I’ve checked out VR and AR headsets for well over a decade, from Google Glass and the primary demos of the Oculus Rift to peeks at the way forward for AR glasses and Android XR. Proper now, VR has settled all the way down to only a few gamers: Meta, Apple, Sony, Valve, HTC and Pico, with Google’s looming Android XR partnership with Samsung ready within the wings. On this planet of AR and sensible glasses, there might be quite a lot of modifications coming: the Xreal One glasses, as an illustration, or the promise of Meta’s Orion project.
However proper now, VR is extraordinarily good — and nonetheless restricted in how a lot it could do. I discover my very own use of VR headsets bouncing between Meta’s Quest 3 and the Apple Vision Pro. But it surely’s fairly clear there’s one nice VR headset choose of the second, and it is available in two in another way priced flavors.
What’s one of the best VR headset general?
The Meta Quest 3 affords blended actuality and improved show decision and optics, and is $500 — $3,000 lower than the Apple Vision Pro. Nonetheless, the newer Meta Quest 3S, a lower-cost model of the Quest 3 for $300, is an excellent higher purchase for entry-level VR adopters. I want the Quest 3, however there are many individuals who will discover the 3S to be an incredible selection for its value.
The Quest 3 and 3S each have newer, quicker Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processors that produce higher graphics and permit for higher-res shade pass-through digital camera feeds than the Quest 2, and each have redesigned controllers. Each can create blended actuality results by mixing what the cameras see with VR graphics which can be overlaid within the headset to seem like AR. The Quest 3 has higher lenses and the next show decision, however I want the texture of the Quest 3S eyepiece on my face, and the 3S additionally appears to have barely higher hand monitoring in low mild.
The Quest platform has loads of facet advantages: It has hundreds of games and creative or productivity apps, and several other nice health packages for efficient cardio exercises. It may hook up with PCs and even double as a work device if in case you have some persistence. It additionally has hand monitoring that works with out controllers, however controllers are included to provide you two enter choices. The Quests can even play “spatial” 3D movies shot on newer iPhones.
Learn extra: The Best VR Games to Play in 2025
Greatest VR headsets of 2025
Like
- Crisp high-res shows
- Improved new processor
- Combined actuality with higher shade cameras
- Smaller controllers with higher haptics
Don’t love
- Dearer than Quest 2
- Few distinctive apps and video games at launch
- Straps and luxury nonetheless aren’t nice
- Nonetheless solely 2-3 hours battery life
Meta’s upgraded VR sequel to the Quest 2 seems like a notable revamp, with enhancements throughout the board: a barely smaller design, higher, clearer lenses, a higher-res show, smaller controllers with higher haptics and higher-res shade cameras that may combine the actual world and the digital collectively. This “blended actuality” is comparable in spirit to what Apple’s Imaginative and prescient Professional will do however in a lower-res type for lots much less cash.
Like
- Up to date graphics and quicker processor
- Improved shade passthrough cameras
- Higher hand monitoring
Don’t love
- No enchancment to lenses or decision vs Quest 2
- Solely 2-3 hours battery life
The Meta Quest 3S (Meta’s alternative to my longstanding Editor’s Alternative headset, the Quest 2) is super-affordable at $300 and comes with up to date graphics and shade passthrough cameras that give the 3S the identical gaming and blended actuality powers because the Quest 3. It is a incredible funds purchase, however Meta reduce corners on the show and lens high quality with the 3S, selecting to make use of the identical fresnel lenses and LCD show because the Quest 2. It is completely high quality for basic VR and gaming, however the costlier Quest 3’s notably clearer lenses and crisper decision are my favourite for all-day use and for studying textual content. The Quest 3S additionally comes with a free recreation, Batman: Arkham Shadow, including to its worth.
Like
- Vivid, high-res OLED show
- Snug match
- Wonderful controllers
- Real looking vibrations
- Highly effective graphics potential
Don’t love
- Costly
- Must be cabled to PS5
- Included earbuds are simply OK
- Would not work with outdated PSVR video games
- Recreation library wants extra exclusives
The PSVR 2 is dear ($550), and desires a PlayStation 5 to even work. It is tethered, not wi-fi. And Sony hasn’t supported the PSVR 2 with sufficient distinctive video games to justify its existence. The PSVR 2 remains to be a enjoyable luxurious if you happen to’re a PS5 gamer who additionally owns a PC. Its HDR OLED show, graphics high quality, built-in eye monitoring and incredible superior controllers — which have the identical vibrations and adaptive force-feedback triggers because the PS5 DualSense controllers — give this headset a premium really feel that makes its best games carry out at a unique degree. It has some exclusives like Gran Turismo 7, Resident Evil Village and Horizon: Name of the Mountain, however not sufficient.
