The finest VR headsets are finally making VR a viable type of gaming in the public. Although virtual reality has been around for a long, it has always struggled to gain traction as more than something “for tomorrow.” Today’s superior headset technology and lower cost are finally changing that. The good news is that 2023 is only getting started in terms of VR, with fresh releases from Meta, HTC Vive, and Lynx, as well as PSVR 2, which should not be missed. Even if you aren’t interested in Sony’s latest and greatest, you can buy some of the top VR headsets for between $300 and $600. Unfortunately, premium smartphones can still cost four figures, but if you want the best technology available, we’d argue the money is well spent. Remember that if you currently have one of the top gaming PCs, you may not need to invest as much money.
To help you navigate this often-confusing industry, a list of the finest VR headsets available right now.
PSVR 2
The PSVR 2’s strong technical specifications add up to a remarkably coherent VR solution. This is a headgear that screams value for money, especially when you consider the costs of VR gaming on a PC. A high-end PC capable of making the most of the other VR powerhouses on this list will most likely cost more than a grand. Add in the thousand dollars or pounds you’ll spend on just one of those headsets, and you’ve got yourself a substantial investment. Meanwhile, a PS5 will cost roughly $500, while the PSVR 2 will cost $549. For that money, you get an amazing VR platform that much outperforms its pricing.
HTC Vive Pro 2
If you are looking for the greatest VR headset money can buy, we recommend the HTC Vive Pro 2. This is a large kids toy, costing $800 for the headset alone, without including the further required peripherals and high-end PC. The HTC Vive Pro 2’s 4896 x 2448 resolution, precision motion tracking, and Steam VR interfaces, on the other hand, make it a must-see for specialists and budget-conscious fans.
Meta Quest 2
Despite an August 2022 price increase that boosted the final cost to $399 / £399 for the 128GB model, which is $100 / £100 more than the previous $299 / £299 MSRP, the Meta Quest 2 remains the best value VR headset on the market for the majority of players. This hike is also mirrored in the 256GB model, which now costs $499 / £499. That’s a significant blow, especially given that the Quest 2 was the only VR headset that catered to the sub-$300 / £300 market particularly well. Still, this is one of the cheapest mid-range alternatives available, so if you missed out on the prior pricing, it’s worth looking into.
Valve Index
There are a few aspects of the Valve Index that we must address straight now. The first is the finger tracking mechanism. Rather than depending on per-controller tracking, the Valve Index has gone where no VR headset before it has gone: it has included sensors for each individual finger via a touch-sensitive screen. The second feature is a 120Hz refresh rate, which compensates for a little reduced resolution by allowing games to move across the screen without flickering.
HTC Vive Cosmos Elite
If the HTC Vive Pro 2 seemed a little pricy, the Vive Cosmos Elite system might be the finest VR headset for people wishing to spend a little less on fancy features and instead focus on room-scale tracking. HTC introduced its Cosmos headset a few years back to little fanfare, and the headset stands alone as a fully modular system that you can modify with multiple faceplates and SteamVR tracking bases as you please. However, the Vive Cosmos Elite is its final form, making it the best VR headset in its class.
HP Reverb G2
The HP Reverb G2 isn’t on many people’s shopping lists, but HP has a sleeper hit on its hands with its $600 VR headset. It’s worth mentioning that this is much simpler to buy in the US, and if you’re looking in the UK, you’ll most likely be limited to special versions costing more than £1,000. With a focus on resolution, but some good quality of life features baked in (how has nobody else thought of flipping up the display to see your surroundings?) There’s a lot to like here, even if this collection doesn’t quite match up to some of the higher-ranked selections on the list.
How to select the perfect vr headset for you
Your money will most likely be a major consideration when selecting the best VR headset for you. If money is your main consideration, you’ll find a summary of the finest VR headsets in each price category just below, but keep in mind that there’s a lot more to this tale if you go above $600.
$100 – $300 – Oculus Quest 2
$300 – $600 – HP Reverb G2
$600 – $900 – HTC Vive Pro 2
$900 – $1,000+ – Valve Index
Display resolution
In general, the finest VR headset has the highest resolution. This is due to the importance of resolution in the virtual reality experience, and a high-quality display will eliminate the screen door effect and keep your games feeling fresh and engaging. If you’re going to spend more than $600 on a headset, be sure it has a resolution greater than 3664 x 1920.
Panel design
Because of the increased colour contrast and vividness, VR headsets are rapidly embracing OLED screens in the future. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, it might be worth waiting for the perfect headset with an OLED panel (many of the greatest alternatives today still utilise an LCD).
Viewing angle
The finest VR headsets have an average field of view of roughly 100 degrees, with variations of around 10 degrees each direction. The greater the field of view, the more you’ll be able to see around you, and the better the headset will mimic genuine human vision. If you intend to use your VR headset for gaming, you should aim for a viewing angle of at least 100-110°.
Monitoring assistance
Cheaper VR headsets employ integrated cameras to track their and your heads’ positions within a virtual world. Moving up the price scale, however, more specialised systems frequently utilise extra gear like as tracking bases to set up room-scale tracking with significantly better accuracy. You can game on a headset with inbuilt tracking, and if you’re looking for casual amusement, we’d recommend sticking with this far less expensive option. However, if you’re going to spend money, it’s certainly worth it to get a system that can correctly track your entire play area.
