11 Of The Best VR Headsets You Can Buy In 2026

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Virtual reality was poised to change the way we know gaming, and an argument can be made that it still is the next step that the video game industry must perfect to unlock a whole new level of immersion. However, the hype surrounding this industry isn’t what it used to be, with VR gaming dominated by age-old titles like “VRChat” and “Beat Saber.” Most developers haven’t made virtual reality a priority, sticking to the regular console and PC gaming market. As a result, virtual reality hasn’t taken hold in the industry yet.

It’s a shame, since it’s clear that VR has a massive ceiling that is yet to be reached, let alone transcended. This may become a reality as the tech powering virtual reality headsets becomes cheaper and more affordable for the masses, but people who want to get into VR gaming right now — or anyone who just wants to upgrade their headset — shouldn’t feel the need to hold themselves back. There are several great VR headsets worth buying on the market right now, serving as a gateway for you to enjoy some of the most immersive — if somewhat short — experiences on the market.

Meta Quest 3S

The $349 Meta Quest 3S is tailor-made for people who want to get into VR gaming but feel like this market is too unaffordable for them. This VR headset impressed multiple reviewers across the board, including SlashGear. The Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, similar to what is present in the Meta Quest 3, utilizes all six of its cores to great effect. This works in tandem with the headset’s 8GB of RAM to let you play your favorite games easily. Another thing that genuinely surprised surprised us is the battery life; compared to the Meta Quest 3, the 3S can run for 20 minutes longer. The theory behind this is that the 3S has a lower-resolution display, so it utilizes less power, which is why the 4,324mAh battery runs for slightly longer than the Meta Quest 3’s higher-capacity 5,060mAh battery.

The 1,832×1,920 resolution per eye is lower than the Quest 3’s 2,064×2,208 projected resolution. The lenses may be a tougher pill to swallow, however, given that they’re similar to the ones found on the Quest 2. As a result, it feels a bit dated, with noticeable edge blurring and a lower 90-degree field of vision, the latter being somewhat disappointing when compared to the 110-degree FOV present in the Quest 3. Another thing to note is that the headphone jack has been removed on this model, which is inconvenient.

PlayStation VR2

We feel it’s a shame that the $399 PlayStation VR2 hasn’t received the support a headset of this caliber deserves from Sony. Barring a few novel original experiences like “Horizon: Call of the Mountain” and “Synapse,” the bulk of quality experiences on the PSVR2 involve existing games that have received a VR upgrade. “Hitman: World of Assassination” and the remake of “Resident Evil 4” are fun experiences in VR, but that doesn’t change the fact that the PSVR2’s exclusive lineup is very subpar. It’s a shame, since we — and other reviewers — agree that the headset’s vibrant OLED display, breathtaking graphics, comfort factor, and easy one-cable setup deserved a whole lot better. We also appreciated the wide 110-degree FOV, similar to that of the Meta Quest 3.

The Sense Controllers that come with this device are a notable upgrade, combining ingenious button placements, motion tracking, and haptic feedback to make your games even more immersive. Reviewers did point out that their battery life is nothing to write home about, with some tests discovering that the Sense Controllers lost their charge after just three hours of playtime. During our review, we also noticed that these controllers could be a bit clumsy for bigger hands. One aspect of the PSVR2 that reviewers love is its groundbreaking eye-tracking tech, which did its part to improve the immersive qualities of the PSVR2.

HTC Vive XR Elite

A huge problem holding back VR headsets is how uncomfortable they are to wear because of their weight. The HTC Vive XR Elite strives to make improvements in this department. In its regular setup, it uses a halo strap with a battery that wraps around your head for a secure fit and weighs 1.4 pounds. Aside from this, the XR Elite can also be worn like a pair of glasses if you replace the strap and battery with earpieces that make it look like a pair of very bulky spectacles. With this setup, the headset just weighs 0.6 pounds, making it easier to wear for longer durations. You’ll have to attach a USB-C cable to a separate power source to keep this device chugging along in this lightweight mode. Digital Trends also used the $25 MR Gasket accessory, which further improved the device’s comfort.

For a headset priced at $849, there are some parts of it that feel cheap. HTC has opted for matte plastics to build a lighter frame, which may not inspire the greatest confidence in its build quality. In our own review, we noticed that this cheap build extended to the controllers as well. Aside from connection issues, the plasticky build made these controllers feel way too light and fragile in our hands. Additionally, the Viveport Store is nowhere near as robust as that of the Meta Quest, so you’ll be restricted to a very limited ecosystem.

Valve Index

At $999, the Valve Index is very costly. Make sure you’re going to get a ton of mileage out of this VR kit before you make this investment. The setup has also been lamented by numerous reviewers — you need enough space in your room to accommodate two base stations, plus the headset itself is also tethered, adding to this frustration.

