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Jan 19, 2024

The best VR headset in 2023: all the latest platforms compared

PSVR 2, and new offerings from HTC, and Meta? It's bound to be an interesting

PSVR 2, and new offerings from HTC, and Meta? It's bound to be an interesting year for the best VR headsets

The best VR headsets are in for a shake-up if a recent WSJ report is to be believed. After years of speculation, apparently, Apple is planning to launch a new mixed-reality headset in the next year, and if the iPhone manufacturer has its way, it'll take the market by storm. I say that with a hint of sarcasm, as the report says that Apple expects to ship 10 million units in its first year, which is something most headsets have struggled to do in their life cycles to this point. 2023 has already shown that VR is coming into its own after years of struggling to break mainstream ground, and the headsets we've rounded up below are a big reason why.

Even if you aren't up for Sony's latest and greatest, it is possible to find some of the best VR headsets for between $300 and $600. I say this because rumor has it the new Apple headset will cost a whopping $3,000. Premium devices from the likes of HTC, Meta, and Valve can still trickle into that four-figure mark, but not nearly to the tune of $3,000. Now you understand my hint of sarcasm. If you're looking for the best tech available, we'd argue a grand's investment is worth it for VR. Keep in mind, if you already have one of the best gaming PCs, you might not need to spend as much.

To help you navigate this often complicated-seeming market, we've rounded up the best VR headsets you can buy at the moment down below. We've put this guide together based on both our own hands-on experience and by balancing spec lists and price points to find the best value platforms. Of course, VR isn't the cheapest gaming space to jump into, especially when the cost of living is as high as it is. PSVR 2's launch marks a great moment for affordability in mainstream VR gaming, though, and in our PSVR 2 review, we praised it for its premium feature set that usually costs far more. For that reason, we've tried to cater to varying budgets in the list below.

Our expert review:

PSVR 2's list of impressive tech specs adds up into a highly cohesive VR package. This is a headset that absolutely oozes value for money, especially when you add up the costs of VR gaming on PC. A high-end PC that will make the most of the other VR powerhouses on this list will likely set you back more than a grand. Add in the thousand dollars or pounds you'll spend on one of those headsets alone, and you've got quite the investment. Meanwhile, a PS5 will set you back around $500, with PSVR 2 setting you back $549. For that amount, you get an incredible VR platform that can absolutely punch above its price tag.

For your money, you get a slew of impressive features that ground you in VR experiences like never before. Haptic feedback both in the excellent VR2 Sense controllers, and the headband of the headset, as well as some light trigger resistance, feels more at home here than it does on the DualSense. The OLED panel looks astounding, and the details you can notice thanks to solid eye-tracking and foveated rendering will have your jaw continually hitting the floor.

PSVR 2 is, unfortunately, a little hampered by being tied to the PS5 at present. This means out of the headsets on this list, it most likely has the fewest selection of games available to play on it (at least at launch). It definitely feels like PSVR 2 is hamstrung by its lack of compatibility, whether that's for PC, or even the established library of PSVR 1 games. Having said that, PSVR 2 has an excellent Cinematic Mode which, thanks to that OLED panel, offers a whole new way to experience your favorite PS5 games.

In terms of specs, features, and value for money, PSVR 2 has blasted its way onto the scene, leaving the rest of the VR gaming competition in its wake with a stellar all-round package.

Editor's note: PSVR 2 is now available at other retailers! After an initial launch period where it was only available through PlayStation's Direct store, you can now get a headset, or a Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle at a myriad of UK and US retailers.

We've used our price comparison software down below to find you the best deals in your area.

Our expert review:

If you're after the best VR headset money can buy, we'd point in the direction of the HTC Vive Pro 2. This is certainly a big kids toy, coming in at $800 for the headset alone, without taking the extra required accessories and high-end PC into account. However, for specialists and budget-busting enthusiasts, the HTC Vive Pro 2's 4896 x 2448 resolution, pinpoint motion tracking, and Steam VR integrations make it a must-see.

