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Vive XR Elite vs PSVR 2: Can console VR compete in 2024?

Vive XR Elite vs PSVR 2? Can you even compare the two?

Updated: Mar 15, 2023 1:17 pm
Vive XR Elite vs PSVR 2: Can console VR compete in 2024?

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So HTC Vive XR Elite vs PSVR. It might seem like a weird comparison as the platforms are so inherently different. However, it does give us the opportunity to talk about VR gaming on consoles, and how it compares to standalone solutions. This will be markedly different from when we compared the Vive XR Elite to the Quest Pro and the Quest 2 for that reason.

NOW READ: PSVR 2 Review: Captivating, comfortable, costly.

Since the Vive XR Elite was unveiled at CES 2023, its turned heads for undercutting the Meta Quest Pro in terms of price ($1,099 vs $1500), while potentially offering performance very nearly on par. However, it’s still around $500 more than the Meta Quest 2. This leads us to believe that it’s actually designed to compete with the upcoming Meta Quest 3, which was confirmed to be in development by Zuckerberg himself in an interview with Satya Nadella over at the Stratechery. However, given that we are a minimum of 6 months away from the Quest 3, we’ll continue to chat about console VR and its interesting differences from other types today.

As much fun as it is for PC gaming Redditor-types to deride consoles for never being as powerful as PCs and being subject to limitations when it comes to modding and upgrading, they are still far more capable in terms of pure horsepower than standalone headsets. However, many people still opt for standalone solutions like the Meta Quest 2, Pro, and Vive XR Elite.

So, given that both VR headsets are arriving in the first half in 2024, we thought we’d pit the Vive XR Elite vs PSVR 2, and see what we can learn.

NOW READ: PSVR 2 vs PSVR: Is it worth upgrading?

Vive XR Elite vs PSVR 2: Freedom vs power

This is the main part that affects the ability to directly compare the two headsets. The PSVR 2 utilizes the full power of the PS5.

In contrast, the Vive XR Elite is standalone but can be optionally connected to a PC, which will then enhance the performance further. Unfortunately, it’s tricky to include this in regard to the Vive’s power because the performance gains will be a direct result of the hardware of the PC in question.

So, given that the PS5 is significantly more powerful than the Vive XR Elite, it’s going to win this round. However, we stress that you can’t really directly compare the two devices, at least not fairly. Additionally, the Vive XR Elite will be able to connect to a PC via Wi-Fi too, though we don’t yet know what performance will be gained this way.

NOW READ: Top 3 HTC Vive XR Elite features we’re looking forward to

Of course, the PSVR 2 has no such standalone ability, as such, connecting to an external device, i.e. a PS5 is mandatory.

This raises the issue of freedom. Can you directly compare two VR gaming headsets when one has to be plugged in, and the other leaves that as purely optional? Not really, but it’s got you thinking, hasn’t it?

So, if you’re finding it tricky to decide between the two, consider what you value more: Limited battery life at the expense of cutting the cord, or a more powerful, yet tethered experience, but one free of worry concerning battery life.

NOW READ: Is the Vive XR Elite good for gaming?

Playstation logo colour.svg

Sony PSVR 2

PSVR 2

Weight

560g/19.8oz

Cameras

4 embedded cameras for headset and controller tracking​ IR camera for eye tracking per eye

Sensors

Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer)​ Attachment Sensor: IR Proximity sensor

Display resolution

2000 x 2040 per eye OLED panels

FOV (field of view)

Approx. 110 degrees

Refresh rate

90Hz, 120Hz

Pros

Comfortable

Lightweight

Ergonomic controllers

Cons

Exterior feels cheap

Very pricy

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HTC Logo

HTC Vive XR Elite VR headset

HTC Vive XR Elite VR headset 1

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2

Storage

128GB

RAM

12GB

Display resolution

1920 x 1920 per-eye

Battery Life

Up to 2 hours, comes with a hot-swappable 26.6Wh Battery

Weight

1.37lbs/0.62kg

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