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HTC VIVE vs Sony PlayStation VR

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

HTCVIVESonyPlayStation VR
Overview
ReleasedApril 2016October 2016
Display
Resolution per eye1080 × 1200960 × 1080
PanelOLEDOLED
Refresh rate90 Hz120 Hz
Display detailsDual 3.6-inch AMOLED displays; 1080 × 1200 per eye at 90 Hz. HTC's stated 110° field of view has no specified axis.Single 5.7-inch OLED RGB panel, 1920 × RGB × 1080 overall; 90 or 120 Hz depending on the application. Some games render at 60 fps and reproject to 120 Hz.
LensesFresnel lenses (PC Gamer); separate eye-relief adjustmentNon-Fresnel lenses (Road to VR); Sony quotes approximately 100° field of view without specifying horizontal or diagonal
Lens spacing (IPD)Physical lens-spacing knob; 60.2–74.5 mm range reported by Ars TechnicaSoftware interpupillary-distance setting and camera-assisted measurement; no physical lens-spacing adjustment (Road to VR)
Tracking and input
Eye trackingNoNo
Hand trackingYesNo
Controllers in the boxYesNo
Colour passthroughYesNo
SensorsSteamVR Lighthouse tracking with two external base stations; seated, standing and room-scale use. Later VIVE Hand Tracking SDK supports controller-free skeleton tracking in compatible apps; its 3D print mode is not supported on original VIVE. No built-in eye tracking.External PlayStation Camera tracks blue LEDs on the headset; six-axis motion sensor with three-axis gyroscope and accelerometer. No eye tracking or controller-free hand tracking.
ControllersTwo wireless tracked wands with trackpads, grip buttons, dual-stage triggers and haptic feedback; Micro-USB charging. Controller battery life is separate from the PC-powered headset.Uses DUALSHOCK 4, PlayStation Move or compatible game-specific controllers; controller requirements depend on the game. Camera and controllers are separate from the original base package.
PassthroughSingle front camera; SteamVR offers boundary outlines or a small full-colour live view (Ars Technica)No camera passthrough view; the visor slides forwards to see surroundings
Performance
WorksNeeds a PC or consoleNeeds a PC or console
ConnectionsPC connection through powered link box; HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 2.0 or newer. Original tether combines HDMI, USB and power (Ars Technica).CUH-ZVR1 headset connects through the supplied processor unit to PlayStation 4 by HDMI and USB; the unit also supplies Social Screen output to a TV. Original unit supports 4K YUV 420 TV passthrough up to 60 Hz but not HDR. PlayStation 5 use requires the PlayStation Camera adaptor and compatible controllers.
Design
BatteryNone (powered by a PC or console)None (powered by a PC or console)
Weight (headset)555 g610 g
AudioIntegrated microphone, 3.5 mm headphone connection and separate earbuds; original headset has no integrated headphones. Deluxe Audio Strap is a separate later accessory.Built-in microphone and stereo headphone socket on the inline remote; supplied stereo earbuds. Processor unit provides 3D audio processing, rather than extra game-rendering power.
StrapAdjustable fabric straps; original launch headset is 555 g without cables according to Ars Technica. Later hardware revisions may differ.Adjustable headband with rear dial and sliding scope; approximately 187 × 185 × 277 mm excluding projecting parts at the shortest headband length. Headset 610 g excluding cables; processor unit 365 g.
In the boxHeadset, two controllers, two base stations, link box, tether, earbuds, cables, chargers and mounting accessories; gaming PC separateOriginal base package has CUH-ZVR1 headset, processor unit, headset connection cable, HDMI cable, USB cable, stereo headphones with earpieces, AC power cord and AC adaptor; no camera or controllers

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