Did you know that the very first VR Head Mounted Display was invented in 1960? Although you couldn’t interact with it, it did have stereoscopic 3D and stereo sound! As VR headsets India’s chapter grows day by day, even you might be planning to buy one for yourself.
How much do VR headsets cost in India? Their prices range from a few hundred to thousands to even lakhs. This is due to their features, design, compatibility, usage and other factors. Among these, choosing the best VR headset can be challenging.
In this article, I have listed the 7 top VR headsets in India so that you can make the right decision. But before that, let me tell you what VR headsets are and their uses.
What Are VR Headsets?
A virtual reality (VR) headset is a head-mounted display device that helps you to view and interact in virtual reality when wearing it. It’s not just a screen that displays flat images and videos. It includes a stereoscopic display that provides separate images for both eyes giving you a three-dimensional image.
Apart from the 3D display, it includes other technologies like stereo sound, sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, controllers etc to give you an immersive experience. The eyes and head-tracking sensors match the camera or display’s orientation with your eye and head movement. This gives you an out-of-the-world experience.
I know what you are thinking. You are thinking about the first head-mounted display that I mentioned. Morton Heilig was an American filmmaker who used his cinematography experience to develop VR devices called Sensorama and Telesphere Mask. Sensorama was an immersive machine similar to an arcade machine while Telesphere Mask was a head-mounted display. Although it didn’t have any sensors, it did provide 3D and wide vision with stereo sound. And both his inventions were patented.
Since the 1990s, there have been quite a few attempts at creating VR headsets. Most of them were prototypes and didn’t take off commercially. In 2012, a new era began when a group of video game developers started the Oculus Rift project. They successfully and commercially developed a VR headset. Initially, the project was crowdfunded but was later acquired by Facebook.
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Types Of VR Headsets
There are three types of VR headsets:
Tethered or PC VR Headsets
Tethered VR headsets are physically connected to a PC via cables. Although they limit your freedom to move around, they are more immersive than other types. You need enough space and set-up to use them.
Standalone VR Headsets
Also called All-In-One HMDs, standalone VRs have displays, built-in processors, sensors, batteries, and memory storage. You don’t have to connect them to a PC or a smartphone as they are wireless. But some headsets provide an option for that. You can either store your videos and games in their memory or connect them to the internet. They are affordable, portable, and need no extra space but are less powerful and immersive than tethered ones.
Smartphone VR Headsets
Smartphone VR headsets use smartphones to provide you with a virtual reality experience. All you need to do is insert the phone into the slot provided and open the VR app, game or video and start playing. They have a set of lenses and a trigger button to interact. These are the cheapest and are usually made from plastic or cardboard. In fact, you can make one yourself using cardboard and the right lenses.
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What Are VR Headsets Used For?
Virtual Reality technology has come a long way from a 3D model on a computer to immersing yourself in a virtual world through VR devices. Apart from gaming and entertainment, virtual reality headsets are used in education, health, military, training and other fields as well.
- VR headsets are used to train medical students for surgery where they can perform surgeries on virtual patients. They can also watch real, recorded surgeries from the surgeon’s perspective.
- They are extensively used in architecture and engineering to design structures and buildings. Architects and engineers can better understand project details with VR walk-throughs.
- It’s a well-known fact that spending time in nature helps people to relax, relieve stress and stimulate a positive mood. People with physical disabilities, senior citizens and others who are not able to travel can view 360-degree videos or simulated environments on these headsets.
- Mental health professionals often use VR headsets for therapies and treatments. People with stress, social anxiety, PTSD and various phobias make the most of these devices.
- VR headsets are used in military training to simulate various scenarios and develop skills to face real-world, life-or-death situations. Air Forces around the world use them to train their pilots.
- VR headsets are great tools for students to learn science and technology through virtual laboratories and immersive videos.
- They are extensively used in the entertainment industry to play video games, watch 360-degree cinemas and attend virtual music concerts.
Are VR Headsets Bad For Your Eyes?
The biggest concern with virtual reality tech is if using VR headsets affects your eyesight. Although there isn’t enough evidence to support such claims, many believe prolonged exposure to VR screens may temporarily affect your vision. This is because digital eye strain and eye health problems are common with many screens and in VR, the screen is in close proximity.
Just make sure that you limit wearing the headsets in a day or week and don’t wear them for long periods without breaks.
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Best VR Headsets In India
As promised, below are the top 7 virtual reality headsets in India that you can consider buying.
