Valve Index's new VR controllers feel like the future of gaming

High-fiving a robot. I make a fist. I stick up my middle finger. I see my fingers wiggle on the virtual hands in front of me, all five digits. It's almost like wearing virtual gloves.Setting up a VR system isn't a new thing for me. I'm used to putting on headsets and diving into new worlds. But every once in a while, there's something surprising that changes the game. Valve Index, a new high-end VR system arriving soon, does that with its unique controllers.I've set up the Valve Index here in CNET's New York office, and have just been using it for a few days (the system arrived when I was in Toronto last week, so I'm catching up fast). It has a nice high-resolution display, and a larger-than-typical field of view.But what does Valve's newest VR hardware do for a PC landscape that already has the Oculus Rift S, plenty of Windows VR headsets, and the HTC Vive?If you've ever used any PC-connected VR before, Valve Index is mostly a familiar proposition: it works with Steam VR (no surprise), and the hardware is also compatible with the HTC Vive "lighthouse" sensor boxes, which is helpful.