VR headsets put computer-generated images and video into a display that you wear over your eyes. They’re a key piece of hardware for virtual reality, and the best ones help you experience an immersive world with the power of your own imagination.
They have a screen, lenses and other components that are connected to a computer with software that generates virtual worlds that you can explore and interact with. They need sensors like gyroscopes, accelerometers and cameras that track your head movements, and also eye-tracking to understand where you’re looking, so they can display the appropriate image. They can also have sensors that sense your hands to give you the ability to control the action.
The vr headset that’s right for you will depend on your budget and your interests. If you want to enjoy the full VR experience, you’ll need a powerful PC that can run games at high resolutions and a fast refresh rate. If you want to do something a bit less taxing, then you’ll find more affordable options that still offer impressive graphics.
A VR headset works by separating a single screen into two views with stereoscopic lenses to give the appearance of three dimensions. The best headsets have a field of view (FOV) of 100-110 degrees so you can see around you in the generated environment. This helps create a feeling of immersion and allows you to move around and look at things in your virtual world.
There are a few different types of vr headset, with each one offering a slightly different experience. Cheaper headsets use a mobile phone as their screen, which means they’re cheaper but are also less detailed and offer limited movement tracking. The more expensive models have a dedicated screen and lenses that are designed to offer a better experience.
The HTC Vive Pro 2 is the best-selling VR headset, and for good reason. Its resolution is higher than most other mainstream headsets at 3664 x 1920 per eye, which provides sharp and vivid graphics that look great even in older games. The FOV is an excellent 100-110 degrees, so you can see the whole virtual world and there’s no sign of the mesh-like ‘screen door effect’ that can plague other headsets.
It has a tether that’s 19.5 feet (6m) long, which isn’t as restrictive as some of the other top headsets on this list. The tether is also quite thick and has a jelly feel, which makes it more likely to catch on your clothes or furniture as you walk with the headset on.
The PlayStation VR is a great choice for gaming, and you can enjoy a wide range of titles on the platform. PSVR exclusives like Horizon: Call of the Mountain and Moss: Book II look stunning, and ports of PS4 classics such as Tetris Effect, Rez Infinite and Fallout 4 all benefit from its stellar image quality.