Virtual and augmented realities are likely to play a significant role in our daily lives, which could also happen sooner than later. Virtual reality was an invaluable asset during the COVID-19 lockdowns, which revealed its possibilities but also flaws.
Reality is gradually becoming more digitized, but it won't replace physical spaces like in the Matrix. Instead, we witness how augmented reality technologies enhance it by adding digital elements. For example, IKEA's app lets users visualize furniture placement inside their homes solely through the smartphone.
In turn, virtual reality lets pupils join virtual classes if they cannot participate physically. It is also widely used in gaming, healthcare, and military training, and even though the metaverse hype has quickly diminished, the idea of online hangouts using improved VR headsets will likely come back.
In this article, I will compare augmented reality vs virtual reality, including the current best VR and AR equipment.
What is Virtual Reality?
Virtual Reality is an immersive computer-generated virtual environment with interaction capabilities. It is typically experienced through VR headsets, which I will overview in the following chapter. VR is also powered by the tremendous increase in graphic processing unit (GPU) capabilities over the last 2 decades, which allows the creation of images closely resembling reality.
VR technologies can create fully immersive environments using head-mounted displays (HMDs). They generate stereoscopic images that simulate a 3D depth, supported by cameras and tracking systems that monitor head movement and react to it. Spatial audio technologies further enhance the sense of "being there," and controllers or voice input tools allow interaction with the virtual environment.
Currently, VR is used in gaming, tourism, training simulation, and even therapy. Simulating convincing virtual spaces expands digital capabilities that are now experienced as real, enabling the transfer of learning for soldiers or medical personnel.
Let's overview the 3 best VR headsets currently available.
The best 3 VR headsets
There are a few things to consider to pick the best VR headset for your needs. High resolution and refresh rate, and wide field of view (FOV) ensure great image quality. Meanwhile, a comfortable fit and light weight lets you immerse in VR without discomfort.
1. Meta Quest 3S – the best price-value ratio VR headset
| Type: | Standalone |
| Resolution: | 1832 x 1920 per eye |
| Motion detection: | 6DOF |
| Hardware platform: | Standalone |
| Software platform: | Meta |
Why did we pick it?
Meta Quest 3S is the latest and among the most affordable VR headsets by one of the market leaders - Meta. The company has significantly improved since the first Oculus Quest headset, which was somewhat pricey and too heavy for prolonged use. Meta Quest 3S cut the price by nearly half and it also improved the resolution quality, doubled the RAM power, and dropped some weight for a more comfortable feel.
2. Valve Index Headset – the best VR headset for gaming
| Type: | Tethered |
| Resolution: | 1440 x 1600 per eye |
| Motion detection: | 6DOF |
| Hardware platform: | PC |
| Software platform: | Windows, SteamOS, Linux |
Why did we pick it?
Valve's Index Headset may pale in comparison to others, but combined with the full Valve Index VR Kit, it is a gaming powerhouse. Its VR kit strength lies in the second-to-none controllers that support individual finger tracking instead of a standard grip and motion detection. It enables more lifelike interactions with virtual objects, but don't take only my word for it. With Valve's VR kit, you will get one of the best VR games, Half-Life: Alyx, to test the performance.
3. Pico 4 Ultra – the best Meta Quest 3 alternative
| Type: | Standalone and tethered |
| Resolution: | 2160 x 2160 per eye |
| Motion detection: | 6DOF |
| Hardware platform: | PC |
| Software platform: | SteamVR |
Why did we pick it?
Pico 4 Ultra is the best alternative to Meta's Quest 3 headsets, with just as powerful hardware. It uses the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset and can be used as a standalone VR headset or connected to a PC via USB-C cable or wireless connection. On the downside, it is unavailable in the US, but users from the UK, East Asia, and European countries can buy this VR technology at a very modest price. Although a tethered connection unlocks SteamVR games, the standalone video game selection is more limited.
What is Augmented Reality?
Augmented reality enhances and extends physical world perceptions by adding digital elements on top of it. The central difference between augmented reality vs. virtual reality is that the latter aims to replace physical view with immersive virtual space. Meanwhile, augmented reality utilizes real-life objects to provide a more informative view.
