VR Headsets of yesterday were a far cry from the mature hardware they are in 2023. While initial VR headsets available in the market were evolving quickly with every new advancement in the industry, it has become a somewhat subdued industry of late. While the Valve Index and Meta Quest Pro are what you consider formidable VR experiences unto themselves, it was the standalone Meta Quest 2 headset that, along with its predecessor opened up the entire VR market by providing access to users for as little as $300 for the base model.
VR SHINECON Virtual Reality VR Headset
Valve Index
Much has changed since however; The Meta Quest 2 has been priced upwards and then revised downwards to coincide with the launch of the Meta Quest 3, a mixed reality VR headset. On the other side, the PSVR2 has entered what is now shaping up to be a hotly contested market again, even as HTCswitches focus to also support Mixed Realitywhile users anticipate a potential refresh of both the Meta Quest lineup and the premium Vive Pro lineup this year.
Updated on May 13th, 2024, by Charlie Vin Tonny:This latest update to this guide introduces the Valve Index VR as the standout choice for PC VR headsets, boasting unparalleled build quality that justifies its premium cost. We have also added a detailed “how-to” section to assist users in finding their ideal virtual reality experience. This ensures that our readers are well-informed about the technical specifications and the practicality of their VR headset choices.
Meta Quest 3
A Positively Mixed VR Experience
The Meta Quest 3 is the latest and greatest mixed-reality headset that brings a host of improvements compared to the previous generation. The Quest 3 has higher resolution displays per eye with support for 90Hz and 120Hz refresh rates.It uses a more powerful 2nd generation Snapdragon XR2 processor that is capable of running games like Asgard’s Wrath 2 natively. It comes with a full-color passthrough, improved controllers, and a slimmer form factor.
The Meta Quest 3 is, much like its predecessor, a massive upgrade over the last generation. It offers powerful Mixed Reality features by leveraging a set of cameras for both, passthrough MR content as well as accurate hand tracking that sets it apart from the competition even as it offers compatibility with a variety of hardware in addition to a powerful standalone mode bolstered by an already well-established Quest store with titles for older iterations of the same headset.
It offers excellent upgrades under the hood, adding 2GB of RAM to bring it to a full 8GB versus the Quest 2’s 6GB offerings while pushing up the resolution by about 13% versus the Quest 2. To power this, it uses an upgraded purpose-built Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor while also pushing its field of view to 100 degrees horizontal and 96 degrees vertical respectively.
While the 120Hz refresh rate mode remains experimental, much like the Quest 2, the Quest 3 offers massive upgrades under the hood, making it an excellent powerful, yet balanced Mixed Reality headset that is a true successor to the crown the Quest 2 held with ease for the past 4 years. Meta is offering a free game bundle as well as $15 credit with multiple retailers which should allow users the ability to get a jump start on their VR journey.
Pimax Crystal VR Headset
A Pricey Immersion Play
The Pimax Crystal VR Headset trades at a significant premium as one of the most expensive VR headsets ever tested by Game Rant. It delivers some of the highest-resolution gaming and productivity VR experiences that make it a viable contender for the best VR headset in the market currently.With an effective 5760x2880 resolution in play in addition to local dimming, it is unmatched in terms of raw clarity which appears even more polished thanks to dynamic foveated rendering, making it a truly high-end VR headset in 2023.It does however lean on the heavier side than most of its competitors but makes up for it with integrated tracking making it one of the best VR simulation candidates to date.
The Pimax Crystal VR Headset is Game Rant’s best premium VR headset pick for a number of reasons, nearly all of which circle back to its top-of-the-line display. At over $1500, it is one of the most expensive VR headsets in play in 2023, but it does hold its own versus the competition with a sub-8K resolution with up to 120Hz refresh rates in play (with higher planned for later). It does so by leveraging its MiniLED display particularly well to deliver some of the clearest visuals one can ask for from a VR headset currently.
This, coupled with excellent foveated eye tracking allows for greater immersion for users making a buy for flight or racing simulators or simply to get the best visual quality available on the market in 2023. It does have its quirks with how it works, as it pushes towards the bleeding edge of the spectrum and while it was hard to work with the hot-swappable batteries on the headset to a certain degree, it doesn’t impede performance or hurt the overall experience in a meaningful way.
More importantly, it seems to be an excellent investment to make with Pimax offering as much as a 50% trade-in towards its future Crystal 12K headset.
