PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter Review
Until now, the otherwise excellent-on-paper PlayStation VR2 headset has seen its loyal fans relegated to an underwhelming selection of games. Thanks to its PS5 exclusivity, VR game developers have been forced to go through a puzzling series of hurdles to make their games available to early owners of the $550 display. As a result, much of the massive backlog of VR games available on PC still haven’t been ported over, leaving players in virtual limbo. That’s extra troubling considering that the PS VR2 is largely missing any serious exclusives to counterbalance the lack of ports.
The long-awaited PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter represents a solution, transforming the device into a SteamVR headset with some (but not all) of its premium bells and whistles, like its 4K OLED display with a 110-degree FOV and Sense controllers equipped with advanced finger tracking. That’s not a terrible deal if you’re willing to shell out for the $60 cost of entry (er, re-entry?) – assuming you already own a PS VR2 and a reasonably-powerful gaming PC to support it. After a weekend effortlessly running my PS VR2 through the plug-and-play adapter (albeit after a hectic initial setup phase), I can confidently say that I’ll be using the PS VR2 as my preferred PC VR headset from now on.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Design & Features
The all-black PC adapter is sleek and compact; a flat square with a single USB-C port on the front plus a short, (less than 3-foot) male USB-A 3.0 cable hardwired into the back between a DisplayPort 1.4 slot and an AC input. The PS VR2 conveniently plugs into the front through the USB-C port while the back USB-A and DisplayPort 1.4 slots transmit data between the adapter and the target gaming PC. Its small size suggests that it’s designed to blend seamlessly with any existing setup, and as such, it’s no larger than a beverage coaster. This makes it fit well in my unconventional PC setup, which requires me to connect my VR headset perpendicular to my desktop located on the far right side of my desk, essentially across the room from the open area where I usually play with my Quest 3. The adapter is currently sitting on a shelf above the left side of the desk, where it’s held in place by a DVD case – giving my PS VR2 easy access to my PC.
Unlike with Meta’s headsets, where controllers pair directly to the headset, the PS VR2 and its Sense controllers rely on your PC’s Bluetooth being 4.0-capable or stronger. My mobo’s built-in Intel Bluetooth adapter is notoriously finicky and underpowered, which is something I worried about before receiving the unit from Sony. As I suspected, it could barely hold each controller’s connection for less than a minute per controller, and only at a very short range, slowing down what should have been an otherwise simple setup process. Fortunately, I snagged a Bluetooth 5.0-capable external Asus BT500 adapter from Best Buy for $20, which solved my problem. I’d have preferred it if the PS VR2 PC adapter included an onboard Bluetooth 4.0 radio as a courtesy, but it does not.
An early note in the packed-in instruction manual warns to “not use an extension cable or USB hub with the PC adapter, as it may cause it to malfunction.” Despite Sony’s warnings, due to my circumstances and the inability to detach the built-in USB-A cable in favor of something longer, I initially tried connecting the adapter through an external USB 3.0 hub. I also used a DisplayPort extender to connect a 3-foot DisplayPort 1.4 cable to my GPU. I quickly realized that I probably should have heeded the instructions to not do that, since that configuration yielded a blurry, distorted mess inside the headset. I was able to completely fix the issue with a USB 3.0 extender and a longer 6’ DisplayPort 1.4 cable. At the same time, it’d have been nice if any DisplayPort 1.4 cable was included out of the box, the lack of which is an inconvenience if you don’t already have one.
Purchasing Guide
The PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter is available through PlayStation Direct and other major retailers. It’s priced competitively at $60 for a tiny device that can extend unconventional PC setups and effectively turns the PS VR2 into a premium PC VR headset – as long as you own a strong enough gaming rig to handle it. That’s not a big deal on its own, seeing as it requires the target PC to be equipped with a comparatively low-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 or equivalent graphics card, Intel Core i5-7600 CPU (or equivalent), and 8 gigs of RAM. But even with all your bases covered, it’s worth remembering to budget for additional purchases like a DisplayPort 1.4 cable and potentially an external Bluetooth adapter if your PC's onboard Bluetooth is underpowered.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Gaming Performance
The introductory setup tutorial within the PlayStation VR2 PC app is basic yet useful, covering the essentials of setting up and using the Sense controllers and configuring the headset to the wearer’s head shape and eye distance. It’s not as hands-on or immersive as the initial experiences with Meta’s headsets, but it gets the job done before quickly sending you on your way to the SteamVR home area, which lets you quickly jump into whichever games are installed in your Steam library.
Before digging into my settings, I faced massive frame stutters and GPU lag, which was puzzling given that my Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti and AMD Ryzen 3900X should have been plenty capable for playing in VR. What ultimately fixed the problem was disabling Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling and tweaking some global SteamVR settings, like enabling motion smoothing and designating a global 3,000 x 3,000 per-eye custom resolution (some games wanted to automatically default me to upward of 7,000 x 7,000 per-eye resolution for some reason). After some trial and error, it took about an hour to comfortably get into any game, but these were system-side issues as someone who hasn’t regularly played PC VR games for over a year – and not since upgrading my GPU from my old 2080 Super at the very least – not a direct fault of the adapter itself.
What We Said About PlayStation VR2
The PlayStation VR2 may seem pricey, given that it costs $150 more than the base PS5 Digital Edition console you’ll need to use it. Even so, it’s such a quantum leap over the original PSVR in terms of ease of use, visual quality, and immersion that any PlayStation owner who loves VR should upgrade as soon as possible. Its 4K HDR OLED screen and excellently tactile Sense controllers are the most obvious improvement, but plentiful quality-of-life changes and the raw horsepower of the PS5 set a new standard for how VR games should play and feel on console. The downside is that, like any new platform, its thin launch lineup makes its lack of backward compatibility with original PSVR games a significant problem, but one that will only improve as Sony and other developers roll out new games that take advantage of the PSVR2’s unique features. – Gabriel Moss, Februrary 16, 2023
Score: 9
Read the full PlayStation VR2 review
In that sense, it’s still not quite as “plug-and-play” as I’d hoped, but once I cleared the setup hurdles, the turbulence I’d been experiencing dissipated entirely. The PS VR2 PC Adapter integrates well with SteamVR. For the most part, Steam automatically picks up my controller settings and makes it easy to quickly tweak things like Play Area and haptic feedback by pressing the “PlayStation” button and navigating through Steam’s easy-to-use menus.
Adjusting the headset mid-game is simple and intuitive, for instance showing a clear GUI to guide me mid-session when I move the PS VR2’s onboard eye distance adjustment wheel. Passthrough also works flawlessly, letting me jump in and out of VR with the tap of a button.
Granted, every session requires launching both the PlayStation VR 2 app and SteamVR, which can be a bit of a chore. But at least PC games look phenomenal in the PS VR2, even without HDR. I poured hours into Blade & Sorcery, Pavlov, Half-Life: Alyx, H3VR, Skyrim VR, and Boneworks – all of which show rich, vibrant colors and deep blacks on the PS VR2’s 4K OLED display. Even while being bound to a USB-C cable, the experience was definitely a worthy improvement over playing the same games via my Quest 3’s Air Link.
However, a small handful of games, like No Man’s Sky and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, struggled with compatibility, either repeatedly crashing in the former’s case or not recognizing the Sense controllers at all in the latter’s case. Fortunately, both games work much better on the PS5. There’s also a handful of other issues that might turn people off: many of the PS VR2’s advanced features – eye tracking, HDR, adaptive triggers, headset vibration, and advanced haptic feedback – aren’t supported on PC yet. Even more annoyingly, the PS VR2 is entirely incompatible with any of Meta’s back catalog of PC VR games like Asgard’s Wrath and Lone Echo, making the Quest 3 the superior PC VR headset for anyone relying on Meta’s library.
Despite this, the PS VR2’s OLED display and head-relative foveated rendering are still jaw-dropping in most games thanks to the headset’s wide 110-degree FOV. One scene that continues to stick in my mind while writing this review is the opening title sequence of Blade & Sorcery. The dancing green lights shooting through the darkness in that scene show off how rich the headset’s color contrast is. The Sense controllers’ finger touch detection also works flawlessly in games like Pavlov, where you can make a wide arrangement of finger signs by placing your hands on the Sense controllers in certain ways. Steam’s 3D audio system is also at least as perceptibly immersive as the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio system when using the PS VR2’s packed-in Aux earbuds. But for now, the full potential of the PS VR2 remains untapped on PC.
https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-vr2-pc-adapter-review
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter Review
Until now, the otherwise excellent-on-paper PlayStation VR2 headset has seen its loyal fans relegated to an underwhelming selection of games. Thanks to its PS5 exclusivity, VR game developers have been forced to go through a puzzling series of hurdles to make their games available to early owners of the $550 display. As a result, much of the massive backlog of VR games available on PC still haven’t been ported over, leaving players in virtual limbo. That’s extra troubling considering that the PS VR2 is largely missing any serious exclusives to counterbalance the lack of ports.
