3 Things to Do Before You Buy a VR Headset
- (Photo : Arthur Edelmans on Unsplash)
The world of technology is evolving at an incredible rate. In the last couple of years, we've seen the rise of everything from smart assistants and connected devices, to augmented reality. One of the most exciting new areas for those with a love of tech gadgets and accessories has to be the VR landscape. With virtual reality, you can explore distant lands, unlock new gaming experiences, and connect with people from across the world like never before. What's more, as the VR space continues to grow, the number of options available to consumers is increasing too. As tempted as you might be to jump in and join the VR revolution as quickly as possible, it's worth taking a few essential steps before you make your purchase. Here's what you need to think about.
Figure Out Your Budget
First, you're going to need to figure out how much you can afford to spend on your new technology. The chances are you'll want something a little more advanced than the cardboard headsets which began rolling out a couple of years ago. This means you'll need to be able to spend at least a few hundred dollars. Keep in mind, that there may be other expenses associated with some headsets too, like extra controllers, sensors, and computing devices. If you want to go all-in with your investment, take some time to figure out your budget. You can start saving some cash just by cutting down on monthly expenses. Refinancing your student loans into a new loan can help you to get ahead of rising interest rates and use the money you would spend on fees on your new technology. In addition, you can cut down by avoiding eating out, canceling the gym membership, or reducing the number of monthly streaming services.
Decide on Your Goals
After you weigh the costs of a VR headset against your other financial goals, next, it's time to do some research into your VR solutions. Though the Oculus Quest might be the most popular headset right now, it's far from the only option. Your choice is likely to be dependent on what you want to use your technology for. You might decide to invest in a more powerful tool if you're going to be leveraging VR for business and collaboration purposes, for instance. If you know you're going to be using your technology to explore games in the Steam world, then you might want to look into the recent headsets available from Valve. If you're investing in VR headsets because you want to design a virtual experience of your own, you'll need a solution with access to various development software and tools.
Explore Feature Sets
Finally, with your use cases and goals in mind, you'll be able to start looking at the best VR headsets and other available products. In some cases, it will be better to invest more into a higher-quality headset now, so you can avoid the stress of having to update your hardware a short time in the future. Make sure you think about not just things like usability and video quality, but also integrations with existing software, comfort, and convenience. If you have an opportunity, it might even be worth visiting tech stores where you can try on the tools for yourself. Remember, the headset you use will need to work perfectly with your existing computer set up, so check your specifications before you begin searching.