If you're sceptical about VR, I'd like to sit you down in front of the HTC Vive Pro 2.

That resolution sits at the very top of the current market, offering up super clean visuals that you won't find on cheaper headsets. You are tethered to a PC here, via a Link Box connection, which means the threat of tripping is real if you're up and about.

We did find that setup process a little tedious in our testing, plotting out the base stations took a long time, and we'd heavily recommend wall-mounting them for the best effect (which will take even longer). You'll need to pick up two Steam VR base stations and motion controllers for the full experience, which will set you back around $600 extra all in. However, once you do there's a new level of tracking and motion at your fingertips - one that other VR headsets can sometimes struggle to match unless doing so while sacrificing other features.

The main draw here is that incredible resolution, combined with the 120° field of view and refresh rate of up to 120Hz. If you're going all-in on a future-proofed setup, and want your games to look as good as they possibly can while doing so, this is where the piggy bank should go.

Everything encasing all that tech is also incredibly premium. We loved the futuristic external aesthetic, but not as much as the lightweight design. Even though we were tethered up to a PC, this was a particularly flexible experience.

We did notice that the quality of the HTC Vive Pro 2 does reveal itself over time. It took us a couple of days to fully adopt the correct settings for our eyes, so it's worth noting that you'll need some extra tinkering time for the best result. However, once you're there, the investment you've made is well worth it.

Read more: HTC Vive Pro 2 review

Our expert review:

The Meta Quest 2 is still the best value VR headset on the market for the majority of players, even despite an August 2022 price hike that increased the final cost to $399 / £399 for the 128GB model, which is $100 / £100 more than the previous $299 / £299 MSRP. This increase is also reflected on the 256GB version, pushing it up to $499 / £499. That's a considerable blow, especially considering the Quest 2 was the only VR headset catering to this sub-$300 / £300 market particularly well. Still, this remains one of the cheapest mid-range options out there, so if you didn't manage to scoop up the old price it's still worth investigating.

Sacrifices have been made, but it's an improvement on its predecessor in almost every sense.

While we were a little disappointed to find the Oculus Quest 2 felt a little cheaper than its predecessor in the hands, we found it more comfortable in our testing overall. That's thanks to its lighter form factor (503g vs the original 571g) and the wider surface area of the thumb rest of the controller. Still, we recommend this headset over the more recent Meta Quest Pro, especially if you're just looking for a VR headset for gaming.

In our Meta Quest Pro review, we found the battery life and AR features made it much less viable than the Meta Quest 2 remains today. Not to mention, the Meta Quest Pro has given rise to some serious privacy concerns, and its price is not worth the minimal technical improvements over the Quest 2.

With the Quest 2, you're free to roam your surroundings with no limiting tracking area and a super flexible setup overall. This is an all-in-one self-contained unit with a speedy processor and plenty of RAM for today's games. That means you won't need to invest in a high-end gaming PC to keep things running smoothly here - you're all good to go straight out of the box. And it's difficult to understate just how important that is to Meta Quest 2's value.

With so many of the best VR headsets costing well over $500 / £500 (and still requiring a separate PC brain to function), packing the tracking features, high-resolution display, 90Hz framerate, and comfortable experience into a sub-$300 / £300 price point is incredibly impressive. We've even started seeing more and more Meta Quest 2 deals and Meta Quest 2 accessories entering the marketplace in recent months as well.

Read more: Oculus Quest 2 review

There are a few features of the Valve Index that we need to get out of the way right at the start. First up is that finger tracking system. Rather than relying on per-controller tracking, the Valve Index has stepped where no VR headset has gone before - adding sensors for each individual finger via a touch-sensitive panel. The second is a 120Hz refresh rate that will cover for a slightly lower resolution by allowing games to slide across the screen without a hint of a flicker.