The long-awaited PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter represents a solution, transforming the device into a SteamVR headset with some (but not all) of its premium bells and whistles, like its 4K OLED display with a 110-degree FOV and Sense controllers equipped with advanced finger tracking. That’s not a terrible deal if you’re willing to shell out for the $60 cost of entry (er, re-entry?) – assuming you already own a PS VR2 and a reasonably-powerful gaming PC to support it. After a weekend effortlessly running my PS VR2 through the plug-and-play adapter (albeit after a hectic initial setup phase), I can confidently say that I’ll be using the PS VR2 as my preferred PC VR headset from now on.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Design & Features
The all-black PC adapter is sleek and compact; a flat square with a single USB-C port on the front plus a short, (less than 3-foot) male USB-A 3.0 cable hardwired into the back between a DisplayPort 1.4 slot and an AC input. The PS VR2 conveniently plugs into the front through the USB-C port while the back USB-A and DisplayPort 1.4 slots transmit data between the adapter and the target gaming PC. Its small size suggests that it’s designed to blend seamlessly with any existing setup, and as such, it’s no larger than a beverage coaster. This makes it fit well in my unconventional PC setup, which requires me to connect my VR headset perpendicular to my desktop located on the far right side of my desk, essentially across the room from the open area where I usually play with my Quest 3. The adapter is currently sitting on a shelf above the left side of the desk, where it’s held in place by a DVD case – giving my PS VR2 easy access to my PC.
Unlike with Meta’s headsets, where controllers pair directly to the headset, the PS VR2 and its Sense controllers rely on your PC’s Bluetooth being 4.0-capable or stronger. My mobo’s built-in Intel Bluetooth adapter is notoriously finicky and underpowered, which is something I worried about before receiving the unit from Sony. As I suspected, it could barely hold each controller’s connection for less than a minute per controller, and only at a very short range, slowing down what should have been an otherwise simple setup process. Fortunately, I snagged a Bluetooth 5.0-capable external Asus BT500 adapter from Best Buy for $20, which solved my problem. I’d have preferred it if the PS VR2 PC adapter included an onboard Bluetooth 4.0 radio as a courtesy, but it does not.
An early note in the packed-in instruction manual warns to “not use an extension cable or USB hub with the PC adapter, as it may cause it to malfunction.” Despite Sony’s warnings, due to my circumstances and the inability to detach the built-in USB-A cable in favor of something longer, I initially tried connecting the adapter through an external USB 3.0 hub. I also used a DisplayPort extender to connect a 3-foot DisplayPort 1.4 cable to my GPU. I quickly realized that I probably should have heeded the instructions to not do that, since that configuration yielded a blurry, distorted mess inside the headset. I was able to completely fix the issue with a USB 3.0 extender and a longer 6’ DisplayPort 1.4 cable. At the same time, it’d have been nice if any DisplayPort 1.4 cable was included out of the box, the lack of which is an inconvenience if you don’t already have one.
Purchasing Guide
The PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter is available through PlayStation Direct and other major retailers. It’s priced competitively at $60 for a tiny device that can extend unconventional PC setups and effectively turns the PS VR2 into a premium PC VR headset – as long as you own a strong enough gaming rig to handle it. That’s not a big deal on its own, seeing as it requires the target PC to be equipped with a comparatively low-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 or equivalent graphics card, Intel Core i5-7600 CPU (or equivalent), and 8 gigs of RAM. But even with all your bases covered, it’s worth remembering to budget for additional purchases like a DisplayPort 1.4 cable and potentially an external Bluetooth adapter if your PC's onboard Bluetooth is underpowered.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Gaming Performance
The introductory setup tutorial within the PlayStation VR2 PC app is basic yet useful, covering the essentials of setting up and using the Sense controllers and configuring the headset to the wearer’s head shape and eye distance. It’s not as hands-on or immersive as the initial experiences with Meta’s headsets, but it gets the job done before quickly sending you on your way to the SteamVR home area, which lets you quickly jump into whichever games are installed in your Steam library.
Before digging into my settings, I faced massive frame stutters and GPU lag, which was puzzling given that my Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti and AMD Ryzen 3900X should have been plenty capable for playing in VR. What ultimately fixed the problem was disabling Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling and tweaking some global SteamVR settings, like enabling motion smoothing and designating a global 3,000 x 3,000 per-eye custom resolution (some games wanted to automatically default me to upward of 7,000 x 7,000 per-eye resolution for some reason). After some trial and error, it took about an hour to comfortably get into any game, but these were system-side issues as someone who hasn’t regularly played PC VR games for over a year – and not since upgrading my GPU from my old 2080 Super at the very least – not a direct fault of the adapter itself.
What We Said About PlayStation VR2
The PlayStation VR2 may seem pricey, given that it costs $150 more than the base PS5 Digital Edition console you’ll need to use it. Even so, it’s such a quantum leap over the original PSVR in terms of ease of use, visual quality, and immersion that any PlayStation owner who loves VR should upgrade as soon as possible. Its 4K HDR OLED screen and excellently tactile Sense controllers are the most obvious improvement, but plentiful quality-of-life changes and the raw horsepower of the PS5 set a new standard for how VR games should play and feel on console. The downside is that, like any new platform, its thin launch lineup makes its lack of backward compatibility with original PSVR games a significant problem, but one that will only improve as Sony and other developers roll out new games that take advantage of the PSVR2’s unique features. – Gabriel Moss, Februrary 16, 2023
Score: 9
Read the full PlayStation VR2 review
In that sense, it’s still not quite as “plug-and-play” as I’d hoped, but once I cleared the setup hurdles, the turbulence I’d been experiencing dissipated entirely. The PS VR2 PC Adapter integrates well with SteamVR. For the most part, Steam automatically picks up my controller settings and makes it easy to quickly tweak things like Play Area and haptic feedback by pressing the “PlayStation” button and navigating through Steam’s easy-to-use menus.
Adjusting the headset mid-game is simple and intuitive, for instance showing a clear GUI to guide me mid-session when I move the PS VR2’s onboard eye distance adjustment wheel. Passthrough also works flawlessly, letting me jump in and out of VR with the tap of a button.
Granted, every session requires launching both the PlayStation VR 2 app and SteamVR, which can be a bit of a chore. But at least PC games look phenomenal in the PS VR2, even without HDR. I poured hours into Blade & Sorcery, Pavlov, Half-Life: Alyx, H3VR, Skyrim VR, and Boneworks – all of which show rich, vibrant colors and deep blacks on the PS VR2’s 4K OLED display. Even while being bound to a USB-C cable, the experience was definitely a worthy improvement over playing the same games via my Quest 3’s Air Link.
However, a small handful of games, like No Man’s Sky and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, struggled with compatibility, either repeatedly crashing in the former’s case or not recognizing the Sense controllers at all in the latter’s case. Fortunately, both games work much better on the PS5. There’s also a handful of other issues that might turn people off: many of the PS VR2’s advanced features – eye tracking, HDR, adaptive triggers, headset vibration, and advanced haptic feedback – aren’t supported on PC yet. Even more annoyingly, the PS VR2 is entirely incompatible with any of Meta’s back catalog of PC VR games like Asgard’s Wrath and Lone Echo, making the Quest 3 the superior PC VR headset for anyone relying on Meta’s library.
Despite this, the PS VR2’s OLED display and head-relative foveated rendering are still jaw-dropping in most games thanks to the headset’s wide 110-degree FOV. One scene that continues to stick in my mind while writing this review is the opening title sequence of Blade & Sorcery. The dancing green lights shooting through the darkness in that scene show off how rich the headset’s color contrast is. The Sense controllers’ finger touch detection also works flawlessly in games like Pavlov, where you can make a wide arrangement of finger signs by placing your hands on the Sense controllers in certain ways. Steam’s 3D audio system is also at least as perceptibly immersive as the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio system when using the PS VR2’s packed-in Aux earbuds. But for now, the full potential of the PS VR2 remains untapped on PC.
https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-vr2-pc-adapter-review
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter Review
Until now, the otherwise excellent-on-paper PlayStation VR2 headset has seen its loyal fans relegated to an underwhelming selection of games. Thanks to its PS5 exclusivity, VR game developers have been forced to go through a puzzling series of hurdles to make their games available to early owners of the $550 display. As a result, much of the massive backlog of VR games available on PC still haven’t been ported over, leaving players in virtual limbo. That’s extra troubling considering that the PS VR2 is largely missing any serious exclusives to counterbalance the lack of ports.
