Best VR headset 2023: Our top picks for virtual reality

The Meta Quest 3 affords essentially the most well-rounded VR expertise of any VR headset in the marketplace proper now, elevating the already stable standalone expertise from the Quest 2 with improved visuals, extra processing energy and extra.

The Meta Quest 3 is a extra compact headset than its predecessor, largely right down to a brand new pancake lens system that additionally boosts visible readability with much less lens distortion than fresnel-based lenses. That signifies that, even with no important enhance to general decision, visuals look rather more detailed on the newer headset.

That’s additionally right down to the inclusion of the brand new Snapdragon XR 2 Gen 2 chipset, boasting not-insignificant upgrades together with a 2.5x bounce in GPU efficiency in comparison with the Quest 2’s XR 2 chipset. That signifies that VR titles that make the most of the processing energy can ship not solely greater high quality textures however extra detailed parts like lifelike shadows that enhance immersion.

There’s additionally spectacular blended actuality assist with a swathe of front-facing cameras that, when mixed with the headset’s depth sensor, delivers an unimaginable blended actuality expertise with digital parts interacting with real-world objects.

Throw in rather more compact controllers, the identical 2-3 hour battery life as its predecessor and the largest library of VR/MR apps and video games of any VR producer proper now, and also you’ve obtained a really tempting, very succesful headset. It’s only a disgrace that it’s rather more costly than its predecessor, beginning at £529/$499.

Reviewer: Lewis Painter
Full Evaluation: Meta Quest 3 evaluation

Even with the discharge of the Meta Quest 3, the Meta Quest 2 stays the perfect worth headset in the marketplace, particularly at a lowered £299/$299. It’s not solely one of the vital inexpensive picks, however can even perform independently which implies you don’t want an ultra-expensive gaming PC or console.

In the course of the evaluation, we have been actually impressed with the apps and video games on provide, with the likes of Beat Saber and Superhot VR offering extremely enjoyable experiences. The Quest 2 will battle (and even be incapable) of taking part in extra complicated video games akin to Skyrim VR with out being plugged right into a PC, however that’s a passable compromise given how enjoyable and accessible wi-fi play is.

We discovered the largest draw back of the Meta Quest 2 to be its battery life, with our testing displaying it to final 2 hours whereas gaming, and three hours for video content material. However it’s seemingly you’ll need frequent breaks anyway, given the character of VR.

If you happen to’re but to strive VR and need an excellent entry-level headset, the Quest 2 represents an excellent choice.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full Evaluation: Meta Quest 2 Evaluation

The PlayStation VR 2 headset has a variety of spectacular options. It has a 4K OLED show, eye-tracking know-how and built-in haptic suggestions to extend the immersion tenfold.

You will need to notice that this headset requires a PS5 to perform, and doesn’t provide the wi-fi freedom that the Meta Quest 3 and Pico 4 do. However on the brilliant aspect, the PSVR 2 can leverage the facility of the PS5, providing top quality experiences like Horizon Name of the Mountain.

The PSVR 2 is an enormous improve on its predecessor too, with extra ergonomic controllers and a streamlined setup that solely requires a single USB-C connection.

However is the PlayStation VR 2 definitely worth the steep value when the Meta Quest 3 is out there at a decrease charge? That can depend upon its sport assist; if PlayStation can maintain pumping out first-party video games like Horizon, this may increasingly properly grow to be the perfect VR headset in the marketplace.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full Evaluation: PlayStation VR 2 Evaluation

The Pico 4 affords the closest expertise to the Meta Quest 3 headset, with an all-in-one design that doesn’t require any cables or exterior PC to perform. It even surpasses the Quest in sure areas.

Firstly, the Pico has a greater design. Weighing simply 295 grams, it’s lighter than each different headset on this checklist. Using a plastic headband additionally ensures a safe match, so that you shouldn’t have to fret about adjusting it in your head each few seconds. General, this ends in a extra snug expertise.

The Pico 4 additionally has a superior display screen decision in comparison with the Quest 2, although it’s matched extra carefully by the newer Quest 3. Our testing confirmed that this helped to create sharper photos, with particular person pixels changing into much less noticeable. The headset even options color passthrough, permitting you to see your environment even when the headset is hugging your face.

The one main factor holding the Pico again from beating the Quest is its substandard sport library. It’s lacking a variety of VR sport gems, together with Beat Saber, Resident Evil 4 and Moss. In consequence, we advise you take a look at the Pico sport’s library earlier than you commit your self to a purchase order of the headset.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full Evaluation: Pico 4 Evaluation

The Vive Professional 2 supplies the easiest digital actuality expertise of all of the headsets on this checklist, with a super-sharp 5K decision, faultless monitoring efficiency and an enormous choice of immersive VR video games and apps.

However with the headset retailing for over £1000 when bundled with the required equipment, it’s solely actually worthwhile for hardcore VR fans. The necessity for exterior monitoring sensors additionally means you principally have to take up a whole room to maximise your enjoyment with the Vive Professional 2, which merely isn’t potential for everybody. And let’s not neglect the necessity for a high-powered PC to plug the headset into.

If you happen to adore VR and are joyful to look previous these obstacles, you then’ll be handled to probably the greatest VR experiences at present obtainable. Throughout testing, we have been extremely impressed with the likes of Half-Life Alyx and Paper Beast.

We additionally discovered the 120Hz refresh price and 5K decision to make sure you’re getting the very best visuals from a VR headset, even with the shortage of an OLED display screen. So if you would like a top-notch VR headset and cash isn’t any difficulty, then the Vive Professional 2 is an superior choice.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full Evaluation: Vive Professional 2 Evaluation

The Meta Quest Professional is a extra superior beast than the entry-level Quest 2 and mid-range Quest 3, with a high-end £999/$999 price ticket to match.

The Quest Professional introduces a variety of firsts to standalone headsets together with each face- and eye-tracking tech that has the potential to revolutionise social VR with extra human-like interplay – at the least it is going to be as soon as the tech turns into extra ubiquitous.

It’s the Quest Professional’s AR capabilities that stand out most although; utilizing color stereo passthrough, the headset can mix the actual and digital worlds into one, permitting you to, say, paint on a digital canvas in your precise front room setting. Mixed with hand-tracking that negates the necessity for controllers, it’s a really immersive expertise.

Nevertheless, that’s a part of the issue with the Quest Professional; it’s not solely costly, however with Meta constructing the AR focus into the Quest 3, it makes the Professional barely much less tempting. It’ll stay the one Meta headset to supply premium options like face- and eye-tracking, however these are a nice-to-have moderately than an integral a part of the digital expertise.

In consequence, it’s solely a headset for individuals who wish to be on the bleeding fringe of VR tech.

Reviewer: Lewis Painter
Full Evaluation: Meta Quest Professional Evaluation