The Valve Index is a VR headset for those fully invested in the PC gaming space, the specialists that already have the PC humming away in the corner and are looking to put it to the test. While the headset itself costs £499 / £459, the full kit will set you back $999 / £919. That's cheaper than the full price of the HTC Vive Pro 2 and all of its gadgets, though you're favoring tracking over resolution this time.

With the whole of Steam behind it, you'd be hard-pressed to be bored in this particular virtual world. However, it is worth noting that fewer Steam titles can take full advantage of these unique tracking features so you're certainly proofing yourself rather than enjoying today's tech with this purchase.

Not many have the HP Reverb G2 on their shopping list, but HP does have a sleeper hit on its hands with its $600 VR headset. It's worth noting that this is much easier to find in the US, and you'll likely be limited to special editions running over £1,000 if you're browsing in the UK. With heavy emphasis placed on resolution, but some nice quality of life features baked in (how has nobody else thought of having the display flip up so you can see your surroundings?) there's plenty to love here, even if overall this set doesn't quite beat out some of the higher options on the list.

You won't need any external tracking sensors here, the HP Reverb G2 takes care of all of that itself with cameras. Plus, there's very little setup to get out of the way. This is a Windows headset through and through, so connecting to your PC is as simple as plugging it in and letting Windows 10 or 11 complete your installations and software tweaks.

While tracking a little behind Oculus in its value offering, the HP Reverb G2 is a solid buy for any PC enthusiasts who don't want to have to kit out their home to step into a virtual world.

If the HTC Vive Pro 2 was looking a little pricey, the Vive Cosmos Elite system might be the best VR headset for those looking to spend a little less on some of the fancier features and focus instead on room-scale tracking. HTC launched its Cosmos headset to very little fanfare a few years ago, and on its own, the headset sits as a fully modular system that you can upgrade with a different faceplate and SteamVR tracking bases as you please. However, its final form is the Vive Cosmos Elite, making this iteration the best VR headset in its line.

While resolution lacks behind the much cheaper Oculus Quest 2 (the full Cosmos Elite system will do over $800 worth of damage, there's enough power in that 2880 x 1700 display to keep up with the premium Valve Index system. That means no screen door effect and a clear display (supported by a 90Hz refresh rate). If you're after a full suite of tracking sensors, then, this is the most affordable option available to you right now - and it still does a solid job of rendering everything in high-quality graphics.

The best VR headset for the vast majority of people is going to be the Meta Quest 2. It's an affordable option that still offers plenty of functionality with a wide range of services and games. However, PSVR 2 punches well above its weight thanks to its all-around excellence. It has specs and features that are reserved for much more expensive headsets. If you're after the full experience on PC, we'd recommend a headset with full room tracking, like the HTC Vive Pro 2, or the Valve Index.

Although it's the latest release from the folks at Oculus, we found that the Meta Quest Pro couldn't escape the DNA of its Meta rebrand. As a standalone gaming VR headset, it has some impressive specs, but it has a lot of Metaversal fluff that can't be avoided, and that brings some serious privacy concerns into play. Unfortunately, we can't recommend it over the Meta Quest 2 in any real capacity, especially due to the extremely poor battery life that didn't even live up to the 10 hours Meta quotes for it.

The Oculus, or Meta Quest 2 is definitely one of the best VR headsets on the market, whether you want something for gaming or more general VR use. Perhaps the best thing about it is that it it's wireless, and doesn't need to be linked to a PS5 or PC in order to play at full power. Of course, it can be linked to a PC, but the fact it's independent of more expensive hardware means it's highly accessible for folks who can't afford it all. Oculus also has an expansive digital library of games since its one of the original names in VR gaming.

Even the best VR headsets won't be worth it for everyone - in fact, the very top of the range will likely only make sense for a small selection of people. However, now that developers have started producing more and more larger-scale games (Resident Evil, Half-Life, and Star Wars franchises all have recent releases) and those prices are starting to fall, it's well worth investing in a VR headset if you're keen on exploring a new avenue in gaming.