Read my PlayStation VR 2 review.
Like
- Wonderful micro-OLED show
- A largely fluid hand-eye management interface
- Blends the actual and digital worlds impressively
- iOS assist folds in tons of acquainted apps for work
- Taking part in again private 3D recollections feels transporting
Don’t love
- Extraordinarily costly
- Hand-eye interface is not all the time excellent
- Not many VisionOS optimized apps but
- Exterior battery and twine required to be used
- Would not work over glasses
The Apple Vision Pro is an incredible piece of tech and a bleeding-edge high-end blended actuality headset that additionally runs iOS and 1000’s of iPad apps, works with out controllers utilizing eye and hand monitoring and may run a number of apps on the similar time, together with being a digital MacBook monitor. Nonetheless, it is manner too costly for anybody however XR professionals and early adopters. The 4K micro-OLED shows are beautiful, and movies and pictures look incredible. Apple’s machine requires a tethered battery pack, is barely made to work inside Apple’s ecosystem and doesn’t have many distinctive apps but at launch that do greater than act as floating 2D screens. The Imaginative and prescient Professional might very nicely be the beginning of an entire new chapter in headsets and should flip into one of the best product on this complete class over time, however not proper now for most individuals. At its present value and software program limits, you’re higher off ready and making an attempt a free demo as an alternative. And, now that it has been around for over a year, it is onerous to inform when Apple will replace this headset to one thing with newer processors. The Quest 3 and 3S are far cheaper tickets to discover related concepts within the meantime at an enormous low cost.
Read my Apple Vision Pro review.
Like
- Wonderful SteamVR compatibility
- Good audio
- Progressive controllers
Don’t love
- Requires exterior room sensors for monitoring
- Show decision lags behind present headsets
Valve’s headset is not as cutting-edge because it was when it debuted in 2020, however its Steam VR and Vive {hardware} compatibility, wonderful audio and fancy controllers nonetheless make it {hardware} price contemplating. Valve’s “knuckle” controllers are pressure-sensitive and may observe all 5 fingers, making them nearly like gloves. Not all apps take advantage of them, however Valve’s {hardware} is mix-and-match suitable with the HTC Vive, which is also constructed on the Steam VR platform. The Index headset has wonderful audio, however its show decision is now not pretty much as good as rivals’.
Prepare for probably the most highly effective Meta Quest but. Dive into full immersion with sensible 4K decision and wealthy spatial audio, feeling such as you’re inside your favourite video games. Stream exhibits on big vibrant screens wherever in your house, or benefit from the final expertise with Infinite Show’s widest area of view. With premium consolation and wi-fi design, you may transfer freely in exercises or take your headset on the go. And whenever you purchase a Meta Quest 3 now, you’ll get $30 in Quest Money.
Different VR headsets we have examined
Meta Quest Pro: This older, outdated, eye-tracking-equipped Quest headset can observe facial expressions and has a crisp show, however the inexpensive Quest 3 already makes it out of date with its higher graphics, cameras and show decision.
HTC Vive XR Elite: The glasses-like design of the XR Elite is an indication of the long run, however the software program and efficiency of this headset do not justify its value.
PlayStation VR: The unique PSVR nonetheless works on the PlayStation 4 and 5, however it’s not suitable with PSVR 2 video games and {hardware}. It nonetheless has some nice video games to find, however its lack of devoted controllers and awkward setup feels historic.
How I take a look at VR headsets
Though mainstream VR headsets have been round for almost a decade, the apps they run and the computers, phones and recreation consoles they work with preserve altering. I run key apps and software program on the headsets, utilizing them primarily in standalone mode in the event that they’re designed to be self-contained, or with a PC, recreation console or cellphone in the event that they’re primarily meant as related peripherals.
