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These days, there are headsets in every shape, size, and price, from the entry-level, wire-free Meta Quest 2 to the PC-tethered standby Valve Index to the class-leading Apple Vision Pro . We've thoroughly tested each of these models, evaluating them for their graphical capabilities, motion tracking, software library, comfort, user experience, and value. Read on for our picks, followed by everything you need to know about VR to make a wise purchase.
PCMag has covered virtual reality since the original Oculus Rift Development Kit launched more than a decade ago. Since then, we've tested every major VR headset, including experimental AR devices like Google Glass and the Microsoft HoloLens (not to mention the growing variety of smart glasses ).
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
4.0 Excellent
Best AR/VR interface we've seen
Class-leading eye and hand tracking
No physical controllers needed
Sharp, colorful display
Outstanding video passthrough
Plenty of visionOS apps and features
Expensive
Short battery life
Front-heavy design gets uncomfortable
Gaps in iPad app compatibility
Type
Standalone
Resolution
22 million pixels
Refresh Rate
100 Hz
Motion Detection
6DOF
Controls
Eye and hand tracking
Hardware Platform
Apple M2
Software Platform
Apple VisionOS
The Vision Pro is Apple's first foray into AR and VR, though the company is careful to describe it as a "spatial computer" rather than a headset. Whatever you call it (we consider it an AR/VR/mixed reality headset), the Vision Pro is an incredibly ambitious device that's good for work or play. The headset relies entirely on eye and hand tracking for controls that enable a far more intuitive and natural control system than any we've tested. As a first-generation device on a newly launched platform, VisionOS, it's surprisingly full-featured, with some of the best hardware ever put into a consumer-available, head-mounted display.
People with deep pockets. The Vision Pro costs $3,500, several times more than any other headset we've tested. That's expensive, even for early adopters. If you're willing to spend that much money on a new AR/VR experience, go for it. Just recognize that Apple will probably make even better and/or cheaper versions in the next few years. In addition, the Vision Pro has a few software omissions and stability issues that can be fixed with patches, but the headset's front-heavy balance can't.
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$3,299.00 Woot
$3,499.00 Apple.com
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Apple Vision Pro Review
4.5 Outstanding
Color pass-through cameras allow you to clearly see your surroundings
High-resolution picture
Powerful processor
Comfortable design
Short battery life
Lacks eye-tracking tech
Type
Standalone
Resolution
2,064 by 2,208 (per eye)
Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Motion Detection
6DOF
Controls
Meta Quest Touch Controllers
Hardware Platform
Standalone
Software Platform
Meta
The Meta Quest 3 is $200 more than the Quest 2, but it adds color pass-through cameras that make augmented reality experiences feasible, along with a higher resolution and a faster processor&#;a processor that packs more power than even the Quest Pro. In fact, the only thing the Pro has over this headset is its awesome eye-tracking technology.
Want to experience VR without cables? This is the standalone headset for you. The Quest 3 is wireless, powerful, sharp, and you can see through it in color. The Quest 2 is a good starting point if you're looking to spend less, but the Quest 3 is enough of a step forward that it's worth the extra cash.
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$499.00 Amazon
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Meta Quest 3 Review
4.0 Excellent
Improved design with a more comfortable fit than the Quest 2
Cool eye- and face-tracking tech
Color pass-through camera
Rechargeable headset and controllers
Doesn't require a PC to operate
Expensive
Meta Horizon's metaverse is often empty and sometimes buggy
Short battery life
Type
Standalone
Resolution
1,920 by 1,800 (per eye)
Refresh Rate
90 Hz
Motion Detection
6DOF
Controls
Motion Controllers
Hardware Platform
Standalone
Software Platform
Meta
The Meta Quest Pro is an impressive headset that features cool eye-tracking and face-tracking tech. It costs significantly more than the Quest 2 and Quest 3, however, so you really need to be sold on the eye tracking before you buy in.
The Meta Quest Pro is for professionals who need a capable VR headset for collaboration purposes, and for enthusiasts who want to play with the excellent eye-tracking and face-tracking tech.
