March 28, 2016
When it comes to virtual reality, one name stands above all else: Oculus, and their self-titled Oculus Rift VR headset. The Rift was the first VR headse to gain mainstream attention, first appearing on Kickstarter in 2012, and becoming increasingly well known as the first two developer kits were released. Now the retail version has begun to arrive to pre-order customers, and early reviews are in.
Reviewer: Adi Robertson
“For a long time, the hopes and dreams of many virtual reality fans could be summed up with two words: Oculus Rift… The headset you can buy today is not Oculus’ most ambitious vision for virtual reality — but it’s a vision that Oculus has successfully delivered on.”
Reviewer: Devindra Hardawar
“After spending a week with the Oculus Rift, I have no doubt that its approach to virtual reality is indeed the real deal. It’s well built and easy to set up, and there are already a few games and apps that’ll make VR believers out of the most ardent naysayer.”
Reviewer: Peter Rubin
“This is an astonishingly well-made device. It delivers rock-solid, comfortable VR, and it does so easily. You’ll be able to put this thing on anyone and show them the magic. You’ll have friends coming over just to go through the Dreamdeck. (Seriously, you will.) But you’ll have to make your peace with the idea that your $600—or realistically, $1,500 or more, if you need a PC to go with it—is an investment.”
Reviewer: Kyle Orland
“Similar to the first the first iPhone, which launched nearly 10 years ago with a crappy camera and no app store, the Oculus Rift is as revolutionary as it is still limited. If the mere potential of convincing virtual reality wasn’t enough to get you to lay down a $600 pre-order sight unseen (or more, if you needed a computer upgrade), you’re probably better off waiting for time and competition to drive the performance up and the price down.'”
Reviewer: Lisa Eadicicco
“What makes the Rift so compelling is that it truly creates the illusion of escape. I now understand why it’s called the Rift in the first place: it creates a colossal disconnect between what’s happening in front of your eyes and what’s actually occurring in the world around you. It literally generates a rift between where you are and where you think you are, what you’re feeling and what your body thinks you’re feeling. It’s brilliant. It’s fascinating. It’s not perfect, but it’s only getting started.”
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