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The Oculus Rift S makes use of Oculus Insight tracking technology to remove the need for bothersome external sensors, meaning it can deliver out-of-the-box room scale with minimum fuss.

Chris Kerr, News Editor

March 20, 2019

1 Min Read

Oculus has pulled back the curtain on the Oculus Rift S, a brand new PC VR headset that "combines the convenience of built-in Oculus Insight tracking tech with the full power of your PC." 

The headset is essentially an upgraded version of the standard PC-powered Oculus Rift that offers built-in tracking (wave farewell to those webcams) along with improved optics and display tech to deliver sharper pictures with higher pixel density. 

As mentioned earlier, the Rift S makes use of Oculus Insight tracking technology to remove the need for those bothersome external sensors, meaning it can deliver out-of-the-box room scale with minimum fuss.

"The Rift S headset features five sensors to maximize tracking volume in support of the existing Rift library. Oculus Touch controllers, redesigned for inside-out tracking, bring familiar hand presence and input so you can grab, point, and gesture through the best of VR," said Oculus, explaining how the tech works.

"We’re also enabling a true stereo-correct passthrough feature, Passthrough+. It utilizes core Oculus runtime advancements, including ASW, to produce a comfortable experience with minimal depth disparity or performance impact. It’s especially helpful any time you need to step or see outside of your play space."

Beyond that, the Rift S should be a more comfortable device, with co-designer Lenovo claiming the new headset has better weight distribution and light blocking, along with a single-cable system that makes for a clutter-free experience. 

It also sports the same integrated audio system as the untethered Oculus Quest and entry-level Oculus Go, and includes a headphone jack so users can hook up their favorite pair of cans.

The Rift S is due to launch this spring, and will retail for $399. You can find out more about the device and sign up for updates over on the Oculus website.

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About the Author(s)

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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