In the realm of VR technology, where PC performance constraints have historically limited the development of high-end VR devices, the world’s leading headsets have refrained from annual releases. This has provided an opportunity for domestic brands to catch up, and we are pleased to see that within just one year of pursuit, a domestic product – the DPVR E3 – has emerged to compete with the top three international headsets.
This comparative review is not intended to prove superiority but rather to inform users that they now have an additional choice when selecting top-tier VR equipment. On March 28, 2017, LeXiang Technology held a spring product launch event in Beijing, unveiling the new DPVR E3 and the Polaris laser spatial positioning solution. The single base station positioning kit finally went on sale on September 4, while the dual base station kit was released on September 25. DPVR has now obtained the dual base station positioning kit. Let’s compare the DPVR E3 positioning version with the HTC VIVE to see what highlights it offers.In terms of appearance, the DPVR E3 positioning version, due to the inclusion of base stations and controllers, has a larger packaging volume than the VIVE, but it is still significantly smaller. The E3 positioning version has made adjustments to the exterior color compared to the basic version, with the front panel being white for the basic version and silver-gray for the positioning version, exuding a strong sense of technology. When compared to the Vive headset, the E3 is smaller in size and does not adopt the honeycomb design of VIVE due to sensors. Its streamlined design contrasts sharply with that of the Vive.
The shape of the two controllers is similar to those of VIVE, but they are smaller overall, weighing 150 grams, which is 52 grams lighter than the VIVE controllers. The button layout on the front also differs slightly from the VIVE controllers, abandoning the large circular touchpad of the Vive controllers in favor of a joystick operation, and the power/system button of the VIVE controllers is separated in the E3 controllers, with the power button placed on the top and AB buttons on both sides. The controller shape was designed based on the hand shapes of 120 users to ensure a comfortable grip, and the rationality of this design will be mentioned in the subsequent experience. The official claim is that it can be used continuously for 6 hours after a full charge, but the actual situation remains to be verified. The base station is entirely black, and upon close inspection, it can be seen that it contains three motors, with a horizontally rotating motor in the middle and a vertically rotating motor at each end. Therefore, it is slightly longer than the Vive base station. There are three interfaces on the back, in order: a power port, a USB port, and a master/slave base station switch key. In single base station mode, the activated base station must be the master base station.DPVR E3 offers three modes: 0 base stations, single base station, and dual base stations, corresponding to no spatial positioning, 180-degree tracking, and 360-degree tracking, respectively. The number of base stations can be selected based on the type of spatial positioning required by the game. In contrast, HTC Vive requires either a single or dual base station; without a base station operating, the headset does not display any image, rendering gaming impossible.
DPVR E3 has a distinct advantage in this regard. The Polaris laser positioning system supports large space movement up to 25 square meters, while Vive’s is around 20 square meters. For most players, it is unlikely to have such a large dedicated space for gaming experiences, but offline experience stores can choose suitable equipment based on the actual size of the area. Compared to the multitude of connection cables of the Vive headset, DPVR E3’s connection to the computer is simpler and more straightforward, with one HDMI port and two USB ports. Users can easily identify where to plug them in without needing instructions, although it’s important to note that the HDMI must be connected to the graphics card’s output port. The installation of base stations is slightly more complex, but following the manual makes it clear. Official accessories are provided for mounting base stations onto stands to ensure a good user experience. Therefore, it is necessary to purchase two stands. However, in actual tests, as long as there is a suitable location to place the base stations directly without affecting the user experience, users without stands can be advised to place the base stations at the front of a table or windowsill at an appropriate height. It is crucial to ensure that the placement is stable, as the motors will rotate once powered, and damaging the base station would be a loss. Additionally, there must be no obstructions in front of the base stations. The official website provides the DPVR Assistant client for pairing the positioning kit and experiencing games and videos. There is a beginner’s guide in the device connection process that allows users to follow step-by-step instructions. Initially, each controller and base station must be connected to the host via USB to read data, after which the base stations only need to be powered. A significant advantage of laser positioning over infrared tracking is that base stations do not need to be connected to the host like positioning cameras. Infrared cameras face limitations in tracking range and require more cameras for headset positioning, which means more USB ports are occupied, and there are a multitude of wires. However, DPVR’s Polaris laser positioning and Vive’s Lighthouse do not have such issues. A supplementary note: users with matching stands are advised to complete the beginner’s guide settings before mounting the base stations onto the stands. This is because after installation, the USB ports on the back of the base stations will be blocked by the stands, and to perform the beginner’s guide, the base stations would need to be removed from the stands.It is hoped that the official can address this issue to prevent unnecessary trouble for users. Both the DPVR E3 and VIVE VR headsets feature Samsung AMOLED screens. The E3 has a resolution of 2560*1440 and a pixel density of 515ppi, while VIVE has a binocular resolution of 2160*1200 and a pixel density of 447ppi. In terms of distortion, chromatic aberration, and afterglow, there is not much difference between the two due to the same lens and screen material used. However, upon closer inspection, Vive’s grid sensation is more noticeable than E3’s.
