HP Reverb G2

The Reverb G2 isn't the most immersive VR system on the market — that title still belongs to the Index and its accessories — but it does deliver the best visual experience. The refreshed HP Reverb G2 doesn't likely warrant a re-buy over the first Reverb G2, but the changes made are welcome for anyone who's looking to break into VR and WMR. It's a good sign for all fans of VR that HP is continuing to innovate in this arena.

If you’re a gamer, you’ll be tempted by the G2’s resolution, the fact it supports SteamVR and that it has inside-out tracking. Unfortunately, the reality doesn’t quite match up with expectations. It’s a great headset if you can live with the small sweet spot of the lenses and – ideally – have an Intel-based PC or laptop to drive it. But if you plan to use it for sim racing or flight sims in a smaller space, it’s certainly not the best choice – and even if you have a large play area for any VR games or apps, the overall experience just isn’t quite as good as you might expect from a next-gen HMD at this price.

This headset is a great virtual reality option, made convenient by the Windows Mixed Reality elements, easy controls, a comfortable fit, and some of the best visuals on offer too. However, the included controllers aren't our favourite and, yes, we wish it was wireless too.

Reverb G2 is a decent headset and in our review we really loved the clarity of its display and lenses, but were a bit let down by the limited field-of-view. And even though the headset had notably better tracking coverage compared to prior Windows VR headsets, it still had some blind spots that were easy to notice during regular use.

On paper, the HP Reverb G2 should have been the VR headset I chose to replace my aging HTC Vive. But despite being a fanatic for resolution and performance, I chose a Quest 2 instead, and after using a Reverb G2 for weeks, I don't regret that decision. The Reverb G2 may have limited appeal for gamers who value resolution at all costs, or who refuse to agree to Oculus’s Facebook policy. But there are simply too many reasons to spend half as much on a headset that offers close to the same resolution, but with far fewer limitations.