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$999.99 Amazon
$999.99 Best Buy
$999.99 Meta
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Meta Quest Pro Review
4.5 Outstanding
Doesn't require any cables
Sharp display
Powerful processor
Accurate motion tracking
Optional PC tethering via accessory cable
Short battery life
Type
Standalone
Resolution
1,832 by 1,920 (per eye)
Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Motion Detection
6DOF
Controls
Oculus Touch
Hardware Platform
Standalone
Software Platform
Oculus
The Quest 2 (formerly the Oculus Quest 2) is Meta's $300 standalone VR headset. It's affordable for a VR platform, and you don't need cables or additional hardware. It's powered by mobile components, specifically the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset, and that's enough to run entertaining VR experiences. It has an incredibly robust library of those experiences, so you'll find something entertaining. You can also use it as a PC-powered headset with the $79 Link Cable.
This is a top VR headset, but its follow-up, the Meta Quest 3, is more compelling in every way (including a faster processor, a higher-resolution display, and color pass-through cameras). The Quest 3 also costs $200 more, which means the Quest 2 is the best budget-friendly VR headset you can buy. If you want to explore VR without spending a lot of money, this is a terrific starting point.
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$0.00 Amazon
$199.00 Walmart
$199.99 Best Buy
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Meta Quest 2 Review
4.5 Outstanding
Excellent graphics and sound
Strong launch library
Useful eye-tracking tech
Lightweight build
Easy to set up
Not compatible with PlayStation VR games
Type
Tethered
Resolution
2,000 by 2,040 (per eye)
Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Motion Detection
6DOF
Controls
PlayStation VR2 Sense
Hardware Platform
PlayStation 5
Contact us to discuss your requirements of VR Arcade Machine. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
Software Platform
PlayStation 5
The PlayStation VR 2 is a significant upgrade over the original that combines the PlayStation 5's power with new eye-tracking and motion-control tech that makes VR games even more immersive. Plus, the lightweight headset has impressive specs, including a sharp OLED display that delivers a 2,000-by-2,040-pixel picture to each eye.
The PS VR2 is for gamers willing to go all-in on Sony's next-generation vision of virtual reality. After all, the headset's not inexpensive at nearly $600 and it lacks backward compatibility with original PlayStation VR games (which is why that model is still on this list). However, this comfortable and impressive hardware has a strong launch library that includes Horizon: Call of the Mountain and the Jurassic World Aftermath Collection.
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$565.63 Amazon
$549.99 PlayStation Store
$566.00 Walmart
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Sony PlayStation VR2 Review
4.0 Excellent
Immersive, finger-tracking controllers
High, 120Hz refresh rate delivers smooth motion
Lots of VR software available on PC via SteamVR
Expensive
Occasionally frustrating tethered design
Type
Tethered
Resolution
1,600 by 1,440 (per eye)
Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Motion Detection
6DOF
Controls
Valve Index Controllers
Hardware Platform
PC
Software Platform
SteamVR
Valve's PC-tethered VR headset is pricey, and on paper it doesn't stand out much from the competition. The headset is just one part of the VR experience, though, and the Valve Index really impresses because of the other major component: the controllers. They're revolutionary, able to rack individual finger movements and make games (that take advantage of the feature) much more immersive than the standard trigger grips on other controllers. It's amazing to see your fingers wiggle in Half-Life: Alyx.
The headset itself, while not outstanding, still offers crisp, smooth graphics with a high refresh rate, too. The system integrates with Valve's Steam store through SteamVR, so there's an incredibly large library of VR games, even if only a tiny fraction might bother with the finger support.
This is the go-to VR headset for use with PCs, thanks to its strong performance and revolutionary controllers. If you're just starting with VR on PC, go with this one. If you already have a SteamVR-compatible headset, though, such as the HTC Vive, the Vive Cosmos Elite (not the regular Cosmos), or the Vive Pro 2 along with their base stations, you can buy the controllers for $280 to breathe new life into your VR experience without investing in the full Valve Index system.
