Brad Bourque/Digital TrendsOne major takeaway from CES this year is that VR is a big deal and will, for the time being, constitute a luxury not only because it’s new and unique, but also in terms of price. The Oculus Rift, for instance, is going to cost $600, and that’s not completely without warrant. While the main culprits for this pricing are the two high-fidelity OLED displays built into the headset, another obvious factor is the pair of audio headphones integrated into the Rift.
In a Reddit AMA posted last week, Oculus founder Palmer Luckey addressed the headphones, citing why he believes they should be included:
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“The overhead of managing a SKU without headphones would cost more than the savings of removing headphones. The integrated audio hardware is better than most cans out there, even expensive ones – the Rift has a built in low-noise DAC and amp, and our audio SDK is tuned around that hardware. Good audio does not cost much to build, especially when it is piggybacking on existing materials and distribution (ala the Rift). Give it a chance!”
Essentially, Luckey wanted to include an audio headset on at least one Oculus Rift model and adding a more affordable headphone-less option would cost too much money for Oculus. Fortunately, Luckey says, the onboard headphones compare “favorably” to entry-level professional studio headphones like the ATH-M50x from Audio-Technica. He goes on to compare the Oculus Rift’s audio setup to the ATH-AD700x in that it consists of “open-back drivers with pretty accurate response and a great soundstage.”
Furthermore, some of you may be disappointed to find out that the Oculus Rift may not even be compatible with the headphones you already have. That’s because, although there’s a DAC+amp built into the device, Luckey claims that “without a little hardware hackery,” the integrated DAC+amp won’t be usable with third-party headphones you might already have in your possession. In fact, you’re probably “better pairing off with an external DAC,” he continues.
Despite the inconvenience this poses, it’s at least reassuring that the company founder is so confident that consumers won’t be disappointed with the Oculus Rift’s built-in headphones, and based on my own experiences with them, it’s not hard to see why.
Best refurbished laptop deals: How to find cheap used computers
If you're shopping for laptops on a budget, then you probably don't want to aim for the best laptops on the market, since they often cost thousands of dollars and usually give you diminishing returns the more expensive they get. On the other hand, refurbished laptops are a great way to save money while also helping the environment and reducing e-waste. Not only that, but most refurbished laptops tend to be refurbished by the brand and are backed by warranties and return windows, so even if something is not right with your refurbished laptop, you can get a replacement or your money back.
To that end, Best Buy, Amazon, and Dell all have really great refurbished laptop sales that you can check out, and the prices really are great. Alternatively, if you're in the Apple ecosystem, take a look at these refurbished MacBook deals, or if you still want to go for something new, you could consider checking out these laptop deals instead.
Best Buy refurbished laptops -- starting at $113
Best Buy's refurbished laptops are -- you guessed it -- Geek Squad Certified and while they may not be free and clear of absolutely all cosmetic scuffs they are still exceptionally clean and always in working order. Some of them even come with additional software like virus tools, streaming access, like Apple TV+, and much more. Of course, the best part is that you can get a premium and fully upgraded model for less, often with more storage, more power, and more features than you would when buying a base model brand new. You've got some great options from Lenovo, Acer, HP, Dell, Gateway, and even Apple to choose from. The cheapest models start around $120 and increase from there. The best way to know what's available is to head over and browse for yourself.
Best student laptop deals: Laptops for college from $215
Going to high school or college can be an overwhelming experience, and you probably don't want to add figuring out what laptop you can buy to that stress, especially when you're working under a limited budget and some of the best laptops cost thousands of dollars. That's why we've gone out and picked some of our favorite laptops that work well for students and listed them below, and we've included some of the best budget laptops out there. If you're unsure of where to start, it's worth checking out our laptop buying guide to give you an idea of which direction to go, and if you don't find that in the laptops we've listed below, you can check out these other great laptop deals as well.
HP Laptop 14 -- $204, was $269
The HP Laptop 14 is a popular choice among students because of its entry level price point. It's specs aren't going to blow anyone away, but they're good value for the price and are plenty to get the job done. This build of the HP Laptop 14 has 8GB of RAM and a quad-core Intel Celeron processor. It does check in with just 64GB of storage space -- this may not be enough for some users, but if you aren't planning on loading your laptop up with media this is one that will accompany you well around campus.
Blue Screen of Death: What it means and what to do if you get one
The BSOD, or Blue Screen of Death, is an iconic error screen that anyone who's ever used a Windows PC has liekly come across at one time or another. It's no fun, and it can mean there's a problem with your PC that needs fixing. But in most cases, it's just one of those things that crops up, and simply keeping your PC updated will be enough to prevent it from coming up again.
Here's everything you need to know about BSODs and what to do if youget one.
What is a BSOD?
The stop error screen, or as it's colloquially known for its blue coloring, the BSOD, is an error screen that appears when something has gone critically wrong with your PC. It doesn't mean it's fundamentally broken, but it means something has gone so wrong with it that it can no longer function and needs to reboot to get working again.