The long-awaited PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter represents a solution, transforming the device into a SteamVR headset with some (but not all) of its premium bells and whistles, like its 4K OLED display with a 110-degree FOV and Sense controllers equipped with advanced finger tracking. That’s not a terrible deal if you’re willing to shell out for the $60 cost of entry (er, re-entry?) – assuming you already own a PS VR2 and a reasonably-powerful gaming PC to support it. After a weekend effortlessly running my PS VR2 through the plug-and-play adapter (albeit after a hectic initial setup phase), I can confidently say that I’ll be using the PS VR2 as my preferred PC VR headset from now on.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Design & Features
The all-black PC adapter is sleek and compact; a flat square with a single USB-C port on the front plus a short, (less than 3-foot) male USB-A 3.0 cable hardwired into the back between a DisplayPort 1.4 slot and an AC input. The PS VR2 conveniently plugs into the front through the USB-C port while the back USB-A and DisplayPort 1.4 slots transmit data between the adapter and the target gaming PC. Its small size suggests that it’s designed to blend seamlessly with any existing setup, and as such, it’s no larger than a beverage coaster. This makes it fit well in my unconventional PC setup, which requires me to connect my VR headset perpendicular to my desktop located on the far right side of my desk, essentially across the room from the open area where I usually play with my Quest 3. The adapter is currently sitting on a shelf above the left side of the desk, where it’s held in place by a DVD case – giving my PS VR2 easy access to my PC.
Unlike with Meta’s headsets, where controllers pair directly to the headset, the PS VR2 and its Sense controllers rely on your PC’s Bluetooth being 4.0-capable or stronger. My mobo’s built-in Intel Bluetooth adapter is notoriously finicky and underpowered, which is something I worried about before receiving the unit from Sony. As I suspected, it could barely hold each controller’s connection for less than a minute per controller, and only at a very short range, slowing down what should have been an otherwise simple setup process. Fortunately, I snagged a Bluetooth 5.0-capable external Asus BT500 adapter from Best Buy for $20, which solved my problem. I’d have preferred it if the PS VR2 PC adapter included an onboard Bluetooth 4.0 radio as a courtesy, but it does not.
An early note in the packed-in instruction manual warns to “not use an extension cable or USB hub with the PC adapter, as it may cause it to malfunction.” Despite Sony’s warnings, due to my circumstances and the inability to detach the built-in USB-A cable in favor of something longer, I initially tried connecting the adapter through an external USB 3.0 hub. I also used a DisplayPort extender to connect a 3-foot DisplayPort 1.4 cable to my GPU. I quickly realized that I probably should have heeded the instructions to not do that, since that configuration yielded a blurry, distorted mess inside the headset. I was able to completely fix the issue with a USB 3.0 extender and a longer 6’ DisplayPort 1.4 cable. At the same time, it’d have been nice if any DisplayPort 1.4 cable was included out of the box, the lack of which is an inconvenience if you don’t already have one.
Purchasing Guide
The PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter is available through PlayStation Direct and other major retailers. It’s priced competitively at $60 for a tiny device that can extend unconventional PC setups and effectively turns the PS VR2 into a premium PC VR headset – as long as you own a strong enough gaming rig to handle it. That’s not a big deal on its own, seeing as it requires the target PC to be equipped with a comparatively low-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 or equivalent graphics card, Intel Core i5-7600 CPU (or equivalent), and 8 gigs of RAM. But even with all your bases covered, it’s worth remembering to budget for additional purchases like a DisplayPort 1.4 cable and potentially an external Bluetooth adapter if your PC's onboard Bluetooth is underpowered.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Gaming Performance
The introductory setup tutorial within the PlayStation VR2 PC app is basic yet useful, covering the essentials of setting up and using the Sense controllers and configuring the headset to the wearer’s head shape and eye distance. It’s not as hands-on or immersive as the initial experiences with Meta’s headsets, but it gets the job done before quickly sending you on your way to the SteamVR home area, which lets you quickly jump into whichever games are installed in your Steam library.
Before digging into my settings, I faced massive frame stutters and GPU lag, which was puzzling given that my Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti and AMD Ryzen 3900X should have been plenty capable for playing in VR. What ultimately fixed the problem was disabling Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling and tweaking some global SteamVR settings, like enabling motion smoothing and designating a global 3,000 x 3,000 per-eye custom resolution (some games wanted to automatically default me to upward of 7,000 x 7,000 per-eye resolution for some reason). After some trial and error, it took about an hour to comfortably get into any game, but these were system-side issues as someone who hasn’t regularly played PC VR games for over a year – and not since upgrading my GPU from my old 2080 Super at the very least – not a direct fault of the adapter itself.
What We Said About PlayStation VR2
The PlayStation VR2 may seem pricey, given that it costs $150 more than the base PS5 Digital Edition console you’ll need to use it. Even so, it’s such a quantum leap over the original PSVR in terms of ease of use, visual quality, and immersion that any PlayStation owner who loves VR should upgrade as soon as possible. Its 4K HDR OLED screen and excellently tactile Sense controllers are the most obvious improvement, but plentiful quality-of-life changes and the raw horsepower of the PS5 set a new standard for how VR games should play and feel on console. The downside is that, like any new platform, its thin launch lineup makes its lack of backward compatibility with original PSVR games a significant problem, but one that will only improve as Sony and other developers roll out new games that take advantage of the PSVR2’s unique features. – Gabriel Moss, Februrary 16, 2023
Score: 9
Read the full PlayStation VR2 review
In that sense, it’s still not quite as “plug-and-play” as I’d hoped, but once I cleared the setup hurdles, the turbulence I’d been experiencing dissipated entirely. The PS VR2 PC Adapter integrates well with SteamVR. For the most part, Steam automatically picks up my controller settings and makes it easy to quickly tweak things like Play Area and haptic feedback by pressing the “PlayStation” button and navigating through Steam’s easy-to-use menus.
Adjusting the headset mid-game is simple and intuitive, for instance showing a clear GUI to guide me mid-session when I move the PS VR2’s onboard eye distance adjustment wheel. Passthrough also works flawlessly, letting me jump in and out of VR with the tap of a button.
Granted, every session requires launching both the PlayStation VR 2 app and SteamVR, which can be a bit of a chore. But at least PC games look phenomenal in the PS VR2, even without HDR. I poured hours into Blade & Sorcery, Pavlov, Half-Life: Alyx, H3VR, Skyrim VR, and Boneworks – all of which show rich, vibrant colors and deep blacks on the PS VR2’s 4K OLED display. Even while being bound to a USB-C cable, the experience was definitely a worthy improvement over playing the same games via my Quest 3’s Air Link.
However, a small handful of games, like No Man’s Sky and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, struggled with compatibility, either repeatedly crashing in the former’s case or not recognizing the Sense controllers at all in the latter’s case. Fortunately, both games work much better on the PS5. There’s also a handful of other issues that might turn people off: many of the PS VR2’s advanced features – eye tracking, HDR, adaptive triggers, headset vibration, and advanced haptic feedback – aren’t supported on PC yet. Even more annoyingly, the PS VR2 is entirely incompatible with any of Meta’s back catalog of PC VR games like Asgard’s Wrath and Lone Echo, making the Quest 3 the superior PC VR headset for anyone relying on Meta’s library.
Despite this, the PS VR2’s OLED display and head-relative foveated rendering are still jaw-dropping in most games thanks to the headset’s wide 110-degree FOV. One scene that continues to stick in my mind while writing this review is the opening title sequence of Blade & Sorcery. The dancing green lights shooting through the darkness in that scene show off how rich the headset’s color contrast is. The Sense controllers’ finger touch detection also works flawlessly in games like Pavlov, where you can make a wide arrangement of finger signs by placing your hands on the Sense controllers in certain ways. Steam’s 3D audio system is also at least as perceptibly immersive as the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio system when using the PS VR2’s packed-in Aux earbuds. But for now, the full potential of the PS VR2 remains untapped on PC.
https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-vr2-pc-adapter-review
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter Review
Until now, the otherwise excellent-on-paper PlayStation VR2 headset has seen its loyal fans relegated to an underwhelming selection of games. Thanks to its PS5 exclusivity, VR game developers have been forced to go through a puzzling series of hurdles to make their games available to early owners of the $550 display. As a result, much of the massive backlog of VR games available on PC still haven’t been ported over, leaving players in virtual limbo. That’s extra troubling considering that the PS VR2 is largely missing any serious exclusives to counterbalance the lack of ports.
