During its CES 2022 press conference, Sony shared some more details on its upcoming PlayStation VR2 headset. It’s undoubtedly shaping up to be a substantial improvement over its predecessor in terms of specs, but it could also become one of the best VR headsets on PC too. Thanks to USB Type-C connectivity, Sony could make the device compatible with gaming PCs, and it should.
The PlayStation VR2 promises some technical advantages over even some of the most premium VR headsets, like the Valve Index. It boasts 4K HDR OLED panels with a 2000×2040 resolution per eye, with supported refresh rates of 90/120Hz. These kinds of specs understandably require a lot of graphical horsepower, but if Sony were to make the device compatible with PCs, upscaling technologies like Radeon Super Resolution or Nvidia DLSS could help boost performance.
In addition to ditching the proprietary breakout box for a more universally supported USB Type-C connection, the PlayStation VR2 doesn’t require any external tracking apparatus thanks to the inside-out tracking facilitated by cameras built into the headset itself. While this isn’t quite as freeing as a wireless headset like the Oculus Quest 2, it’s clean and simple enough to make the prospect of jumping into VR far less space and time consuming.
Sony also intends to bring its 3D audio technology to the headset’s integrated speakers, as well as some potentially innovative eye tracking and haptic feedback features. The company describes the latter as “an intelligent tactile element, bringing players closer to the gameplay experience. For example, gamers can feel a character’s elevated pulse during tense moments, the rush of objects passing close to the character’s head, or the thrust of a vehicle as the character speeds forward”.
| PlayStation VR2 specs | |
| Display technology | OLED |
|---|---|
| Panel resolution | 2000×2040 per eye |
| Refresh rates | 90/120Hz |
| FOV | 110° |
| Sensors | Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer) IR Proximity sensor |
| Cameras | 4 cameras for headset Controller trackingIR camera for eye tracking per eye |
| Feedback | Vibration on headset |
| Connectivity | USB Type-C |
| Audio | Input: Built-in microphone Output: Stereo headphone jack |
While it’s unfortunate that the original PlayStation VR didn’t receive wide support on PC thanks to proprietary connections, Sony has a unique opportunity here to provide a VR headset that’s compatible with both Windows and its own PlayStation platform. It would be an easy way to expand their recently established PlayStation PC brand, and a fantastic unique selling point. Regardless, given it uses a USB Type-C connection, it’s likely that someone will take it upon themselves to get it working on our rigs, whether Sony wants it to or not.