Before you plunk down your hard-earned cash on the latest in virtual reality technology, you should think about some of the potential drawbacks of these devices. If you don’t account for these possible disadvantages, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise when you receive your new VR equipment and can’t enjoy it to its fullest extent or even at all. Here are 5 things you should know before buying VR equipment.

1) VR isn’t like watching TV

Before you buy virtual reality equipment, know that it’s not a passive medium. Virtual reality is an active experience that requires movement and exercise from you. While wearing a headset or holding controllers, your body is going to be doing some work. Some people experience nausea while using VR equipment, so you might have to adjust how and when you use VR to feel comfortable. Also, virtual reality experiences can give you extreme vertigo because of how close your face is to screens  and all in all, don’t expect yourself to just lie down and watch a movie with VR. When you add interactivity into that mix, there’s plenty of physical activity required. Finally, make sure your home is set up for high-tech play: Is there enough space? Can everything connect seamlessly? Even if you follow best practices for setting up your equipment for safe play, accidents happen. No one knows exactly how long someone should safely be able to use virtual reality technology at a time; as with any gaming system.

2) VR is best experienced in groups

Virtual reality isn’t just an interesting new technology or a fad. It has rapidly become an influential technology that will help shape how we experience media and entertainment for decades to come. Still, there are some things you should know before you buy VR equipment. Keep these five tips in mind as you decide whether virtual reality is right for your home: Virtual Reality Is Better With Friends. The point of using virtual reality is to take you somewhere else  and having other people around can make it even more enjoyable. If your friends have access to VR equipment too, then you can all share in your experiences together! Many headsets let multiple users connect their devices at once so they can socialize with one another while using their favorite apps and games.

3) VR can be expensive

Even a low-end VR headset will cost you hundreds of dollars. A high-end one will set you back thousands. If you want virtual reality capabilities that rival PC or console gaming, expect to spend anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 just on your gear. Add in a smartphone (around $500) and other accessories, and it’s easy to drop thousands quickly. That makes virtual reality expensive, which means it’s important to carefully evaluate your spending plan before buying equipment. Ideally, you’ll have at least six months of expenses saved for a rainy day fund; if not, consider saving up first before making any purchases.

4) The proper environment

VR systems require lots of space and won’t work if you’re not in a room with a clear view of your play area. It’s also important to make sure your cables have enough slack, especially if you plan on moving around or standing up while using a system. And be careful when connecting sensors to walls or furniture, as they could accidentally get damaged in the process. Finally, just as with any gaming equipment, you should maintain appropriate levels of fresh airflow to keep from overheating. Remember that heat buildup can damage components and lead to discomfort for users. The display technology differs between each product, but what they all have in common is a headset displaying an image over your eyes that allows you to look forward while wearing it. This goes beyond 3D gaming because it makes everything appear lifelike and realistic including every step you take inside virtual worlds. Even without physical movement or impact (outside of head movements), steps are translated into actual motion within games  even resulting in jolts that feel like impacts along your spine and arms.

5) How to choose the right VR equipment

Virtual reality (VR) allows us to be transported to faraway places, which can be a great way to have new experiences. However, what if you don’t want a brand-new experience? What if you’re interested in experiencing something that isn’t available? Virtual reality comes with some limitations, and you need to make sure that they won’t impede your interests. VR doesn’t work well with every game: Every game has its control scheme, which makes it very difficult for hardware makers to develop hardware that works well with all games. The graphics card will determine how immersive an experience is: A game might look like it belongs in virtual reality, but it needs a powerful graphics card for things to get truly immersive. Without one, your brain will immediately notice when it’s not getting actual visual information from your eyes. Light sources can cause problems: A common complaint about virtual reality is motion sickness because of issues related to stereoscopic vision caused by light sources behind or ahead of you  or even light sources from inside of a headset!