Rift S users, opinions needed pls

Chris James · Apr 7, 2021

I'm dead set on getting back into sim racing, and when I left, I was using VR with AC. After trying VR, I can't go back to flat, so I'm in the market for a new HMD. I want an Index, but honestly probably can't afford it without taking out a loan. Anyone using the Rift S? How is it with AC? My only base of reference would be with the CV1, and I know the res wasn't great, but it sure was thrilling, but I just don't know if I should settle for the rift S or hold out and save up for the Index. Opinions needed, should I go ahead and get the Rift S and get back on track now? Any negatives with it?

I understand this post is probably more suited for the hardware forum, but I'll probably only use it for AC, so I'd like opinions from AC drivers.

RedBull48 · Apr 7, 2021

I am not sure how well it translates however I have only played ACC in VR and I use the Oculus rift S. I find the experience very fun and the fidelity pretty good once tuned a bit. That can be a bit of a wildcard depending on your hardware configuration. My only real gripe with the rift S is them being owned by facebook however I just chalk it up for what it is. One of the main reasons I went with the Rift S was I liked the inside out tracking. If this is something that appeals to you I would say go with that. You also should consider how long you will need to save to get the Index. Just my two cents, cheers.

Chris James · Apr 8, 2021

RedBull48 said:
I am not sure how well it translates however I have only played ACC in VR and I use the Oculus rift S. I find the experience very fun and the fidelity pretty good once tuned a bit. That can be a bit of a wildcard depending on your hardware configuration. My only real gripe with the rift S is them being owned by facebook however I just chalk it up for what it is. One of the main reasons I went with the Rift S was I liked the inside out tracking. If this is something that appeals to you I would say go with that. You also should consider how long you will need to save to get the Index. Just my two cents, cheers.

I have an i7 6700 stock clock and a gtx 1080, what are you running?

RedBull48 · Apr 8, 2021

Ryzen 7 3800x, Corsair Vengeance 16 Gb, 1TB SSD, RTX 2070 super hybrid. I believe the ram comes overclocked at 3200Mhz by default on my mobo. But other than that I don't really do any overclocking.

Jim Layee · Apr 8, 2021

Chris James said:
I have an i7 6700 stock clock and a gtx 1080, what are you running?

I have the same processor and a factory overclocked 980ti and manage 80 FPS with a bit of fiddling of settings . Doesn't look too fabulous but more than good enough to enjoy

acidburn82uk · Apr 14, 2021

I ran my RIFT s on an old i7 3770 and a 980Ti... it worked. But had to run everything pretty low.

Built a new machine last October with a R5 3600, 2080Ti, 32GB DDR4 3200, and it runs brilliantly... I had tried a CV1 before that on a friends rig, and the Rift S is far better.

Don't hesitate, especially as Rift S is discontinued and you may find it had to buy soon.

acidburn82uk · Apr 14, 2021

Oh and AMS2 is by FAR the best sim racing platform for VR! It's stunning out of the box and doesn't needs loads of tweaking.

asincero · May 14, 2021

I was about to get a Rift S, but then read about it's non-adjustable IPD issues. The max IPD , I believe, on the Rift S is 68. Mine is 70, which means it may or may not be good for me. With no way for me to try one out before buying, I deemed it too much of a risk.

So I went with a Quest 2, and don't regret it one bit. Especially now that Oculus officially supports wireless PC VR on the Quest 2 via Air Link. You might think being able to go wireless isn't a big deal for simracers since you're sitting in one spot, but you'd be surprised. The liberating feeling of not having to deal with, or feel, a cable being attached to your head is pretty amazing.

I haven't driven a whole lot in AC with the Quest 2, but with plain vanilla AC I've been able to get to 90fps. However, that all changes the moment I enable CSP+Sol. Sadly, my fps drops to a paltry 40. Mind you, I haven't made any real effort to optimize my settings yet. There's a few YouTube videos showing you what settings to use in CSP+Sol to bump your fps up a bit. But since I'm going from 90 to 40, I'm not very optimistic it's going to make a huge difference. It's a shame too, since I'm really liking the improved visuals the latest CSP brings.

I'm running a GTX 1080, so I obviously need to upgrade. But the way GPU prices are, that won't be happening anytime soon. They say GPU prices won't even begin to return to normal until 2022! I might instead get a 49" super ultrawide and drive in that for titles that won't work in VR (i.e. AC and CSP+Sol with all of the eye candy turned on). That might hold me over until GPU prices return to something that more resembles reasonable.