Best VR Headset 2024: Escape into the virtual word with these devices

No company has cornered the VR market quite like Meta and while the company now has several great VR headsets for consumers to choose from, it’s the Meta Quest 3 that offers the best overall experience for most people.

The Quest 3 already had a tough act to follow in its predecessor but Meta has managed to build upon what made the Quest 2 great with better performance across the board and some much needed quality of life tweaks.

Most of the Quest 3’s upgrades can be chalked up to the new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset which allows everything to run a great deal faster this time around, and ensuring excellent performance across the board in VR and AR applications.

Speaking of AR, this is the biggest leap forward for the Quest 3. Because of a much improved passthrough mode, the Meta Quest 3 is able to interact more seamlessly with your surroundings and support the latest crop of augmented reality apps and games.

There’s also a new Depth Sensor that comes into play, which allows the Quest 3 to more accurately establish a boundary around you, keeping you protected while you play whilst also incurring far fewer accidental warnings as you move around your allotted space.

As if all this wasn’t enough, the Quest 3 even features higher resolution 4K+ screens – everything looks better than before, with text now at the level where it’s easy to read without any signs of blurring. There’s also Wi-Fi 6E support as well for faster downloading and streaming with a compatible router.

The one main downside to the Quest 3 is that it costs considerably more than the Quest 2, which might be the better option for VR enthusiasts on a budget. Still, if you can afford the added expense, you’ll absolutely love what Meta has managed to achieve here.

Reviewer: Lewis Painter
Full Review: Meta Quest 3 review

Even with the release of the Meta Quest 3, the Meta Quest 2 remains the best value headset on the market, especially at a reduced £299/$299. It’s not only one of the most affordable picks, but can also function independently which means you don’t need an ultra-expensive gaming PC or console.

During the review, we were really impressed with the apps and games on offer, with the likes of Beat Saber and Superhot VR providing incredibly fun experiences. The Quest 2 will struggle (or even be incapable) of playing more complex games such as Skyrim VR without being plugged into a PC, but that’s a satisfactory compromise given how fun and accessible wireless play is. 

We found the biggest downside of the Meta Quest 2 to be its battery life, with our testing showing it to last 2 hours while gaming, and 3 hours for video content. But it’s likely you’ll want frequent breaks anyway, given the nature of VR.

If you’re yet to try VR and want a great entry-level headset, the Quest 2 represents a great option.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full Review: Meta Quest 2 Review

The PlayStation VR 2 headset has a number of impressive features. It has a 4K OLED display, eye-tracking technology and built-in haptic feedback to increase the immersion tenfold.

It is important to note that this headset requires a PS5 to function, and doesn’t offer the wireless freedom that the Meta Quest 3 and Pico 4 do. But on the bright side, the PSVR 2 can leverage the power of the PS5, offering high quality experiences like Horizon Call of the Mountain.

The PSVR 2 is a big upgrade on its predecessor too, with more ergonomic controllers and a streamlined setup that only requires a single USB-C connection.

But is the PlayStation VR 2 worth the steep price when the Meta Quest 3 is available at a lower fee? That will depend on its game support; if PlayStation can keep pumping out first-party games like Horizon, this may well become the best VR headset on the market.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full Review: PlayStation VR 2 Review

The Pico 4 offers the closest experience to the Meta Quest 3 headset, with an all-in-one design that doesn’t require any cables or external PC to function. It even surpasses the Quest in certain areas.

Firstly, the Pico has a better design. Weighing just 295 grams, it’s lighter than every other headset on this list. The use of a plastic headband also ensures a secure fit, so you shouldn’t have to worry about adjusting it on your head every few seconds. Overall, this results in a more comfortable experience.

The Pico 4 also has a superior screen resolution compared to the Quest 2, though it’s matched more closely by the newer Quest 3. Our testing showed that this helped to create sharper images, with individual pixels becoming less noticeable. The headset even features colour passthrough, allowing you to see your surroundings even when the headset is hugging your face.

The only major thing holding the Pico back from beating the Quest is its substandard game library. It’s missing a number of VR game gems, including Beat Saber, Resident Evil 4 and Moss. As a result, we suggest you check out the Pico game’s library before you commit yourself to a purchase of the headset.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full Review: Pico 4 Review

The Vive Pro 2 provides the very best virtual reality experience of all the headsets on this list, with a super-sharp 5K resolution, faultless tracking performance and a huge selection of immersive VR games and apps. 

But with the headset retailing for over £1000 when bundled with the required accessories, it’s only really worthwhile for hardcore VR enthusiasts. The need for external tracking sensors also means you basically need to take up an entire room to maximise your enjoyment with the Vive Pro 2, which simply isn’t possible for everyone. And let’s not forget the need for a high-powered PC to plug the headset into.

If you adore VR and are happy to look past those obstacles, then you’ll be treated to one of the best VR experiences currently available. During testing, we were incredibly impressed with the likes of Half-Life Alyx and Paper Beast. 

We also found the 120Hz refresh rate and 5K resolution to ensure you’re getting the absolute best visuals from a VR headset, even with the lack of an OLED screen. So if you want a top-notch VR headset and money is no issue, then the Vive Pro 2 is an awesome option. 

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full Review: Vive Pro 2 Review

The Meta Quest Pro is a more advanced beast than the entry-level Quest 2 and mid-range Quest 3, with a high-end £999/$999 price tag to match.

The Quest Pro introduces a number of firsts to standalone headsets including both face- and eye-tracking tech that has the potential to revolutionise social VR with more human-like interaction – at least it will be once the tech becomes more ubiquitous.

It’s the Quest Pro’s AR capabilities that stand out most though; using colour stereo passthrough, the headset can blend the real and virtual worlds into one, allowing you to, say, paint on a virtual canvas in your actual living room environment. Combined with hand-tracking that negates the need for controllers, it’s a very immersive experience.

However, that’s part of the problem with the Quest Pro; it’s not only expensive, but with Meta building the AR focus into the Quest 3, it makes the Pro slightly less tempting. It’ll remain the only Meta headset to offer premium features like face- and eye-tracking, but those are a nice-to-have rather than an integral part of the virtual experience.

As a result, it’s only a headset for those who want to be on the bleeding edge of VR tech.

Reviewer: Lewis Painter
Full Review: Meta Quest Pro Review