46 PICO 4 VR Headset

PICO 4: DESIGN Weight is well balanced Intuitive controls No headphone jack We really like the design of the Pico 4. While it’s not quite as comfy as the Meta Quest Pro it is a huge step up from the Oculus Quest 2 as it doesn't use the same front-loaded design. Instead, like the Meta Quest Pro, the Pico 4 spreads its weight across the headset – the display and main processor are on the front and its battery is placed at the back as part of the strap. Along with its pancake lens optical setup – which is thinner than what the Quest 2 uses – we found that even though the Pico 4 is heavier than its Meta rival – coming in at 586g compared to 503g – it generally looks and feels less bulky. The design isn’t quite perfect, though. The first negative we noticed was that the face padding is covered in fabric rather than silicone – which is what the Quest 2 comes with. If you tend to work up a sweat in VR t...

PICO 4: SPECS AND FEATURES Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chip and 8GB of RAM Full-color passthrough 2,160 x 2,160 pixel per eye resolution The Pico 4 has some pretty solid components under the hood. It starts with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chip as the Quest 2 but soups it up with 8GB RAM compared with its rival’s 6GB. It also comes with a 5300mAh battery that helps it last for two-and-a-half to three hours, as well as support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. It doesn’t just have more raw power, the Pico 4 has a higher resolution display too, with its single 4,320 x 2,160 pixel screen that provides 2,160 x 2,160 per eye ( up from the Quest 2’s 1,832 x 1,920 pixels). It also provides players with a wider field of view at 105 degrees, meaning you can see more of the virtual world by moving your eyes rather than having to turn your whole head. Where the screen falls down is its max refresh rate of 90Hz, the minimum most people requ...

PICO 4: SOFTWARE Solid line up of games No standout exclusives right now Mixed reality features not put to good use yet What’s the point of having a great VR headset if you’ve got nothing to play on it? Thankfully, the Pico 4’s digital store has a wide selection of titles that include some of the best VR games out there, like Walkabout Mini Golf. You can enjoy the Pico 4 sat down or standing up (Image credit: ByteDance) Unfortunately for Pico players, a few great VR games – like the hugely popular Beat Saber and Resident Evil 4 VR – aren’t available on the platform. Beat Saber may launch on Pico (it is Meta-owned but its Steam port gets updates as regularly as its Quest version) but Resident Evil 4 and upcoming titles like Ghostbusters VR and GTA San Andreas VR will likely never launch on a non-Meta Quest system. Pico has sa...

PICO 4 VR Headset Essential tips Starting on the basic end of the spectrum, we'd say these few things are just about essential for any Pico 4 owner. Firstly, you should make sure that you fit the nose flap, it's included in the box, but, strangely, it's not fitted as standard. Without it, you get tonnes of light-leak which ruins the immersion. Fitting it is pretty simple and involves removing the faceplate and slotting it into position. There are detailed instructions on page 9 of the user manual if you get stuck. While you're doing this, you may also want to add the glasses spacer. This is also included in the box and will allow you to wear glasses underneath the headset, should you need them. Another very basic but very important tip is keeping a lens cloth handy. Clean optics are crucial for getting the best visual fidelity, so make sure that the lenses are free from smudges and fingerprints. You should also ...

How to recentre your screen PICO 4 VR Headset  Often times you will find that a game initializes in the wrong place, usually if you were moving around while the game was loading. To fix the orientation, stand in the area where you want to play, facing the correct direction. Then, press and hold the button on your controller with a circle on it. It's purple on the right controller and orange on the left, either one will work. You should then see the world pop into the correct orientation and you can play to your heart's content. This method works in both the home environment and within most games and apps. How to change your home environment If you're not so keen on outer space, there are a few different home environments that you can choose from. To switch, simply go to Settings, then General, and select Virtual Environment. There aren't too many options at the moment, but the mountain ho...

How to screenshot and record gameplay clips PICO 4 VR Headset  Capturing VR moments on the Pico 4 is super easy. There's a dedicated button on the right controller with a picture of a camera on it. Pressing the button once will take a snapshot, and holding the button down will start a video recording. If you visit Settings, then General and choose "Screencasting & Recording" you can adjust recording settings such as resolution and whether the video will include your microphone audio. You can access your saved images and recordings by going to File Manager on the home screen. If you wish to share these recordings elsewhere, the easiest way is via the Pico VR app on your smartphone. So long as the phone and headset are logged into the same account, and on the same wi-fi network, you can access the files in the app by visiting the Devices tab and then selecting Media. Alternatively, you can plug the headset int...