Want to know which are the best VR headsets? Here is a list of standalone VR glasses, for PC, smartphone and console to buy at a good price.
Are you looking for a VR viewer to immerse yourself in the world of virtual reality but you don’t know which model to buy? Do you want to have clarity on the types of existing VR headsets and are you eager to explore this new world?
Best VR Headsets for Virtual Reality 2022
Get comfortable because in a few steps I will show you the best VR headsets for virtual reality and I will explain how these fantastic devices work, ready to revolutionize the technology market.
Oculus Quest 2 devices, HTC Vive Pro and PlayStation VR have all the potential to change the world in which people play on PCs and consoles, while a new wave of mobile headsets, including Samsung Gear VR, will transform smartphones into one. virtual reality screen.
How VR headsets work
In practice, these devices have a support for two magnifying glasses that rest on an OLED, LCD IPS or smartphone screen.
The goal is to try to immerse the viewer in virtual reality to isolate him from the outside world and make him converge in the vision on two distinct portions of the 5.5-inch screen.
A gyroscope and accelerometer should do the rest, allowing you to monitor the movements of the head and recreate the feeling of being in a three-dimensional world.
The use of the two lenses in addition to enlarging the pixels should only exploit a relatively small area of the screen as only the area of the two side by side circles is used. In this way it is possible to obtain the immersion experience at 360 degrees.
VR Content is divided into three categories:
- 360 degree panoramic videos i – Real 360 degree shooting requires a battery of cameras. One example is Google’s Jump. 16 batteries arranged in a circle to turn 16 distinct clips into a 360 degree video.
- 3D worlds generated in computer graphics – Content of this type, especially games, is generated by a 3D graphics engine and is easily manageable.
- Stereoscopic or monoscopic VR videos – There are two videos in stereoscopic VR videos: one for each eye and they are meant to provide 3D depth and appearance. While for monoscopic VR videos both eyes see a single flat image or video file. The more the object is displaced in the two images, the more distance or proximity is perceived. At this point the brain intervenes by simulating a three-dimensionality to fill this distance. Most apps to turn videos into fake 3D, like many games for iOS and Android, use this view.
Difference between standalone and tethered VR headset
The virtual reality viewers on sale are divided into standalone viewers and tethered viewers. The standalone ones do not need any connection to source devices and have two lenses that allow them to determine the field of vision.
The tethered viewers, on the other hand, must be connected to a source device (smartphone, computer) that you can also use as a display.
For PC connections you will need to use the supplied cable which allows faster but also more unsafe connections, as you could trip over the cables at any time.
Also keep in mind that the PC must have a very powerful video card, I recommend at least: an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 or later or an AMD Radeon R9 390 or later.
Best VR headsets for virtual reality
Below are the best VR viewers currently on the market, cheap and otherwise. Here is a quick overview of what the sector offers, I hope you can find the VR headset that best suits your needs and especially your pocket.
Oculus Quest 2
Best Standalone VR Headset.
Pro
- Excellent VR for a standalone device
- Oculus Link connects Oculus Quest and Quest 2 to a gaming PC
- The high quality spiral shield doubles the ground and ensures a solid and stable connection
- 5 meter long cable
- Quick and easy installation
Against
- Compatible gaming PC required
- Requires a Facebook account
- Some users complain that the helmet overheats in games
- The battery lasts about 2/3 hours
Oculus Quest 2 is by far the best VR headset on the market. It is a standalone device available in 64 and 256 GB versions with a display resolution of 1832 × 1920 pixels per eye with a refresh rate of 90Hz.
It is equipped with a Qualcomn Snapdragon XR2 processor capable of simulating all movements, adapting to any type of environment. It is also compatible with the PC thanks to the premium quality Oculus Link fiber optic cable.
Its length is 5 meters and guarantees durability, flexibility and a high user experience. Do not miss the 3D cinematic audio to enjoy front row movies or concerts as if they were live.
It comes with two knobs equipped with keys whose purpose is to simulate your hands in the virtual world. To discover the available games, you need to download the Oculus app on your smartphone.
HTC Vive
Pro
- The best overall VR experience
- Partnership software con Valve
- Good accuracy of the motion and position sensor
- Joystik VR intuitive and functional
- Compatibility with commercially available products, programs or games.
Against
- Requires a high-end GPU
- It takes some time to set up and calibrate the playing field
- Good quality of the display screen but can be improved
Do you want to experience a realistic virtual reality? HTC Vive is one of the best VR headsets that will allow you to move up to 4.5m by 4.5m space. It comes with two motion controllers and supports Room Scale Tracking.
It provides 360 degree coverage and if you don’t have the space to move, you can also sit or stand in a space of at least 2m by 1.5m. Vive’s Chaperone system will warn you when you reach the edge of your play area. It mounts two 1080p screens that make the image very clear.
Works with a Windows PC with GPU: Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350, equivalent or better, and 4 GB of RAM.
Oculus Go
Pro
- Excellent VR for a standalone device
- Reasonable price
- Device construction
- Image quality in native digital applications
- Screen quality
- Pointing accuracy
Against
- They’re heavy
- After a few hours there is discomfort in the eyes
- The contents are in English
- Lots of useless apps
Simply put, the Oculus Go marks a new era for virtual reality, one that doesn’t need a smartphone or PC to run excellent experiences. It is a standalone headset that rivals Oculus Rift; the quality of the virtual reality offered is almost equal to that of a tethered VR viewer.