The long-awaited PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter represents a solution, transforming the device into a SteamVR headset with some (but not all) of its premium bells and whistles, like its 4K OLED display with a 110-degree FOV and Sense controllers equipped with advanced finger tracking. That’s not a terrible deal if you’re willing to shell out for the $60 cost of entry (er, re-entry?) – assuming you already own a PS VR2 and a reasonably-powerful gaming PC to support it. After a weekend effortlessly running my PS VR2 through the plug-and-play adapter (albeit after a hectic initial setup phase), I can confidently say that I’ll be using the PS VR2 as my preferred PC VR headset from now on.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Design & Features
The all-black PC adapter is sleek and compact; a flat square with a single USB-C port on the front plus a short, (less than 3-foot) male USB-A 3.0 cable hardwired into the back between a DisplayPort 1.4 slot and an AC input. The PS VR2 conveniently plugs into the front through the USB-C port while the back USB-A and DisplayPort 1.4 slots transmit data between the adapter and the target gaming PC. Its small size suggests that it’s designed to blend seamlessly with any existing setup, and as such, it’s no larger than a beverage coaster. This makes it fit well in my unconventional PC setup, which requires me to connect my VR headset perpendicular to my desktop located on the far right side of my desk, essentially across the room from the open area where I usually play with my Quest 3. The adapter is currently sitting on a shelf above the left side of the desk, where it’s held in place by a DVD case – giving my PS VR2 easy access to my PC.
Unlike with Meta’s headsets, where controllers pair directly to the headset, the PS VR2 and its Sense controllers rely on your PC’s Bluetooth being 4.0-capable or stronger. My mobo’s built-in Intel Bluetooth adapter is notoriously finicky and underpowered, which is something I worried about before receiving the unit from Sony. As I suspected, it could barely hold each controller’s connection for less than a minute per controller, and only at a very short range, slowing down what should have been an otherwise simple setup process. Fortunately, I snagged a Bluetooth 5.0-capable external Asus BT500 adapter from Best Buy for $20, which solved my problem. I’d have preferred it if the PS VR2 PC adapter included an onboard Bluetooth 4.0 radio as a courtesy, but it does not.
An early note in the packed-in instruction manual warns to “not use an extension cable or USB hub with the PC adapter, as it may cause it to malfunction.” Despite Sony’s warnings, due to my circumstances and the inability to detach the built-in USB-A cable in favor of something longer, I initially tried connecting the adapter through an external USB 3.0 hub. I also used a DisplayPort extender to connect a 3-foot DisplayPort 1.4 cable to my GPU. I quickly realized that I probably should have heeded the instructions to not do that, since that configuration yielded a blurry, distorted mess inside the headset. I was able to completely fix the issue with a USB 3.0 extender and a longer 6’ DisplayPort 1.4 cable. At the same time, it’d have been nice if any DisplayPort 1.4 cable was included out of the box, the lack of which is an inconvenience if you don’t already have one.
Purchasing Guide
The PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter is available through PlayStation Direct and other major retailers. It’s priced competitively at $60 for a tiny device that can extend unconventional PC setups and effectively turns the PS VR2 into a premium PC VR headset – as long as you own a strong enough gaming rig to handle it. That’s not a big deal on its own, seeing as it requires the target PC to be equipped with a comparatively low-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 or equivalent graphics card, Intel Core i5-7600 CPU (or equivalent), and 8 gigs of RAM. But even with all your bases covered, it’s worth remembering to budget for additional purchases like a DisplayPort 1.4 cable and potentially an external Bluetooth adapter if your PC's onboard Bluetooth is underpowered.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Gaming Performance
The introductory setup tutorial within the PlayStation VR2 PC app is basic yet useful, covering the essentials of setting up and using the Sense controllers and configuring the headset to the wearer’s head shape and eye distance. It’s not as hands-on or immersive as the initial experiences with Meta’s headsets, but it gets the job done before quickly sending you on your way to the SteamVR home area, which lets you quickly jump into whichever games are installed in your Steam library.
Before digging into my settings, I faced massive frame stutters and GPU lag, which was puzzling given that my Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti and AMD Ryzen 3900X should have been plenty capable for playing in VR. What ultimately fixed the problem was disabling Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling and tweaking some global SteamVR settings, like enabling motion smoothing and designating a global 3,000 x 3,000 per-eye custom resolution (some games wanted to automatically default me to upward of 7,000 x 7,000 per-eye resolution for some reason). After some trial and error, it took about an hour to comfortably get into any game, but these were system-side issues as someone who hasn’t regularly played PC VR games for over a year – and not since upgrading my GPU from my old 2080 Super at the very least – not a direct fault of the adapter itself.
What We Said About PlayStation VR2
The PlayStation VR2 may seem pricey, given that it costs $150 more than the base PS5 Digital Edition console you’ll need to use it. Even so, it’s such a quantum leap over the original PSVR in terms of ease of use, visual quality, and immersion that any PlayStation owner who loves VR should upgrade as soon as possible. Its 4K HDR OLED screen and excellently tactile Sense controllers are the most obvious improvement, but plentiful quality-of-life changes and the raw horsepower of the PS5 set a new standard for how VR games should play and feel on console. The downside is that, like any new platform, its thin launch lineup makes its lack of backward compatibility with original PSVR games a significant problem, but one that will only improve as Sony and other developers roll out new games that take advantage of the PSVR2’s unique features. – Gabriel Moss, Februrary 16, 2023
Score: 9
Read the full PlayStation VR2 review
In that sense, it’s still not quite as “plug-and-play” as I’d hoped, but once I cleared the setup hurdles, the turbulence I’d been experiencing dissipated entirely. The PS VR2 PC Adapter integrates well with SteamVR. For the most part, Steam automatically picks up my controller settings and makes it easy to quickly tweak things like Play Area and haptic feedback by pressing the “PlayStation” button and navigating through Steam’s easy-to-use menus.
Adjusting the headset mid-game is simple and intuitive, for instance showing a clear GUI to guide me mid-session when I move the PS VR2’s onboard eye distance adjustment wheel. Passthrough also works flawlessly, letting me jump in and out of VR with the tap of a button.
Granted, every session requires launching both the PlayStation VR 2 app and SteamVR, which can be a bit of a chore. But at least PC games look phenomenal in the PS VR2, even without HDR. I poured hours into Blade & Sorcery, Pavlov, Half-Life: Alyx, H3VR, Skyrim VR, and Boneworks – all of which show rich, vibrant colors and deep blacks on the PS VR2’s 4K OLED display. Even while being bound to a USB-C cable, the experience was definitely a worthy improvement over playing the same games via my Quest 3’s Air Link.
However, a small handful of games, like No Man’s Sky and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, struggled with compatibility, either repeatedly crashing in the former’s case or not recognizing the Sense controllers at all in the latter’s case. Fortunately, both games work much better on the PS5. There’s also a handful of other issues that might turn people off: many of the PS VR2’s advanced features – eye tracking, HDR, adaptive triggers, headset vibration, and advanced haptic feedback – aren’t supported on PC yet. Even more annoyingly, the PS VR2 is entirely incompatible with any of Meta’s back catalog of PC VR games like Asgard’s Wrath and Lone Echo, making the Quest 3 the superior PC VR headset for anyone relying on Meta’s library.
Despite this, the PS VR2’s OLED display and head-relative foveated rendering are still jaw-dropping in most games thanks to the headset’s wide 110-degree FOV. One scene that continues to stick in my mind while writing this review is the opening title sequence of Blade & Sorcery. The dancing green lights shooting through the darkness in that scene show off how rich the headset’s color contrast is. The Sense controllers’ finger touch detection also works flawlessly in games like Pavlov, where you can make a wide arrangement of finger signs by placing your hands on the Sense controllers in certain ways. Steam’s 3D audio system is also at least as perceptibly immersive as the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio system when using the PS VR2’s packed-in Aux earbuds. But for now, the full potential of the PS VR2 remains untapped on PC.
https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-vr2-pc-adapter-review
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter Review
Until now, the otherwise excellent-on-paper PlayStation VR2 headset has seen its loyal fans relegated to an underwhelming selection of games. Thanks to its PS5 exclusivity, VR game developers have been forced to go through a puzzling series of hurdles to make their games available to early owners of the $550 display. As a result, much of the massive backlog of VR games available on PC still haven’t been ported over, leaving players in virtual limbo. That’s extra troubling considering that the PS VR2 is largely missing any serious exclusives to counterbalance the lack of ports.
