Virtual reality was supposed to be the next big thing back in 2016, when the original Oculus Rift and HTC Vive launched. It was the tech whose time had finally arrived. Or so we thought. As it turned out, VR was still a little too expensive and perhaps too alienating to take over the gaming world. Then there was the hype about the “metaverse,” and now we're seeing companies that invested heavily in VR starting to jump ship, so keep that in mind when you're looking at investing in a new headset.
Still, VR can be a cool way to experience certain games, art experiences, and even sex tech. For those interested, here are the best headsets we've tried.
Updated June 2023: We've added guidance on Apple Vision Pro.
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Tethered or Wireless VR?
Before we dive deep, there's one question you need to answer: Do you want a tethered or wireless headset? Tethered VR gives you more graphical detail because you're hooked up to a PC. The disadvantage is that you're, well, hooked up to a PC. There's no getting around the fact that cables are awkward to deal with, especially when you can't see them. You'll likely trip on them at some point too. But if you're looking for absolutely top-of-the-line graphics, and you already shelled out for a great gaming PC or laptop, then you'll want to go tethered.
For most people, myself included, wirefree VR is a much better option. It's more comfortable, you don't have to worry about getting tangled up in your own cables, and it's totally portable. You can bring this kind of VR headset to any room in the house without having to lug around a PC. Plus, in the case of the Meta Quest 2, you can plug it into a PC if you want the extra graphical horsepower. Below, we feature both kinds of headsets. Take a look.
Best Overall (With a Big Caveat)
Meta Quest 2The Meta Quest 2—the successor to the Oculus Quest, originally called the Oculus Quest 2—delivers great resolution in a lightweight body. It was built to be completely wirefree, but you can plug it into a powerful gaming rig with a single USB-C cable and experience the kind of ultrahigh-definition VR you can only get from dedicated PC hardware. It's also great for work. With Horizon Workrooms, you can set up your own little space away from the office and even invite coworkers to hang out and collaborate. It has the best-in-class app store, full of games and apps purpose-built for the Quest 2.
Unfortunately, the Meta Quest 2 has gotten a price hike, which is concerning. I've never seen a game console or device go up in price after being on the market for a few years–unless it comes with some kind of upgrade, like the Nintendo Switch OLED. It's troubling and doesn't speak well of Meta's confidence in the platform. There are other drawbacks too. Namely, the company behind it all is Meta (aka Facebook). You might not like that, given Facebook's less-than-stellar history of managing user data (not to mention how that data is used). If you're in the market for a VR headset, the Meta Quest 2 is still our top pick. Just try not to buy too many things from the Meta Store; stick to purchases on a more stable marketplace, like Steam (which supports the Quest 2).
On the plus side, you no longer need a Facebook account to sign into the Meta ecosystem. Sort of like on Instagram, you'll be able to sign in with a Meta account that is completely separate from the Facebook social network. This is the account you'll use for purchasing games and managing your library. For social aspects that were once paired with Facebook, you can create—alongside your Meta account—a Meta Horizons account. This is the one you'll use to connect with friends and share content on Facebook and Instagram. This is good news, but I'd still advise caution. The data is all going to the same place, so if you have hangups about Facebook, it might be a good idea to skip the Horizons side of things.
Supports room-scale VR, can operate with or without a PC, and comes with two controllers.
$300 at Amazon$300 at Target$300 at Best Buy
The Luxury Pick
Meta Quest ProIf you’re looking for a top-shelf VR experience, the Quest Pro is one of your best options right now. The Quest Pro improves on the Quest 2 in just about every way. It’s much comfier to wear, the head straps are easier to manage, the internal displays are more vivid and higher resolution, and the headset itself features face-tracking. That means your in-game avatars will have facial expressions that match your own with surprising accuracy. It also features a full-color passthrough mode, which is great for popping in and out of VR or making the most of mixed-reality apps like virtual desktop setups.
$999 at Amazon$979 at Walmart
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Finding Room for VR
Space ExplorationOne of the limiting factors for VR has always been space. Where do you set it up? How much room do you need? Early on, you saw photos of room-scale virtual reality setups, or people pushing their furniture to the edge of their living room. But with headsets like the Meta Quest 2, you can do VR in basically any room of your home.
The key to making space for VR is finding somewhere comfy and familiar. For me, that's usually my living room. I just put the headset on and find an area where I can stretch my arms out without hitting anything and go from there. Sometimes it's helpful to lay out a yoga mat, so I can keep track of where I am in space. You could say that VR only requires as much space as you'd need for a yoga routine.
Finding room for VR isn't so much about physical space as it is about finding how it fits into your life. For me, that's as a game console. I've tried keeping my VR headset plugged in beside my PC, but that usually just means I forget about it and never use it. I prefer hanging it off the back of my TV stand, plugged in, charging, and just as easy to hop in and out of as any other game console. In particular, the Meta Quest 2 is a lot like the Nintendo Switch: a great home console, but also something you can easily grab and take to a friend's house without having to wrestle with wires.