PlayStation VR 2 Headset
2nd Generation Superiority
The Sony PlayStation VR2 Headset is an excellent generational upgrade that makes its predecessor look like a proverbial toy given the massive visual upgrade coupled with the vastly better controllers in toe. In terms of specs, it beats some of its much higher-priced competition while offering a 90Hz or a 120Hz refresh rate during operation with a PlayStation 5
The Sony PlayStation VR2 headset is a generational leap that potentially even exceeds the PS4 to PS5 given the massive overhaul the PSVR ecosystem has undertaken. The PSVR 2 headset is a capable headset that can hold its own against some of the priciest headsets in the market while delivering some of the best VR-enabled experiences one can expect thanks to it harnessing the power of the PlayStation 5.
With Dual OLED screens that output a resolution that is considerably better than the Meta Quest 2 in addition to haptic feedback and eye tracking that implements foveated rendering, something we have previously only seen in action on the premium HTC Vive Pro 2 headset.
While the Sony PlayStation VR2 is already proving to be popular thanks to its association with the PlayStation brand and the success of the PS5 console, the PSVR2 is arguably a bigger generational gap when it comes to VR and the bundled Horizon title shows that we have only scratched the surface when it comes to VR gaming so far.
With wider availability in addition to more titles on the horizon in play, the PlayStation VR2 offers immense amounts of promise with support already in play for multiple titles that have been released. It could have benefited from support for legacy PSVR titles (especially given that the PS5 supports the PS4 console’s library in its entirety), but due to technical limitations quoted by Sony, this is not a factor currently.
Meta Quest 2 256GB
The Pioneer Goes On Sale
The Meta Quest 2 is Meta’s 2nd iteration of its take on a standalone VR headset that ditches dual OLED screens for a fast-switching LCD that can push as much as 120Hz refresh rates powered by a Snapdragon XR2 chip, custom-built to enable VR experiences on the go for Facebook’s parent company.
The Meta Quest 2 ditched most of what the market held dearly when it moved away from OLED displays to fast-switching LCDs but the gamble that allowed Meta to aggressively price its VR headset in a more acceptable sub $300-400 range has helped it build a considerable following and audience and the rapid growth of its Quest Store. This has further been helped by Meta relinquishing its requirement for a Facebook account to access said storefront, somewhat allowing it to build up a viable ecosystem that rivals that of VR rival Steam which has much more extensive experience when it comes to distributing games digitally.
The Meta Quest 2 has received multiple upgrades along the way thanks to its regular firmware upgrades. An example would be it pushing its 90Hz experimental mode out to a standard and recently pushing 120Hz out as a new standard for the headset. It works well in standalone mode thanks to the powerful Snapdragon XR2 SoC that powers all of its experiences. The Quest 2 can also use PC hardware-based outputusing its dedicated Link Cableto run more graphic-intensive titles available as part of the Meta Quest Rift experience. It also allows it to run SteamVR-based titles.
All in all, the Meta Quest 2 is an excellent, well-rounded, and well-priced entry to the VR market that is here to stay as it delivers astounding value, excellent performance, and one of the best controllers that the industry has seen to date. It benefits from a price cut as Meta aims to focus more on the Quest 3 product line even as it offers a significant $50 discount on both, its 128GB and 256GB models at various retailers as part of its Black Friday deals.
HTC Vive Pro 2 VR Headset
A Dear VR Experience
The HTC Vive Pro 2 VR Headset is the most premium VR headset available on the market that offers some of the most bleeding-edge VR technology backed by a sub 5K resolution that makes it an experience that can best be described as phenomenal. It comes in a full kit version and a headset-only version for those users who already have the predecessor (base stations and controllers are reusable).
The HTC Vive Pro 2 offers essentially the best VR Experience money can buy from a commercially available VR headset and it does so in style. With one of the highest resolution displays available so far, the Vive Pro 2 offers an effective 5K resolution, foveated rendering, and excellent audio integrated into the headset.
While the Vive Pro 2 retails for $799 on paper, that price tag assumes that you already have the necessary hardware lying around to make it work from an earlier, last-generation Pro bundle such as the controllers, base stations, and the wireless adapter. While the full kit takes care of the first 2 options, the wireless kit costs a hefty $349; To put matters into perspective, this could get you an Oculus Quest 2 256 GB bundle right now with $100 in credit to spend on content.
Pricing concerns aside, the Vive Pro 2 is hands down the best headset money can buy for VR and a lot of that comes from the tech that it comes with. For a headset that can do 5K at 120Hz with advanced features, youwould need an impressively specced PCto power it in its full glory and while the Sony PSVR 2 gives it a run for its money, it does come out ahead with relative ease.