The long-awaited PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter represents a solution, transforming the device into a SteamVR headset with some (but not all) of its premium bells and whistles, like its 4K OLED display with a 110-degree FOV and Sense controllers equipped with advanced finger tracking. That’s not a terrible deal if you’re willing to shell out for the $60 cost of entry (er, re-entry?) – assuming you already own a PS VR2 and a reasonably-powerful gaming PC to support it. After a weekend effortlessly running my PS VR2 through the plug-and-play adapter (albeit after a hectic initial setup phase), I can confidently say that I’ll be using the PS VR2 as my preferred PC VR headset from now on.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Design & Features
The all-black PC adapter is sleek and compact; a flat square with a single USB-C port on the front plus a short, (less than 3-foot) male USB-A 3.0 cable hardwired into the back between a DisplayPort 1.4 slot and an AC input. The PS VR2 conveniently plugs into the front through the USB-C port while the back USB-A and DisplayPort 1.4 slots transmit data between the adapter and the target gaming PC. Its small size suggests that it’s designed to blend seamlessly with any existing setup, and as such, it’s no larger than a beverage coaster. This makes it fit well in my unconventional PC setup, which requires me to connect my VR headset perpendicular to my desktop located on the far right side of my desk, essentially across the room from the open area where I usually play with my Quest 3. The adapter is currently sitting on a shelf above the left side of the desk, where it’s held in place by a DVD case – giving my PS VR2 easy access to my PC.
Unlike with Meta’s headsets, where controllers pair directly to the headset, the PS VR2 and its Sense controllers rely on your PC’s Bluetooth being 4.0-capable or stronger. My mobo’s built-in Intel Bluetooth adapter is notoriously finicky and underpowered, which is something I worried about before receiving the unit from Sony. As I suspected, it could barely hold each controller’s connection for less than a minute per controller, and only at a very short range, slowing down what should have been an otherwise simple setup process. Fortunately, I snagged a Bluetooth 5.0-capable external Asus BT500 adapter from Best Buy for $20, which solved my problem. I’d have preferred it if the PS VR2 PC adapter included an onboard Bluetooth 4.0 radio as a courtesy, but it does not.
An early note in the packed-in instruction manual warns to “not use an extension cable or USB hub with the PC adapter, as it may cause it to malfunction.” Despite Sony’s warnings, due to my circumstances and the inability to detach the built-in USB-A cable in favor of something longer, I initially tried connecting the adapter through an external USB 3.0 hub. I also used a DisplayPort extender to connect a 3-foot DisplayPort 1.4 cable to my GPU. I quickly realized that I probably should have heeded the instructions to not do that, since that configuration yielded a blurry, distorted mess inside the headset. I was able to completely fix the issue with a USB 3.0 extender and a longer 6’ DisplayPort 1.4 cable. At the same time, it’d have been nice if any DisplayPort 1.4 cable was included out of the box, the lack of which is an inconvenience if you don’t already have one.
Purchasing Guide
The PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter is available through PlayStation Direct and other major retailers. It’s priced competitively at $60 for a tiny device that can extend unconventional PC setups and effectively turns the PS VR2 into a premium PC VR headset – as long as you own a strong enough gaming rig to handle it. That’s not a big deal on its own, seeing as it requires the target PC to be equipped with a comparatively low-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 or equivalent graphics card, Intel Core i5-7600 CPU (or equivalent), and 8 gigs of RAM. But even with all your bases covered, it’s worth remembering to budget for additional purchases like a DisplayPort 1.4 cable and potentially an external Bluetooth adapter if your PC's onboard Bluetooth is underpowered.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Gaming Performance
The introductory setup tutorial within the PlayStation VR2 PC app is basic yet useful, covering the essentials of setting up and using the Sense controllers and configuring the headset to the wearer’s head shape and eye distance. It’s not as hands-on or immersive as the initial experiences with Meta’s headsets, but it gets the job done before quickly sending you on your way to the SteamVR home area, which lets you quickly jump into whichever games are installed in your Steam library.
Before digging into my settings, I faced massive frame stutters and GPU lag, which was puzzling given that my Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti and AMD Ryzen 3900X should have been plenty capable for playing in VR. What ultimately fixed the problem was disabling Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling and tweaking some global SteamVR settings, like enabling motion smoothing and designating a global 3,000 x 3,000 per-eye custom resolution (some games wanted to automatically default me to upward of 7,000 x 7,000 per-eye resolution for some reason). After some trial and error, it took about an hour to comfortably get into any game, but these were system-side issues as someone who hasn’t regularly played PC VR games for over a year – and not since upgrading my GPU from my old 2080 Super at the very least – not a direct fault of the adapter itself.
What We Said About PlayStation VR2
The PlayStation VR2 may seem pricey, given that it costs $150 more than the base PS5 Digital Edition console you’ll need to use it. Even so, it’s such a quantum leap over the original PSVR in terms of ease of use, visual quality, and immersion that any PlayStation owner who loves VR should upgrade as soon as possible. Its 4K HDR OLED screen and excellently tactile Sense controllers are the most obvious improvement, but plentiful quality-of-life changes and the raw horsepower of the PS5 set a new standard for how VR games should play and feel on console. The downside is that, like any new platform, its thin launch lineup makes its lack of backward compatibility with original PSVR games a significant problem, but one that will only improve as Sony and other developers roll out new games that take advantage of the PSVR2’s unique features. – Gabriel Moss, Februrary 16, 2023
Score: 9
Read the full PlayStation VR2 review
In that sense, it’s still not quite as “plug-and-play” as I’d hoped, but once I cleared the setup hurdles, the turbulence I’d been experiencing dissipated entirely. The PS VR2 PC Adapter integrates well with SteamVR. For the most part, Steam automatically picks up my controller settings and makes it easy to quickly tweak things like Play Area and haptic feedback by pressing the “PlayStation” button and navigating through Steam’s easy-to-use menus.
Adjusting the headset mid-game is simple and intuitive, for instance showing a clear GUI to guide me mid-session when I move the PS VR2’s onboard eye distance adjustment wheel. Passthrough also works flawlessly, letting me jump in and out of VR with the tap of a button.
Granted, every session requires launching both the PlayStation VR 2 app and SteamVR, which can be a bit of a chore. But at least PC games look phenomenal in the PS VR2, even without HDR. I poured hours into Blade & Sorcery, Pavlov, Half-Life: Alyx, H3VR, Skyrim VR, and Boneworks – all of which show rich, vibrant colors and deep blacks on the PS VR2’s 4K OLED display. Even while being bound to a USB-C cable, the experience was definitely a worthy improvement over playing the same games via my Quest 3’s Air Link.
However, a small handful of games, like No Man’s Sky and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, struggled with compatibility, either repeatedly crashing in the former’s case or not recognizing the Sense controllers at all in the latter’s case. Fortunately, both games work much better on the PS5. There’s also a handful of other issues that might turn people off: many of the PS VR2’s advanced features – eye tracking, HDR, adaptive triggers, headset vibration, and advanced haptic feedback – aren’t supported on PC yet. Even more annoyingly, the PS VR2 is entirely incompatible with any of Meta’s back catalog of PC VR games like Asgard’s Wrath and Lone Echo, making the Quest 3 the superior PC VR headset for anyone relying on Meta’s library.
Despite this, the PS VR2’s OLED display and head-relative foveated rendering are still jaw-dropping in most games thanks to the headset’s wide 110-degree FOV. One scene that continues to stick in my mind while writing this review is the opening title sequence of Blade & Sorcery. The dancing green lights shooting through the darkness in that scene show off how rich the headset’s color contrast is. The Sense controllers’ finger touch detection also works flawlessly in games like Pavlov, where you can make a wide arrangement of finger signs by placing your hands on the Sense controllers in certain ways. Steam’s 3D audio system is also at least as perceptibly immersive as the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio system when using the PS VR2’s packed-in Aux earbuds. But for now, the full potential of the PS VR2 remains untapped on PC.
https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-vr2-pc-adapter-review
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter Review
Until now, the otherwise excellent-on-paper PlayStation VR2 headset has seen its loyal fans relegated to an underwhelming selection of games. Thanks to its PS5 exclusivity, VR game developers have been forced to go through a puzzling series of hurdles to make their games available to early owners of the $550 display. As a result, much of the massive backlog of VR games available on PC still haven’t been ported over, leaving players in virtual limbo. That’s extra troubling considering that the PS VR2 is largely missing any serious exclusives to counterbalance the lack of ports.