A popular Pokemon GO mobile game is an excellent AR vs VR example. It uses the real world to provide players with a game map and fills the reality with virtual magical creatures that players need to catch. Instead of fully submerging themselves in a virtual space, like in VR video games, Pokemon Go players move through real physical spaces that are now filled with virtual objects.
The VR vs AR distinction is not a better-or-worse comparison. These two methods are different ways of supplementing physical reality with virtual technologies and can be combined to create an augmented virtual reality that uses worldly objects in an entirely virtual space.
The best 3 AR glasses
Because augmented reality does not aim to replace physical perception fully, it does not require big headsets. Instead, it typically uses glasses or a smartphone screen to add virtual elements to physical objects. Here are the 3 best AR glasses currently available.
1. Xreal Air 2 Pro – best AR glasses for any device
| Type: | Optical see-through |
| Resolution: | 1920 x 1080 per eye |
| Motion detection: | 3DOF |
| Hardware platform: | Depends on the connected device |
| Software platform: | Xreal's Nebula OS or connected device OS |
Why did we pick it?
Xreal Air 2 Pro is one of the best AR glasses compatible with a variety of devices. This model uses a USB-C port for connection and dual 1920 x 1080 OLED displays per eye that supports excellent resolution. The Xreal Air 2 Pro is just as suitable for gaming as for watching a movie, but some users report blurry vision on the edges. There's also no battery, but that's a design choice, making this model lightweight and more comfortable to wear.
2. Viture PRO XR – best AR glasses for watching movies
| Type: | Micro-OLED AR glasses |
| Resolution: | 1920 x 1080 per eye |
| Motion detection: | Not included |
| Hardware platform: | Depends on the connected device |
| Software platform: | Depends on the connected device |
Why did we pick it?
The Viture PRO XR might be your best pick if you're an avid movie watcher. It uses micro-OLED displays for outstanding image quality with myopia adjustment. This type is unsuited for interactive gaming due to the lack of motion detection, but it can still be used to play some games from a connected device. This is one of the most expensive AR glasses, but it pays off regarding comfortable design and video quality. In other words, the Viture PRO XR exchanges some interactivity capabilities to focus on display quality.
3. Ray-ban Meta Smart – best AR glasses for social media browsing
| Type: | Smart glasses |
| Resolution: | Unspecified |
| Motion detection: | Only for video accuracy |
| Hardware platform: | Qualcomm Snapdragon |
| Software platform: | Meta custom software, Meta View app |
Why did we pick it?
The Ray-ban Meta Smart is an excellent smart glasses to participate in digital life while on the move. While they cannot boast of Viture PRO XR image quality or Xreal Air 2 Pro OLED displays, they are very lightweight, comfortable, and have a battery. The Ray-ban Meta Smart AI capabilities enhance image capture and sharing and enable voice controls for hands-free calls. This model is excellent for those who use social media a lot.
AR/VR system components
Although the AR/VR technologies share similar principles of restructuring physical perception, they have different goals. To put it simply, VR replaces the physical world, while AR augments. It's also worth noting that AR and VR can be used simultaneously to maintain relation to physical objects in a virtual space.
Hardware components
Both virtual reality and augmented reality technologies share some hardware requirements. For example, both require a powerful processing unit. AR glasses must capture physical objects and create supportive imagery, while VR headsets require outstanding GPUs to create lifelike virtual environments.
AR tech typically relies more on cameras to capture physical reality and enhance it. While VR headsets also often utilize cameras at the same level to create virtual environments attached to physical objects, video games usually don't have such requirements because they create images that are completely virtual and made up. Furthermore, VR use of cameras generally centers around motion capture to enhance movement in the virtual space.
VR also heavily relies on controllers, like the outstanding Valve controllers, to improve gameplay capabilities. In contrast, AR glasses usually connect to the device and use its controls, like a smartphone touchscreen, but keep in mind that AR headsets may also have proprietary input methods.
Software and algorithms
The AR vs VR difference is evident regarding software and algorithms, because these two technologies have different purposes. For example, Apple's AR ARKit for iOS is optimized for world tracking, accurate device position, environment capture and understanding, and image recognition, similar to Google's ARCore for Android.
Meanwhile, VR uses powerful game engines like Unreal Engine or Unity. These engines provide tools to create high-resolution and lifelike images, simulate physical reality aspects (such as object movement according to laws of physics), and allow high-level user interaction with objects in virtual environments.
