Both companies have made amazing controllers, but what makes them different and is there a clear leader?
The original Rift Touch controller for Oculus
When this controller first hit the VR world, it was by far the best on the market. The touch controller had grip buttons so you could easily control the joystick and use the controller without having to waste time locating the buttons.
But it’s been a few years since the touch controller came out, and if you’ve played with other controllers in the meantime, you’ll feel the difference in what’s essentially ‘old tech’.
The sensors are still excellent, but the manipulation of the controllers is no longer precise compared to how virtual spaces work today.
The controllers aren’t even perfect in one game, like archery or racing, because they try to be good at all of them.
The controllers aren’t bad, they just aren’t the best anymore.
The original Vive controllers
Back then, when it was the original Rift against anything else, Rift won every time. But the Vive released its own controller which was easier to hold. It might seem like an odd feature to point out, but this ease of handling meant your hand positioning in VR games was more realistic.
Again, this controller wasn’t meant for any particular game, but they saw a problem with the current bestseller and figured out how to fix it.
This model of manual controller is still considered the essential basis of all the new technologies developed around it.
The only real issue with it is the lack of a grip button. This means you can’t bend down and pick something up like in real life, which can really take you out of the immersive feeling.
Vive Cosmos Controller
On a roll, Vive released the Cosmos Controller, but for some reason they designed it with a tracking system that turned out to be bad.
Most controllers use reverse tracking sensors that work out where you are and track what’s around you. Or they use the exterior in base stations, which surround you to understand how you move through the station.
The Cosmos Controller tracks your movements using light. The idea is that the light is blocked or shined to show the tech how close or how far away you are. It didn’t really work.
The cosmos style is amazing and the other aspects of the controller are great, but when you’re dealing with VR you want to be able to control your avatar as if it were real, and this controller isn’t very good at keeping you have immersed.
Rift S (and Quest) touch controller for Oculus
At first glance, these controllers are not pretty. They don’t have the Vive lights. Instead, it looks like Oculus has focused on “touch” features.
This controller is so light that if you walk around Brooklyn playing Spider-Man, you won’t feel the controller. If you steer your saber in Beat Saber, you can keep finding the beat for hours.
Touch controllers are designed to be forgotten, so you can focus on the game.
But a light touch isn’t enough to be impressive and Oculus knew it. This controller is more precise and more powerful than the original. You will feel the rumble of the vibrations on your hands, if you fall you will feel the tremor of the monster behind you or the loss of grip on your spider web.
This controller gives you real sensations in the virtual world.
These controllers are currently the best in the world, so if they are compatible with your console, you should get the Quest Touch Controller.
