Between the Index and XR-4, the Index comes out ahead in refresh rate and field of view, while the XR-4 wins on eye tracking and color passthrough. Overall, the Index scores 95 and the XR-4 scores 68.3 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Index is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 26.7 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the Index if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. The biggest gaps in its favor are refresh rate, field of view.
Pick the XR-4 if you care most about eye tracking and color passthrough. Its strongest claims are eye tracking, color passthrough.
Both ship with comparable standalone, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Index is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Valve - Index wins
- ▲Refresh rate — 60.00% more. 144 Hz vs 90 Hz.
- ▲Field of view — 8.33% more. 130 ° vs 120 °.
Why Varjo - XR-4 wins
- ▲Has Eye tracking.
- ▲Has Color passthrough.
Spec comparison
Display
| Spec | Valve - Index | Varjo - XR-4 |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution per eye | 1440x1600 | 3840x3744 |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 144 Hzlead | 90 Hz |
| Field of view | 130 °lead | 120 ° |
| Panelⓘ | LCD | Micro-OLEDlead |
Tracking & Audio
| Spec | Valve - Index | Varjo - XR-4 |
|---|---|---|
| Inside-out tracking | false | truelead |
| Eye tracking | false | truelead |
| Face tracking | false | false |
| Color passthrough | false | truelead |
Compute
| Spec | Valve - Index | Varjo - XR-4 |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone | false | false |
| Battery | 0 h | 0 h |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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