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by fersarr 457 days ago
Is this okay for coding? Does it work with macs/linux?
1 comments

> Is this okay for coding?

I would assume not from screen density (even the Apple Vision Pro was rough for that from my attempts and it's got way higher screen density), but it'd definitely be way more comfortable to try it than anything else on the market.

> Does it work with macs/linux?

It's a standard SteamVR/OpenXR headset (though I don't know how the optional eye tracking plays into that), so the limitation should be your GPU more than anything else.

I'm told by co-workers that the way to use VR headsets for coding is to make the text size large, but to create multiple large text panels. With VR, you essentially have low resolution virtual "monitors" but they're very large and you can have 6+ of them open at a time.

Personally, it still makes me sick when I try to use it for that.

"Large" is underselling it. Even with the AVP, about 1.5x real size is the bare minimum for me for text reading comfort, and with other headsets it's more like 2x or larger. It very rapidly gets into territory where you'll give yourself neck strain trying to keep track of everything.
How is it low res when the specs say 5120 × 2560?
Because the text isn't displaying directly on the headset screen. It's being displayed as a 3d pane within the virtual desktop: https://roadtovrlive-5ea0.kxcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/...

So the actual number of pixels used to display the pane containing your text is maybe 10-20% of the headset display's resolution.

I suppose you could display text directly on the headset display. But then you only have 2,560x2,560 pixels per eye, fewer pixels than a 4k display.

Parent was talking about screen density, so pixels per degree. This headset ~~has more pixels~~ but also a wider fov, so it should feel similar.

Edit: fell for their lies, the headset is only 2k per eye. The 5k figure is "combined", i.e. a marketing number.

I'm with you though: early headsets were low resolution but these modern ones are not. We can still use more pixels though, esp. for text work.