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[Rift S Review] From CV1 to S

xWildchildx
Explorer
Hi all,
time to spend my 2 cent on a small review.
In the past weeks I've read a lot of review focused on "from CV1 to S worth it?", and now that I took the S from Amazon on Black Friday with 50euro discount, I can post my consideration.
I have the CV1 since something like "day 1" (maybe day "2" let me say).
I saw all the software evolution, I remember every single update and phase of the CV1 history, the bad updates and the good one.
Oculus effort was AMAZING during the last years, so massive improvements was done since the day one! 
Now, the S come out. I've read all the review and basically the "CONS" considered by most of that review is:

1) no OLED, so black is not black but "greysh";
2) audio quality from the "non-headphones;
3) sensors tracking sometimes not perfect (latest updates should mitigate/fix this);

My "S" arrived last Saturday at me. I was excited, not like the first day with the CV1, but excited.
Package is really good, let me say that CV1 was AWESOME, but the S one is really good. But we don't care about the package...right?
So, connecting the S to the PC (i7 6700k, 16GB RAM, Nvidia 1080Ti)...Oculus Home didn't open itself as I expect. Mmm. I open it manually.
Ok! Found the Rift S! It ask me firmware and driver updates. Let's do this. It takes a long time, after some Oculus Home restart...it ask me to...restart Oculus Software. Again. And again. And again. And again.
Ok. Shit. Maybe a clean Oculus installation is preferred. I can accept this since I never needed to re-install it clean since CV1 "bug" a long time ago (do you remember that update? 🙂 ).
Ok, clean install! Insert Rift "S"..."can't track your movement" (or something like that...) and again, ask me for software restart loop.
So angry. It takes me hours on this, then after "usb out/in" and "display port out/in"...SBAM! It works! Finally! I can try it!

I'll be very short:

1) OMG...that's CRISP. I can finally rad every single row of text! It's AMAZING from CV1 experience! WOW!
2) Colors are OK, let me say, I can't tell you if there's some difference from CV1 on this...really.
3) Black: meh...I think this is the major big problem (after the software and connection...that is THE major). For many games/experience is fine. For example, on daytime in Pavlov VR or Onward, it's really fantastic...you'll don't miss the OLED "true" black. But...in the dark scene...you'll miss it. A lot. This will break your experience. On Arizona Sunshine dark scene for example, Onward night time (without night vision on, of course). On Project Cars 2 and Assetto Corsa you can notice it, but it's not so important as I could expect. It's OK. Just OK. Not so bad on that kind of game. Vader Immortal instead break your immersion a lot cause the dark environment around you.
4) Audio: OMG. Why? Why Oculus decide to go with this SHIT instead of the "near-perfect" headphones in the CV1? Because I can't give to this other name other than shit. It's pure shit. Lack in bass. In clarity. In dynamics. It lacks everything you could expect for a GOOD audio experience. You need the headphones in order to avoid any nausea and so I tried it with my small AKG K328 earphones. But the problem is that every time you put your Rift S on, you need to insert the earphones. And again, when you take it out, the same. Annoying as hell.
5) Refresh rate: for the most part, I can't notice difference from CV1 90hz to Rift S 80Hz. Most, but not all. It works fine for Project Cars 2 and Assetto Corsa where I originally expect issues. It's fine. I can't believe but I don't notice so much difference. In Onward, by the way, it's MASSIVE difference. Rift S movement it's bad against CV1 "perfection". Very strange, tried several time but that's it. Annoying. 
6) Tracking: sensors are the only issue that sometimes the CV1 gives to me so I was really excited from inside tracking of Rift S! Ok, it's fine for most of games like Project Cars 2 and Assetto Corsa. Let me say, it's fine for all games without the touch needed. Because the touch movement it's not good as the CV1. A lot. In Onward for example gun/rifle movements are not natural at all. In CV1 it's almost perfect, in Rift S so disappointing. Also, you need the full lights on in the room, if you lower it the tracking simply stops working at all. I've read so many reviews and most of all says that the latest updates improved this a lot, I tried the beta update channel of course but it's simply not working as good as CV1. No near miss, but very distant from the CV1.
7) Comfort: I think this is personal, but for me the CV1 it's so much better in comfort and easy to put in/out.

So that's it.I love the screen resolution and sharpness. It's night and day from CV1, for sure. The sound it's so awful but ok, you can use your headphones. 
The refresh rate can be "good" for 90% of games. The "true black" lacks too. 
But the software...the drivers...OMG...this is a nightmare. Why? Why Oculus???

Final consideration: probably I will return it to Amazon due to connection issues. I don't want to fight everytime I want to play
For 10 mins play you need 30mins fight with connection. Unacceptable.
I hope they'll fix this issue, otherwise Rift S is already dead.

After connection...I think that if you come from CV1, the Rift S it's simply not your way to go. If you played a lot like me in the CV1, black lacks, refresh rate and tracking will make too much impact on your experience.
But, if you're new to VR, Rift S will be AMAZING experience because you cannot compare it to the CV1 experience.

P.S.: after 2 days of play, I took back the CV1 for comparison. Simply put the USB and HDMI. It works like a charm. At first try. CV1, my old love, missed you so much.
Thermaltake Element G - Corsair TX850W - ASUS ROG Maximus VIII Hero - Intel Core i7 6700K@4.5GHz (1.230V) - Noctua NH-D15 - 16GB DDR4 3.466Mhz Corsair (2x8GB) CAS16  - Samsung 950 PRO  M.2 NVMe 256GB - GTX 980Ti Inno3D iChill Black Accelero Hybrid S - Windows 10 PRO 64bit - Panasonic CXM710 50" 4K LED - Oculus Rift CV1
54 REPLIES 54

Maxxgold
Rising Star
I bought the Oculus Quest, and the sound, like you said, is “shit.” The unit itself is amazing and I’m happy with it, but you are right.. The sound in the CV1 is amazing compared to the sound of the Quest, and Rift S too it seems. 