In terms of content, DPVR E3 supports Steam and VROnline. Steam is undoubtedly familiar to everyone; after launching the DPVR assistant, one can directly access SteamVR, and unique identifiers for DPVR E3, controllers, and base stations will appear on the SteamVR interface. VROnline is a comprehensive VR platform jointly created by Kaiying and DPVR, offering a vast array of games and video resources. We selected ‘Raw Data’ and ‘Arizona Sunshine’, both of which have high download and review volumes, for the experience. Both games require significant 360-degree movement. ‘Raw Data’ is a first-person action shooter game, hailed as the VR version of ‘Overwatch’, and supports multiplayer. Players can choose a robot character, draw a samurai sword backward, and fly to the opposite side to destroy drones. Using DPVR E3’s controller to complete this series of actions results in an effect that is no less than that of VIVE’s controller. The grip key press feels softer and more comfortable, while Vive’s grip key feels relatively rigid. Due to the smaller size and lighter weight of the E3 controller, operating the samurai sword throw is lighter and more skilled than with Vive. ‘Arizona Sunshine’ is a zombie-themed action shooter game that has gained fame since its official launch on HTC Vive and Oculus Rift in December last year. The game also supports multiplayer. Players need to break out into a world of zombies to find survivors and change the world. DPVR E3’s sub-millimeter Polaris dual-laser positioning plays an important role in this game. Since zombies have the characteristic of dying with a single shot to the head, players can aim at the zombie’s head with a pistol to save bullets. When aiming at the zombie’s head with DPVR E3’s controller, there is no pistol shaking phenomenon, and the positioning accuracy is comparable to VIVE’s controller. The experience of both games, in terms of latency, drift, or positioning jitter, is essentially indistinguishable from VIVE.When it comes to differences, it’s primarily in the design of the controllers. The E3 controller’s size closely resembles the natural curvature of an adult’s hand, with the base of the index fingers fitting perfectly into the controller’s central groove, and the tips of the middle fingers resting against the grip buttons. The ergonomic design is well thought out, providing a very comfortable grip. In contrast, the VIVE controller’s grip position forms an inverted triangle, with straight lines on both sides. It seems that aesthetics have taken precedence over ergonomic design. Although the grip isn’t uncomfortable, the larger size requires the hand to adapt to the controller, whereas the E3 controller is designed to adapt to the hand. However, there is a detail worth mentioning: when one grip button on the Vive controller is pressed, the other cannot be pressed, meaning both grip buttons are connected to a single button. In contrast, both grip buttons on the E3 controller can be pressed simultaneously, which may lead to some users with strong grip or awkward operation inadvertently pressing the grip button closer to the palm, resulting in a double-click sensation. However, this issue is not present once the user becomes accustomed to the controller. The base station motor’s noise is not too loud, but it is audible. While players might not notice it while wearing headphones during gameplay, it could potentially disturb others in a quiet environment. Summarizing the official data provided, the launch of the DPVR E3 location version indicates the domestic manufacturers’ emphasis on PCVR hardware technology. This is because there are not many mature location solutions in the domestic VR industry, with most being developed based on infrared tracking principles. However, the experience of infrared and laser positioning is not on the same level. The Polaris binocular laser positioning can indeed rival Lighthouse, and although it has some minor flaws, it is forgivable as it is the first generation. The main gaming experience is still quite satisfactory. The single base station kit is priced at 3999 yuan, and the dual base station kit at 4999 yuan, making it a relatively good product among laser positioning solutions. It is hoped that DPVR will drive the domestic VR consumer and commercial markets in the future.
