Field of view
The viewing angle provided by virtual reality glasses is the angular size of the space that falls into the user's field of view. Usually, the characteristics indicate the size of this space horizontally; however, if you need the most accurate information, this point needs to be specified separately.
The wider the viewing angle — the more the game space the user can see without turning his head, the more powerful the immersion effect and the less likely that the image will be subject to the "tunnel vision" effect. On the other hand, making the field of view too wide also does not make sense, given the characteristics of the human eye. In general, a
large viewing angle is considered to be an angle of 100° or more. On the other hand, there are models where this indicator is 30° or even less — these are, usually, specific devices (for example, drone piloting glasses and augmented reality glasses), where such characteristics are quite justified given the overall functionality.
Control
The type of control provided in the design of the glasses.
Note that in this case we are talking exclusively about our own controls installed directly on the body of the glasses; many models are equipped with external controllers (see "Remote control"), but they are not taken into account in this case.
- Button. Control with classic buttons. The main advantage of this option is simplicity and low cost, while its functionality is quite enough to work with basic functions like menu navigation. On the other hand, the buttons require some effort when pressed, which can be somewhat inconvenient, especially when using the controls intensively. However, most often this disadvantage is still not fundamental.
- Touch. Control using sensors that are sensitive to touch and do not require pressing (unlike buttons). In the simplest models, these are separate sensors, the functions of which are similar to the same buttons. In more advanced devices, entire touch panels can be provided, for example, allowing you to control the cursor visible through the glasses and use special gestures. Anyway, this type of control is more advanced than push-button, however, it is more expensive, and therefore less common.
Magnetic button
The presence
of a magnetic switch in the design of virtual reality glasses.
A similar switch is found only in models designed for telephones (see "Intended use"). It is usually installed on the side of the glasses and looks like a movable metal element. The meaning of this function is that when the switch is moved, the magnetic field inside the glasses changes, and most modern smartphones are equipped with sensors that can track these changes. Thus, the user gets extended control options: for example, in shooting games, the magnetic switch can play the role of a trigger.
Controller
The presence of a
controller — an additional control device — is included in the delivery of glasses.
The design and functionality of such an accessory may be different. So, the most popular option is specialized game controllers with a characteristic look — a handle with an analogue lever and buttons. There can be two such handles at once, under both hands; and in some models they are also used to control gestures. The movement of the hands can be tracked both by sensors in the controllers themselves and by cameras on the glasses. There are also simpler solutions — for example, portable gamepads or remote controls for controlling video playback.