The long-awaited PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter represents a solution, transforming the device into a SteamVR headset with some (but not all) of its premium bells and whistles, like its 4K OLED display with a 110-degree FOV and Sense controllers equipped with advanced finger tracking. That’s not a terrible deal if you’re willing to shell out for the $60 cost of entry (er, re-entry?) – assuming you already own a PS VR2 and a reasonably-powerful gaming PC to support it. After a weekend effortlessly running my PS VR2 through the plug-and-play adapter (albeit after a hectic initial setup phase), I can confidently say that I’ll be using the PS VR2 as my preferred PC VR headset from now on.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Design & Features
The all-black PC adapter is sleek and compact; a flat square with a single USB-C port on the front plus a short, (less than 3-foot) male USB-A 3.0 cable hardwired into the back between a DisplayPort 1.4 slot and an AC input. The PS VR2 conveniently plugs into the front through the USB-C port while the back USB-A and DisplayPort 1.4 slots transmit data between the adapter and the target gaming PC. Its small size suggests that it’s designed to blend seamlessly with any existing setup, and as such, it’s no larger than a beverage coaster. This makes it fit well in my unconventional PC setup, which requires me to connect my VR headset perpendicular to my desktop located on the far right side of my desk, essentially across the room from the open area where I usually play with my Quest 3. The adapter is currently sitting on a shelf above the left side of the desk, where it’s held in place by a DVD case – giving my PS VR2 easy access to my PC.
Unlike with Meta’s headsets, where controllers pair directly to the headset, the PS VR2 and its Sense controllers rely on your PC’s Bluetooth being 4.0-capable or stronger. My mobo’s built-in Intel Bluetooth adapter is notoriously finicky and underpowered, which is something I worried about before receiving the unit from Sony. As I suspected, it could barely hold each controller’s connection for less than a minute per controller, and only at a very short range, slowing down what should have been an otherwise simple setup process. Fortunately, I snagged a Bluetooth 5.0-capable external Asus BT500 adapter from Best Buy for $20, which solved my problem. I’d have preferred it if the PS VR2 PC adapter included an onboard Bluetooth 4.0 radio as a courtesy, but it does not.
An early note in the packed-in instruction manual warns to “not use an extension cable or USB hub with the PC adapter, as it may cause it to malfunction.” Despite Sony’s warnings, due to my circumstances and the inability to detach the built-in USB-A cable in favor of something longer, I initially tried connecting the adapter through an external USB 3.0 hub. I also used a DisplayPort extender to connect a 3-foot DisplayPort 1.4 cable to my GPU. I quickly realized that I probably should have heeded the instructions to not do that, since that configuration yielded a blurry, distorted mess inside the headset. I was able to completely fix the issue with a USB 3.0 extender and a longer 6’ DisplayPort 1.4 cable. At the same time, it’d have been nice if any DisplayPort 1.4 cable was included out of the box, the lack of which is an inconvenience if you don’t already have one.
Purchasing Guide
The PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter is available through PlayStation Direct and other major retailers. It’s priced competitively at $60 for a tiny device that can extend unconventional PC setups and effectively turns the PS VR2 into a premium PC VR headset – as long as you own a strong enough gaming rig to handle it. That’s not a big deal on its own, seeing as it requires the target PC to be equipped with a comparatively low-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 or equivalent graphics card, Intel Core i5-7600 CPU (or equivalent), and 8 gigs of RAM. But even with all your bases covered, it’s worth remembering to budget for additional purchases like a DisplayPort 1.4 cable and potentially an external Bluetooth adapter if your PC's onboard Bluetooth is underpowered.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Gaming Performance
The introductory setup tutorial within the PlayStation VR2 PC app is basic yet useful, covering the essentials of setting up and using the Sense controllers and configuring the headset to the wearer’s head shape and eye distance. It’s not as hands-on or immersive as the initial experiences with Meta’s headsets, but it gets the job done before quickly sending you on your way to the SteamVR home area, which lets you quickly jump into whichever games are installed in your Steam library.
Before digging into my settings, I faced massive frame stutters and GPU lag, which was puzzling given that my Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti and AMD Ryzen 3900X should have been plenty capable for playing in VR. What ultimately fixed the problem was disabling Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling and tweaking some global SteamVR settings, like enabling motion smoothing and designating a global 3,000 x 3,000 per-eye custom resolution (some games wanted to automatically default me to upward of 7,000 x 7,000 per-eye resolution for some reason). After some trial and error, it took about an hour to comfortably get into any game, but these were system-side issues as someone who hasn’t regularly played PC VR games for over a year – and not since upgrading my GPU from my old 2080 Super at the very least – not a direct fault of the adapter itself.
What We Said About PlayStation VR2
The PlayStation VR2 may seem pricey, given that it costs $150 more than the base PS5 Digital Edition console you’ll need to use it. Even so, it’s such a quantum leap over the original PSVR in terms of ease of use, visual quality, and immersion that any PlayStation owner who loves VR should upgrade as soon as possible. Its 4K HDR OLED screen and excellently tactile Sense controllers are the most obvious improvement, but plentiful quality-of-life changes and the raw horsepower of the PS5 set a new standard for how VR games should play and feel on console. The downside is that, like any new platform, its thin launch lineup makes its lack of backward compatibility with original PSVR games a significant problem, but one that will only improve as Sony and other developers roll out new games that take advantage of the PSVR2’s unique features. – Gabriel Moss, Februrary 16, 2023
Score: 9
Read the full PlayStation VR2 review
In that sense, it’s still not quite as “plug-and-play” as I’d hoped, but once I cleared the setup hurdles, the turbulence I’d been experiencing dissipated entirely. The PS VR2 PC Adapter integrates well with SteamVR. For the most part, Steam automatically picks up my controller settings and makes it easy to quickly tweak things like Play Area and haptic feedback by pressing the “PlayStation” button and navigating through Steam’s easy-to-use menus.
Adjusting the headset mid-game is simple and intuitive, for instance showing a clear GUI to guide me mid-session when I move the PS VR2’s onboard eye distance adjustment wheel. Passthrough also works flawlessly, letting me jump in and out of VR with the tap of a button.
Granted, every session requires launching both the PlayStation VR 2 app and SteamVR, which can be a bit of a chore. But at least PC games look phenomenal in the PS VR2, even without HDR. I poured hours into Blade & Sorcery, Pavlov, Half-Life: Alyx, H3VR, Skyrim VR, and Boneworks – all of which show rich, vibrant colors and deep blacks on the PS VR2’s 4K OLED display. Even while being bound to a USB-C cable, the experience was definitely a worthy improvement over playing the same games via my Quest 3’s Air Link.
However, a small handful of games, like No Man’s Sky and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, struggled with compatibility, either repeatedly crashing in the former’s case or not recognizing the Sense controllers at all in the latter’s case. Fortunately, both games work much better on the PS5. There’s also a handful of other issues that might turn people off: many of the PS VR2’s advanced features – eye tracking, HDR, adaptive triggers, headset vibration, and advanced haptic feedback – aren’t supported on PC yet. Even more annoyingly, the PS VR2 is entirely incompatible with any of Meta’s back catalog of PC VR games like Asgard’s Wrath and Lone Echo, making the Quest 3 the superior PC VR headset for anyone relying on Meta’s library.
Despite this, the PS VR2’s OLED display and head-relative foveated rendering are still jaw-dropping in most games thanks to the headset’s wide 110-degree FOV. One scene that continues to stick in my mind while writing this review is the opening title sequence of Blade & Sorcery. The dancing green lights shooting through the darkness in that scene show off how rich the headset’s color contrast is. The Sense controllers’ finger touch detection also works flawlessly in games like Pavlov, where you can make a wide arrangement of finger signs by placing your hands on the Sense controllers in certain ways. Steam’s 3D audio system is also at least as perceptibly immersive as the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio system when using the PS VR2’s packed-in Aux earbuds. But for now, the full potential of the PS VR2 remains untapped on PC.
https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-vr2-pc-adapter-review
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter Review
Until now, the otherwise excellent-on-paper PlayStation VR2 headset has seen its loyal fans relegated to an underwhelming selection of games. Thanks to its PS5 exclusivity, VR game developers have been forced to go through a puzzling series of hurdles to make their games available to early owners of the $550 display. As a result, much of the massive backlog of VR games available on PC still haven’t been ported over, leaving players in virtual limbo. That’s extra troubling considering that the PS VR2 is largely missing any serious exclusives to counterbalance the lack of ports.