Impressive visuals and a comfortable (albeit slightly heavy) fit are elements that make Oculus Go one of the best VR headsets for virtual reality.
Its content library is already extensive with over 1000 apps, games, movies and experiences available at launch and is expected to continue growing, thanks to its compatibility with Samsung Gear VR content. To conclude, it comes in two storage options, 32GB or 64GB.
Playstation VR
Pro
- Price
- Quality performance
- Good selection of games
Against
- The accessories required in the package are missing
- Motion controller tracking
HTC Vive, HTC Vive Pro or Oculus Rift headsets require a high-end gaming PC to work, and that’s no small investment. If you already own a PS4 or PS5, Sony’s Playstation VR headset might be for you.
Considering the noticeable difference in power between PS4 and PC, PlayStation VR is a surprisingly competent headset. Its refresh rate is responsive and presents no problems with the reliability of its head tracking.
Thanks to support from Sony, the PlayStation VR game collection is also impressive. It features a 5.7-inch OLED screen with 1920 of RGB and 1080 of resolution.
It is not bulky or heavy and features reduced latency times and location accuracy. The only objection? Its accessories are sold separately although the reduction in price has made it even more affordable.
Oculus Rift S
Pro
- Virtual reality pioneers
- Facebook support
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Higher resolution than its predecessors
- Lots of games
Against
- The Room Scale isn’t perfect
- Absence of external sensors
The current VR rush began with just one man, Oculus founder: Palmer Luckey. Oculus Rift S is the successor to the Oculus Rift headset and was designed with Lenovo. It features a 2560 × 1440 LCD display with an 80Hz refresh rate.
You can connect it to your PC via the supplied 5 meter cable and use it while sitting or standing. It comes in a comfortable and improved design for playing in long gaming sessions.
Oculus Insight tracking allows you to move around the game space in any direction using two Oculus Touch controllers with vibration. The store is packed with VR games.
To work it requires Windows 10, video cardNVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 480, equivalent or better, Intel Core i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350 CPU, equivalent or better, and 8 GB of RAM.
HTC Vive Pro
Pro
- High resolution display
- Block out the light better than HTC Vive
- Integrated headphones
Against
- More expensive VR headsets
- Installation is not easy
HTC Vive Pro are high impedance VR headsets, with a resolution of 2880 x 1600 pixels and a 78% increase in DPI over the HTC Vive. They have razor-sharp visual fidelity that allows you to experiment with textures and shadows in a way not previously available in VR. But the benefits of HTC Vive Pro don’t end there.
We also find the addition of integrated headphones and new nose protectors that allow you to block out the light compared to the HTC Vive. In practice we are facing a marked improvement in both design and technology.
Despite all of its bright updated specs, the new navy blue color and a game library that is sure to grow, theHTC Vive Pro has some serious flaws. It is expensive and requires the purchase of controllers and sensors separately.
Also, due to its high price, challenging setup, and the fact that the excellent HTC Vive is now much more affordable, the HTC Vive Pro is arguably more suited to VR enthusiasts and arcade owners.
Samsung GEAR VR
Pro
- Lightweight
- It supports several Samsung phones
Against
- More expensive than Google Daydream View
- Controller batteries cannot be recharged
Samsung Gear VR has always been a respectable VR headset, powered by smartphones, but now that it has a motion controller. It might be the best VR headset option for mobile users.
In addition to the new controller, the updated Gear VR is lighter and leaner than before and features a USB-C connector that plugs directly into the Samsung Galaxy phone.
Among the compatible phones we have: Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, as well as Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus (if you have the latest Gear VR headsets) and the Note 8 and 9.
The included motion controller has a similar design to that of the HTC Vive, with a touchpad and activation button. With this Gear VR controller it becomes truly unique, allowing you to interact with VR worlds in an incredible way.
Of course, being powered by a smartphone, the performance of the headset is entirely tied to the phone you plugged into, although considering the power of Samsung’s higher-end phones, this shouldn’t be a problem. However, if you’re using an older Galaxy phone, your experience could be significantly impacted.
Oculus Go and Samsung Gear VR are compatible and share the same app and game library.
Google Cardboard
Considered the outsider of viewers, the Google Cardboard is sold at a ridiculously low price. In practice, these are two biconvex lenses and two magnets, mounted on a cardboard body in which it is possible to place a smartphone with a special app.
As a demonstration of Google’s interest in VR, VR View was born, a new Big G branded tool that allows you to incorporate 360-degree images and videos into smartphone apps and websites, mainly dedicated to developers.
Nintendo Switch viewer
OIVO is a virtual reality viewer for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch OLED model . Made with EVA and Oxford materials, it is very light and resistant but at the same time offers an unprecedented HD gaming experience.
You can play Zelda and Super Mario Odissey, Super Smash Bros and much more, using joysticks and buttons. Besides games, you can watch YouTube videos and enjoy the 3D world for long hours by adjusting the size of the glasses to fit your head.