The HP Reverb G2 V2 features some notable differences compared to its earlier version the HP Reverb G2 V1. From wider controller tracking to better immersive FoV and system customizability. Here are the most important differences between the two versions of the PC VR headsets from HP.
HP Reverb G2 version 2, internally at HP named “G2.1”, arrives preinstalled with a new eye-relief distance distinctly without a spacer. Effectively, this decreases the distance between the wearer’s eyes and the fresnel lens from 15mm to 9mm. This creates an increased visual field-of-view and subsequently a stronger immersive quality.
Horizontal field of view | Vertical field of view | |
HP Reverb G2 V1 | 82° | 78° |
HP Reverb G2 V2 | 98° | 88° |
Difference | 16° | 10° |
The comfort and usability of this new detachable eye-relief distance spacer are based on the shape and size of your head and face.
The new HP Reverb G2 V2 features a 30% larger tracking area from its cameras, allowing for broader gestures and movements. The first version struggled with tracking blindspots – especially vertically – removing immersion and in some cases, usability. The new inside-out tracking cameras on version 2 enable tracking almost over your head to your waist, resulting in a noticeable improvement for location-based virtual reality use-cases such as training & onboarding.
Lastly, with the new update of the Windows Mixed Reality Portal, running on the new version of HP Reverb G2, you can set chosen applications to launch automatically when the headset is plugged in or booted up. It makes the management of multiple headsets easier, especially during large-scale conferences and/or keynotes.
The field-of-view of its controller tracking area was always limited and reduced the full potential of the HP Reverb G2. While the display visual range also could have been improved to increase immersion. Version 2 of HP Reverb G2 covers all this and improves on an already enticing virtual reality offering, making the headset one of the best for location-based VR!