If you already have a PlayStation and are curious about VR, the PSVR is a no-brainer. And while VR headsets for PCs are rapidly falling in price, you still need a pretty beefy PC to run one — the cheapest prebuilts that are VR ready are still going to be in the $500 range.
Worse, both of the main PC headsets, the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, get uncomfortable to wear pretty quickly due to the “scuba mask” effect — the VR headsets are held in place against your face with straps, which slowly press against the top of your cheekbones and don’t allow for a lot of airflow. As a someone predisposed to sweating, it can get IRL steamy while I’m trying to look around virtual worlds.
The PSVR uses a headband strap to hang the unit right in front of your eyes, making it much more comfortable to use on both your face and allowing your face to breathe (it’s also easier to use with glasses). But it’s also still pretty pricey — while the PSVR helmet alone is $300, you’ll also need to get a PS Camera and (ideally) two Move controllers.
A deal on Amazon nets you a helmet and PS camera for just $279 right now if you drop 100VRSAVE in the promo box. (The move is likely spurred by the small update coming to the PSVR hardware, but it’s nothing that should give you pause on buying in now.) You’ll still need to buy two Move controllers at $33 apiece, but it brings the whole thing down to about $345 before taxes — a decent discount on the $450 PSVR Bundle with camera and move controllers (which is also somewhat difficult to find — the PSVR has proved surprisingly popular).
I think VR still has a ways to go before it becomes the dreamworld so many thought it would be a few years ago, but if you want to understand why VR got so many so excited, you need to try it for yourself — and this represents the cheapest way to do it I’ve seen yet.