If you are looking for a wireless version of the Vive Pro 2, HTCalso offers the business-centric Vive Focus 3as a better value alternate. It is however locked to 90Hz in its standalone mode while featuring the same FOV (field of view) and resolution as the Pro 2.
Quality VR at a budget
The VR SHINECON Virtual Reality VR Headset Is not a VR headset but rather a piece of hardware that enables a VR experience by using a capable mobile device. It does what it advertises quite well and at a price that is quite competitive for an entry-level VR experience
The VR SHINECON Virtual Reality VR Headset is not essentially a VR headset in its entirety; It is more of an enabler of VR experiences on your existing mobile device. With solid construction and the ability to support a variety of devices of different shapes and sizes, it makes for an excellent inexpensive gift for those of us interested in experimenting with mobile VR.
The experience, however, may be varied since it is tied to the mobile device being used and could range from an optimal experience with a current-generation smartphone or a sub-par one with dated hardware. Given that much of the VR experience on mobile devices is limited to software support available on their respective platforms, this could be a hit and a miss depending on both, your expectations and the device you pair with your VR headset.
Experience high-fidelity virtual reality with Valve Index VR. Featuring a custom double-element design and position, the Index’s lenses maximize the field of view without sacrificing edge-to-edge clarity. The off-ear speakers deliver long-term comfort and auditory immersion. The comfort doesn’t stop there. Pretty much everything on the headset is adjustable to make sure whoever is using it is in complete comfort.
PC gamers are very particular about their gaming accessories. For VR headsets, the Valve Index is ideal for PCs and also supports the PS Vita platform. Gamers who play for extended times will love this headset, as it is light and comfortable to wear. Users can adjust the padded straps to the desired size which won’t cause too much stress.The unit features dual LCDs with a resolution of 1440 x 1600, that provide sharp and clear visuals while the RGB subpixel array plays a big role in reducing the screen-door effect, resulting in enhanced visuals.
The wearable looks stunning, in a glossy black finish with minimalistic highlights. It is a conversation starter among gaming enthusiasts who can appreciate its futuristic appearance. Setting up the headsets is a walk in the park, with a user manual coming to the aid of users. It comes with a microphone for enhanced interactivity. Its field of view is 130 degrees, which is decent enough for gaming. The screen size is also reasonable, at 6 inches, and won’t feel cumbersome to the user. The only issue is its tethered design, which might be limiting as it requires users to manage the cables when playing.
How To Choose The Best VR Headset
By carefully considering the factors below, users can seamlessly pick a VR headset that not only fits their needs but also enhances their immersion into virtual worlds;
Resolution
A headset’s resolution affects the immersion and visual quality of the overall VR experience. Higher resolution usually means smoother experiences as it minimizes the screen-door effect and provides better images. Nonetheless, note that they typically require more processing power.
Type of VR Headset
For PC gaming, consider a tethered VR headset like the Meta Quest 3 for smooth, high-quality experiences. For console gaming, users should pick headsets designed for console gaming. For instance, the PSVR 2 is exclusively designed for PS5 users. For those who prefer wireless experiences, standalone units are great picks
Comfort and Design
When it comes to long VR sessions like gaming, comfort is very important. Options with lightweight designs, good weight distribution, and adjustable straps are the best bet. Also, consider VR headsets with swappable face cushions for customized fits.
Performance
Powerful VR headsets usually mean smoother experiences with enhanced immersion. However they require the right hardware and more resources. To be on the safe side try to balance these factors with practicality and the intended use to find the ideal option. Keep in mind the main idea here is to have an experience that is real and seamless without complicating the setup or spending top dollar.
Price
Different VR headsets have different price tags. As such, shoppers should consider their budget and then consider units within that range. High-end options like the HTC Vive Pro usually cost more, while budget-friendly options are more affordable.
Consider Your Platforms
Not all VR headsets are compatible with all devices. Some are locked to PCs or consoles, while others are standalone. For instance, the Sony PlayStation VR 2 headset works only with the console. So users should carefully consider the platforms they are already on and then choose their next VR headset accordingly.
FAQs:
Q: Do VR Headsets Require a PC or Console to function?
A: While not all VR headsets require a PC or console to function, some do require it outright such as the PSVR2 and the HTC Vive Pro 2 for example. Others make do with onboard chips but generally require a PC for more visually demanding tasks such as high-fidelity gaming or simulation compared to their more limited on-board computing power.
Q: How does Foveated Eye Tracking Help VR Headsets?
A: Foveated Eye Tracking allows a VR headset or accompanying computer to render areas where the user is focusing, allowing for more accurate use of computing power. This allows it to either offer better fidelity or lower hardware requirements for multiple supporting game titles and/or applications.
