The Oculus Rift is one of the major VR contenders, but can it compete with a Pro?

HTC's Vive Pro was announced at CES 2018 and will bring a bunch of key upgrades that many VR enthusiasts have been asking for. The Oculus Rift is still one of the leading headsets, with an enormous library of quality games, but its age is beginning to show, especially when up against the upcoming Vive Pro. Let's take a close look at these two headsets to see exactly how they compare.

Category HTC Vive Pro Oculus Rift Display Dual AMOLED

3.5 inches Dual AMOLED

3.54 inches Resolution 1,440 x 1,600

(2,880 x 1,600) 1,080 x 1,200 (2,160 x 1,200) PPI 615 461 FOV 110 degrees 110 degrees Refresh rate 90Hz 90Hz Connection USB-C 3.0

DisplayPort 1.2 HDMI

USB-A 2.0

USB-A 3.0

HTC Vive Pro vs. Oculus Rift: Display

Like the Rift, the Vive Pro has dual AMOLED displays with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 110-degree field of view (FOV). You're looking at the same max framerate and you'll still get the feeling that you're looking into goggles. However, the Vive Pro's displays have a higher resolution, for a combined total of 2,880 x 1,600, as opposed to the Rift's combined 2,160 x 1,200. Best VPN providers 2020: Learn about ExpressVPN, NordVPN & more That's a pretty big difference, especially when you break it down to pixels per inch (PPI). You're no doubt going to notice the 615 PPI of the Vive Pro, up from the Rift's 461 PPI, and there's also going to be less screen-door effect in the new headset. If you want the best picture possible, go with the Vive Pro. HTC Vive Pro vs. Oculus Rift: Design and features

The Rift's headstrap is mostly plastic, with adjustment Velcro on each side and on the top. The sides have headphones hanging off of them, which can be removed or replaced. The Vive Pro has a plastic head strap, although it's far bulkier due to the extra padding. It also has two headphones built into it, and there's an adjustment knob on the back to tighten or loosen the straps. One thing the Rift has going for it is replaceable earbud headphones. Once I swapped the old cups out, I haven't gone back. The face gasket on the Rift, the padding and nose cover that make a seal between your face and the display, is standard foam that's decently comfortable. There's not much of a cover for your nose, however, and you might notice light seeping in often, especially if you're playing in a well-lit room.

HTC seems to understand that people don't want any light coming in. The company increased the nose cover and face padding by 24 percent over the original Vive, and the foam now has a cloth lining for extra comfort. It seems like you should be able to play longer without experiencing discomfort. The Vive Pro also has dual cameras on the front, allowing for an improved Chaperone system that should let you navigate a room without pulling off your headset. Finally, a wireless adapter for the original Vive and Vive Pro will be sold separately and is expected sometime later this year. There's no official price set yet, but if it's cheaper than the Rift-compatible TPCast wireless adapter (about $350), you can bet that it will play heavily into buying decisions. HTC Vive Pro vs. Oculus Rift: Audio

Having headphones built into each headset means fewer cables to contend with, and that's a good thing. The cups on the Rift do a decent job of delivering sound, and you can swap them out quickly and easily for the awesome earbuds (about $50). Want to use your own headphones? Just remove the built-in pair on the Rift.

The Vive Pro is following in these footsteps with its own built-in headphones. These are Hi-Res Audio certified, meaning you're getting seriously high-quality audio without heavy hardware. There are also some new features for the dual-microphone setup that anyone interested in multiplayer games will love. You're looking at active noise cancellation that will still alert you if something's going on outside your headset. HTC Vive Pro vs. Oculus Rift: Sensors and motion controllers

Getting set up for a room-scale experience, the Rift needs at least three sensors for decent tracking, though sometimes a fourth is called in to reach the corners of a large space. Optimally, you're looking at about a 10-foot by 10-foot playspace with USB cables snaking back to your PC. Those cables all need ports, plus another USB-A and HDMI from the headset. The Vive Pro will initially work with the original lighthouse sensors, which only require a power supply. The headset requires DisplayPort and USB-C, requiring newer ports but leaving far more free on your PC and creating far less cable clutter. There are new sensors expected to be released later this year (along with updated wand controllers) that will offer up a play space of about 32 feet by 32 feet.