Best VR Headset of 2024
HP Reverb G2
Best PC VR headset for higher-res gaming
Valve Index
Still one of the best Steam VR hardware platforms
What’s the best VR headset overall?
VR is transforming, and thats 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, its $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. Apples device requires a tethered battery pack, is only made to work within Apples ecosystem and doesnt 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, youre 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.
Best VR headsets of 2024
Like
- Crisp high-res displays
- Improved new processor
- Mixed reality with better color cameras
- Smaller controllers with better haptics
Don’t like
- More expensive than Quest 2
- Few unique apps and games at launch
- Straps and comfort still aren’t great
- Still only 2-3 hours battery life
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 phone) 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.
- Display: LCD, 2,064×2,208 pixels per eye
- Eye tracking: No
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2
- Works with glasses: Yes
Like
- High-res display
- Great self-contained gaming experience
- Doubles as PC VR headset
- Works well with a handful of fitness apps
Don’t like
- Only 2 to 3 hours of battery life
- Not designed for younger kids
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 phone 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.
- Display: LCD, 1,842×1,920 pixels per eye
- Eye tracking: No
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2
- Works with glasses: Yes
Read our Meta Quest 2 review.
Like
- Vivid, high-res OLED display
- Comfortable fit
- Excellent controllers
- Realistic vibrations
- Powerful graphics potential
Don’t like
- Expensive
- Needs to be cabled to PS5
- Included earbuds are just OK
- Doesn’t work with old PSVR games
- Game library needs more exclusives
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.
- Display: OLED, 2,000×2,040 pixels per eye
- Eye tracking: Yes
- Requires tethering to PS5 to work
- Works with glasses: Yes
Read our PlayStation VR 2 review.