One of the best VR headsets for 2025

Learn our full Meta Quest 3 VR headset review

Storage capability: 128GB | Battery life: 2.2 hours | Subject of view: 110 levels (horizontal), 96 levels (vertical) | Max refresh charge: 120Hz

The long-awaited follow-up to the Quest 2 is an improve in each respect: It’s extra snug to put on, it has larger high quality screens and it has full-color combined actuality cameras, permitting you to see the true world alongside digital components. Whereas it’s dearer at $500, it’s additionally a much more succesful headset than the Quest 2 and the brand new Quest 3S, with {hardware} and optics that may preserve you fortunately immersed in VR for years.

The Quest 3 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip, which Meta says has double the graphics energy of the Quest 2. That further energy is noticeable in video games like Pink Matter 2, which function up to date textures that ship an expertise nearer to PC VR. The Quest 3’s new shows run at 2,064 by 2,208 pixels per eye, providing a fair higher expertise than the PlayStation VR2. Its combined actuality cameras additionally allow you to simply see the true world, in case you want to shortly reply a textual content or Slack message. And so they allow video games that may be constructed round your room.

What makes the Quest 3 fascinating is that it affords extra than simply stable VR: It additionally provides you a glimpse at what a combined actuality future could possibly be. Whereas it’s not as sharp or succesful as Apple’s Imaginative and prescient Professional, that’s comprehensible. And identical to earlier Quest headsets, you may as well plug it right into a gaming PC for larger high quality VR experiences.

Learn our full Apple Vision Pro review

Storage capability: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | Battery life: 2 hours | Subject of view: 100 levels | Max refresh charge: 100Hz

With the Vision Pro, Apple is making an attempt to do for VR what the iPod did for media gamers, and what the iPhone did for smartphones. It’s a daring, $3,500 gamble to reshape the world of VR round Apple’s thought of “spatial computing.” It’s extremely costly, considerably uncomfortable and surprisingly buggy, however the Vision Pro is the largest leap ahead we’ve seen within the stagnating VR trade in years. Most individuals shouldn’t purchase it, however if you happen to’re a developer or somebody with cash to burn and need one of the best immersive headset right now, it’s actually in a league of its personal.

Learn our full Meta Quest 3S VR headset review

Storage capability: 128GB, 256GB | Battery life: 2-3 hours | Subject of view: 96 levels | Max refresh charge: 120Hz

The Quest 3S is Meta’s newest entry-level VR headset, however don’t let its cheap $300 worth idiot you: It’s additionally a outstanding achievement for the corporate. It sports activities the identical Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip because the Quest 3, in addition to a wholesome 8GB of RAM, permitting it to energy the identical experiences as its pricier sibling. It additionally options Meta’s glorious Contact Plus controllers, which ship stable movement controls, in addition to responsive joysticks and buttons.

The one main draw back is that the Quest 3S isn’t almost as sharp because the Quest 3. It options the identical 1,830 by 1,920 pixel per eye display screen from the Quest 2, whereas the Quest 3’s display screen affords 30 p.c extra pixels (2,264 by 2,208 pixels per eye), to ship a sharper and extra practical picture.

VR newbies most likely gained’t discover the distinction a lot although, and that’s what actually issues. The Quest 3S is simply as snug because the Quest 3 to put on, and it may possibly simply entry the identical apps and video games on the Meta Quest Retailer. There’s no headphone jack both, however its built-in audio system ship stable enveloping audio for video games like Maestro, and you would additionally plug in a USB-C to three.5mm adapter, or simply pair wi-fi headphones.

The Quest 3S can hook up with gaming PCs over USB-C or wirelessly to play extra intense VR experiences. It could possibly additionally wirelessly stream your gameplay to Chromecast units, or to AirPlay units by mirroring the Quest app from an iPhone. Should you’re nonetheless holding onto the Quest 2, or an authentic Quest, the Quest 3S is exactly the cheap improve you’ve been ready for.

