The Best VR Headsets of 2024: Your Year-End Buying Guide

Here are our best vr headset 2024: Meta Quest 3, Quest 3s, Sony PSVR 2, and insights on the Apple Vision Pro.

What's the best VR headset compared overall?

VR is transforming, and that’s 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 pass through cameras to blend the virtual and real. The cheapest vr headset you can buy right now is the Meta Quest 3: at $500, it’s $250 more expensive than the Quest 2, but $3,000 less expensive than the Apple Vision Pro.

The Quest 3 has a newer, faster Snapdragon 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 pass through 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. Apple’s device requires a tethered battery pack, is only made to work within Apple’s ecosystem and doesn’t 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, you’re 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.

Now let's take a look at the detailed introduction of every good VR headset.

Meta Quest 3

Best mixed reality VR headset for $500

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 sequel to the Quest 2, the Quest 3, offers a significant revamp with enhancements all around. It features a slightly smaller design, improved and clearer lenses, a higher-resolution display, smaller controllers with enhanced haptics, and high-resolution color cameras that blend the real and virtual worlds. This "mixed reality" capability echoes the Apple Vision Pro but at a lower resolution and price point.

While the Quest 3 boasts impressive upgrades, it doesn’t fundamentally change how the headset and software operate. The Quest apps and operating system remain largely the same, and mixed reality feels more like a novelty at this stage, only appearing in a limited selection of new games and apps. However, navigating your surroundings and checking messages on your phone while wearing the headset is now much easier. Comfort levels haven’t improved significantly, and hand tracking remains decent but not flawless.

For the next few years, the Quest 3 is likely to be the best virtual reality headset in its price range, but the software still lags behind. Consequently, the Quest 2 may still be sufficient for most users. Its excellent display quality and enhanced wireless connectivity make it a solid option for PC VR gamers, functioning as a connected PC headset just like other Quest models.

Display: LCD, 2,064x2,208 pixels per eye

Eye tracking: No

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2

Works with glasses: Yes

Meta Quest 3S

The Best Affordable Virtual Reality Headset

Like：

Updated graphics and faster processor

Improved color passthrough cameras

Better hand tracking

Don't like：

No improvement to lenses or resolution vs Quest 2

Only 2-3 hours battery life

The Meta Quest 3S, which replaces the long-reigning Editor's Choice headset, the Quest 2, is an incredibly affordable option at $300. It features updated graphics and color passthrough cameras, providing the same gaming and mixed reality capabilities as the Quest 3. While it's an excellent budget choice, Meta made some compromises with the display and lens quality, using the same fresnel lenses and LCD display found in the Quest 2. This setup works well for general VR and gaming, but the higher-priced Quest 3 offers significantly clearer lenses and sharper resolution, making it our top pick for extended use and reading text.

Another notable benefit of the Quest 3S is its improved hand tracking in lower light conditions compared to the Quest 3. This feature can enhance the experience for certain apps, especially when casually watching movies and shows while on the go. Plus, the Quest 3S comes with a free game, Batman: Arkham Shadow, which adds even more value.

Display: LCD, 1,842x1,920 pixels per eye

Eye tracking: No

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2

Works with glasses: Yes

PlayStation VR 2

best vr headset for pc

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 priced at $550 and requires a PlayStation 5 to operate, making it a more significant investment. Unlike wireless headsets, it is tethered. However, this cool vr headsets features a stunning HDR OLED display, high-quality graphics, built-in eye tracking, and impressive advanced controllers that share the same adaptive force-feedback triggers and vibrations as the PS5 DualSense controllers. These features give the headset a premium feel and enhance the performance of its best games. While it has the potential to support top PC VR games, it currently boasts exclusives like Gran Turismo 7, Resident Evil Village, and Horizon: Call of the Mountain.

That said, the PSVR 2 lacks any social metaverse-style software, making it feel primarily focused on launching and playing VR games. Many titles available for this headset are ports from devices like the Quest 2. As more games optimized for the PSVR 2 are released, it could distinguish itself from standalone VR options. If you're considering it, you might want to wait and see how the library develops unless you're ready to commit to Sony now.

Display: OLED, 2,000x2,040 pixels per eye

Eye tracking: Yes

Requires tethering to PS5 to work

Works with glasses: Yes

The Apple Vision Pro

Best standalone VR/AR computer

Like:

Amazing micro-OLED display

A mostly fluid hand-eye control interface

Blends the real and virtual worlds impressively

iOS support folds in tons of familiar apps for work

Playing back personal 3D memories feels transporting

Don't like:

Extremely expensive

Hand-eye interface isn't always perfect

Not many VisionOS optimized apps yet

External battery and cord required for use

Doesn't work over glasses

Apple’s Vision Pro stands out as the only "standalone mixed reality computer headset," offering a unique experience that sets it apart from other VR devices. While most VR headsets have focused on gaming and individual immersive apps, the Vision Pro integrates nearly all of iOS, bringing familiar Apple services and thousands of iOS apps into virtual workspaces. This creates a vision of a future where our existing devices seamlessly connect with VR and AR.

The headset features an impressive micro-OLED display that excels at playing movies, and its hand and eye tracking feels remarkably advanced. In many ways, it serves as a more effective mouse or trackpad replacement compared to Meta's hand tracking on the Quest. Its mixed reality capabilities are the best we've encountered, with passthrough cameras that deliver superior quality for a standalone device.

However, the Vision Pro currently lacks a robust library of apps to fully realize its potential and is missing many of the games and fitness experiences available on the Quest. Once the initial software quirks are addressed, it shows great promise as a work device, functioning as an excellent virtual monitor for Macs. Priced at $3,499, it also serves as an intriguing option for a luxury travel home theater experience.

Despite its stunning capabilities, most users may want to wait or try a demo first. Additionally, the Vision Pro isn't compatible with glasses, requiring Zeiss prescription lens inserts for a separate cost of $100-$150. The headset also comes with a tethered battery pack, which adds to the complexity of its use compared to the more self-contained Quest.

Display: Micro-OLED, unknown specific resolution (Apple states 4K per eye)

Eye tracking: Yes

Processor: Apple M2

Works with glasses: No

Valve Index

Still one of the best Steam VR hardware platforms

Like:

Excellent SteamVR compatibility

Good audio

Innovative controllers

Don't like:

Requires external room sensors for tracking

Display resolution lags behind current headsets

While Valve's headset may not be as cutting-edge as it was at its 2020 launch, it still offers strong features like Steam VR and Vive hardware compatibility, impressive audio, and advanced controllers. The "knuckle" controllers are pressure-sensitive and capable of tracking all five fingers, providing an almost glove-like experience. However, not all applications fully utilize this functionality. The Index headset works seamlessly with HTC Vive hardware, both built on the Steam VR platform.

Though the Index boasts excellent audio, its display resolution now lags behind some competitors. It requires external "lighthouse" tracking boxes, similar to the HTC Vive, which means you'll need to set them up in your space. This makes it less self-contained compared to devices like the Quest 2 or HP Reverb G2, which can track the environment using in-headset cameras. Additionally, the Index isn’t wireless. However, if you already own older HTC Vive components, you can mix and match them with the Index. Overall, it seems the hardware may be due for an upgrade sooner rather than later.

Display: LCD, 1,440x1,600 pixels per eye

Eye tracking: No

Requires connection with PC to work, and external room sensors

Works with glasses: Yes