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$1,411.69 Amazon
$999.00 Steam
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Valve Index VR Kit Review
4.0 Excellent
The best resolution for VR gaming
Smooth motion tracking
Works with Valve Index controllers
Expensive
Doesn't include necessary base stations or controllers
Type
Tethered
Resolution
2,440 by 2,440 (per eye)
Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Motion Detection
6DOF
Controls
None Included
Hardware Platform
PC
Software Platform
SteamVR
This advanced, semi-consumer VR headset targets both enthusiasts and professionals with the sharpest picture available at 2,448 by 2,448 pixels per eye. It easily offers the best visuals we've seen in VR so far, though at a hefty price: The headset alone is $799, and that doesn't factor in the base stations and controllers (but on the bright side, you can use the Valve Index controllers with it).
It works with SteamVR just like the Index, and has its own VR software store in the form of Viveport. The store offers the subscription-based Viveport Infinity service that provides unlimited access to VR experiences, instead of a la carte software purchases. That's a nice bonus outside of SteamVR.
If you want the best VR experience available without diving into pro-level extremes, the Vive Pro 2 combined with Valve Index controllers is the combination to go with. It'll cost you at least $1,300 before factoring in a PC with the specs to take advantage of the headset's power, but you'll enjoy amazing visuals and controls.
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$1,399.00 Amazon
$799.00 Lenovo
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HTC Vive Pro 2 ReviewBuying Guide: The Best VR Headsets for
Modern VR headsets now fit under one of two categories: tethered or standalone. Tethered headsets, such as the HTC Vive Pro 2, PlayStation VR, and Valve Index are physically connected to PCs (or in the case of the PS VR 2, a PlayStation 5). Their cables makes them a bit unwieldy, but putting all of the video processing in a box that you don't need to directly strap to your face means your VR experience can be a lot more complex. Either external sensors or outward-facing cameras provide full 6DOF (six degrees of freedom) movement tracking for both your head and your hands, thanks to motion-sensing controllers.
The least expensive tethered options are currently around $400, and that's before you address the processing issue; the HP Reverb G2, Valve Index, and Vive Pro 2 need powerful PCs to run, while the PS VR requires a PlayStation 4 and the PS VR2 requires a PlayStation 5.
Standalone headsets offer the greatest physical freedom by completely removing the cables and not requiring an external device to handle processing. The Meta Quest 2, Quest Pro, and Quest 3 use similar outward-facing cameras to the now-discontinued Oculus Rift S to provide 6DOF motion tracking, and similar 6DOF motion controls. They lack a dedicated gaming PC's processing power on their own, but their high-end mobile processors (especially the Quest Pro's Snapdragon XR2+) push detailed, smooth graphics. They also support PC-tethered VR with an optional cable.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
The Apple Vision Pro is the most advanced of the standalone headsets by far, and the most advanced headset in general. Apple doesn't call it a VR headset but rather a "spatial computer," but as a device it's very similar to the Quest Pro. It relies entirely on eye and hand tracking for control and has the most intuitive interface we've seen by far. It's also $3,500, which is a huge ask compared with any other headset in this list. It's also a first-generation device on a new platform, even if the platform (VisionOS) is built on iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS.
Sony "spatial reality" headset (Credit: Sony)
Sony's "spatial reality" headset announced at CES is the other model to keep an eye on. Details are scant, but Sony says it will run on a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ chip, indicating it could be standalone headset like the Meta Quest. More interesting are its controllers: a ring and a wand that are designed for "intuitive interaction with 3D objects and precise pointing." Aimed at content creators, it could be a major release for VTubers and other streamers.
Meta emphasizes that the Quest 2, Quest 3, and Quest Pro are all devices for its "metaverse," which is still fairly ill-defined apart from a few specific apps under the Meta Horizon name. It remains a vague concept, but the Quest headsets are the best jumping-off points for exploring the company's vision. Our metaverse guide will help you understand what's happening, based on the few hard details.
Meta's vision of the metaverse hasn't really panned out, and the aforementioned Horizon Worlds app is a ghost town. On the other hand, platforms and games that don't call themselves metaverse like Roblox and VRChat have effectively become popular multimedia experiences crafted and curated by users. You can also use them outside of VR.
You might have seen other headsets pop up over the last few years, including the Microsoft HoloLens and the Magic Leap One. They aren't on this list for a few reasons, but the biggest one is that they're augmented reality (AR) headsets, not virtual reality headsets. And yes, there's a difference.