I take advantage of the headsets for a mixture of work, gaming, health and inventive makes use of, and keep attentive to the place the headsets have ache factors (moments of discomfort, emotions of disconnect or sensations of nausea or distortion). Utilizing expertise like VR can usually be a extremely subjective expertise, however by taking note of particulars I discover I can uncover the place every product is uniquely helpful.
Comparability can be key: I’ve checked out just about each wearable AR and VR machine of the final 15 years and in addition lined quite a lot of the wearable tech, cellphone and laptop panorama. How these units work as recreation consoles, health units, work equipment and social instruments are all key areas. I additionally take into consideration shows, audio, controllers and lodging for eyeglasses.
Elements to think about when shopping for a VR headset
VR and AR typically really feel like product classes that by no means fairly appear to change into mainstream, however change is coming quick to the headset panorama.
Google and Samsung are introducing a brand new VR/AR platform later this 12 months called Android XR. Samsung’s Undertaking Moohan is a Imaginative and prescient Professional-like headset that will even run Google’s Gemini AI and loads of Google Play apps. Anticipate Android XR to forge a bridge between Android telephones and headsets and glasses, though it is onerous to inform how briskly that shift will occur. Samsung’s headset, which does not have a value or launch date but, seems to be to be the one Android XR machine in 2025. Android XR might be the long run, however proper now, it is onerous to inform whether or not it’s best to watch for it. Qualcomm’s future plans for VR and AR lean on telephones as a option to energy smaller glasses, however thus far there are not any of those smaller units that we might advocate.
Within the meantime, Apple’s $3,499 Vision Pro headset — a self-contained, standalone VR/AR machine that Apple is positioning as a full spatial laptop — is the highest-price machine on the buyer market, with a really completely different pitch than games-focused units just like the Meta Quest. Its capability to run all kinds of iOS apps and have a number of apps open directly make it a novel choice, and its potentialities as an iOS blended actuality laptop, paired with its incredible show high quality and distinctive enter methodology of hand-eye monitoring, would possibly make it a promising machine for creators, researchers and anybody with a big sufficient pockets to pay for a high-end private cinema on their face. It additionally emphasizes issues like computing and video high quality as an alternative of what are nonetheless the Quest’s biggest strengths: gaming and health. But it surely’s over a 12 months outdated now, and Apple might be shifting to a extra inexpensive model within the subsequent couple of years.
The Imaginative and prescient Professional is not the one blended actuality VR headset on the market: Anticipate extra on this class, which blends VR with video of your environment utilizing shade passthrough cameras that really feel nearly like augmented actuality. The Quest 3 is probably the most inexpensive mainstream mixed-reality VR headset, and Apple’s is the costliest. Samsung’s Undertaking Moohan will even function blended actuality, and I anticipate a lot extra to come back.
Sony’s $550 PlayStation VR 2 delivers an incredible console gaming VR expertise for PlayStation 5 house owners and consists of eye monitoring like Apple’s Vision Pro, however is not wi-fi and remains to be a comparatively costly accent (it prices greater than the PS5 itself). It is costlier than each the Quest 2 and Quest 3, and nonetheless wants a PS5 to work, however prices far lower than a Imaginative and prescient Professional (though it serves a totally completely different objective and depends on a restricted set of PlayStation VR video games to even operate). Its extra restricted library and capabilities make it much less versatile than a Quest, however a enjoyable Quest different for anybody deep into Sony’s PlayStation 5 ecosystem. Nonetheless, the PSVR 2 proper now feels prefer it’s probably not the place the way forward for headsets is heading.
For PC house owners, there are a number of choices. You would use a Quest 3, Quest 3S, PSVR 2, or take into account a number of present units. The most important earlier gamers within the PC VR gaming scene (Microsoft, Valve and HTC) have been quiet on that entrance, particularly now that Microsoft has discontinued most of its blended actuality efforts and VR headset compatibility. That would change once more quickly. A PC-connected VR headset can supply probably the most versatile assortment of software program for an immersive VR expertise, and it additionally helps you to use that headset for inventive and enterprise instruments. Steam is clearly one of the best conduit for PC VR proper now.
The price of a brand new VR headset is going up lately. If value is your greatest concern, the Quest 3S presently affords one of the best worth in VR: a totally wi-fi expertise, with entry to an incredible library of fantastic games.
