VR Headset Field of View Comparison
Field of view is incredibly important for VR immersion. But, because manufacturers calculate FOV differently, it can be hard to obtain an apples to apples
Thankfully, a savvy Reddit user by the name of Code F53 designed an infographic to visualize the data.
The chart compares the horizontal field of view for the top VR headsets. Vertical field of view is not taken into account. As the image shows, even the most expansive VR views are still significantly smaller than the limits of human vision. Nevertheless, there is a sizeable difference between the earliest consumer headsets and the more recent headsets from Pimax and Valve.
While a larger field of view is obviously a good thing, it does come with its drawbacks. That’s because, as the field of view spreads out, so do the pixels. This means that more FOV can often mean less visual clarity.
As long as processing power is limited, there will always be trade-offs. Field of view is important but it may turn out to be less vital than other features like comfort and resolution. It will be interesting to see which features consumers value most as the market matures.