Mens_HealthUSA_December_2016

32 TECH GUIDE 2017 MEN’S^ HEALTH

THE SKEPTIC’S GUIDE TO VIRTUAL REALITY

We’ve suffered through enough half-baked gadgets to question the wisdom of strapping a high-powered

Lite-Brite machine to our face for a few hours. But then there we were, somewhere high above the coast of Africa, floating

through the wreckage of a mangled space station in search of oxygen canisters. We’d fired up a game called ADR1FT

(see below) and after a half hour, the sweat began to drip. Was it the heat of the VR goggles? Or was it the space helmet?

What was real? What was rendered? It almost didn’t matter: We were hooked. VR is here, and it’s worth the hype.

But don’t take our word for it. Get into the game with our guide.

Logitech G920 Driving Force Wheel

Real-time force feedback and functional gas

and brake pedals make all the difference

with driving simulators. $400, logitech.com

Alienware Aurora

Tailor-made for VR, this computer comes

dual graphics–ready and features liquid cooling

under the hood. $1,000, dell.com/aurora

Adventure Time

A platformer (think Super Mario 64) reimag-

ined for VR, this fun title features kids’ favorite

cartoon duo. Prices vary, turbo-button.com

Dirt Rally

This all-weather racing sim includes real-time

course prompts from your shotgun-seated

navigator. Live on the edge! $60, dirtgame.com

ADR1FT

Ever see Gravity with Sandra Bullock? Well,

now you’re Sandra. Good luck with that! NASA

should take note. Prices vary, adr1ft.com

Nikon KeyMission 360

Make your reality virtual with this tough,

dual-lens camera that generates 4K images in

every direction. $500, nikonusa.com

PlayStation VR

Why buy a new rig when your existing PS4

will do? This one offers dead-easy setup

and a roster of exclusive games. Microsoft

has its own experience brewing as well.

$400, playstation.com

Oculus Rift

Go big with this high-fidelity setup. HTC’s

Vive headset and the Valve Steam VR

platform are in the same class. Clever

peripherals unlock the best in immersive

gaming. $599, oculus.com/rift

Google Daydream View

A perfect intro to VR, this system uses the com-

puter in your pocket, not a dedicated power

plant. Fire up an app, slip it in the headset, and

go. It’s compatible with the Android 7.0 Nougat

operating system. $79, vr.google.com

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