Learn our full PlayStation VR2 headset review

Storage capability: 128GB, 256GB | Battery life: 3 hours | Subject of view: 110 levels | Max refresh charge: 120Hz

The PS VR2 is among the finest headset we’ve examined. It affords twin 2K OLED HDR screens, successfully supplying you with 4K high quality. It’s some of the snug headsets round. And it has some genuinely refreshing new options, like eye monitoring and headset haptics. (Sure, it may possibly actually rock your noggin.) Better of all, the PS VR2 delivers high-quality digital actuality with out the necessity for a $1,000+ gaming PC – all you want is a PlayStation 5.

Now, our advice comes with a couple of caveats. At $550, the PS VR2 is dearer than the PS5 itself. And it’s unclear how shortly its recreation library will refill. The preliminary run has just a few exclusives, like Horizon VR and Gran Turismo 7, and we haven’t seen many new titles since then. However it’s nonetheless the simplest technique to expertise high-end VR, and it’s a serious improve over the unique PS VR.

Learn our full Valve Index VR kit review

Storage capability: N/A | Battery life: 7 hours | Subject of view: 108 levels | Max refresh charge: 120Hz

Valve’s Index kit stays the most effective high-end options available on the market that gives a very immersive VR expertise. For $999 you get the Index headset, Valve’s finger monitoring controllers and two SteamVR base stations. Whereas we have seen higher-resolution headsets arrive within the final two years, it is nonetheless a really stable choice, with a 1,440 by 1,600 pixel decision, an eye-watering 144Hz refresh charge and an enormous 130-degree subject of view. I would gladly lose a couple of pixels for the Index’s smoother and extra expansive display screen, that are nonetheless far past most different shopper headsets.

As a SteamVR product, the Index requires putting in two sensors at reverse corners of your room. And naturally, it is wired to your PC. However that clunkiness is value it for the upper refresh charge and extra correct monitoring. Positive, it is not as straightforward to make use of because the Quest 3S, however at this worth vary, we assume you will undergo a little bit of inconvenience to get a very high-quality VR expertise.

Valve’s finger monitoring controllers are incredible as effectively, with a handy strap that locks them onto your palms. They make taking part in Half-Life: Alyx really feel like a dream. It is unlucky that different VR video games have not totally taken benefit of the finger monitoring although.

Learn our full Bigscreen Beyond VR headset review

Storage capability: N/A | Battery life: 2 hours | Subject of view: 102 levels | Max refresh charge: 90Hz

Basically an improve for the Index, the Beyond is a singular spin on a VR headset from Bigscreen, the developer of a well-liked app for watching video in VR. It seems extra like an outsized pair of goggles than an enormous VR headset. The $999 Past is the lightest VR choice we’ve ever seen (it weighs a tad greater than a deck of taking part in playing cards), and its Micro-OLED screens are sharp and provide near-perfect distinction. In contrast to LCD screens, black can look genuinely black with the Past.

The draw back, although, is that the Bigscreen Past is dear. It’s $999 by itself if you happen to’re simply upgrading a Valve Index setup. Should you’re ranging from scratch, although, you’ll additionally want to purchase two Steam VR base stations and a pair of Index controllers. That provides as much as a whopping $1,578.

The Bigscreen Past additionally requires a customized face cushion, which is constructed from a 3D facescan once you place your order. Sadly, that makes it more durable to share than different headsets. There’s additionally no room for glasses, because it’s so slim. You should purchase prescription lens inserts from Bigscreen for an extra charge. And naturally, you’ll should stay with a cable tethered to your PC, there’s not one of the freedom of the cordless Meta Quest headsets.

For all of its complexity, although, the Bigscreen Past delivers probably the most immersive PC VR expertise I’ve ever seen. Because it’s so gentle, you possibly can simply put on it for hours. Along with its superb screens, it’s the most suitable choice for VR fans who don’t thoughts coping with value and complexity for true immersion.