If you’ve started exploring XR headsets (or researching content) for your XR initiatives, you’ve likely come across the terms 3DoF and 6DoF.
Curious about what these terms mean, how they differ, and which one best suits your needs? Don’t worry. In this ArborXR guide, we’ll break down the differences, similarities, and use cases of 3DoF and 6DoF for enterprise VR users.
3DoF vs 6DoF: An Overview
3DoF (three degrees of freedom) and 6DoF (six degrees of freedom) refer to how much freedom you have to move and interact in an XR environment (meaning VR, AR, or MR). Generally, 6DoF allows for more movement and interactivity compared to 3DoF.
The difference between these two is determined by two main factors:
- Your headset: 3DoF headsets can only track head movements, which limits them to 3DoF experiences. In contrast, 6DoF headsets can track both positional and rotational movements, making them suitable for both 6DoF and 3DoF experiences.
- XR content: The type of content also matters. For example, 2D and 360-degree content (like 360-degree videos) usually only support 3DoF experience, while more immersive 3D content can support 3DoF and 6DoF experiences.
Here’s a simple table to help you make sense of this:
| 3DoF Headset | 6DoF Headset | |
| 360º Content | ✅ Supports 3DoF experience only | ✅ Supports 3DoF experience only |
| 3D Content | ✅ Supports 3DoF experience only | ✅ Supports both 3DoF & 6DoF |
For instance, you can watch a Virti 360-degree video ( 3DoF) on either a 3DoF or 6DoF headset. However, if you want to explore BeyondReal’s 3D virtual offices in 6DoF, you’ll need a 6DoF headset.
You might wonder why you shouldn’t just invest in a 6DoF headset from the start since it covers all your bases. The primary reasons are cost and accessibility. That “extra 3DoF” usually comes with a significantly higher price, which might not be worth it if a 3DoF headset covers your VR needs.
As we dive into the details, the differences between the two will become clearer.
What Is 3DoF?
Three degrees of freedom (3DoF) or 360° VR allows you to look around in a virtual environment, but you can’t move within it. This means that you can turn your head to look left, right, up, and down, but you cannot physically walk or reach out and interact with objects in the virtual space.
With 3DoF, you can’t move around a space or get closer to or farther from any object. Instead, 3DoF devices and content offer a fixed 360° perspective where you can:
- Look up or down (Pitching)
- Tilt the view (the ear-to-shoulders movement called rolling)
- Turn your head left or right (Yawing)
Here’s a simple example of what this looks like in practice
What is 6DoF?
Six degrees of freedom (6DoF) builds on the experience provided by 3DoF by adding more movement options. With 6DoF, you can move around within the XR environment and interact more dynamically with objects. Specifically, 6DoF allows you to move:
- Upwards or downwards (Elevating)
- Left or right (Strafing)
- Forward or backward (surging)
Again, here’s what that looks like:
Key Differences Between 3DoF and 6DoF
1. Spatial Interaction
In a 3DoF experience, your interaction is mostly limited to turning and tilting your head and interacting with elements in your current field of view.
In contrast, 6DoF offers a much richer experience. It allows you to move freely in the virtual environment—walking around, reaching for objects, and interacting with them from different angles and distances.
2. Immersion and Presence
3DoF offers a more passive experience. You can look around and view the virtual world but can’t move through it or interact dynamically. But this isn’t always a negative—for example, it perfectly compliments Virti’s XR mindfulness exercises by keeping the experience simple and focused.
6DoF tends to provide a much richer sense of immersion and presence. Your entire body movement is tracked, allowing you to move and interact with the virtual environment more naturally.
3. Use Cases
3DoF is great for applications where users are stationary and mainly focused on viewing rather than interacting. It’s ideal for virtual meetings, educational content, and passive entertainment such as 360° videos.
On the other hand, 6DoF is better for applications that require active engagement and realistic interactions with the VR environment.
This includes:
- VR training simulations
- Complex design and modeling
- Surgery training
- Virtual collaborations where movement and interaction are highly important
4. Cost and Accessibility
6DoF experiences are generally more expensive than 3DoF.
First, 6DoF headsets are more pricey than 3DoF headsets. This is partly because many 3DoF headsets are becoming outdated, while newer models (with more advanced features) are equipped with 6DoF.
Also, 3DoF content is easier and cheaper to produce. For example, you can even produce 3DoF content with a 360-degree camera and a basic editing app. 6DoF, on the other hand, needs a lot more heavy lifting—specialized 3D software, lots of technical know-how, and so on.
This lower cost and simpler production process make 3DoF experiences more accessible and widely used.
3DoF vs. 6DoF: Comparison Table
| Three Degrees of Freedom (3DoF) | Six Degrees of Freedom (6DoF) | |
| Motion | Rotational head movement only (pitch, yaw, roll) | Rotational head movement and translational body motions (pitch, yaw, roll, elevate, strafe, surge) |
| POV and Interactivity | Stationary viewpoint, limited interaction | Full spatial perspective, movement, and interaction |
| Content | Suitable for 360° content and basic VR experiences | Ideal for immersive gaming and complex simulations |
| Cost | Generally more affordable hardware and software | Higher-end hardware and content |
| Use Cases | Common in mobile VR and some enterprise applications | Industry-standard for premium XR experiences |
| Headset Examples | PICO G2 4K DPVR P1 Vuzix M300XL | Meta Quest 3 Lenovo ThinkReality VRX PICO 4E HTC Vive XR Elite Magic Leap 2 Apple Vision Pro Magic Leap 2 Digilens ARGO |
ArborXR: The Industry-Leading XR Device Management Platform
By now, you might have a basic idea of how to approach your XR initiatives, whether to use 6DoF or 3DoF. However, it’s best not to make this decision on your own.
Collaborate with experienced developers and XR solution specialists to assess your needs and help you make the right choice. Once you decide, they can assist in creating both custom and off-the-shelf 3DoF or 6DoF content that aligns with your goals.
The rate-limiting step here is choosing the right developer or content provider, but don’t worry—we have an XR directory that connects you with vetted XR developers who can guide you through your project.
Also, whether you’re investing in 3DoF or 6DoF headsets, you need a reliable way to manage them effectively. That’s where ArborXR comes in. Our XR MDM (device management) platform offers an easy-to-use dashboard for:
- Remotely managing all your headsets
- Installing content and sending updates at scale
- Monitoring and controlling the experiences of headset users
Why wait? Sign up to ArborXR today and see the impact we can make on your XR projects.
