Best VR Headset 2023
Virtual reality headset has really set the tone for technology gadgets in this modern world. There are countless benefits to using a virtual reality headset, especially for gaming enthusiasts. In this guide, we would discuss the best virtual reality headset to buy. If you would want one, then you have to read through this guide.
Buyer’s guide for Virtual Reality Headset
Budget
If you’re looking to buy a VR headset, it’s worth considering how much you’re willing to shell out, especially when considering that anything related to VR technology can run into thousands of dollars. But while it might not be a light purchase, luckily there are options for all types of budgets.
Types of VR headsets
When considering which VR headset to buy, it might be worth pausing to think of whether you’d prefer a standalone, PC, console, or smartphone VR experience. This decision might make or break your whole experience.
- Standalone VR: These headsets are wireless and, as such, don’t require a PC or smartphone connection or any other type of external equipment. Also described as all-in-one headsets, VR is experienced solely through one piece of hardware, which is more convenient for those who value mobility and practicality, for example. On the flip side, however, you might have to sacrifice the quality of video, graphics, and refresh rates, meaning that you’ll end up with an experience that’s less immersive. Oculus Quest 2 is an example of a standalone headset that’ll give you a decent and portable VR experience without the need to purchase add-ons.
- PC VR: For this, you’ll need, as made obvious by the name, a PC nearby in constant connection to the headset. Moreover, the PC in question has to meet certain specifications (which generally means purchasing a high-end computer). But while it might appear less than practical, PC VR headsets like Valve Index and HTC Vive will translate into a superior VR overall, mostly because of graphical detail, which makes your experience more immersive and dynamic.
- Console VR: When it comes to this particular segment, PlayStation VR is the leading option. PSVR headsets work with PS4 and PS5 consoles and feature an extensive gaming and movie library. A particular draw might be the exclusive titles offered by Sony like Resident Evil, Blood and Truth, and Iron Man VR.
- Smartphone VR: All of the headsets, are by far the easiest way of entering a virtual experience (and also a cost-conscious choice). All that users have to do is slide their smartphones into the headset and let it work its magic. However, these headsets can’t run the vast majority of VR assets, including interactive VR content and games. In addition, you might miss out on advanced audio and motion tracking features that other headsets offer, so you’ll likely not end up with a very immersive experience after all.
Technical considerations
Specs are a crucial consideration when it comes down to choosing a VR headset. These are just some of the aspects you need to know if you’re looking for outstanding headset performance:
- Resolution Per Eye: VR centers around getting visual experiences like none other, so naturally having high resolution is essential. This boils down to knowing the number of pixels a VR headset is able to display. In this case, you’ll be looking for higher resolutions, between 1,700 by 1,440 (per eye) to 1,832 by 1,920 (per eye). Having a higher resolution will help you better visualize images, edges, text, and other visual elements.
- Field of View (FOV): This relates to the range that is visible by the user, for example, how much of a given environment you can see at any given moment. Generally speaking, it’s advisable to go for headsets with a FOV of between 100-110 degrees. Higher FOVs enable optimal levels of immersiveness.
- Refresh rate: Having a great resolution is not enough to get the best virtual reality experience out of a headset. Refresh rates refer to how fast your headset can show images in terms of frames per second or FPS. In this sense, options above 90 frames per second are the best. Anything below it could even lead to motion sickness for the wearer.
- Positional tracking: Precise tracking enables better and more immersive virtual reality with a VR headset. Positional tracking is essentially what allows the user to feel like they’re moving inside VR. Lags between real-life position and in-platform could have a negative impact so you better look into 1:1 positional tracking, which is generally offered by most controllers and high-end headsets.
- Audio: This is another aspect that will depend on the type of VR headset; entry-level gadgets will generally have built-in speakers while high-end offerings will come with built-in headphones and in some cases, even built-in microphones.
| NAMES | SPECIFICATIONS | WHERE TO BUY |
Meta Quest 2
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Sony PlayStation VR
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Valve Index
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HTC Vive Pro 2
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Oculus Rift S
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HP Reverb G2
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HTC Vive Cosmos Elite
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Pimax 5K Super
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3D Virtual Reality VR Headset
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Google Cardboard
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Best Virtual Reality Headset
Meta Quest 2
The Meta Quest 2 (formerly the Oculus Quest 2) improves on the original headset in nearly every way possible, and at a more affordable price.