Don’t buy the Oculus Earbuds because they are “shit” too. No bass, and they sound terrible. I’m using my iPhone headset until I find something that works. 

I bought the Valve Index, and the sound is so amazing. Oculus dropped the ball with sound. 

xWildchildx
Explorer

Maxxgold said:

I bought the Oculus Quest, and the sound, like you said, is “shit.” The unit itself is amazing and I’m happy with it, but you are right.. The sound in the CV1 is amazing compared to the sound of the Quest, and Rift S too it seems. 

Don’t buy the Oculus Earbuds because they are “shit” too. No bass, and they sound terrible. I’m using my iPhone headset until I find something that works. 

I bought the Valve Index, and the sound is so amazing. Oculus dropped the ball with sound. 


Thanks for your feedback, after the Link cable launch I was afraid of my decision thinking about "Quest would be a better choice with Link supporto to PC".

Actually I think that the Valve Index should be the only real upgrade from CV1, but it doesn't exists on Amazon here in Italy and I don't want to buy it directly from Steam due to return policy.
I would try it before spend so much money, I'm worried about black level on Index due to non-OLED display.
Thermaltake Element G - Corsair TX850W - ASUS ROG Maximus VIII Hero - Intel Core i7 6700K@4.5GHz (1.230V) - Noctua NH-D15 - 16GB DDR4 3.466Mhz Corsair (2x8GB) CAS16  - Samsung 950 PRO  M.2 NVMe 256GB - GTX 980Ti Inno3D iChill Black Accelero Hybrid S - Windows 10 PRO 64bit - Panasonic CXM710 50" 4K LED - Oculus Rift CV1

RuneSR2
Grand Champion


It works like a charm. At first try. CV1, my old love, missed you so much.



I get that too coming from the Index - but I like having 2 hmds, each have their own strengths and weaknesses. And Index has even better tracking than CV1 - and sound is often better, but that'll depend on the bass. 

Sometimes I forget I've disconnected to CV1 when starting the Oculus software and I get the notification that my hmd can't be found - then I just activate the usb connection and voila CV1 is back, no need to reboot, CV1 gets detected just like inserting a usb drive. 

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"

Anonymous
Not applicable
Regarding the black levels, I wouldn't worry too much about it. You get used to it.

pevides
Explorer
Oculus connection could be so simple.. so simple... but no. They have to mess up with all the DRM bullsh*t and stuff, ruining de experience to everybody.

Dominyque_Water
Explorer
After years of drolling on this technology(i'm that kind of person that spend time looking for new technology in some remote areas of the net), i've finnally got my hands on a used Rift Cv1 (last one Vr Headset i've tried was the Dk2 in a videogame museum in Rome)..........I'M LITERALLY IN LOVE WITH THAT! I had only the chance to use it for like 5 minutes (i was at my friend's home, my gpu is not supported and the new one is waiting for me to install it while i'm writing this) everything was super.......WOW and, btw i wear glasses, so i've tried it without and still think was a great experience! I can't wait to put it on again and start doing some serious work in VR!

RuneSR2
Grand Champion


After years of drolling on this technology(i'm that kind of person that spend time looking for new technology in some remote areas of the net), i've finnally got my hands on a used Rift Cv1 (last one Vr Headset i've tried was the Dk2 in a videogame museum in Rome)..........I'M LITERALLY IN LOVE WITH THAT! I had only the chance to use it for like 5 minutes (i was at my friend's home, my gpu is not supported and the new one is waiting for me to install it while i'm writing this) everything was super.......WOW and, btw i wear glasses, so i've tried it without and still think was a great experience! I can't wait to put it on again and start doing some serious work in VR!


Welcome, you may indeed find that CV1 across all genres of apps and games, and with more limited gpu ressources, still is the optimal hmd. I use it myself and just bought a spare one 😉

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"

Netheri
Rising Star
After reading this thread it really is making me now to decide, should i just buy a working spare somewhere or wait for the 2nd gen. Over 1k€ from the 1.5 gen devices seems really too much, and as the Quest with Link and S seem to be struggling with almost every software update (and S not having the manual IPD setting) the ½k€ also seems quite a lot of money to be spend when, as said in the earlier post in this thread, the sound is shit (and the tracking just can't beat the outside camera tracking on controllers, until there is a controllers which has their own tracking camera).

Personally i really can't understand why Facebook dropped the sound we accustomed in CV1 from the 1.5 gen step forwards, losing an edge there against the competitors (of course it's the money, cheaper to produce, more profit/sell but shit, that was one of the benefits of Oculus; great sounds out of the box).
i9-9900K@ 5GHz, ASUS Rog Strix 2080 Super OC , 32gb 3466MHz DDR4, ROG Strix Z390 E Gaming, 1 x Inateck 4 port USB 3.0 card, 2x3.1, USB, 6x3.0 USB on mobo, 1x USB-C on G-card, Reverb G2

KingBlackpixel
Expert Protege
Thanks for this very honest review. 
I'll certainly wait for the RIFT 2 and I wished they'd just create it inhouse like the CV1.
The Valve Index is just too unreasonable for me. 1K for a headset monitor. 
They should have at least gave CV1 owners some kind of way to purchase and replace the lens.  
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