Oculus Rift S
Facebook Technologies & Lenovo | |
Manufacturer | Lenovo |
---|---|
Type | Virtual reality headset |
Generation | First generation |
Release date | March 20, 2019 |
Availability | May 21, 2019 |
Lifespan | 2019-2021 |
Introductory price | $399.99 USD, $649 AUD |
Discontinued | April 2021[1] |
Display | Fast-switch LCD 2560×1440 (1280×1440 per eye) @ 80 Hz |
Sound |
|
Input | Steam VR |
Mass | 1.1 lb (500 g) |
Backward compatibility | Compatible with software developed for the original Oculus Rift |
Predecessor | Oculus Rift CV1 |
Website | Official website |
Oculus Rift S is a discontinued
The Rift S received mixed reviews, with critics praising improvements in comfort and ease of setup due to the halo strap and new tracking system, but characterizing the Rift S as being only an incremental upgrade over the CV1, and noting regressions such as a lower refresh rate, and the lack of hardware adjustment for inter pupillary distance (IPD).
The Rift S was discontinued in April 2021.
Development
In June 2015, Oculus VR co-founder Palmer Luckey revealed that Oculus was already working on a successor to the original Rift and planned to release it in around 2–3 years from the original Rift release. The headset would feature higher resolution screens and inside-out tracking, and would enable room scale experiences.[2]
In October 2018, Oculus VR co-founder and former CEO until 2016
Hardware
Display
Rift S used a single fast-switch LCD panel with a resolution of 2560×1440 and an 80 Hz refresh rate, down from the CV1's 90 Hz.[7]
Also, compared to the original Rift, the Rift S uses "next generation" lens technology, introduced in the Oculus Go, which almost entirely eliminated
Audio
As opposed to earphones attached to the strap as on the CV1, built-in audio on the Rift S uses speakers embedded in the headset itself, positioned slightly above the user's ears.[9]
Oculus Insight
The Rift S uses the same "Oculus Insight" inside-out tracking system used by the Oculus Quest, whereby five cameras built into the headset (two on the front, one on either side, and one looking directly upwards) track infrared diodes in the controllers, as well as input from the accelerometers in the headset and controllers, and a prediction engine, are used to spatially track the headset and controller (removing the need for external sensors mounted in the play area). The Rift S contains an additional fifth camera over the Quest's four to improve compatibility with existing Oculus Rift software.[7][10][11]
Passthrough+ is provided as a safety feature, which displays output from the cameras in monoscopic black and white when the player exits their designated boundaries. Passthrough+ also makes use of "
Halo headband
Rift S features a halo headband which, according to Oculus, had a better weight distribution, better light blocking, and was supposed to be more comfortable in comparison to that of the Rift CV1. The headset was co-developed with
Controllers
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Second_generation_Oculus_Touch_controllers.jpg/220px-Second_generation_Oculus_Touch_controllers.jpg)
Oculus Rift S uses the same second generation Oculus Touch controllers used in the Oculus Quest. The controllers are similar to the ones used by the original Oculus Rift, except with the tracking ring on the top (to be seen by the headset's built-in cameras) instead of being on the bottom (to be seen by the external Constellation cameras).[12]
On April 12, 2019, Nate Mitchell, co-founder of Oculus VR and head of VR product at Facebook, explained via Twitter that "some 'easter egg' labels meant for prototypes accidentally made it onto the internal hardware for tens of thousands of [Oculus Quest and Rift S] Touch controllers." The messages on final production hardware say 'This Space For Rent' and 'The Masons Were Here,' while a few development kits contained 'Big Brother is Watching' and 'Hi iFixit! We See You!'[14][15][16][17][18][19][20]
Software
All existing and future Oculus Rift-compatible software are supported by the Rift S.[21][22] The Oculus storefront also supports cross-buys between Oculus Quest and PC for games released on both platforms[21]
Release
Oculus Rift S was announced during GDC 2019 on March 20, with shipments starting on May 21 the same year.[12] At launch, it shared the same US$399 price point as the CV1.[7][12][13]
On September 16, 2020, Facebook announced the upcoming discontinuation of the Rift S in favor of the
In April 2021, production of the Rift S was discontinued. In an email sent to UploadVR, a Facebook representative stated that "stock of the headset would no longer be replenished moving forward."[25][26][27] That June, the Rift S section in the Oculus website was updated and was no longer being sold.[28]
Reception
The Rift S received mixed reviews. The Verge felt that the Insight system was "easily a match for the old Rift tracking cameras" and helped make setup less complicated, and that its halo strap was more comfortable than that of the Oculus Quest, but felt that some of its other changes were downgrades over the previous model and Quest — including replacing its headphones with directional speakers, the lack of hardware IPD adjustment, and a screen whose resolution only slightly higher than the Rift CV1, but lower than the Oculus Quest.[29]
TechRadar characterized the Rift S as being an incremental upgrade over the CV1, similarly praising its "elegantly simple" tracking system, but noting only marginal hardware updates, and regressions such as its directional speakers, a tighter fit and no hardware IPD, and its lower refresh rate. Coming from a CV1, the reviewer also noted that the Rift S was also the first headset to make them feel nauseous, although citing possible factors such as the lower refresh rate or
Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey criticized the lack of hardware IPD, stating that the software-only adjustment was not comparable in any way to an actual physical IPD adjustment mechanism. He estimated that about 30% of the population — including himself — would not be able to use the Rift S comfortably. In comparison, the original Rift CV1 was designed to support any IPD between the 5th and 95th percentile (58mm and 72mm, respectively), making the device comfortable for 90% of the population.[31]
References
- ^ April 2021, Hamish Hector 06 (6 April 2021). "Goodbye Oculus Rift S, we won't miss you". TechRadar. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Oculus Already Working on the Second Consumer Version of the Rift, Says Palmer Luckey". UploadVR. 2015-07-07. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
- ^ "Oculus co-founder is leaving Facebook after cancellation of 'Rift 2' headset". TechCrunch. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
- ^ Rutherford, Sam (22 October 2018). "Oculus Co-Founder's Departure Could Mean Bad Things for Facebook VR". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
- ^ "After canceling 'Rift 2' overhaul, Oculus plans a modest update to flagship VR headset". TechCrunch. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- ^ Matney, Lucas (2018-10-22). "Oculus co-founder is leaving Facebook after cancellation of 'Rift 2' headset". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
- ^ a b c d e f Statt, Nick (2019-03-20). "Oculus unveils the Rift S, a higher-resolution VR headset with built-in tracking". The Verge. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
- ^ "Oculus Explains Why Rift S Doesn't Have Mechanical IPD Adjustment". UploadVR. 2019-03-20. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
- ^ Lang, Ben (2019-05-21). "Oculus Rift S Review – A Good Choice for VR Newcomers, a Difficult Choice for VR Vets". Road to VR. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
- ^ Ellis, Cat (2019-09-14). "Oculus Insight: how Facebook unplugged VR and opened virtual worlds to everyone". TechRadar. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
- ^ "Facebook opens up about the AI powering its Oculus virtual reality headsets". SiliconANGLE. 2019-08-22. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
- ^ a b c d e "Oculus Rift S Is Official: Higher Resolution, 5 Camera Inside-Out, $399". UploadVR. 2019-03-20. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
- ^ a b c Rutherford, Sam (20 March 2019). "The New Oculus Rift S Stops Short of Being Truly Exciting". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
- ^ Mitchell, Nate (2019-04-12). "Unfortunately, some "easter egg" labels meant for prototypes accidentally made it onto the internal hardware for tens of thousands of Touch controllers. [1/3]". @natemitchell. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
- ^ Robertson, Adi (2019-04-12). "Oculus says 'tens of thousands' of its new controllers include secret messages". The Verge. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
- ^ Bankhurst, Adam (2019-04-12). "Facebook Accidentally Hid Phrases Like 'Big Brother Is Watching' in Oculus Touch VR Controllers". IGN. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
- ^ Meek, Andy (2019-04-13). "Facebook's latest mishap involves bizarre messages printed on Oculus controllers". BGR. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
- ^ Rivera, Joshua (12 April 2019). "Oculus Accidentally Hid Creepy Messages In Thousands Of VR Controllers". Kotaku. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
- ^ Brown, Shelby. "Facebook mistakenly prints Oculus Touch controllers with cryptic messages". CNET. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
- ^ "New Oculus VR controllers accidentally include bizarre hidden messages". SlashGear. 2019-04-13. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
- ^ a b Statt, Nick (2019-03-20). "Oculus unveils the Rift S, a higher-resolution VR headset with built-in tracking". The Verge. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
- ^ "Original Oculus Rift Will Be Supported 'For The Foreseeable Future'". UploadVR. 2019-03-20. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
- ^ Robertson, Adi (2020-09-16). "Facebook is discontinuing the Oculus Rift S". The Verge. Retrieved 2020-09-16.
- ^ Hayden, Scott (2020-12-11). "Facebook Slashes Price of Oculus Rift S to $300". Road to VR. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
- ^ "Oculus Rift S Stock Empties, 'Won't Be Replenished'". 5 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
- ^ "Facebook Oculus Rift S discontinued | bit-tech.net". bit-tech.net. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
- ^ April 2021, Hamish Hector 06 (6 April 2021). "Goodbye Oculus Rift S, we won't miss you". TechRadar. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Oculus Rift S: PC-Powered VR Gaming Headset | Oculus". www.oculus.com. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
- ^ Robertson, Adi (2019-04-30). "Oculus Rift S review: a swan song for first-generation VR". The Verge. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
- ^ Lynch, Gerald (2019-06-06). "Oculus Rift S review". TechRadar. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
- ^ Lang, Ben (2019-03-25). "Oculus Founder: Rift S Suitable for Only About 70% of Population Due to IPD". Road to VR. Retrieved 2019-03-25.