The Quest 2 can be used as a tethered headset if you buy the right accessory (and have a powerful PC). The Link Cable is a five-meter USB-C cord that lets you connect the Quest 2 to your computer and use it just like the Rift S to play PC-specific VR games like Half-Life: Alyx. The cable is expensive, but considering most tethered-only PC headsets are still more expensive than the Quest 2 with the cable, it comes out ahead in value even after adding the accessory.
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Sony PlayStation VR
The Sony PlayStation VR headset brings powerful, compelling virtual reality, with motion control support, to the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
This is for PlayStation fans who already have a PS4 or PS5 and want to play with VR on those systems. If you want to get the most out of your PS5, though, you might want to wait a bit.
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Valve Index
The Valve Index represents the culmination of the gaming giant’s efforts to make a VR headset by itself. And it succeeded. And Valve did so with great success.
So Valve Index is a comfortable and high-end VR system, with high-quality construction, comfortable cushioning, and smart built-in speakers. The downside of this quality is that the headset can be rather heavy to wear for an extended period of time.
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HTC Vive Pro 2
The latest evolution of the HTC Vive range, the Vive Pro 2 boasts a ridiculous ‘5K’ resolution (2448×2448 pixels per eye) a 120-degree field of view, and a 120Hz refresh rate. Provided you’ve got a powerful gaming PC to back it up, this is as clear and lifelike a display as you’re able to find in the consumer VR space right now. After hours of testing, we still found ourselves stunned by how good games looked on this device.
But the HTC Vive Pro 2 has its faults, too. We found during testing that the screen can get hot after prolonged use, and the controllers haven’t changed much since the very first Vive headset was released.
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Oculus Rift S
The Rift S works in tandem with a PC to deliver virtual reality experiences. It connects to your PC over a USB 3.0 port and a DisplayPort connection and is tethered to the machine by a lengthy cable that’s more than enough to accommodate the ‘room-scale’ experiences that Rift S is capable of delivering.
It’s more limiting in terms of free movement than the superb wireless Oculus Quest, but the trade-off here is that, by being powered by your PC, it’s capable of delivering more detailed and dynamic experiences.
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HP Reverb G2
The HP Reverb G2 has won a place here with the best VR headsets, thanks in no small part to its fantastic resolution. If future-proofing your setup in terms of image fidelity is your main concern, it will not disappoint. With 2160p per eye, the Reverb G2 manages to completely alleviate the screen door effect that can cause issues with some lower-resolution headsets—provided you have a powerful enough GPU to handle it.
You are able to step down the resolution per eye with relative ease if it surpasses the limitations of your hardware, though. And even playing in lower resolutions, you get to take advantage of great features like the highly inclusive, physical IPD toggle on the underside of the headset, the range of which is impressive compared to other options on the market.
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HTC Vive Cosmos Elite
The HTC Vive Cosmos Elite attempts to address some of the problems with the original HTC Vive Cosmos while maintaining the core specifications of that model. Chiefly the dual 4.3-inch 1440 x 1700 displays running at 90 Hz.
It comes bundled with the Half-Life: Alyx and 6-months of Viveport(opens in new tab) Infinity subscription, which at the very least means there are lots of things to try out with your new headset.
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Pimax 5K Super
The Pimax headset has a 5K setup that runs super fast. It also runs 1440p screens per eye and runs those at a very brisk 180Hz. If you have the cash and the PC for it, immersion doesn’t get more expensive than this.
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3D Virtual Reality VR Headset
If you’re after a VR headset with the best visual experience possible, then you should look at this headset. It is by far the most expensive HMD available in the consumer market, and that’s for a good reason. Varjo is an enterprise headset maker that caters to the highest tier of the VR market.
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Google Cardboard
For entry-level gamers who want to try something new, it doesn’t get much simpler than Google Cardboard. As the name implies, this isn’t so much a device as it is a slab of compressed wood that’s folded into the shape of a VR headset. It sounds rudimentary, but nowadays, most smartphones have powerful enough specs to create a surprisingly robust VR experience — depending on the make a model of your phone, of course. All you need is the proper viewfinder to kick things off.
To be fair, Google Cardboard isn’t a true VR system. But not everyone can afford to spend hundreds of dollars on a dedicated headset (plus the accompanying hardware, when applicable), and most of us own a VR-capable smartphone already.
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Conclusion
To conclude, virtual headsets have proven that you could there are so many possibilities in the immersive world. Don’t hesitate to get yours for yourself from this guide.
