I wanted to try something that didn't permanently modify any original components. Here is what I came up with.

If, on the other hand, you are looking for a versatile headset that has good standalone functionality, but also want a capable PCVR headset, then the Pico 4 remains a terrific choice, and is probably one of the best options you can go for right now. Those looking for a capable PCVR headset that can also function well as a standalone headset might find the Pico 4 a better choice than Quest 3, as much of the improvements that are due to come with Quest 3 are related to the mixed reality functionality, and if this isn’t something you’re particularly interested in, then you may be better avoiding it.

The system software inside VR is very similar to Quest. It’s clearly “inspired”, in the same sense as many Chinese Android brands are “inspired” by iOS. If you’ve tried a Quest and liked the interface, you’ll probably like Pico’s. If you didn’t, you probably won’t like this either. I think that anyone buying a Pico 4 today is likely to have a headset that they can use for at least a few years without it being significantly superseded by superior headsets for the same price. Let’s move on to look at some individual aspects of the Pico 4 and see how they have fared over the last year. Pico 4 Review Video That’s not to say it’s completely monoscopic. There is a different perspective delivered to each eye. But this stereoscopy is faked from the single color camera in the center. The scale of the image delivered isn’t true to life and exhibits distortion over the entire view, a much worse experience than the depth-correct passthrough on Quest Pro which can exhibit distortion on specific objects in 3D space.

But Meta has built-up a catalog of standalone exclusives you won’t find on Pico 4 including Beat Saber, Resident Evil 4, Population: ONE, Onward, and soon Iron Man VR. Meta has acquired 8 game studios over the past 3 years but has only teased 1 new game from them, so expect a range of new Quest exclusives in coming years. Combined with the higher resolution panels, the overall clarity is a noticeable step up from Quest 2.Pico 4 was released in October 2022. I bought it on day one and I’ve been using it an awful lot over the last year. When I first got it, I was really impressed with the visual clarity due to the excellent, high-resolution display panels, pancake lenses, and reasonably good FOV. Our facial interfaces are passively ventilated to allow hot air that accumulate around the lens to escape. This can reduce fogging issues and make more intensive sessions feel cooler.

Whereas Quest 2’s controllers house its infrared LEDs in a ring in front of the controller, Pico 4’s controllers have them in an arc over your hands. The advantage is that you can bring your hands much closer together without bashing together plastic you can’t see inside VR. This makes interactions like rapidly reloading a weapon far less frustrating. When I wear it, it moves the pressure off my face but still allows me to get very close to the lens. As you can see I'm right up in there. The FOV improvement is excellent. I'm getting around 11 degrees extra horizontal FOV (87 to 98). It makes a big difference to me. Vamos a empezar por el facial, porque creo que es un accesorio imprescindible para nuestras PICO 4, porque el facial original me ha dado muchos problemas y este nuevo facial los ha solucionado todos.

Otro problema que tenía con el facial original era el material con el que estaba hecho, de una especie de tela que absorbía todo el sudor y lo dejaba empapado. Una vez organicé una reunión de jugones con un grupo de amigos para darle al Pistol Whip y ya te puedes imaginar lo que era pasarnos de uno a otro las gafas sudadas… Perhaps this is the reason Pico 4’s refresh rate is 72Hz by default, and 90Hz is an experimental option, as 120Hz was on Quest 2. Other than the frame drops though, I didn’t notice any technical issues with 90Hz mode. It’s a big step up visually at first glance, but there’s a major caveat. Pico 4’s passthrough isn’t depth-correct, like the original Oculus Quest until a software update it received 5 months after launch. More titles are coming soon after launch, including T he Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, Green Hell VR, and Warhammer 40000: Battle Sister. Pico 4 offers sharper, wider and taller lenses in a slimmer & lighter design that makes Quest 2 look outdated by comparison. But the content ecosystem is far less developed, the software isn’t as refined, and the processor can struggle to keep up with higher resolution.

Much of the discussion so far about Pico 4 has centered on the on-paper technical specs. We have a rundown of those with a comparison to Quest 2 already. But in this review, I’m going to talk about the experience those specs create when they all come together, what the device is like in real usage, and whether or not you should actually buy one instead of a Quest 2. Comfort & IPD Interestingly, Meta’s CTO was right: the field of view being taller is actually more impactful than it being wider. Ironically, Quest Pro’s field of view is as wide as Pico 4 but not as tall. I haven’t yet received a Quest Pro review unit, but based on my initial impressions I suspect Pico 4 will be my wireless PC VR driver due to the vertical field of view alone. Quest 2 just feels claustrophobic in comparison. Pico 4’s app store is slowly but surely filling up with many of the top Quest titles. You’ll find games like Superhot VR, Blade & Sorcery Nomad, Demeo, After the Fall, Arizona Sunshine, Eleven Table Tennis, Walkabout Mini Golf, Space Pirate Trainer, and GORN. Here’s a full list. El facial que viene con la compra de PICO 4 es duro, muy duro, hay usuarios que se acostumbran a él, pero a mi se me clavaba en las mejillas y me era muy incómodo en sesiones de más de una hora. I almost exclusively use a wireless connection as I have a Wi-Fi 6 router located in the same room as I use my VR headsets, providing a direct line of sight, resulting in a very low latency connection. Even for fast-paced games, I can barely detect any latency, and it certainly doesn’t impact my performance or enjoyment.The bottom line is that, if you are looking for a really competent standalone VR headset, with top-notch visual clarity, then you will not be disappointed with Pico 4. I do think it’s currently more suited for people who want to play both PCVR and standalone content, rather than people who want to do standalone content only. If you own a gaming PC though, you can play Beat Saber and Onward as well as PC VR exclusives like Half-Life: Alyx and Skyrim VR via SteamVR. Like Quest, Pico 4 has built-in wired and wireless PC VR streaming. It doesn’t work quite as well as Air Link, with more noticeable occasional stutters. But thankfully Virtual Desktop is also available on the Pico store, and it works just as well as on Quest. Conclusions Pico 4’s rigid strap is similar to Quest 2’s Elite Strap accessory and has the battery built into the rear – part of the reason the visor is lighter. This balances the weight significantly better than the default flimsy elastic strap that gives Quest 2 its front-heavy feeling out of the box. The downside to Pico 4’s strap is that it’s not removable, so you can’t choose a 3rd party alternative. Be it hygiene, comfort or immersion, you can count on our products to deliver the benefits that are most important to you. The battery life on Pico 4’s controllers seemed roughly on par with Quest 2’s, though they require 2 AA batteries each compared to 1.