HP - Reverb Virtual Reality Headset for Compatible Windows PCs

TLDR: The Reverb has excellent visual quality, mediocre tracking, and poor controllers. Highly recommend if you are into seated VR sims (like racing or flying), wouldn't recommend if you primarily play roomscale games. For reference, I've owned a Oculust Rift CV1 and Quest and have used the HTC Vive. Of all the ecosystems, WMR is definitely the weakest in terms of software. Improvements are being made, but definitely behind the SteamVR and Oculus ecosystems. The improved resolution makes a huge difference. Significantly less screen door effect and way more clarity. LCD screens aren't quite as colorful or as deep as some OLED headsets, but it's really not that noticeable while you're playing. The resolution is. The sound quality is decent. The headset itself is very comfortable, other than the cable which is relatively short, stiff, and heavy. The tracking is okay for when your arms out in front of your body (like for Beat Saber) but suffer when moved close to your torso or behind your head (like when you are throwing). The hand controllers are really the worst part of the experience. They feel cheap, aren't comfortable, burn through batteries, and have lackluster haptic feedback compared to the Oculus controllers. Since only 20-30% of my VR time involves using the controllers, the headset's beautiful visuals make up for it's lackluster tracking and controller experience. Highly recommend for Elite Dangerous, DCS, IL-2, & Sim racing...anything else is just a bonus. Also, make sure you have a decent GPU. My GTX 1080 is working at 95%+ load most of the time running on medium graphics...

I am very pleased with hp's Reverb. I use it for flight sims exclusively and do not use the included hand controllers. The increased resolution compared to other VR headsets makes it much easier to read my gauges and spot other aircraft in the sky. Inside-out head tracking works perfectly; no base stations are required. The unit remains fairly cool during operation. I was able to purchase snap-in prescription lenses specifically for the Reverb (not available for my previous headset), which means I no longer have to wear my eyeglasses while using VR - a real plus. The connecting cable is pretty stiff and heavy, and might interfere with mobility for standup users, but it is not a problem for sit-down use. Included documentation is sparse; I had to find a YouTube video to guide me in removal of headphones. The detached easily once I learned how to do it.

The high resolution is incredible. I use this to watch downloaded high res VR movies and for virtual desktop. Noticeable unmatched clarity with text and detail. Troubleshooting windows mixed reality visual settings fixed some clarity issues i had initially. The version 2.0 hardware has shown no issues with overheating like the flickering headset HP first released. Not a gamer so i can only give it a thumbs up for media and desktop work.

Well finally I got my HP Reverb from BestBuy! This is the true Rift 2.0 headset for Sim Racers and Flight Sim enthusiasts. The picture quality is amazing! Finally no more Screen Door Effect (SDE)!!! They weren't joking about the visual clarity, everything is so sharp, it feels like I'm looking at a computer monitor. Yes it's that good. Project Cars 2 and iRacing look stunning! The inside of the cars look photorealistic. I don't know what it is but the games feel more 3D and immersive! I think it because I'm not seeing the SDE anymore and the games are running at 90fps. I didn't notice any mura on the headset I got so maybe the QC team has stepped up their game and that is no longer an issue. Also I didn't notice any God Rays in dark scenes! This was one of my biggest concerns. I ran tests for 45mins to an hour and no issues with over heating with a fan pointed at my face. The headset does a great job completely blocking outside light due to the nose guard (the original Rift was comparatively laughable). Once the straps are adjusted, the fit is pretty good since it has a similar mounting system to the Rift. The rear strap goes on well and does a great job keeping the headset from moving. The FOV is closer to 110 deg like the Rift. The headset is super light. The sound on the headset is pretty good too. Almost as good as the Rift. There are a few minor caveats: Dispite being 2180x2180 per eye the screen is LCD based so the color is a little more washed out compared to an OLED screen. No big deal, it doesn't bother me at all and looks fine if you aren't going back and forth between OLED and LCD headsets. Once you see the sharpness you won't even care. The sweet spot is relatively small (meaning the area where you have to adjust the headset to, to get the clearest image), similar to the Rift in my experience. But thanks to the strap mounting system you can adjust the headset and find it pretty quickly and the headset stays put, keeping your eyes in the sweet spot. The center is super sharp and the edges are slightly blurry. A lot of sites/videos have made a big deal about that, but I think they were just being nit picky. It's really not that bad. Just a little blurry around the edges once you are in the sweet spot. Not as bad as has been reported. The cable is a little heavy and tugs on the back but you can easily fix that with zip ties and cable management. It's little more demanding on the GPU. This is the next gen headset I have been waiting for. I would give this headset a solid 4.5 stars out of 5. Since I can't give them a 4.5 I'm rounding up. HP has a hit on their hands, they just to make more of them and get them out to people, IMHO.

We have a Reverb and also a Rift CV1. The HP Reverb we use mostly for seated games that don't require hand controllers (think flight and driving sims). The resolution is spectacular. Not as good as a monitor but it's getting there. A really, really great image. The hand controllers are awkward and poorly designed. Oculus Rift has superior, natural-feeling hand controls that work great. But I can't go back to Rift resolution. Now it looks super-grainy to me.

Using computers and related devices we've all see the trend. First, instruction manuals, then manuals only online, then heavy dependence on chat and YouTube help from fellow users. However, this is the worst; there is no information given anywhere on even how to turn this product on and off. It is new and relatively unique to the 'consumer' community so there are no videos or "community' chat rooms. The moment you get this product you are on your own; solo flying without an instructor. When paying over $600 for a product you deserve a little more. HP failed in the first launch of the Reverb with a flawed product. The product is now better, but handicapped with no consumer support. I use mine for gaming so I'm even at a greater loss because HP says it's essentially designed for professional/business use, but those users are not even told how to turn the thing on and off. HP has not been a leader in consumer electronics, and, unfortunately, it shows. By all reviews, good product; but, my experience is decent product with the incredible reality of no basic user information available. I'm sure the online reviewers have HP contact support; you, however, will be on your own. What a shame.

Right Speaker stopped working after about a week. Cord not the best, Cant wait for the upgraded model G2!!.

I have tried the Valve Index and now the HP Reverb, and I'm sad to say that VR is not there yet. I have a brand new PC with an I7 & 2080 Ti with the latest drivers, and the games that I'm expecting to see run decently (Assetto Corsa, Project Cars 2), are just not optimized for VR yet. Even though it's advertised as a 2K screen, the quality is just not there yet when compared to my monitor or OLED screen. I'm not by any means trying to compare the two as my expectations were set that this was going to be a much lower resolution and it's sacrificed against the VR immersion, but half of the time the guy would not even run correctly and had to be reset.