For the last year and a half, where there were people further away from each other than ever, virtual reality took on a different meaning. Virtual reality also has potential for the future, but for now it remains a fascinating aspect of most people’s technological lives. It is not yet an essential workplace or social meeting place. But: it has become a fantastic place for games. He Oculus Quest 2 has become an excellent home VR console and it’s one of my favorite places to play. But virtual reality is still in flux, technology constantly evolving. So are the business philosophies which headphones do.
Right now, virtual reality technology could be in a bit of a calm, which means it’s probably a safe time to buy. There is an Oculus Quest Pro in operation and one PlayStation VR 2, but neither should arrive this year.
Virtual reality games are better than ever: from Half-Life: Alyx’s VR masterpiece to Star Wars: Squadrons and much more in computers, and a lot of Oculus Quest i PlayStation VR games, too. But you still have to decide if you want headphones that connect to your PC or console, or if you choose a standalone option like Quest (which can also work as a PC headset).
Oculus Quest 2 is the best VR headset right now, but you may want another option if you have a PC or PlayStation 4/5.
Scott Stein / CNET
There will be more changes. There are companies like Qualcomm (which manufactures the chips within most standalone VR headsets, including the new Quest 2) building new tiles which point to a wave of best standalone headphones at lower prices, including those connected to your phone. The most expensive and business-oriented Live Focus 3 shows where more premium premium standalone VR headsets could evolve.
Meanwhile, mobile VR headsets and phone-based VR headsets, such as Samsung Gear VR i Google Daydream — is basically dead. A good portion of current iPhone, Android, and VR app options don’t even work with the old VR glasses for mobile phones. If virtual reality based on smartphones returns, it will probably be in the form of small headphones connect it to phones via USB-C for VR content, VR games and other uses.
If you’re a PC gamer, PC-connected solid gaming VR headsets offer the most versatile software collection for an immersive virtual reality experience and allow you to use these headphones for creative and business tools. Keep in mind that a more powerful VR system will still be largely tied to a desktop or laptop computer, and that PC VR headsets may need external sensors, so they may not be the best option for everyone.
And what about console games? Aging PlayStation VR it’s still fun if it’s on sale and you have a PS4, mainly because there are a lot of great games for this device that you wouldn’t like. But keep in mind that PlayStation 5, while works with PSVR, you need the older PS4 controller and PS4 camera to work. You may want to wait for the New generation PSVR 2 (who won’t be here this year).
Augmented reality headphones and mixed reality headphones they are not yet ready for everyday use, so a solid VR headset is the best choice to escape to other worlds in the meantime. Keep reading to find out which one is best for you. We update it periodically, but please note that prices are subject to change.
Sarah Tew / CNET
Good: Autonomous and wireless; large touch controllers; comfortable design for games; it also works as a PC VR headset.
Bad: Requires a Facebook account.
At $ 300 for nothing more, the Oculus Quest 2 offers virtual reality games and an immersive virtual reality experience anywhere. It’s faster, smaller, cheaper, and more convenient to carry than the original Quest, but you have to sign in to Facebook to use it.
The Quest 2 reminds me of the Nintendo Switch for its versatility and fun, as well as taking a few seconds to boot and adapts very well to the glasses. Standalone VR headsets have stand-alone motion tracking and a 6-degree VR controller with full motion freedom (also known as 6DoF) which is the same as the Oculus Rift the PC needs, plus a d surprisingly fantastic high resolution. -in speakers. Applications are downloaded directly to the built-in storage of stand-alone headphones. Its more limited mobile processor still plays great games like Beat Saber, Moss and SuperHot VR, and can even be connected to a PC via a single USB-C cable.
Facebook stopped making the Oculus Rift S, so right now Quest 2 is the best and only choice over Oculus VR. But PC VR users have many other headphone options.
Read our review of Oculus Quest 2.
HP
The good: Very sharp high resolution screen, fantastic audio and comfortable design
The bad: Mediocre drivers
If you are looking for the best picture quality in consumer VR, the latest HP headphones are winning. For serious gamers (or fans of VR racing simulations), this may be your best option. The 2,160×2,160 resolution per eye and 114-degree field of view are the best in this price range, and the lightweight, comfortable headphones also have fantastic drop-down speakers designed by Valve. Technically, they are Microsoft Windows mixed reality headphones that prefer to launch into Microsoft’s Windows 10 virtual reality ecosystem, but that connects to Steam VR and also works with these games and apps. Integrated camera-based room tracking is easier to set up than external base stations on the valve index, but is more prone to tracking errors. The included drivers, based on Microsoft’s VR controller design, feel more rude than Oculus Touch drivers or Valve Index drivers. Plus, over-ear speakers are your only audio option – there’s no headphone jack.
The Reverb G2, revised as a sim racing peripheral.
Sarah Tew / CNET
Well: Incredible futuristic drivers; high quality headphones; works with Vive hardware.
Bad: Car; requires room setup and connecting cable.
Valve headphones may be the most exciting PC virtual reality experience this year, just for its new luxury drivers. Valve’s “articulated” controllers are pressure sensitive and can track all five fingers, making them almost like gloves. There aren’t many apps to make the most of it yet, but Valve’s hardware is compatible with HTC Vive, which is also based on the Steam VR platform. Index headphones have excellent audio and a very wide and sharp field of view screen.
The index uses external “lighthouse” switchboards, meaning you must first install them in a room. It’s not as standalone as Oculus ’Rift S, which can track the room with built-in headset cameras or the HTC Vive Cosmos. It’s definitely not wireless either, but if you already have Vive hardware, you can add parts of the Index to combine them.
Read our review of the valve index.
Sarah Tew / CNET
Good: Lots of games; lowest price; works with many PS4 controllers such as DualShock and Move.
Bad: The resolution is not avant-garde; Sony has yet to create great virtual reality drivers that match the competition, but a new version is likely to arrive next year.
Sony’s old PSVR headphones are still the only head-mounted screen for gaming consoles and their screen still offers a surprisingly immersive experience. Even better, it’s often on sale for just $ 200, sometimes with games included as well. But Sony has confirmed that it is working on next-generation PSVR headphones for the PS5 (with a new set of controllers) that could arrive in 2022, if you want to wait. Meanwhile, Sony has introduced (and continues to offer) many great virtual reality games, many of them exclusive. All you need is the PSVR and a PlayStation 4 and you can start playing. (Here are some good games to start with.) This virtual reality system shows, however, its age compared to the alternatives. And, the new PS5, while running on the old PSVR, will need the old PS4 drivers and camera, as well as a camera adapter, to work.
Read our review of Sony PlayStation VR.
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Oculus Quest 2 is better and cheaper … with a Facebook …
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