HP Reverb G2 - advise needed

My questions might sound very basic but it’s coming from someone who has never had or used a VR headset before and sitting on a fence to buy it. I don’t think I would be able to try it before buying so I would go by ownership or other expert advices here.

Following are my PC specs:
Intel Core i5-6600k
Gigabyte z170x gaming 3
16GB 2400 mhz RAM
RTX 3060ti 8gb
CoolerMaster 600W PSU

As of now, I’m able to run MSFS just fine at 1080p resolution at high settings and I have the store version.

  1. How does the G2 connect to PC and do I need to buy any extra cables/peripherals/batteries?
  2. Any third part software utilities needed to run MSFS with this headset?
  3. What kind of performance can I expect and is it possible to fly A320 in VR where I would extensively need to interact with virtual cockpit?
  4. Any other important thing(s) that I’m missing?

Thanks!

  1. How does the G2 connect to PC and do I need to buy any extra cables/peripherals/batteries?
    It connects via a display port and USB 3.0

HP Reverb G2 Virtual Reality Headset (1G5U1AA#ABA)

  1. Any third part software utilities needed to run MSFS with this headset?
    Yes, Windows Mixed Reality Portal and Open XR Developer Tools from the Microsoft Store

  2. What kind of performance can I expect and is it possible to fly A320 in VR where I would extensively need to interact with virtual cockpit?
    Performance depends on your hardware and graphics settings, I use medium and am using a GTX1080. Interacting with some of the buttons with the mouse can be a pain since update SU5 but once you get the hang of it, it’s OK

  3. Any other important thing(s) that I’m missing?

Thanks!

In all honesty I think you may not achieve a VR experience that lives up to your expectations with your set-up - I would happy to be proven wrong!

I used to run a 6700k (i7 overclocked to 4.6ghz), 32 Gb 3000mhz ram, 2080Ti. While I could run in VR, the performance was rather lacking so I was really limited to sparsely populated areas to achieve a decent compromise between visual quality and performance.

If you have plans to upgrade/replace your PC at some point in nearish future anyway, it might be worth taking the risk - have you checked the minimum and recommended system specs for the G2?

A spare pair of pants for when you sit in the cockpit for the first time and look around, your flying world will never be the same again!

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Regarding performance:

Your specs are very close to mine: R7 3700X / 16GB RAM / 1000GB SSD / RTX3060TI + Reverb G2

I think you can expect an acceptable performance on your system. The most important settings are the two render scales in Open XR and inside the sim. I am running both at 80% and getting 30+ fps on high settings. Very satisfied with the performance and having a great time flying in the sim. If you need more frames you can lower the Open XR render scale down to 50% and maybe enable motion reprojection.

Whether you are happy with VR depends on your expectations. My system is less powerful than yours (RTX 2080) and I’m perfectly happy. Overjoyed, in fact. That said, I fly mostly VFR in GA aircraft that don’t require the amount of cockpit interaction that your A320 does. I suggest that if you are mainly a cockpit flyer and don’t do a lot of out-the-window viewing, then VR might be more trouble than it’s worth for you.

Again, if you’re willing to compromise a bit of clarity for the sake of immersion, then VR will make you happy. Just don’t expect to be able to see all those knobs, switches, dials, and instrument displays without some leaning in.

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Regarding the performance question - I’m running an RTX 3070 and AMD 5600x with a G2 headset and have OpenXR custom resolution set at 80% and rendering in MSFS set at 90%. The display and smoothness are near perfect. The G2 is a phenomenal headset.

You will need the OpenXR dev tool from the MS Store to adjust that OpenXR custom resolution setting. Most folks have this at 70% - 80% for MSFS.

The in-game MSFS render resolution will require a bit of tweaking to hit a sweet spot between smoothness and sharpness.

Personally I don’t use motion smoothing, that can be toggled on/off in the OpenXR dev tool.

Spend a bit of time adjusting the headset straps and IPD adjustment for comfort and clarity. This took me a few days of fiddling.

MSFS in VR with the Reverb G2 is worth every penny I spent on hardware. The recent SU5 update was a milestone for VR performance.

You will be in for a few days of tweaking and there is a good chance the A320 displays may require you to lean in closer - but the depth perception on finals and the sense of being there is so so worth it.

Hope this is useful, you will definitely be tweaking between sharpness and framerate - which is par for the course it seems with MSFS in VR.

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Not a bit. A lot. And if you don’t have a 3080 or a 3090, forget a G2.

If you’re responding to me then your advice is misguided-- and a little late. I’m enjoying the heck out of my G2 with a 2080. If I followed your advice I would have missed out on a fantastic experience. Perfect should not be the enemy of good.

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Having the G2 for 9 months now all I can say is that going VR is the biggest step in my computer gaming experience since Doom in 1995.

I would absolutely recommend to go this way.

With your rig you will have to make some compromises in quality but with the recommended oxr70/rr90 setting you will have acceptable framerates. With the actual generation of GPU you will be always GPU-limited, even with an 3090/11900k rig. Everything ultra/100/100 I go down in the 20‘s but with my actual medium-ultra/oxr85/rr100 mix I have solid 35-40 fps.

Anyway, don’t hesitate and go VR now, it’s an complete different world.

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Thanks everyone for your experience and advices. Overall it seems to be something worth the investment so I’ve placed an order for this headset… can’t wait to look through the VR world!

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When did you order and did you get a discount? It should be $499 in the US now and System Active in the UK just dropped the price to £595. I paid £649 in June and am still really happy with it.

I recommend buying VRCover’s replacement facial interface though, unless you have the face shape of a fox. The stock foam pad is very high quality, but incredibly narrow and I couldn’t fit my face into it properly. I got a toilet roll FOV and it pinched my nose to the point it hurt after a while. With the VRCover interface I get a much better FOV, but more importantly it’s super comfortable now.

Lovely headset imo.

I placed an order yesterday from HP’s website and there was no discount as such, I paid around USD 718 (converting from local currency). I’m from India and G2 is hard to get here since it almost always remains out of stock. Even yesterday I saw it in stock for the first time in last 3 months that I’ve been tracking and I immediately placed an order after hearing from folks in this thread. Not surprised that it’s again out of stock today :slight_smile: .

As of now I’ve limited understanding of how it will fit and things like that but surely I’ll keep VRCover in mind. I’ll receive it sometime next week but I must say it feels like an eternal wait.

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Hi.

I just would like to add:
You should use a flight stick like thrustmaster or any you like. I don’t use pedals. But could not be wrong. The advantage is, you can set the most important buttons like flaps, break, air break and so on.

For a comfortable feeling and seat position, I am using a couchmaster 2000. On the right hand side is the flight stick. In the centre the mouse, because you cannot set every possible plane button to the flight stick. So you have to use a mouse. On the left hand side is the thrust lever.

Regards
Dirk

I have TCA sidestick airbus edition and TFRP rudder pedals so those are checked. I was wondering if I would somehow be able to run little navmap alongside since I’m habitual of having it running on second screen on my 2 monitor setup.

Not sure about little navmap, but you can now open Navigraph charts in game, which is very helpful.

Got it guys! It feels like MSFS was always meant to be played in VR and the performance is rather good on my rig at medium settings. It’s really as close to real flying as it can get.

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I’m running OXR 80 with motion reprojection ON and 90 in-game and getting a good enough performance. I must say motion reprojection helps a lot in smoothening out frames at the cost of a bit wobbly picture around surface edges but reduces motion sickness so I can fly more than an hour. Low and slow flying was never fun until now and my landings are much more measured and smooth.

Does it have a moving map?

Yes it does.