Infographic: Valve Index versus Oculus Rift S

Alice Bonasio
Tech Trends
Published in
3 min readJul 15, 2019

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How to two of the newer top-of-the-line VR headsets compare to each other on key features? This handy infographic lays it all out.

Software

The software that comes alongside the Oculus is much better than the Index by a long shot, and there are many more AAA games available in the market for the Oculus. Also, due to being recently released, only a small amount of demos and indie games use the full functionality of the Index’s controllers, putting it at a disadvantage. The Index uses SteamVR for their games and is restricted to it, whereas the Rift S is not.

The Comfort Factor

Both headsets score very well on comfort. The “halo ring” in the Rift S allows anyone to enjoy VR for an extensive period of time without pain. The Index also has micro-fiber lining nicely placed for a premium feel and long usage. The Index has an advantage as far as audio goes, as the speakers don’t require you to wear headphones and give a nice surround sound that adds to the immersion.

Don’t Forget the Accessories!

For the accessories of each headset, both companies went their own way. The Index has 2 external sensors, which can improve tracking but comes at the expense of a more difficult setup. The Rift S, however, uses…

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Alice Bonasio
Tech Trends

Technology writer for FastCo, Quartz, The Next Web, Ars Technica, Wired + more. Consultant specializing in VR #MixedReality and Strategic Communications