Basically, these AR headsets have transparent lenses that let you look at your surroundings instead of completely replacing your vision with a computer-generated image. They project images over whatever you're looking at, but those images are designed to complement and interact with the area around you. You can make a web browser pop up in the middle of a room, for instance, or watch animals run around your coffee table. It's fascinating technology that could hint at the future of computing.
The emphasis here is on the future, as in several years away. That brings us to the second biggest reason the HoloLens and Magic Leap One aren't in this list: They aren't consumer products. Both devices are purely intended as development hardware, so AR software can be made for their platforms. Considering each headset costs several thousand dollars, you shouldn't expect a large library of AR experiences for a while. Outside of specific enterprise and education uses, AR headsets are an early adopter playground at best, and not for most people.
The Apple Vision Pro is the closest to a comprehensive AR headset we've seen, and the Meta Quest Pro isn't too far behind it. They use passthrough cameras instead of transparent lenses, so your view of your surroundings won't be as clear as transparent displays, but they still show everything around you, in color, and scan those surroundings to properly place virtual objects in that space.
If you can't wait for the technology to mature or become more affordable, we've found several consumer-available smart glasses that are very useful, though don't deliver on actual augmented reality. They project large images in front of your eyes and can have limited head tracking to keep that virtual screen fixed in place before you, and make great privacy-minded external monitors if you want to watch movies, play games, or work on the go.
With that in mind, we'll continue to track the best new VR headsets as they are released, so make sure to check back soon for updates. And after you find the right headset, check out our list of the best VR games.
VR is transforming, and that&#;s only partially because of Apple. The terms &#;VR&#; and &#;AR&#; are being folded together into mixed reality thanks to a wave of VR headsets that also have passthrough cameras to blend the virtual and real. The most affordable mixed reality headset you can buy right now is the Meta Quest 3: at $500, it&#;s $250 more expensive than the Quest 2, but $3,000 less expensive than the Apple Vision Pro.
The Quest 3 has a newer, fasterSnapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor that has better graphics and a higher-res display than the Quest 2, better lenses and redesigned controllers, and it can also blend the virtual and real world with passthrough color cameras, but Apple's headset beats it on display and camera fidelity. The Quest platform has plenty of side benefits: it has hundreds of games and creative/productivity apps, has several great fitness programs for effective cardio workouts, can connect to PCs and can even double as a work device if you have some patience. It also has hand tracking that works without controllers, but controllers are included to give you two options for input. The Quest 3 can even play iPhone 15 Pro-shot &#;spatial&#; 3D videos, too.
The Apple Vision Pro is an amazing piece of tech and a bleeding-edge high-end mixed reality headset that also runs iOS and thousands of iPad apps, works without controllers using eye and hand tracking and can run multiple apps at the same time, along with being a virtual MacBook monitor. The 4K micro-OLED displays are stunning, and videos and photos look fantastic. Apple&#;s device requires a tethered battery pack, is only made to work within Apple&#;s ecosystem and doesn&#;t have many unique apps yet at launch that do more than act as floating 2D screens. The Vision Pro could very well be the start of a whole new chapter in headsets, and may turn into the best product in this whole category over time, but not right now for most people. At its current price and software limits, you&#;re better off waiting and trying a free demo instead. The Quest 3 is a far cheaper ticket to explore similar ideas in the meantime at a huge discount.
At CNET, we've been testing and reviewing VR/AR headsets since the arrival of the original Oculus Rift prototypes. We've covered nearly every big moment in the industry for well over a decade and have demoed every headset we could get our hands on, as well as reviewed all the biggest products in the marketplace. Our comparative understanding of the landscape, and also what's coming, lets us value the present in terms of the future.
Meta's upgraded VR sequel to the Quest 2 feels like a notable revamp, with improvements across the board: a slightly smaller design, better, clearer lenses, a higher-res display, smaller controllers with better haptics and higher-res color cameras that can mix the real world and the virtual together. This "mixed reality" is similar in spirit to what Apple's Vision Pro will do but in a lower-res form for a lot less money.
