aero?
- Buy at Varjo Aero
- Buy Adorama Varjo Aero
What we think…
Simracing has become more than a hobby, many people feel a real passion about the esports and the closest to reality they can go the better. Buying a VR system to improve your gaming experience or simply to immerse yourself in the track and the race car is a huge thing.
But we know for sure that a good VR system could be a little expensive and is not affordable for everyone who is interested to try this technology. If we had to choose a budget option, that could be the HP Reverb G2, thanks to the resolution they have and the controller inclusion in the pack, even knowing we will use our Racing Wheel to drive, having the controllers could be fun if we sometimes want to try a different game outside the racetrack.
For those who can afford a more high-end VR, our choice is for sure the Pimax 8KX, this headset doesn’t include controllers but, who need them when you have a wheel to steer? The Pimax 8KX is easily one of the headsets with more resolution in the market, this is specially good to see little details in the track like close curves or an opponent approaching in the mirror.
