Our biggest questions left about PlayStation VR2 have been answered

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Thanks to Sony announcements since the beginning of the yearWe know that PSVR2’s OLED screen has a resolution of 4000 x 2040 pixels, which can run VR software in 90Hz or 120Hz mode. This performance is boosted by a new click display system, which aims to focus on full pixel accuracy as your eyes focus and blur the parts where they aren’t, which is unsurprisingly coupled with the eye’s new internal sensors. tracking.

We also know that PSVR 2 will come with two completely new gamepads, one in each hand, following the Meta Quest prototype for VR controllers (with buttons, triggers and joysticks), but with technology updates and additional features found in the latest Sony DualSense Gamepads. – that is, more subtle gurgling and stressful stimuli.

Similar to the new “inside-out” tracking system found in Meta Quest and many Windows Mixed Reality headsets, it uses built-in cameras to analyze the players’ real environment and track VR mode, and no external cameras or detection boxes are required. However, unlike MetaQuest 2 default wirelessPSVR2 requires a cable connection for power and data transfer to the PlayStation 5 console.

PSVR2: what we learned this week

About this cable connection: now we have seen it in action. The new single-cable connection, via the PS5’s only USB Type-C slot, is a breakthrough from the ubiquitous external “processor unit” required for Sony’s first virtual reality system. This 4.5-meter cable is reportedly designed to weigh as little as possible, but a cable that can wrap around the legs may still be a problem for some.

Sony also confirmed that the PSVR will lack built-in audio. Just like the latter model, PSVR2 owners will need to connect headphones using the 3.5mm jack. The original PSVR comes with low-cost headphones, which could happen again with the PSVR2, and to Sony’s credit, the new headphones have built-in “headphone jacks” that you can plug into your existing headphones for proper storage. But it’s disappointing when compared to integrated audio LED indicator And all Meta Quest models. This week’s demo videos showcase Sony’s biggest PS-branded headphones throttling VR users, reducing airflow, and making them sweat. So interested users should expect a lightweight, high-quality wired headset before PSVR2 launches in 2023. (My 3.5mm recommendation is Koss KSC32-i is affordable and powerful.)

Better news, Sony’s lens mechanism includes a precise interpupillary distance (IPD) slider, accessible via an easy-to-use dial when the system is attached to the face. (This is a big difference compared to Quest 2, which Skip such a slider as a cost-saving measure.) New users can access a manual calibration menu at any time to make sure the IPD setting is aligned with their unique face, and this also requires users to look at the moving dot chart to calibrate the eye tracking sensors of the PSVR2. So far, the PSVR2’s “hover-around” fit, complete with a foam back strap and sleek dial for a snug fit, looks the same we loved on the original PSVR. The fit around the eyes will be roomy enough for eyeglass wearers, although we’re still waiting to feel the weight and distribution of the new system over the original, at least beyond hints that the current helmet is too light.

PSVR2’s new room detection system, which relies on four built-in cameras, appears to automatically count the items in your play space. It covers objects (furniture, entertainment centers) in a three-dimensional pattern of 3D triangles when PSVR2 cameras scan them, rather than having users aim to scan and “paint” the play space. If the PSVR2 gets it wrong, users can still use the system controllers to set their VR “limit” before starting to play. The headset includes a button at the bottom that can activate PSVR2’s Cross Camera mode at any time so users can see their surroundings without removing the headset.

We previously learned that PSVR2 includes a set of built-in noisy motors – the first of its kind in consumer VR – and now we know how they actually work. The intensity of the rumble can vary between mild sensations, such as when flies fly across your face during a sequence in Resident Evil: Village VROr a head blast, like when a monster flies over you and blows a wind towards you Horizon VR: The call of the mountain. So far, reports suggest this feeling is more overwhelming than hateful.

Sony has yet to confirm the maximum brightness of its OLED display, simply stating its “HDR” rating, but it is clear that Sony takes screen quality and light dispersion very seriously. OLED panels generally handle “infinite” contrast ratio better, flanking deeper blacks and bright highlights, and the PSVR2 appears to have a superior arrangement of light-blocking foam and nose liners.

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