Even though the Quest 3 has great upgrades, it doesn't really change the equation much on the general way the headset and software function. Quest apps and the OS are largely the same, and mixed reality is mostly a gimmick for the moment that's only featured in a handful of new games and apps, although seeing your surroundings with the headset on (and even checking messages on your ) is a lot easier now. The headset's comfort level isn't any better, and hand tracking still is fine but not perfect.
The Quest 3 is likely to be the best VR headset in its price class for the next few years, but the software still hasn't caught up. For that reason, the Quest 2 is still probably good enough for most. Its excellent display quality and improved wireless connectivity could make it a good choice for PC VR gamers: it works as a connected PC headset just like other Quest models do.
The Quest 2 is still the most affordable and versatile VR headset of the moment. It doesn't require a gaming console or PC (although you need to pair it with a to set it up). The newly announced Quest 3 looks like the better product, although it costs more ($500), and we haven't reviewed it yet.
Meta will support the Quest 2 with future software right now, but the Quest 3's more advanced processor will make it more future-proof. For that reason alone, the Quest 3 looks to be worth the extra money. But for those who want an affordable option for families, the Quest 2 remains an excellent pick.
The base model's 128GB of storage is plenty for storing dozens of games and apps, although keep in mind there's no way to add more storage after purchase. Meta also now allows accounts to bypass Facebook logins, although a new Meta account is still required. Meta has also added better parental controls for younger players.
The Quest 2 reminds me of the Nintendo Switch for its versatility and fun, and it has a growing library of surprisingly effective fitness apps. The Quest 2 can also connect with a PC to run more advanced apps from Steam or Meta's own app library, using a single USB-C cable or wirelessly.
Read our Meta Quest 2 review.
$300 at Best Buy
The PSVR 2 is expensive ($550), and needs a PlayStation 5 to even work. It's tethered, not wireless. Its HDR OLED display, graphics quality, built-in eye tracking and fantastic advanced controllers -- which have the same vibrations and adaptive force-feedback triggers as the PS5 DualSense controllers -- give this headset a premium feel that makes its best games perform at a different level. It could be a landing spot for top PC VR games, but right now it already has some exclusives like Gran Turismo 7, Resident Evil Village and Horizon: Call of the Mountain.
The PSVR 2 lacks any social metaverse-type software so far and feels more like a headset designed to just launch and play VR games. Many of the games for this headset are ports of titles you could get on devices like the Quest 2 instead. As more games roll out that are optimized for this hardware, the PSVR 2 could quickly stand out from the standalone VR pack. You might want to wait and see what happens unless you're ready to jump in and trust Sony now.
Read our PlayStation VR 2 review.
$550 at Best Buy
Apple stands alone in the category of "standalone mixed reality computer headset" because, really, nothing else out there does exactly what the Vision Pro does. Most VR headsets to date have focused on games and individual immersive creative and work apps to explore ideas in mixed reality. Apple&#;s Vision Pro takes a very different path by folding in almost all of iOS. Having familiar Apple services and thousands of iOS apps floating in virtual workspaces feels like a future where our existing devices and VR/AR finally dovetail.
The Vision Pro also has a phenomenal micro-OLED display that plays movies incredibly well. The hand/eye tracking feels futuristic too and, at its best, it&#;s far more of a mouse/trackpad replacement than Meta&#;s hand tracking on Quest. Its mixed reality capabilities are the best we&#;ve ever seen, with passthrough cameras that are the best quality of any standalone device.
The Vision Pro needs more apps to make the most of its potential and lacks many of the games and fitness experiences that Quest offers. As a work device, once some of the early software quirks are ironed out, it&#;s got incredible promise -- it can act as a surprisingly great virtual monitor for Macs, too. As a fancy travel home theater for someone with $3,499 to spend, it&#;s also fascinating. At this price, no matter how stunning the experience can be, it&#;s a product most people should wait on or simply try a demo of first. Keep in mind that the Vision Pro doesn&#;t work with glasses (you&#;ll need Zeiss prescription lens inserts, a separate $100-$150 purchase), and the headset has its own tethered battery pack that has to be used along with the device, making it feel less self-contained than the Quest.
Read our Apple Vision Pro review.