The long-awaited PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter represents a solution, transforming the device into a SteamVR headset with some (but not all) of its premium bells and whistles, like its 4K OLED display with a 110-degree FOV and Sense controllers equipped with advanced finger tracking. That’s not a terrible deal if you’re willing to shell out for the $60 cost of entry (er, re-entry?) – assuming you already own a PS VR2 and a reasonably-powerful gaming PC to support it. After a weekend effortlessly running my PS VR2 through the plug-and-play adapter (albeit after a hectic initial setup phase), I can confidently say that I’ll be using the PS VR2 as my preferred PC VR headset from now on.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Design & Features
The all-black PC adapter is sleek and compact; a flat square with a single USB-C port on the front plus a short, (less than 3-foot) male USB-A 3.0 cable hardwired into the back between a DisplayPort 1.4 slot and an AC input. The PS VR2 conveniently plugs into the front through the USB-C port while the back USB-A and DisplayPort 1.4 slots transmit data between the adapter and the target gaming PC. Its small size suggests that it’s designed to blend seamlessly with any existing setup, and as such, it’s no larger than a beverage coaster. This makes it fit well in my unconventional PC setup, which requires me to connect my VR headset perpendicular to my desktop located on the far right side of my desk, essentially across the room from the open area where I usually play with my Quest 3. The adapter is currently sitting on a shelf above the left side of the desk, where it’s held in place by a DVD case – giving my PS VR2 easy access to my PC.
Unlike with Meta’s headsets, where controllers pair directly to the headset, the PS VR2 and its Sense controllers rely on your PC’s Bluetooth being 4.0-capable or stronger. My mobo’s built-in Intel Bluetooth adapter is notoriously finicky and underpowered, which is something I worried about before receiving the unit from Sony. As I suspected, it could barely hold each controller’s connection for less than a minute per controller, and only at a very short range, slowing down what should have been an otherwise simple setup process. Fortunately, I snagged a Bluetooth 5.0-capable external Asus BT500 adapter from Best Buy for $20, which solved my problem. I’d have preferred it if the PS VR2 PC adapter included an onboard Bluetooth 4.0 radio as a courtesy, but it does not.
An early note in the packed-in instruction manual warns to “not use an extension cable or USB hub with the PC adapter, as it may cause it to malfunction.” Despite Sony’s warnings, due to my circumstances and the inability to detach the built-in USB-A cable in favor of something longer, I initially tried connecting the adapter through an external USB 3.0 hub. I also used a DisplayPort extender to connect a 3-foot DisplayPort 1.4 cable to my GPU. I quickly realized that I probably should have heeded the instructions to not do that, since that configuration yielded a blurry, distorted mess inside the headset. I was able to completely fix the issue with a USB 3.0 extender and a longer 6’ DisplayPort 1.4 cable. At the same time, it’d have been nice if any DisplayPort 1.4 cable was included out of the box, the lack of which is an inconvenience if you don’t already have one.
Purchasing Guide
The PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter is available through PlayStation Direct and other major retailers. It’s priced competitively at $60 for a tiny device that can extend unconventional PC setups and effectively turns the PS VR2 into a premium PC VR headset – as long as you own a strong enough gaming rig to handle it. That’s not a big deal on its own, seeing as it requires the target PC to be equipped with a comparatively low-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 or equivalent graphics card, Intel Core i5-7600 CPU (or equivalent), and 8 gigs of RAM. But even with all your bases covered, it’s worth remembering to budget for additional purchases like a DisplayPort 1.4 cable and potentially an external Bluetooth adapter if your PC's onboard Bluetooth is underpowered.
PlayStation VR2 PC Adapter – Gaming Performance
The introductory setup tutorial within the PlayStation VR2 PC app is basic yet useful, covering the essentials of setting up and using the Sense controllers and configuring the headset to the wearer’s head shape and eye distance. It’s not as hands-on or immersive as the initial experiences with Meta’s headsets, but it gets the job done before quickly sending you on your way to the SteamVR home area, which lets you quickly jump into whichever games are installed in your Steam library.
Before digging into my settings, I faced massive frame stutters and GPU lag, which was puzzling given that my Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti and AMD Ryzen 3900X should have been plenty capable for playing in VR. What ultimately fixed the problem was disabling Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling and tweaking some global SteamVR settings, like enabling motion smoothing and designating a global 3,000 x 3,000 per-eye custom resolution (some games wanted to automatically default me to upward of 7,000 x 7,000 per-eye resolution for some reason). After some trial and error, it took about an hour to comfortably get into any game, but these were system-side issues as someone who hasn’t regularly played PC VR games for over a year – and not since upgrading my GPU from my old 2080 Super at the very least – not a direct fault of the adapter itself.
What We Said About PlayStation VR2
The PlayStation VR2 may seem pricey, given that it costs $150 more than the base PS5 Digital Edition console you’ll need to use it. Even so, it’s such a quantum leap over the original PSVR in terms of ease of use, visual quality, and immersion that any PlayStation owner who loves VR should upgrade as soon as possible. Its 4K HDR OLED screen and excellently tactile Sense controllers are the most obvious improvement, but plentiful quality-of-life changes and the raw horsepower of the PS5 set a new standard for how VR games should play and feel on console. The downside is that, like any new platform, its thin launch lineup makes its lack of backward compatibility with original PSVR games a significant problem, but one that will only improve as Sony and other developers roll out new games that take advantage of the PSVR2’s unique features. – Gabriel Moss, Februrary 16, 2023
Score: 9
Read the full PlayStation VR2 review
In that sense, it’s still not quite as “plug-and-play” as I’d hoped, but once I cleared the setup hurdles, the turbulence I’d been experiencing dissipated entirely. The PS VR2 PC Adapter integrates well with SteamVR. For the most part, Steam automatically picks up my controller settings and makes it easy to quickly tweak things like Play Area and haptic feedback by pressing the “PlayStation” button and navigating through Steam’s easy-to-use menus.
Adjusting the headset mid-game is simple and intuitive, for instance showing a clear GUI to guide me mid-session when I move the PS VR2’s onboard eye distance adjustment wheel. Passthrough also works flawlessly, letting me jump in and out of VR with the tap of a button.
Granted, every session requires launching both the PlayStation VR 2 app and SteamVR, which can be a bit of a chore. But at least PC games look phenomenal in the PS VR2, even without HDR. I poured hours into Blade & Sorcery, Pavlov, Half-Life: Alyx, H3VR, Skyrim VR, and Boneworks – all of which show rich, vibrant colors and deep blacks on the PS VR2’s 4K OLED display. Even while being bound to a USB-C cable, the experience was definitely a worthy improvement over playing the same games via my Quest 3’s Air Link.
However, a small handful of games, like No Man’s Sky and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, struggled with compatibility, either repeatedly crashing in the former’s case or not recognizing the Sense controllers at all in the latter’s case. Fortunately, both games work much better on the PS5. There’s also a handful of other issues that might turn people off: many of the PS VR2’s advanced features – eye tracking, HDR, adaptive triggers, headset vibration, and advanced haptic feedback – aren’t supported on PC yet. Even more annoyingly, the PS VR2 is entirely incompatible with any of Meta’s back catalog of PC VR games like Asgard’s Wrath and Lone Echo, making the Quest 3 the superior PC VR headset for anyone relying on Meta’s library.
Despite this, the PS VR2’s OLED display and head-relative foveated rendering are still jaw-dropping in most games thanks to the headset’s wide 110-degree FOV. One scene that continues to stick in my mind while writing this review is the opening title sequence of Blade & Sorcery. The dancing green lights shooting through the darkness in that scene show off how rich the headset’s color contrast is. The Sense controllers’ finger touch detection also works flawlessly in games like Pavlov, where you can make a wide arrangement of finger signs by placing your hands on the Sense controllers in certain ways. Steam’s 3D audio system is also at least as perceptibly immersive as the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio system when using the PS VR2’s packed-in Aux earbuds. But for now, the full potential of the PS VR2 remains untapped on PC.
https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-vr2-pc-adapter-review
New AMD Zen 5 Equipped Gaming PCs Are Already Available for Order
AMD's newest processors are a masterclass in power efficiency
https://www.ign.com/articles/new-amd-zen-5-equipped-gaming-pcs-are-already-available-for-order
Bungie Says It Remains Committed to Destiny After Layoffs, Will Reveal Plans for 'Multi-Year Journey' Soon
Bungie says it remains committed to Destiny in the wake of last week's layoffs and that it will reveal more about the franchise's "multi-year journey" soon.
