The rest of our biggest PlayStation VR2 questions answered

Ahead of Sony’s arrival at the Tokyo Game Show 2022 this weekend, the company’s PlayStation division has delivered a lot of news to fans online over the past 24 hours. The biggest news, of course, came from him practical and visual impressions PlayStation VR2 add-on for the PS5 console.

The new virtual reality system, which is scheduled to hit retail in “early 2023,” is now being talked about outside of Sony’s careful public relations, and its first testers have offered their impressions of both the hardware and some open source software.

PSVR2: What we already know

owing to Sony’s announcements from earlier this year, we know that the PSVR2’s OLED display has a resolution of 4000×2040 pixels, capable of running VR software at 90Hz or 120Hz modes. This performance is boosted by a new foveated rendering system designed to highlight full-pixel resolution where your eyes are focused and capture the parts your eyes aren’t – and this, unsurprisingly, is paired with new built-in eye-tracking sensors.

We also know that the PSVR 2 will come with two brand new gamepads, one for each hand, following the Meta Quest archetype of VR controllers (complete with buttons, triggers and joysticks) but with additional technological improvements found in Sony’s latest DualSense gamepads. — i.e., “impulse” triggers full of gentle rumble and tension.

The new “inside-out” tracking system is similar to the kind found in Meta Quest and various Windows Mixed Reality headsets, and it uses built-in cameras to scan players’ real-world surroundings and track their VR position, with no external cameras or tracking boxes required. . But in contrast wireless-default Meta Quest 2PSVR2 requires a cable connection for power and data transfer to the PlayStation 5 console.

PSVR2 hardware: What we learned this week

Speaking of that cable connection: we’ve just seen it in action. The new single-cable connection via the PS5’s sole USB Type-C slot is a breakthrough compared to the external, cables-ubiquitous “processor unit” required for Sony’s first VR system. This 4.5 meter cable is reportedly designed to be as light as possible, but the cable that can wrap around your legs may be a deal breaker for some.

Sony also confirmed that the PSVR will not have built-in audio. As with the last model, PSVR2 owners will have to use the 3.5mm headphone jack. The original PSVR shipped with a low-budget headset, which can be replicated for the PSVR2, and to Sony’s credit, the new headset includes nifty built-in “headphone plugs” that you can clip your existing headset into to keep it tidy. However, this is very poor compared to the built-in audio found inside Valve index and all Meta Quest models. This week’s demonstration videos show that Sony’s larger, PS-branded headsets restrict users in VR, reduce airflow and make people sweat, so interested users should consider upgrading to a higher-quality, lightweight wired headset before the PSVR2 launches in 2023. they should look. (My recommendation is 3.5mm the affordable, high-performance Koss KSC32.)

In better news, Sony’s lens mechanism includes a precision interpupillary distance (IPD) slider that can be accessed with a convenient dial when the system is face-mounted. (This is a big difference from Quest 2 skipped such a slider as a cost saving measure.) New users can access the handy calibration menu at any time to adjust the IPD settings to their unique face, which additionally prompts users to look at an array of moving dots to calibrate the PSVR2’s eye-tracking sensors. So far, the PSVR2’s “shield” fit is similar to what we loved on the original PSVR, complete with a foam backstrap and a sleek dial to further tighten the fit. The eye area is reportedly wide enough for glasses wearers, although we’re still waiting to hear about the weight and distribution of the new system compared to the original – at least, apart from suggestions that the current headset is quite light.

The PSVR2’s new room tracking system, based on four internal cameras, appears to automatically account for objects in your gaming space. When users point the system’s cameras into a new room, the black-and-white transition view surrounds objects (furniture, entertainment centers) as 3D triangles, as the PSVR2 cameras scan over users’ hands instead of pointing them at them. scan and “color” the playing field. If PSVR2 goes wrong, users can still use the system’s controllers to fine-tune the VR “boundaries” before starting to play. The headset includes a button on the bottom that can activate the PSVR2’s toggle camera mode at any time, so users can see what’s around them without removing the headset.

We previously learned that the PSVR2 includes a set of internal rumble engines – a first in consumer-grade VR – and now we know how they work. The intensity of the buzzing can vary between subtle sensations, like the constant buzzing of flies in your face. Resident Evil: Village VRor a more powerful full head blast, such as when a monster flies over your head and sends a gust of wind towards you Horizon VR: Call of the Mountain. So far, reports suggest that the sensation is more effective than disgusting.

Sony has yet to confirm the OLED display’s maximum brightness, only suggesting it’s rated for “HDR”, but Sony is clearly serious about screen quality and light output. OLED panels are generally better at handling an “infinite” contrast ratio, thus juxtaposing the deepest blacks and brightest lights, and the PSVR2 seems to include a superior light-blocking structure of foam and nose liners.