Technically, the HTC Vive Pro 2 has the highest resolution display on our list. Per-eye, you get 4896 x 2448 pixels. For gaming, it doesn't get much better than that up or down the price bracket. Having said that, PSVR 2 gets pretty close with a resolution of 2000 x 2040 PPE, and since it has an OLED panel to the Vive Pro 2's LCD one, its visuals are also stunning.

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Speaking broadly, all VR headsets will give you a sensation of realism like no other type of gaming. The entire appeal of the platform is that it puts your sensations in the middle of whatever virtual experience you want. In terms of realistic visuals, however, one headset beats out the rest by having a stronger resolution. If you want the best of the best, our top pick would need to be the HTC Vive Pro 2, which has a 120 degree field of view and a 2448p LCD display.

The first thing you'll need to get started in the world of virtual reality is a VR headset. Of course, finding the right model is easier said than done, but if you're looking for a solid experience while just starting out, we'd recommend sticking with the Oculus Quest 2. It's a fully standalone headset, which means you won't need a premium gaming PC to run it (or the cables to hook it up).

However, if you're opting for something a little more luxurious, you will likely need a PC with at least an Nvidia GTX 1060 graphics card, 8GB RAM, and an Intel i5 processor - better specs will produce a far better result, of course.

On top of that, you may also need to purchase additional controllers and tracking stations to complete your setup.

One of the biggest factors when choosing the best VR headset for you will likely be your budget. If cash is your only factor, you'll find a breakdown of the best VR headsets in each price range just below, but be aware that there's plenty more to this story if you're browsing above $600.

Beyond cash value, there are a number of features that separate budget, mid-range, and high-end headsets. Generally, these are screen resolution, panel type, field of view, and tracking support.

Screen resolution

The best VR headset is generally the one with the biggest resolution. That's because resolution is such an important aspect of the virtual reality experience, and a high-quality display will remove the screen door effect and keep your games feeling fresh and immersive. If you're spending more than $600 on your headset, you'll want to make sure you're getting a resolution of above 3664 x 1920.

Panel type

VR headsets are quickly adopting OLED displays moving forwards, thanks to the increased color contrast and vividity. If you want to remain on the cusp of emerging developments, then, it might be worth waiting for the perfect headset with an OLED panel (many of the best options today still use an LCD).

Field of view

The average field of view among the best VR headsets is around 100 degrees, with variances running around 10 degrees either way. The higher the field of view, the more you're going to be able to see around you, and the better the headset will recreate natural human vision. If you're looking to use your VR headset for gaming, then, it's well worth making sure you're hitting at least 100-110°.

Tracking support

Cheaper VR headsets use onboard cameras to track their placement, and your heads, within a virtual world. However, moving up the price scale, more specialist devices often employ additional hardware like tracking bases to set up room-scale tracking with far greater accuracy. You can game on a headset with onboard tracking, and if you're simply looking for casual entertainment, we'd recommend sticking with this far more affordable solution. However, if you're splashing some cash, it's well worth investing in a rig that can accurately track your whole play space.

Many of the best gaming laptops are also VR-ready now, but if you're keeping your search strictly to headwear, check out our guide to PSVR vs HTC Vive vs Oculus for more buying advice. Find out more about how we make our recommendations with the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

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Ever since playing Journey at the age of 15, I’ve been desperate to cover video games for a living. After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in Journalism, I contributed to the Scottish Games Network and completed an Editorial Internship over at Expert Reviews. Besides that, I’ve been managing my own YouTube channel and Podcast for the last 7 years. It's been a long road, but all that experience somehow landed me a dream job covering gaming hardware. I’m a self-confessing PlayStation fanboy, but my experience covering the larger business and developer side of the whole industry has given me a strong knowledge of all platforms. When I’m not testing out every peripheral I can get my hands on, I’m probably either playing tennis or dissecting game design for an upcoming video essay. Now, I better stop myself here before I get talking about my favourite games like HUNT: Showdown, Dishonored, and Towerfall Ascension.Location: UK Remote

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