Valve, the makers of steam and the pioneers of VR. They’ve made countless VR headset prototypes. And made a software platform for VR headsets. They partnered with htc to make one of the most influential VR headsets. The HTC Vive, but now they have made their headset, The Valve Index. The Valve Index is a high-end VR headset, with a high-end price.
Unboxing/Price
There are 3 different packages of the Valve Index. One, just the headset. Two, the headset and the controllers, and three, the headset, controllers, and 2.0 base stations.
Each of these comes at different prices. Only the headset costs 499. The headset and controllers cost 799. And the headset, controllers, and bases stations cost a whopping $999. If you don’t know, you need base stations to track the headset and controllers. The reason you have an option without base stations is that they also can be tracked with 1.0 base stations. However, if you’re new to VR you have to buy the USD 999 package. Although, the price comes to a beautiful headset and revolutionary controllers.
Design
The Valve Index is one of the most aesthetically pleasing headsets. It has a pure black finish with dials all over the headset. And with plush material for the mask, you can wear this headset for hours on end. It’s that comfortable. The dial controls numerous things. It controls how far the display is from your eyes, it also controls how tight/loose the headset is. This headset also has 2 cameras in front to further help to track. The Verge has stated that this gives a sad robot with a big forehead type of look. Which is very true. However, don’t let that comment fool you. This feels and looks like a 1000 dollar headset, as it should.
This headset is beautiful. But this is a tethered headset. You have three cables connecting to your VR ready PC. The controllers are one of the most compelling reasons to buy this headset. The controllers are just stunning, they match the aesthetic of the headset. It has an all-black finish. And the specs? They’re even better.
High-end Price, High-end Design, High-end Specs.
The Valve Index features a 1440 x 1600 per eye. This alone just destroys the Vive and The oculus rift. Images on this are crystal clear with an amazing display. This headset barely has a screen door effect. One of the most annoying things in VR. This also has a smooth 144 Hz display, to help reduce screen door effect and motion sickness. However, you need a beast of a gaming PC to run this headset. The controllers use a grip that individually tracks fingers and pressure. Meaning you can play games on another level.
Overall the headset is amazing, but it does come with a cost, the price.