What you get in return for this painstaking setup is one of the most advanced virtual reality experiences on the market. The “knuckle” controllers exemplify this in spades, as noted by multiple reviewers. They include a piece of fabric that tightens around your knuckles, so much so that you can let go of the grip without worrying about dropping the controllers. This is critical, since the grip itself is touch-sensitive and tracks each individual finger. It’s very impressive, with “Half-Life: Alyx” showing just how immersive this tech is. This, coupled with a 7-hour battery life, makes these controllers a good way to enjoy lengthy VR sessions.

The rest of the package is pretty solid, with the headset’s audio praised by many reviewers. The 130-degree FOV is a step above most competitors, and many review outlets noticed that the RGB subpixel array pulled its weight to reduce the dastardly screen-door effect that plagues most VR headsets. However, keep in mind that this isn’t the most comfortable headset to wear, given its hefty weight of 1.86 pounds.

Meta Quest 3

While the Quest 3S is a far better value-for-money offering, people who want no compromises when it comes to both lens quality and resolution can splurge $599.99 on the Meta Quest 3. The headset impressed us enough that we gave it our Editor’s Choice award back when it was released in 2023. A resolution of 2,064×2,208 per eye, improved pancake lenses, near-minimal screen-door effect, and a 110-degree FOV all combine to make the visuals of this headset stand out. While the controllers may look pared back in comparison to those of the Quest 2, our tests revealed that these peripherals might be Meta’s best attempt at developing a VR-friendly controller. They’re light, comfortable to hold, and use AA batteries.

Speaking of comfort, we felt that the headset’s lightweight nature — 1.13 pounds — and slim profile — the aforementioned pancake lenses help out a lot here — make this headset easy to wear for longer durations. The only pain point we experienced came from the cloth strap, which was challenging to adjust when wearing the headset. The 2nd-Gen Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor — also used in the Quest 3S — was powerful enough that numerous reviewers highlighted it. The 8GB of RAM wasn’t all that impressive for use, however, but this is a minor complaint. Keep in mind that the battery life of this headset is nothing to brag about, so much so that it’s outclassed by its predecessor. In fact, we’ve mentioned that the budget-friendly 3S has a better battery life too, which is a cause for concern.

Pimax Crystal Light

While a standalone VR headset is appealing for anyone who wants fewer barriers to entry for virtual reality, people with high-end PCs won’t mind opting for a headset that utilizes the power of their setup for the best performance possible. The $899 Pimax Crystal Light is a headset worth considering if you fall in the latter category. Reviewers were impressed by the stellar visuals of this headset, courtesy of 2,880 x 2,880 resolution for each eye, high-quality aspheric glass lenses, a 105-degree FOV, and local dimming to accentuate deep blacks. The lossless DisplayPort connection further improves overall visual quality, although this also comes with the clumsiness and mobility limitations of a tethered connection that most VR enthusiasts are familiar with.

The virtual surround sound output of this headset was a pleasant surprise for PCGamesN. You can always take things a step further by connecting a wired headset to the Crystal Light’s 3.5-millimeter jack if audio quality is a priority for you. This headset does come with some notable caveats, though. For starters, it’s very heavy, weighing in at almost two pounds. As a result, reviewers felt that it wouldn’t be comfortable for lengthy VR sessions. The passthrough camera is also very low-resolution and in grayscale, with its quality being so egregious that reviewers couldn’t help but highlight its inadequacies.

HTC Vive Focus 3

At $1,300, the HTC Vive Focus 3 is clearly made for VR enthusiasts. It’s on sale at the time of writing for $1,149.99, which is slightly more reasonable. As robust as this standalone VR headset may be, it’s held back by the Viveport Store’s limitations that we’ve already spoken about before. ITPro was very impressed by the device’s performance, with the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset and 8GB RAM pulling its weight here. A 128GB internal memory isn’t great, but you can always install a microSD card to bump up this storage space.

The display quality earned widespread praise among professional reviewers. The per-eye resolution of 2,448 x 2,448 projected on two 2.88-inch LCD panels looks vibrant. This, coupled with a refresh rate of 90Hz and a 120-degree FOV, makes the experience of using this headset a satisfying one. Weight distribution is also handled well, so much so that the Focus 3 feels comfortable despite a weight of 1.73 pounds. The visor is made of a magnesium alloy that helps with this weight distribution while also managing operating temperatures. The replaceable battery at the back also plays a crucial role in this load management. It also incentivizes you to get an extra 26.6Wh battery pack, since you can swap out an empty battery with a fully charged one to enjoy uninterrupted playtime on arguably one of the best VR headsets you can buy, despite its price tag.

Apple Vision Pro

The Apple Vision Pro deserves a ton of flak for its obscene price tag. At $3,699, it’s the most expensive headset on this list by a massive margin. Is this just because of the infamous Apple Tax, or does the Apple Vision Pro actually manage to justify this price tag? Well, the latter is a tall order, but it’s clear that many reviewers found the Apple Vision Pro to be a high-quality VR headset. While Apple hasn’t specified the exact resolution of this device, it emits a total of 23 million pixels. To put it into perspective, this is almost three times the number of pixels — 8.3 million — seen in 4K content. All of this is projected on two micro-OLED screens, further enhancing the visual fidelity of the Vision Pro.

