VR Headsets Actually Worth Buying Right Now

It was not too long ago when virtual reality gaming was something of a niche that very few people actually experienced. But a combination of factors, including cheaper options and wider availability of products, means that there is a growing market for VR headsets that can play immersive games. Many major publishers and developers are even adding virtual reality support to blockbuster titles such as "Skyrim."

However, for anyone who wants to try out these experiences for themselves, choosing the right VR headset can be a daunting decision. After all, many of these devices cost as much as a high-end gaming PC and there are so many different headsets to choose from that it can be hard to know which is the best one for you. Fortunately, there are a few standout examples that are more than worth your money, combining affordability, quality, and comfort into one package.

Every one of these VR headsets is among the very best of the best when it comes to virtual reality and should be top of any list when deciding what device to go for.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Valve would enter the virtual reality headset market at some point. After all, the company has the most commonly used digital storefront on PC and a huge catalog of VR games. Valve had also earlier collaborated with HTC to produce the Vive, another virtual reality headset, giving the company some experience in developing virtual reality hardware. All of this led to the 2019 launch of the Valve Index, a high-end VR headset

As one of the more expensive options on the market, the Valve Index does plenty to make up for its high price. It has a high refresh rate of 120Hz but is also able to run at both 80Hz and 90Hz with support for an experimental 144Hz available, as well. Combined with its dual 1440×1600 LCD screens, off-ear headphones, and optimized pixel layout, it is an immersive and comfortable VR headset. There's also good news for those who previously owned HTC devices as the Valve Index is compatible with earlier controllers and base stations, meaning you might not have to spend extra money on purchasing new peripherals and accessories.

As an extra bonus for those who purchase this particular headset, Valve also throws in the highly-acclaimed virtual reality game "Half-Life: Alyx."

Meta already has a number of virtual reality devices on the market. Most notable among them is the Meta Quest 2, which is an entry-level headset that can give gamers a decent experience at a very reasonable price. However, the company has also launched a higher-end device to try and appeal to those who want a more immersive and all-encompassing experience. Known as the Meta Quest Pro, it costs $1,499, making it more than three times as expensive as its cheaper predecessor.

For all that extra money, the Meta Quest Pro certainly packs a punch and has some unique features that help it stand out from Meta's other virtual reality products. Perhaps the most obvious of them is that the Meta Quest Pro utilizes augmented and mixed reality elements in a similar fashion to Microsoft's own HoloLens project. This blends virtual elements with the real world to provide an experience not available on most VR headsets, which includes the Passthrough feature that can present text and images on real-life objects.

Throw in the higher resolution quantum dot displays LCD displays and double the RAM to ensure this headset looks and performs better than the Meta Quest 2. Of particular note are the new compact controller design and the better weight distribution thanks to the battery being attached to the back of the headset.

While the VR headset market has largely been dominated by just a few manufacturers — including Meta, HTC, Valve, and Sony — there are some other options out there for people who want to give virtual reality gaming a chance. The HP Reverb G2 is one such example, a mixed reality headset that had a sharp resolution of 4K across both lenses and an impressive 114-degree field of view. The image quality is so good that it almost completely avoids the screen door effect which has been a huge problem for VR headsets since they first launched.

Utilizing Microsoft's spatial audio technology as well as an audio format developed by HP Labs that features artificial intelligence, it offers great sound to users. Meanwhile, the newly designed speakers have a small gap between the ear for comfort and to ensure the spatial 3D audio works exactly as intended. Additionally, the headset features four cameras to track the controllers and user movements so there's no need for any external sensors that need to be set up, giving players more freedom when it comes to choosing where to use the headset.

This means that the HP Reverb G2 is among the easier VR headsets to plug in and play as it is far more user-friendly than some of its competitors. A 20-foot cable to connect it to the PC also provides lots of freedom to move around.

Although it is now almost seven years old, the PlayStation VR still has a lot to offer to anyone looking to try out virtual reality gaming on a budget. This particular headset has a number of advantages over many of its rivals, including the fact that it is now much more affordable than other similar products and works with the PS4 and PS5. What that means for gamers is that they don't have to go out and purchase a high-end PC to play virtual reality games and can instead stick with a console that they might already have.

That makes PlayStation VR an enticing prospect, especially for console gamers. Even its specs are not bad given its age and price, with a 5.7-inch OLED panel that has a resolution of 1080p and 3D audio. It is also fairly easy to set up and play, using the PlayStation Camera to accurately track your movement through LEDs located across the headset.

Sony provides a great catalog of titles, with a library that boasts more than 500 games of various sizes for download. That means there should be something for anybody using the PlayStation VR, like "Marvel's Iron Man VR" and "Hitman 3" as well as first-party releases such as "Astro Bot Rescue Mission." As an entry-level headset, there are few better options that will provide the same level of comfort and quality at such a low price.

The Primax 5K Vision Super is a VR headset from the Chinese virtual reality specialist Pimax. As you might expect from the name, it has a combined resolution of 5K and a wide range of FOV and refresh rate options. At its highest setting, the device offers a field of view of 170 degrees horizontally and 115 vertically. However, this number will drop depending on the chosen refresh rate, which can go up as high as 180Hz. Sacrificing one of these to enable the highest settings of the other may sound silly but it means users have a whole host of options to tailor the experience to their own standards.

In terms of sound, this headset uses a rather unique solution that sees audio being output from speakers at the top of the device. For those who want a more immersive experience, in-ear headphones can also be purchased at an additional cost. Reviews have also noted the quality of the microphone, allowing for clearer communication. Combined with an easy-to-use interface and a more user-friendly initial startup process, the Primax 5K Vision Super is one of the best quality starter virtual reality devices available.