1. Oculus Rift S & Quest 2
Oculus Rift S is the successor or upgraded version of the original and one of the first VR headsets. It costs around 60K to 70K and comes with Oculus Touch controllers. It is tethered to the PC with wires and you can connect it to Xbox too. Although it is discontinued, you can still buy one in India until the stock lasts.
Oculus Quest 2, now called Meta Quest 2 was released in 2020 during the pandemic. Its price ranges between around 35K to 50K depending on its features and accessories. Unlike the Rift, Quest 2 is a standalone VR headset, meaning you don’t need to connect it to a PC. It also comes with a couple of touch controllers that can detect your gestures and motion. You can also connect it to your PC or a gaming console with the Oculus Link cable provided. The common complaint with Meta Quest 2 is that logging into your Facebook account to use it is mandatory.
2. Samsung Gear VR
Samsung Gear VR is one of the best VR headsets developed by Samsung in collaboration with Oculus. It is a smartphone VR headset and is compatible with most Samsung Galaxy flagship phones. Samsung terminated its service for XR applications in 2020 and the newer phones no longer support Gear VR. But you can still use it with older phones with Android 11. You can still buy the device in India for INR 8K as long as the stock lasts.
3. HTC Vive Pro
HTC Vive Pro is one of the most powerful tethered VR headsets in India you can buy. It comes with a virtual reality system that includes a headset, a set of controllers, a link box, two base stations, cable and power adaptors. It has a great tracking system that tracks all your movements in a 10×10 meters area. It is a professional-grade VR headset with integrated microphones and Bluetooth to communicate with your teammates while playing games. And it costs more than INR 1.5 lakhs!
4. Sony PlayStation VR
If you own a PlayStation and would love to play VR games, PSVR is the one for you. Sony’s PlayStation VR is an exclusive VR headset that you can use with PlayStation 4 and 5. It is a tethered headset but you can connect it only to the Playstation. You cannot connect it to any PC or other gaming console like Xbox. Although it was released in 2016, it works with the most recent PS 5 by using an adapter. It costs around INR 30K but I wouldn’t recommend buying it. Because Sony recently announced PSVR 2 which will be released in 2023.
5. Irusu Play VR Plus
If you want to support the Make In India campaign and buy a VR headset, you need to consider the Irusu brand. Irusu is the first VR company in India and makes smartphone VR headsets. Irusu Play VR Plus is their flagship VR headset that you can buy for under INR 3,000! It comes with headphones with a 3.5mm jack, a touch button for the trigger, volume controllers and a microphone. It also comes with a remote controller which unfortunately is not compatible with iOS and Samsung Galaxy devices. But still, it is one of the best budget VR headsets India you can get.
6. Procus ONE
Procus is another Indian company that makes smartphone VR headsets at affordable prices. While Procus ONE X comes with inbuilt headphones, Procus ONE comes without headphones. They are priced below INR 3,000 and INR 2,000 respectively. It is comfortable to wear as you have adjustable headbands and head support and foam face cushioning. It also comes with an in-built touch button for a better gaming experience. Its best feature is the adjustable focal distance which helps you to wear it even with your eyeglasses on.
7. HTC Vive Cosmos Elite
If you want to buy a Virtual Reality System but find HTC Vive Pro too costly, you can consider HTC Vive Cosmos Elite. It is specifically designed for pro gamers and you can get it for around INR 1 lakh. The kit includes Cosmos Elite headset, two controllers and two base stations. You can also buy only the headset for about INR 70K. Although it is a PC VR headset, it is not tethered to any PC or laptop. It is compatible with a wireless adapter allowing you to freely move around your room. It can track your movement in an area of 15×15 meters.
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Best VR Headsets For Android
You don’t have to buy a bulky tethered or standalone VR headset to enjoy virtual reality. You can just buy a smartphone VR headset and insert your phone into it. Here are some of the best VR headsets for Android:
- Samsung Gear VR
- Irusu Monster
- Irusu Play VR Plus
- Procus ONE
- Google Cardboard (Discontinued but you can still build one yourself with the instructions)
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Conclusion
So, these were the top 7 VR headsets India that you can consider buying. Since the prices range from a few thousand to lakhs, you need to consider for what purpose you are buying a VR headset. If you are a pro gamer, you can go for tethered or standalone VR headsets like Meta Quest 2, HTC Vive Pro or Cosmos Elite. But if you are a total beginner and want to just try and experience virtual reality, you can buy any smartphone VR headset. Or you can download the Google Cardboard instructions and make one yourself if you are in the DIY mood.
Have you ever tried a VR headset? Which one are you going to buy? Let me know in the comments below.
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