Paramount Plus Finally Profitable, But Company Announces Layoffs Following Billions in Losses
Paramount Plus is finally profitable thanks to releases like Knuckles, but Paramount is nevertheless laying off 15 percent of its U.S. staffers ahead of its upcoming merger with Skydance Entertainment amid billions in overall losses.
Save 50% Off a 1 Year Sam's Club Membership
Access to online and in-store deals on tech, games, food, and more
https://www.ign.com/articles/save-50-off-a-1-year-sams-club-membership
Brad Pitt and George Clooney's Wolfs Lands Sequel Ahead of Its Limited Theatrical Release
Wolfs, starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney, has secured a sequel just over a month before the movie opens in theaters.
Full Episodes of Arcane Season 2 Appear Online Following Netflix Anime Leaks
Full episodes of Arcane Season 2 have appeared online just a day after Netflix appear to suffer a major security breach which saw a slew of fall anime published too.
College Football 25's First Major Update Adds Expanded Playbook Options, New Uniform Pieces, and More
College Football 25's first major update post-launch is finally here.
Arkane Co-Founder Announces First Person Action RPG: 'Fans of Dishonored and Prey Will Feel at Home'
Arkane Studios co-founder Raphaël Colantonio has announced his next game, being developed at WolfEye Studios, is a first person action role-playing game which will make fans of Dishonored and Prey "feel at home."
https://www.ign.com/articles/arkane-co-founder-first-person-action-rpg-dishonored-prey
Game of Thrones' Kit Harington Says Jon Snow Spin-Off Was Canned For Want of a Story 'Worth Doing'
Game of Thrones star Kit Harington has said the Jon Snow spin-off show announced by original author George R.R. Martin in 2022 was cancelled because the team couldn't find a story "worth doing."
The Umbrella Academy Season 4 Review
Netflix adaptation of Gerard Way's comic series gets an excellent ending.
https://www.ign.com/articles/the-umbrella-academy-season-4-review-netflix
Every Apple Watch Generation: A Full History of Release Dates
Almost 10 years have passed since the first Apple Watch.
https://www.ign.com/articles/all-apple-watch-release-dates-in-order
Steve Martin Turned Down Tim Walz SNL Role Despite Fan Demand Saying He's 'Not an Impressionist'
Comedy icon Steve Martin won’t be playing Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate Tim Walz on Saturday Night Live (SNL) despite fans believing he’d be a perfect fit.
https://www.ign.com/articles/steve-martin-turned-down-tim-walz-snl-role
Daily Deals: Apple iPad for $229, Stainless Apple Watch for $340, 40% Off Xbox Game Pass
Here are today's best daily deals, including Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, several iPads, a stainless steel Apple Watch, a handy little Switch "dock" charger, a massive 85" gaming TV, Evangelion themed RGB LED lights, a powerful RTX 4070 Ti graphics card, and more.
3 Months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $33.49
Woot! (which is owned by Amazon) is offering the best deal on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Right now you can get a 3 month code for only $36.49. Microsoft recently raised the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to $19.99 per month, so now you're saving 40% off a 3 month membership. Note that you can purchase multiple codes and apply them to your account, up to a maximum of 36 months.
Note: There is a coupon code "VIDEOGAMES" that takes $3 off one order. If you purchase multiple gift cards, this code will only work on a single gift card.
2021 9th Gen Apple iPad 10.2" 64GB for $229
Starting today, Amazon is offering the 9th gen (2021) Apple iPad 10.2" Wi-Fi 64GB tablet for only $229. This is the best price we've ever seen for this particular model, and right now it's $70 cheaper than the newest 10th gen model. This is the most affordable iPad model you can get brand new with warranty.
2022 10th Gen Apple iPad 10.9" 64GB for $299
If you're willing to spend a little more, the latest Apple iPad is back down to Prime Day pricing. Currently, Amazon has the 10th Gen Apple iPad for only $299.99. The 10th gen iPad has significant improvements over its predecessor. To start out, the new iPad sports a thinner bezel, so it looks less chunky and can fit a larger display (10.9" vs 10.2") within the same footprint. It also has a faster A14 Bionic chip (vs the A13 on the 9th gen), which equates to a 20% increase in CPU performance and 10% increase in GPU performance. It is now compatible with the latest Apple Magic Folio keyboard, turning it into a mini laptop for better workflow (and one of the best iPads for students). Other welcome features include the transition to a universal USB Type-C port, a better camera, and Wi-Fi 6 protocol. I would say the upgrades are worth the $70 premium.
Apple iPad Mini 6th Gen for $379.99
One of the best Apple iPad deals we saw during Prime Day is back. Right now Amazon is offering the 6th gen Apple iPad Mini for only $379.99, a 24% price drop from its original $500 MSRP. Although it was released back in late 2021, the current generation iPad Mini has plenty of power and features under the hood that keep it up to date with the rest of the iPad lineup.
Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm Stainless Steel, LTE) for $347
Looking for one of the more premium Apple Watches for a good price? Well for a limited time, Amazon is offering the Apple Watch Series 7, upgraded with a 45mm stainless steel case and LTE cellular connectivity, for only $347.30. Note that stainless steel Apple Watches are a lot more expensive than their aluminum counterparts. The Apple Watch Series 9 with 45mm stainless steel case currently costs $749 at the Apple Store. This deal saves you over 50% of that cost.
Mirabox Portable Nintendo Switch Dock Charger for $17.99
The Switch dock isn't very portable. It's a little bulky and you'll still need to bring along a wall charger. Fortunately, there's a pretty awesome alternative. Right now Amazon is offering the Mirabox Portable 30W Nintendo Switch Dock Charger for only $17.99 after instant savings and 50% off coupon code "N9XORL7H". This compact gadget charges your Nintendo Switch (at its maximum charging rate) and has an HDMI port for you to connect your Switch to a TV. It has all the functionality of your dock but in a much smaller size.
New 2024 85" Hisense 4K 144Hz QLED Smart TV for $899
Amazon has discounted the new 2024 85" Hisense QD7 4K QLED Smart TV to only $899.99, a savings of $300. Despite the budget price tag, the QD7 has a lot of great features packed into its gargantuan size, like a QLED panel that offers a wider color gamut for HDR streaming and a native 144Hz panel with HDMI 2.1 inputs for 4K @ 120Hz gaming on a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X console.
$1200 Off 55" Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen 4K Gaming Monitor
Also get a free 27" gaming monitor and $100 in Samsung credit
The Odyssey Ark is Samsung's chonkiest gaming monitor, and not just horizontally; it boasts a more useful 16:9 aspect ratio than other huge super widescreen monitors and also has a native 4K 3840x2160 resolution to boot. It's normally priced at an eye-watering $2999.99, but right now you can get it for only $1799.99 after a $1200 instant discount. You'll also get a free 27" Samsung Odyssey G3 gaming monitor and a bonus $100 credit good towards your next purchase at Samsung.com.
Govee x Evangelion RGBIC LED Lights
Govee recently launched a new line of Evangelion themed RGB LED lights. These have been meticulously designed to mimic the futuristic space-mecha vibe of the anime, from the color palette, patterns, shapes, and text to the custom lighting presets that you won't find on other Govee lights. They do cost a premium compared to Govee's non-Evangelion themed offerings, but right now they're on sale at Amazon. They're also discounted at Govee direct, if you'd rather order from there. There are several designs to choose from and they all look pretty sweet.
ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GPU for $673.20
Today Amazon is offering a ZOTAC GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12GB AMP AIRO GPU for only $673.20. This is the least expensive RTX 4070 GPU on Amazon right now, with the next best price going for over $50 more. This particular model is a limited edition Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse collab with themed backplate, tote bag, and more. Even with the release of the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER refresh, the RTX 4070 Ti is still an outstanding card for up to 4K gaming. At this price, it's a much better value too.
Arzopa S1 15" 1080p USB-C Portable Monitor for $59.98
Amazon is offering an excellent deal on this Arzopa 15" 1080p USB Type-C portable monitor. It's normally $129.99, but right now you can get it for only $59.98 shipped. That's the best price we've ever seen for this particular model, and the lowest price compared to other legit 15" USB Type-C monitors on Amazon. This is a great portable display for your Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or ASUS ROG Ally gaming handheld.
https://www.ign.com/articles/daily-deals-08-07-2024-apple-ipads-apple-watch-xbox-game-pass-ultimate