$3,499 at Apple
If your idea of the best VR headset is to have the best image quality in consumer VR, HP's Reverb G2 wins. For serious gamers (or VR racing sim fans), it's probably your best choice. The 2,160x2,160-per-eye resolution and 114-degree field of view are the best at this price range, and the lightweight, comfy headset also has fantastic dropdown speakers designed by Valve. It's technically a Microsoft Windows mixed reality headset that prefers to launch into Microsoft's native Windows 10 VR ecosystem, but it bridges with Steam VR and works with those games and apps, too. Built-in camera-based room tracking is easier to set up than the Valve Index's external base stations but is more prone to tracking errors. The included controllers, based on Microsoft's VR controller design, feel clunkier than either the Quest 2 controllers or the Valve Index controllers. Also, the over-ear speakers are your only audio choice; there's no headphone jack.
It lists for $599, but it's often on sale for less.
Read our HP Reverb G2 review.
$469 at HP
Valve's headset isn't as cutting-edge as it was when it debuted in , but its Steam VR and Vive hardware compatibility, excellent audio and fancy controllers still make it hardware worth considering. Valve's "knuckle" controllers are pressure-sensitive and can track all five fingers, making them almost like gloves. Not all apps make the most of them, but Valve's hardware is mix-and-match compatible with the HTC Vive, which also is built on the Steam VR platform. The Index headset has excellent audio, but its display resolution is no longer as good as competitors'.
The Index also needs external "lighthouse" boxes similar to the HTC Vive for tracking, meaning you need to set those up in a room first. It's not as self-contained as the Quest 2 or HP Reverb G2, which can track the room with in-headset cameras. It's also definitely not wireless, but if you already have some older HTC Vive hardware, you could add on parts of the Index to mix and match. It feels like this hardware could be due for an upgrade sooner than later.
Read our Valve Index review.
$999 at SteamMeta Quest Pro: Last year's expensive, eye-tracking-equipped Quest headset can track facial expressions and has a crisp display, but the less expensive Quest 3 already makes it obsolete with its better graphics, cameras and display resolution.
HTC Vive XR Elite: The glasses-like design of the XR Elite is a sign of the future, but the software and performance of this headset don't justify its price.
PlayStation VR: The original PSVR still works on the PlayStation 4 and 5, but it's not compatible with PSVR 2 games and hardware. It still has some great games to discover, but its lack of dedicated controllers and awkward setup feels ancient.
Even though mainstream VR headsets have been around for nearly a decade, the apps they run and the computers, phones and game consoles they work with keep changing. We run key apps and software on the headsets, using them mainly in standalone mode if they're designed to be self-contained, or with a PC, game console or if they're primarily meant as connected peripherals.
We use the headsets for a mix of work, gaming, fitness and creative uses, and stay attentive to where the headsets have pain points (moments of discomfort, feelings of disconnect or sensations of nausea or distortion). Using technology like VR can often be a highly subjective experience, but by being attentive to details we find we can discover where each product is uniquely useful.
Comparison is also key: I've looked at pretty much every wearable AR and VR device of the last 15 years and also covered a lot of the wearable tech, and computer landscape. How these devices work as game consoles, fitness devices, work accessories and social tools are all key areas. We also think about displays, audio, controllers and accommodations for eyeglasses.
VR and AR sometimes feel like product categories that never quite seem to become mainstream, but change is coming fast to the headset landscape.
Apple's $3,499 Vision Pro headset -- a self-contained, standalone VR/AR device that Apple is positioning as a full spatial computer -- is the highest-price device on the consumer market, with a very different pitch than games-focused devices like the Meta Quest. Its ability to run all sorts of iOS apps and have multiple apps open at once make it a unique option, and its possibilities as an iOS mixed reality computer, paired with its fantastic display quality and unique input method of hand-eye tracking, might make it a promising device for creators, researchers and anyone with a large enough wallet to pay for a high-end personal cinema on their face. It also emphasizes things like computing and video quality instead of what are still the Quest's greatest strengths: gaming and fitness.