Ditching physical controllers meant that the Vision Pro needed to hit it out of the park with its hand-tracking tech, and most reviewers agree that Apple succeeded on this front. This amazing tracking technology isn’t limited to your hands alone — the eye tracking of this headset is so astounding that it uses its iris-scanning Optic ID technology to unlock the headset, fulfilling every sci-fi fan’s wildest dream. PCMag confidently stated that the Vision Pro easily beats the Meta Quest headsets when it comes to both hand and eye tracking, which shows just how groundbreaking the tech of Apple’s VR headset is. Yet all this comes at the cost of a front-heavy design, with the 1.4-pound weight being far more uncomfortable than it should be. Apple has stated that the battery life of this headset will only last for around two hours, so get ready to attach a clumsy charging cable if you want to use this device for longer than that.

Pico 4 Ultra

One thing reviewers praised unanimously regarding the Pico 4 Ultra is its powerful hardware. The 2nd-Gen Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset is fairly powerful, and 12GB of RAM helps it outclass most other VR headsets, which settle for 8GB more often than not. This applies to the Meta Quest 3 as well, although Pico’s storefront is limited and lacking big-name exclusives, a problem not faced by the Meta Store. Despite this drawback, the improvements made to the Pico 4 Ultra make it a worthwhile purchase for VR fans, with GamesRadar+ appreciating its lightweight design (the weight of 1.28 pounds is spread all around the headset) and a snug fit — the folding headband plays a huge role here.

The Pico 4 Ultra retails for $943.95, which is already on the expensive side of things. On top of that, basic accessories like a silicone face cushion need to be purchased separately, which isn’t great. The true kicker is that the Motion Trackers that Pico has made for your feet are also an additional purchase. It’s a massive upgrade for immersion, and it’s a shame that Pico doesn’t package this with the Pico 4 Ultra headset. GamesRadar+ noticed that the speaker quality wasn’t all that great, either, and the lack of a headphone jack means that you might have to deal with a middling audio output in an otherwise premium headset.

Steam Frame

As advanced as the Valve Index may be, its tethered nature and complicated setup aren’t great for people who want a simple entry point into VR gaming. This is why the Steam Frame is a great offering, letting people enjoy their favorite games optimized for SteamVR without requiring a powerful PC. Unfortunately, this device was released at a time when the AI boom has caused gaming components to become ridiculously expensive, which makes the $1,059 price tag downright unjustifiable. Get over this financial hurdle, and you’ll enjoy a quality headset that can work in either streaming — which is surprisingly competent, courtesy of a Wi-Fi 6E dongle — or standalone mode. The latter may cause some performance issues in your games, but this is to be expected given how massive Steam’s library is.

The sleek design of this headset was praised by reviewers, who also appreciated that it weighs just under a pound despite being loaded with some impressive features. The 3rd-Gen Qualcomm Snapdragon 8, 16GB of RAM, a projected per-eye resolution of 2,160 x 2,160, and a 110-degree FOV all combine to make gaming on the Steam Frame very immersive. Reviewers were less than enthused by the monochrome passthrough, but it’s clear that the rest of the hardware is cutting-edge.

Pimax Dream Air

At $2,299, the Pimax Dream Air is a very expensive device that is only outdone in the price department by the Apple Vision Pro. Add to this the fact that you’ll need a PC with great specs to make the most of this headset’s hardware, and most people will understandably think twice before getting the Dream Air. If you have the funds for this device and don’t mind using a tethered headset, then you might understand why multiple reviewers heaped a ton of praise on the device’s visual clarity and lightweight nature. It uses two Sony micro-OLED panels to project a 3,840 x 3,552 resolution for each eye, which looks gorgeous. Don’t worry about your GPU erupting in flames as it tries to render these 8K resolutions — the eye-tracking tech of the Dream Air uses dynamic foveated rendering to reduce the rendering quality in your peripheral vision.

What really impressed us during our review of the Pimax Dream Air is how this headset manages to pack in such amazing hardware while keeping the weight down to just 10.6 ounces. This makes it the lightest VR headset on this list, and the inclusion of pancake lenses also helps it slim down for a more comfortable build. It is a tight fit on larger heads, so keep that in mind if your forehead is bigger than normal. In our tests, we also experienced some latency on older hardware, which shouldn’t be an issue since most people getting this headset will ideally have a state-of-the-art PC to pair it with.

Methodology

We chose a diverse selection of standalone and tethered — or both — VR headsets, both relatively affordable and less so, for this list. To ensure high-quality recommendations, all these devices have a minimum score of 4 out of 5, 8 out of 10, or 80 out of 100 from three or more review outlets. The sole exception here is a qualitative recommendation from us for the Pimax Dream Air. Aside from SlashGear, these online publications include PCMag, ITPro, GamesRadar+, TechRadar, Tom’s Hardware, PCGamesN, GearLab, PC Gamer, GameSpace, Digital Trends, Tom’s Guide, Android Central, IGN, GamingTrend, T3, Trusted Reviews, CNET, Stuff, The Guardian, and Club 386.