Reverb G2 or Valve Index

Hi everyone. I’m sure this has been asked before but I couldn’t find it in the search.

I have zero experience with VR, but really want to get one.

I’m really struggling on which VR headset to get. Either a Reverb G2 or Index but I’m not sure.

I hear the G2 has superior visual quality but the Index has a higher refresh rate. I mostly play MSFS but also play the odd racing game and such.

Wife isn’t into sims but very much liked the whole VR thing anytime we tried it at the pay-to-play spots. She keeps asking when we’re getting one.

Does anyone have any advice?

Index:
More expensive.
Better tracking and controllers.
Lower resolution and image clarity, but more uniform across the entire field of view.
More games from Steam supported.
G2:
Higher resolution and clarity in center, more blurry outside the sweet spot
Requires strong PC to fully exploit the high resolution.
Lighter.

Hi stek, thanks for the reply. Much appreciated.

I just found a VR comparison page that does a decent job. (link below)

Seems the Index does 1440 and the Reverb does 4k?

More steam supported games is an interesting pro that I didn’t know about.

The G2 is widely regarded as having the best image quality, and to me that was the most important thing as you’re trying to read gauges and generally going for the visual experience (rather than interacting with or even moving around in the environment).

https://youtu.be/ny_OPsxHQmU

You’re paying a lot more for tracking and controllers with the Index I believe, and keep in mind that Flight Simulator currently does not use controllers, and probably won’t for quite awhile based on the developer feedback.

Other cons on the G2:

  • Some complaints about the relatively narrow field of view.
  • There are some compatibility and build quality issues. Lots of AMD users are having connectivity trouble.

There are quite a few visible without even searching, just in scrolling the forum page.

I’ve written this a couple days ago which you might find useful:
Is the HP Reverb g2 worth buying? - #13 by CptLucky8

PS: I have both the Index AND the G2, I believe I can clearly compare the 2 subjectively (there is never any objectivity in such comparisons anyhow :slight_smile:).

Hi Skip.

That was another question if mine… how do we use the keyboard and mouse with the headset on? Or do we left and peek? How does that all work?

In the two days that my G2 worked before it died, I just reached out grabbed the keyboard or mouse as it was right in front of me. I can find the notch on the home keys pretty quickly.

However, I also configured my stick and throttle such that almost everything I needed was already an assigned button on one of those controllers.

I also don’t drive busses, so I have a lot less buttons to push.

More steam supported games is an interesting pro that I didn’t know about.

I have the Reverb G2 and I’ve never heard this before. Everything I’ve downloaded from the Steam store has worked so far: The Lab, Half-Life: Alyx, Google Earth VR, Portal Stories: VR, Superhot VR, I Expect You to Die, Assetto Corsa, A Fisherman’s Tale, SpaceEngine, Lego Batman Experience, etc. (Plus MSFS of course.) Bought but haven’t tried DCS, Elite Dangerous or Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes yet.

I also installed the Revive app that allows you to access Oculus exclusive titles. So, I don’t know what stekusteku is talking about.

I’ve never tried the Valve Index but I think the Reverb G2 is fantastic. I am tempted to get and try the Valve Index controllers as I love the idea of having hand/finger tracking and grasping things more naturally.

Haven’t heard of these but, for what it’s worth, I’ve been using AMD without trouble: 5700 XT and now 6800 XT via Boot Camp, a Razer Core X external gpu case and a 2019 16" MacBook Pro.

My Index has gathered dust since I got the G2. For flight-sim, this is a much better choice purely based on image clarity. Its far from perfect, and the FOV is noticeable, but if you can be bothered replacing the facepads with one of the various mod’s already available, that issue is largely removed as well.

I’ll preface the above by saying what most forums will tell you that you have to have the system specs to fully appreciate the G2. I run an i9 with a GTX 3090 Suprim.

Agree - everything has worked for me also. The controllers on the G2 are sometimes an issue with button mappings but nothing you cannot get around with a bit of effort. 90% of apps on the steam store have worked for me first time, no issues.

I had an unresolvable error 4-1 with AMD x570 chipset, which apparently is not a rare problem based on the threads on other forums. It could be a bad connector in the headset itself, but who knows. I really enjoyed it and wanted it to work, but had to return it as a result, and now I’m in limbo because I’m afraid the next G2 is just not going to work with my machine, and every other headset is a compromise in some way or another.

To compare the Index and G2 FoV and sharpness in the center/sweetspot (G2 better than Index) and outside the sweetspot (Index better than G2) check this (look at the image in the left mirror):

G2 3’33"
Index 3’39"

Personally I use G2 with the Frankenfov mod bringing the lenses closer to my eyes and while it makes the FoV bigger I’m still not satisfied with the sharpness off center (especially the DIFFERENCE between the sharp center and blurry rest which is very distracting for me, in the result I reposition my headset quite often e.g. when I shift my attention for longer periods of time from the cockpit to the outside).
Additionally with this mod:

  • you can’t use glasses,
  • I have to clean the lenses often, in the result of moving the headset up (grease from my hair) too peek around.
    My favourite game not properly working with G2 controllers - The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

In my opinion no clear winner here:

  • airliners with lots of glass displays with small symbology and not a lot of scenery to look at when flying high - G2?
  • small GA planes with mechanical gauges and pilot mostly looking outside - Index? (with added benefit of superior tracking and controllers for non-sim games)

That’s pretty much it indeed in my opinion too, but I have a hard time with the G2 small disk of clarity (I’m awaiting my 3d printed mask too), and I’m not dissatisfied at all with Index TAA100+SS124 with EFIS aircraft, including A320, and when scenery load permits, TAA100+SS150 is really good on the Index.

If you can afford it, go for the valve index. I say this without any ifs and buts.

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Thanks for the input all. Much appreciated.

Bit late to the discussion, but I saw a very interesting comparison between the headsets on the Oculus forum yesterday (which is itself a quote from another - Reddit, possibly) I’ll find a link for you - back shortly :wink:

edit: Here is the original post:

I was wondering whether to shelve my Index and get a G2, but I’m very glad I didn’t. Whilst I use Index and Quest 2 and I think the Quest 2 is great, the big thing I notice when I put the Index on is the difference in visual ‘real estate’.
I always said FOV doesn’t bother me much - and it doesn’t - but it’s really nice to have!

I also am perfectly happy with the graphics quality of my Index - including in FS2020 - I don’t care how long it takes for ‘better’ heasets to come out, because I’m very satisfied.

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