The Vision Pro isn't the only mixed reality VR headset out there: Expect more in this category, which blends VR with video of your surroundings using color passthrough cameras that feels almost like augmented reality. The Quest 3 is the most affordable mainstream mixed reality VR headset, and Apple's is the most expensive. Upcoming expected devices by Samsung and others should be on their way. Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, which enables mixed reality, more AI functions, and better graphics, made its debut on the Quest 3 but will roll out to other headsets in and beyond. A variant on this chip, the XR2 Gen 2 Plus, will be on Samsung and Google's higher-end headset.
Samsung, Google and Qualcomm have announced a partnership for future products, suggesting a mixed-reality headset could be arriving as soon as next year. If you want a -connected device, you probably should wait and see how Samsung and Google's future products shake out. Qualcomm's future plans for VR and AR lean on phones as a way to power smaller glasses, but so far there aren't any of these types of smaller devices that we'd recommend.
Sony's $550 PlayStation VR 2 delivers a great console gaming VR experience for PlayStation 5 owners and includes eye tracking like Apple's Vision Pro, but isn't wireless and is still a relatively expensive accessory (it costs more than the PS5 itself). It's more expensive than both the Quest 2 and Quest 3, and still needs a PS5 to work, but costs far less than a Vision Pro (although it serves a completely different purpose and relies on a limited set of PlayStation VR games to even function). Its more limited library and functions make it less versatile than a Quest, but a fun Quest alternative for anyone deep into Sony's PlayStation 5 ecosystem.
For PC owners, there are several options. You could use a Quest 2, Quest 3 or Quest Pro, or consider several existing devices. The biggest previous players in the PC VR gaming scene (Microsoft, Valve, and HTC) have been quiet on that front, especially now that Microsoft has discontinued most of its mixed reality efforts. That could change again soon. A PC-connected VR headset can offer the most versatile collection of software for an immersive VR experience, and it also lets you use that headset for creative and business tools.
The cost of a new VR headset is going up these days. If price is your biggest concern, the Quest 2 still offers the best value in VR: a completely wireless experience, with access to a great library of fantastic games.
Right now, the Quest 3 and Quest 2 are great devices to try without spending a lot. The Apple Vision Pro, on the other hand, is an extremely expensive new product you definitely should wait on (but try a demo of). With a Samsung mixed reality device expected to be announced this year that could be a Google-enabled alternative to Vision Pro, plus possible entries from HTC and maybe even Valve on the horizon, there could be many headsets on the way that are better than what's here at the moment. VR is a technology that's still in flux. That being said, the Meta Quest is a safe buy right now (although a more affordable Quest 3 Lite could be coming this year, too).
It really depends on whether you're connecting to a PC or not, and whether you plan to do work with it. There are plenty of Windows-compatible headsets, but they vary in display resolution. Higher is better, and so is a larger field of view. Headsets can refresh at up to 120Hz now, and the faster they refresh, the more natural and smooth VR movement feels. Do you want a headset that works as an Apple services-connected computer, like Apple's Vision Pro? For fitness, remember that the Quest is the best option with its various accessories, apps, and fitness app hook-ins.
For gamers with a PlayStation 5, the PSVR 2 is the best option. Also, consider the app libraries: The Quest has a lot of exclusive games, and Windows-connected headsets have lots of compatibility with work apps and experimental tools. The PSVR 2 has its own library of games that aren't backward-compatible with original PSVR games.
The old world of -based VR headsets -- like the Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream -- are basically dead. A good number of the current iPhone, Android and VR app options don't even work with the old mobile VR goggles. The Quest does have a app for streaming content for a parent to monitor and can receive notifications and sync some health data for workouts, but it's still not fully integrated with phones. If smartphone-based VR comes back, it will more likely be in the form of small headsets that plug into phones via USB-C for VR content, VR gaming and other uses.
VR headsets can get dusty and grimy. Take extra care with the lenses, which should be cleaned gently with microfiber cloths the same way you'd treat glasses (but don't use liquid cleaners). A slightly damp paper towel (just wet with a bit of water) can help clean off exteriors. It's a good idea to invest in a case or bag to protect the headset from dust and keep your headset covered when not in use.
Take extra care not to expose your VR headset to bright sunlight: The sun can damage VR displays if beams hit the lenses of the headset. To be safe, I keep mine in cases, turn the lenses away from windows, and cover them with an old t-shirt or towel if I don't have a case.
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