Key differences between virtual reality vs augmented reality
To understand the AR vs. VR comparison better, let's briefly overview the key differences.
Immersion. VR often aims to create a fully immersive virtual environment, especially if it is used for video games. In comparison, AR overlays virtual objects onto the real world, so the user remains immersed in physical reality, which is now supplemented by virtual elements. Keep in mind that some VR tasks do not require complete immersion, such as military training programs.
Hardware requirements. VR typically requires more specialized hardware, such as high-quality headsets, responsive controllers, excellent displays, motion-tracking tools, and powerful GPUs. Meanwhile, AR can fully function using solely AR glasses or even a smartphone. Keep in mind that hardware requirements may change for both depending on how each technology is used.
User interaction. VR typically demands more user interaction. Military or healthcare training programs encourage users to participate in various scenarios to transfer skills from virtual programs to real-life activities. The same applies to video games like Half-Life: Alyx, which simply wouldn't progress without an active player.
In comparison, AR technology generally requires a lower-level interaction, with the user submitting some kind of query (for example, pointing a smartphone at an object for more information). It then displays the required information without demanding more actions.
Application areas. While both technology's application areas may overlap, it is still possible to make a general distinction. You will encounter VR more often in entertainment, gaming, and simulation. Meanwhile, AR is more often used in business, education, and retail sectors.
Common uses of AR and VR
VR and AR technologies are gradually making their way into our daily lives and will most likely play an essential role in the foreseeable future. However, because AR overlays digital elements onto the real world and VR immerses the user in a completely virtual environment, you will encounter each in a different setting.
Retail industries are already implementing AR technologies for customers to try out their services virtually. For example, they can experiment with furniture layout or try on clothes without physically interacting with physical objects. The most evident AR implementation is in navigation maps that overlay directions and other relevant information straight on the map.
AR is also used in healthcare to assist surgeons with operations, like representing veins, organs, and tissues in a virtual 3D environment. Lastly, mobile games like Pokemon GO or Ingress use AR to enhance physical locations with virtual elements.
Currently, VR is widely used in gaming. Although VR games are still relatively rare, with the advancement in computation power and better affordability of VR headsets, we will likely see a surge in VR games. Virtual reality is also widely used to organize virtual hangouts, and although the metaverse is currently in the shadows, the idea will likely revive once the technology is ready.
Architects also use virtual reality to design buildings and public spaces. Military and healthcare personnel use VR for training, and it can even assist therapy by providing a relaxing virtual space for patients with stress disorders.
Final word on AR vs VR
So, what does VR mean for the way we will witness reality in the near future? And how much of it will include AR elements to enrich our perception with virtual elements? The COVID-19 lockdowns revealed that the demand for virtual environments can skyrocket overnight, so it's a safe guess these technologies will remain relevant.
Whether you need a VR headset or AR glasses depends entirely on your needs. VR excels at immersing the user in a virtual space and can fully detach them from reality. AR, on the contrary, typically aims to have an anchor in the physical space but adds valuable virtual elements to it.
I included VR and AR sets for various occasions. I recommend checking the Meta Quest 3S for an affordable VR headset or Valve's Index Headset if you don't mind paying extra to play VR games. The Xreal Air 2 Pro AR glasses offer superb image quality, while Ran-ban Meta Smart is optimized for image capture and social media.
FAQ
What is the main difference between AR and VR?
The main difference between AR and VR is how they modify real-world perception. While AR typically maintains an anchor in reality and enhances it with virtual elements, VR generally submerses the user in the virtual space completely, blocking perception of the physical environment.
Can you use AR glasses for VR experiences?
That depends. Standard AR glasses were not designed to simulate a virtual environment. However, the two technologies can overlap using Mixed Reality headsets that are capable of handling both AR and VR experiences, like Metal Quest 3S.
Are AR and VR the same?
No, while they share some features due to changing real-world perception, VR and AR technologies are significantly different. While VR aims to produce virtual environments that can be completely separate from physical reality, AR generally maintains a relation with reality to enrich it with virtual objects or information.
Which is better for gaming: AR or VR?
That depends. VR kits excel at virtual reality video games that simulate an entirely virtual environment, like Half-Life: Alyx or The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, VR edition. Meanwhile, games like Pokemon GO or Ingress utilize AR technologies to add game-like aspects to physical reality.
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