The
Oculus Rift ($399) is what started the craze and, having tested out my brother's model briefly, I can attest to its solid build and quality immersion.
It is
$200 less than the
HTC Vive but still
includes touch controllers and has
more exclusives. That's not to say that the Vive isn't getting exclusives, and indeed its native Steam support lends itself well to future game partnerships and
adaptations, but as of now, the Rift has a better library. Plus, it's
likely to be able to play 'Vive exclusives' too.
The Rift does
require a little more processing power from your computer, so you need to make sure your PC is up to the task. Additionally, the Vive has
better tracking and will be going
wireless soon.
I think which headset will be best for you comes down to what kind of user you are. Do you want to access a wider range of games? Go for the pioneer Rift, which opened the market.
Do you want to be fully immersed in your games and bet on longevity? Go for the Vive, which is showing promising developments.
Are you a fan of certain systems, such as the Playstation or Windows? Consider Playstation VR or the Samsung Odyssey.
I hope this helped and good luck with your search!
