VR Headset: How to Pick the Right One?

Wonder which VR headset to buy? We've tested all the major headsets on the market, including the Oculus Quest 2, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Oculus Rift S. Here's a quick rundown of the best VR headsets available to buy today, as well as what to look out for before you buy.

Oculus Quest 2

Oculus Quest 2 is a standalone VR headset that is compatible with games and apps that are available on the Oculus Store. Oculus Quest was released on the 11th of May, 2019. It has a front-facing camera that can be used for inside-out tracking. It also has room-scale tracking with the help of 4 x Oculus Guardian sensors. The headset ships with two Oculus Touch controllers. The Oculus Quest is an all-in-one VR headset that can be used with a wireless controller. It is a cheaper alternative compared to Oculus Rift S and Vive Pro.

• No wires, but can connect to PC with an additional cable
• Reasonably priced
• Release date: October 13, 2020

Oculus Rift S

The Oculus Rift S is a new headset for virtual reality that was just released on May 21, 2019. It is designed to be an upgrade to the original Oculus Rift, with a higher refresh rate and a better tracking system. The headset is said to be able to track a user's movement much better than the original Rift, with a 60Hz refresh rate and a 3DOF tracking system. There are also improved optics, with improved resolution and reduced glare. The Rift S still has a similar design to the original Rift, with improved comfort features. The headset has an improved strap system, which is designed to be more comfortable. The Rift S also has built-in headphones.

• Cable to PC required
• Medium priced
• Release date: March 20, 2019

HTC Vive Cosmos

HTC Vive Cosmos is a virtual reality headset by HTC. HTC Vive Cosmos is a successor to the HTC Vive Pro. It is made to be lighter and more comfortable than its predecessors. It also has a two-step process for setting up the headset. The HTC Vive Cosmos will be the first headset from HTC to use Google’s WorldSense technology.

• Cable to PC required
• High priced
• Release date: October 3, 2019

Valve Index

Valve Index is a PC-powered VR headset that has a front-facing camera and a rear-facing camera that can be used for inside-out tracking. The Valve Index has room-scale tracking with the help of 2 x Valve Index Base Stations. It also has a wireless controller that is developed by Valve. The Valve Index is an expensive headset that needs to be connected to a PC.

• Cable to PC required
• High price
• Release date: June 28, 2019

Sony Playsation VR

Sony has released it's new virtual reality headset, the PlayStation VR. PSVR will be the first time that Sony has released a virtual reality headset. PSVR, short for PlayStation VR, is Sony's first foray into the virtual reality market. They are the first of the big 3 console makers to release a virtual reality headset. Unlike other VR headsets, PSVR does not require the user to buy a particular games console. It plugs into the PlayStation 4, which is owned by tens of millions of people.

• Cable to Playstation required
• Medium priced
• Release date: October 13, 2016

VR Headsets Conclusion

Our advice for new VR players is to buy the Oculus Quest 2 because it is the cheapest, has no wires, and it has room-scale tracking. It is also the most comfortable to wear, and has a great user interface.