Desktop+
- January 1, 2021
- elvissteinjr
- 1093h median play time
Get on SteamDesktop+ is a powerful, yet lightweight tool for SteamVR bringing your desktops and windows into the VR world. No matter if you just need a more reliable desktop view in your dashboard or a complex context-aware multi-overlay setup with custom shortcuts, Desktop+ offers a wide array of tweakable settings to make the overlays fit your needs.Features User interface with real-time adjustments access…
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Desktop+ is a powerful and essential tool for VR users, allowing seamless interaction with desktop applications while in VR.
- The software is free and open-source, providing features that rival paid alternatives like OVR Toolkit and XSOverlay.
- The recent updates have improved usability and customization options, making it easier to set up and use for multitasking in VR.
- The user interface can be confusing and unintuitive, requiring a learning curve to fully utilize its features.
- Some users experience performance issues, including lag and crashes, especially when running multiple applications or overlays.
- Recent updates have introduced bugs and removed certain functionalities that were previously available, leading to frustration among long-time users.
- optimization27 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
Overall, user reviews indicate a mixed experience with optimization. While some users report no noticeable performance impact and appreciate the low overhead of certain applications, others experience significant drops in performance, particularly when multitasking or using specific features. The consensus suggests that while some tools are well-optimized and offer great functionality, others may suffer from poor optimization and performance issues, especially in high-demand scenarios.
“Get FPS and performance stats in-game for free.”
“Great performance and it is free.”
“There is no noticeable performance impact, and I can't see a performance impact in FPSVR either (running desktop+ at 15fps, which is plenty).”
“But when I alt-tab to Elite, the performance of the window drops drastically.”
“Every positive of this app is nothing compared to how hard it will tank your performance on PCVR.”
“I used OVRDrop for Elite Dangerous, but it has a massive performance hit on the CPU and only allows one uncurved overlay.”
- story9 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The reviews do not provide a coherent narrative or story element, focusing instead on technical issues and user experiences with VR applications. Users express frustration with functionality and compatibility, particularly regarding the Quest 2, rather than engaging with a narrative or storyline. Overall, the feedback highlights a lack of a compelling story, with more emphasis on the challenges of using the software.
“I want to believe the app is good, but for some reason I can't use it at all. The desktop doesn't appear, and after rummaging through settings, nothing really worked. Maybe it's because I'm on a Quest 2, but it's not like I'm running standalone.”
“At one point, it didn't work on my Meta Quest 2 and only showed a black screen.”
“Doesn't work on the Quest 2 currently; it says launching/launched, but nothing happens.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the software is generally criticized, with users reporting frequent bugs, freezing issues, and difficulties in booting up. While some appreciate its configurability and the fact that it is free, many express frustration over its performance, particularly in relation to other applications like VRChat. Overall, the experience appears to be inconsistent, with some users finding it less buggy than alternatives after overcoming initial setup challenges.
“Very buggy.”
“Pretty damn buggy, I've been unable to boot up the software on many occasions and even when it does work, it only renders half the screen.”
“I don't know if it's this application that does it or if it's something with my PC, but every time I have this one running and I play VRChat, VRChat completely freezes heavily when loading people or something like that. After I stop this application, my game is back to not freezing anymore.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The graphics performance of the game has received mixed feedback; while some users report stability and fewer graphical issues compared to alternatives, others have experienced significant problems, including black screens and the need to reinstall graphics drivers. Additionally, there are concerns about the game's interaction with graphics capture tools, leading to unexpected behavior.
“Fewer bugs than alternatives I've tried; more stable, fewer graphical issues, better input blocking, etc.”
“Takes up like 2-4 GB of RAM for no reason, and it also forced me to reinstall my entire graphics driver due to making my desktop unresponsive altogether.”
“I don't know why, but the visuals don't load; the game runs, but I just see a black screen.”
“My only issue with this is when using the graphics capture option for Discord, it will randomly maximize.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users appreciate the humor aspect of the game for its innovative integration of streaming features, allowing players to easily access and enjoy funny moments without interrupting gameplay. The ability to watch YouTube or interact with chat while in VR enhances the overall experience, making it both entertaining and convenient. Overall, players rate this feature highly, emphasizing its effectiveness and accessibility.
“Funny number”
“I don't have to scramble to my keyboard to hit alt + f10 to record funny gaming moments.”
“Overall 20/10! I can't recommend this enough, and best of all, it's free.”
- music3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Users note that while Desktop+ offers superior performance and a wider range of options compared to OVRToolkit and XSOOverlay, it lacks a dedicated music player, leading many to rely on external platforms like YouTube for music during gameplay.
“Comparing to OVR Toolkit, Desktop+ lacks the music player and a lot of the fancy features but wins in performance and more direct ways of controlling overlays.”
“Comparing to XSO Overlay, Desktop+ still lacks the music player, has about the same amount of performance, but, once again, wins in terms of diversity of options.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users highlight that Desktop+ significantly enhances their VR gameplay experience, making it an indispensable tool for their sessions.
“Desktop+ is an essential part of my VR gameplay now.”
