HP Reverb G2 Motion Sickness: Causes and How to Stop It
Motion sickness risk on the HP Reverb G2 is rated moderate. It is a PC or console tethered VR headset by HP (co-developed with Valve and Microsoft), released in 2020, with a 114 degree field of view, a 90 Hz refresh rate, and monochrome passthrough.
The HP Reverb G2 is a 2020 tethered PC-VR headset co-developed by HP with Valve and Microsoft, and it is best known for exceptional clarity: dual 2160×2160 per-eye LCD panels with a mura-free RGB-stripe layout, widely praised as some of the sharpest images in consumer VR, plus Valve-designed off-ear speakers. That crispness works in your favour, since a clear, readable image gives many people less to fight against than a blurry or screen-door display. On the comfort side, the G2 runs at 90 Hz, a step below the 120 Hz of the Quest 3 and PSVR2, which can mean slightly higher cybersickness risk for sensitive users during fast-moving content. Its 6DoF inside-out tracking uses four onboard cameras, so a controller can briefly lose tracking when you move your hands outside that view (behind your head, low near your hips, or right in front of the lenses); the resulting jump or jitter is a design characteristic that some owners find disorienting during fast gameplay. HP's stated 114° field of view also has a fairly small optical sweet spot, so an off-centre fit can add edge blur. Dialling in the hardware IPD slider and eye-relief adjustment sharpens the view and reduces that strain. Note the G2 is discontinued, and Windows 11 version 24H2 (late 2024) removed Windows Mixed Reality, so the headset now needs Windows 11 23H2 or the community 'Oasis' driver to run.
Key facts
- The HP Reverb G2 is a PC or console tethered VR headset from HP (co-developed with Valve and Microsoft), released in 2020.
- It has a 114 degree field of view and a 90 Hz refresh rate.
- Passthrough is monochrome.
- Motion sickness risk for this headset is rated moderate.
- 3 triggers are documented on this page, starting with smooth locomotion in games.
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Primary Motion Sickness Triggers on HP Reverb G2
- smooth locomotion in games
- controller tracking hiccups when your hands leave the four-camera view (behind your head, down at your hips, or close to your face)
- 90 Hz refresh rate (below the 120 Hz of the Quest 3 and PSVR2)
Settings & Comfort Tip for HP Reverb G2
Prefer teleport or snap-turn over smooth locomotion until you build your 'VR legs' (usually 1-2 weeks of short, regular sessions), and switch on any in-game comfort vignette. Keep your controllers in front of you within the cameras' view rather than reaching behind your head, so tracking stays smooth. Take a few minutes to set the hardware IPD dial to your eyes and adjust the eye-relief spacer: a centred, sharp image in the sweet spot means far less eye strain. Break for 10 minutes every 30 minutes when you are starting out.
Set up before your next session with the HP Reverb G2
Put it on your phone
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Free to try, no card needed. Or go straight to the App Store or Google Play.
Scan to open on your phoneOn a computer? Dizzout installs on your phone. Scan the code, or open dizzout.com/get on your phone and it'll take you straight to the right store.
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How to Build VR Tolerance on HP Reverb G2
- Start with stationary or seated experiences for the first 1-2 weeks
- Use teleportation rather than smooth locomotion in games
- Take a 10-minute break every 30 minutes when starting out
- Enable comfort mode and vignette options in any game that offers them
- Don't push through severe symptoms - stop and recover
Whether the sensitivity can be trained away has been tested directly, and the results conflict: see the verdict on brain-training games.
FAQ
Why does HP Reverb G2 make me feel sick?
VR sickness (cybersickness) is the opposite of traditional motion sickness - your eyes see motion but your body is still. Same sensory mismatch, opposite direction. On HP Reverb G2, the primary triggers are: smooth locomotion in games and controller tracking hiccups when your hands leave the four-camera view (behind your head, down at your hips, or close to your face).
Does VR sickness go away with practice?
Yes - most users develop 'VR legs' (tolerance) within 2-4 weeks of regular use. Start with short sessions of 15-20 minutes and gradually increase. Don't push through severe symptoms; that worsens tolerance development.