Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I own both the HTC Vive original model and the Vive Pro. You're reading this because you're trying to figure out which one to buy - the Vive original that's just over $400 or the Pro which is .. a lot more. Short version - if you're new to VR and you're worried the Vive Original isn't good enough - it is. At $400+ it's a steal. You get so much value for what's an introduction price to typical consoles that you really can't go wrong. If you're waffling on your decision, go with the Original and you'll be a happy camper. For those of you, like me, who are constantly asking "But what if this 'Pro' model is so much better?". It's nice - it's just not "Holy cow I'm so happy I blew my paycheck" nice. Undoubtedly you've read the professional reviews so here's the non-professional review - the kind of advice you wished your best friend would just give you. They did everything right with this headset. It's more comfortable, the resolution chops down on the "screen door effect" that the pixelated original feels like, and it just feels like a more polished experience overall. Even the remote camera sensors are a bit sleeker. The problem with this generation of VR is just that they can't deliver a "retina like" experience anywhere close to the price point consumers are willing to pay. So while the Vive Pro is better, we're still 2-3 years away from getting an experience that doesn't feel compromised. You're still dealing with the issue of having to look dead straight to get the picture to resolve correctly. You can still see pixels, albeit fewer. The headset is still a bit wonky and heavy. It's still Gen 1 VR. Think of this as the Iphone S model upgrade where it's a bit better, but you're still a generation behind. So I'd leave the decision tree like this - 1. Just testing VR and want to see if it's legit? Buy the Original 2. Totally enamored with VR and can appreciate a subtle improvement. Buy the Pro. VR is amazing - and I say that as a total cynic. Even though there are only a handful of games out they are so immersive that it doesn't matter. Don't think of it like playing console or PC games. In this cases while the graphics are always getting better, the experience is the same. In the case of VR, even games I've played an unreasonable amount of hours on (like Fallout 4) on my PC feel like entirely new experiences. One last caution - VR lasts maybe an hour at a time. After that, it gives you a bit of a headache. It sucks because you want the experience to keep going, but putting blinding screens an inch+ from your eyes for any period of time is gonna add up. Think of it more like a ride at a theme park than an all-night couch dwelling console session.