Vive Pro vs. Vive Cosmos vs. Quest and Some Advice

[James4ever]

Want to pass along some feedback as a consumer, Vive Pro owner, Vive Cosmos owner(just got it and started trying it out since last week), Oculus Quest owner and business owner. 

 

First, let me start off by saying that the Vive Pro has been great, in many regards. The biggest strong point of the Vive Pro over other gear is the outside-in tracking which is super reliable. If I had to compare the Oculus Rift with the Vive Pro, it would be like comparing an Squier guitar with a Fender. Fender's are high precision quality and what someone wants, when budget isn't an issue. If you plan to perform or you play guitar often, Fender is your only option. While an Squier makes for a nice beater guitar. Squier is entry level only.

 

It would be a mishap for Fender to try and compete in the Squier market. HTC taking on inside-out tracking was exactly that with the Vive Cosmos. As a business owner, one thing I've realized after owning many businesses is that you want to own your strengths and make them stronger. Market those. Don't try to compete on someone else's home turf. The inside-out tracking is what it is. Whether it's the Oculus Rift or the Vive Cosmos with the beta patches, it's only 90-95% accurate. 

 

For someone like myself who has really enjoyed games requiring exercise, accuracy, speed, etc. such as Beat Saber or Sairento VR, that super accurate tracking of the Vive Pro is great. Going backward is just not an option once I've gone Pro. That should be the first thing you put forward in any marketing campaign. It is why someone should choose the Vive over some other model. 

 

Let me ask you a question. Why do people spend $1500+ for a high end gaming PC? A lot of people do. It's because they tried out the $800 one from WalMart and found that wasn't good enough for the PC games they enjoy. They like gaming and so they find they need something that's more than 90-95% accurate. They want something that's 99.5% accurate. So AlienWare or MSi pick up that market. 

 

I realize you've got a mask coming out for the Vive Cosmos so it can do outside-in tracking, and that's great. But what I'm getting at here is marketing and development strategy. Oculus is laying the groundwork for you, introducing people to VR. They are actually doing you a favor. Now all you have to do is market yourselves correctly and you'll get a big chunk of those to upgrade into an HTC Vive or Vive Pro. 

 

Cheers,

Jeremiah Johnson