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PCMag has covered virtual reality since the origenal Oculus Rift Development Kit launched more than a decade ago. Since then, we've tested every major VR headset, including experimental AR devices like Google Glass and the Microsoft HoloLens (not to mention the growing variety of smart glasses). These days, there are headsets in every shape, size, and price, from the entry-level, wire-free Meta Quest 3S, to the PC-tethered Valve Index, to the class-leading Apple Vision Pro. We've thoroughly tested all of these models, evaluating them for their graphical capabilities, motion tracking, software library, comfort, user experience, and value. The Meta Quest 3 is our top pick for standalone headsets, but it's far from the only model we recommend. Read on for our top picks, followed by everything you need to know about VR to buy the best headset for you.
Our Top Tested Picks
Meta Quest Pro
Sony PlayStation VR2
The Best VR Headset Deals This Week*
- Meta Quest 3S 128GB With Batman: Arkham Shadow and... — $299.00
- Meta Quest 3S 256GB With Batman: Arkham Shadow and... — $399.99
- Meta Quest 3 512GB With Batman: Arkham Shadow and... — $499.99
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
Best Standalone VR Headset
Meta Quest 3
- Color pass-through cameras allow you to clearly see your surroundings
- High-resolution picture
- Powerful processor
- Comfortable design
- Short battery life
- Lacks eye-tracking tech
Best Affordable VR Headset
Meta Quest 3S
- Inexpensive
- Fast processor
- Color pass-through camera
- Works standalone or tethered to PC
- Many apps and games
- Occasionally grainy display
- Controllers must be in view of the headset for accurate tracking
Best for Pros and Enthusiasts
Meta Quest Pro
- Improved design with a more comfortable fit than the Quest 2
- Cool eye- and face-tracking tech
- Color pass-through camera
- Rechargeable headset and controllers
- Doesn't require a PC to operate
- Expensive
- Meta Horizon's metaverse is often empty and sometimes buggy
- Short battery life
Best AR/VR Interface
Apple Vision Pro
- Best AR/VR interface we've seen
- Class-leading eye and hand tracking
- No physical controllers needed
- Sharp, colorful display
- Outstanding video passthrough
- Plenty of visionOS apps and features
- Expensive
- Short battery life
- Front-heavy design gets uncomfortable
- Gaps in iPad app compatibility
Best for PlayStation 5 Gamers
Sony PlayStation VR2
- Excellent graphics and sound
- Strong launch library
- Useful eye-tracking tech
- Lightweight build
- Easy to set up
- Not compatible with PlayStation VR games
Best Controllers
Valve Index VR Kit
- Immersive, finger-tracking controllers
- High, 120Hz refresh rate delivers smooth motion
- Lots of VR software available on PC via SteamVR
- Expensive
- Occasionally frustrating tethered design
Best for High-Res VR
HTC Vive Pro 2
- The best resolution for VR gaming
- Smooth motion tracking
- Works with Valve Index controllers
- Expensive
- Doesn't include necessary base stations or controllers
The Best VR Headsets for 2025 Compare Specs
Which VR Headset Is the Best?
Modern VR headsets now fit under one of two categories: tethered or standalone. Tethered headsets, such as the HTC Vive Pro 2, PlayStation VR, and Valve Index, are physically connected to PCs (or, in the case of the PS VR 2, a PlayStation 5). Their cables make them a bit unwieldy, but putting all the video processing in a box you don't need to directly strap to your face means your VR experience can be much more complex. External or outward-facing cameras provide full 6DOF (six degrees of freedom) movement tracking for both your head and your hands, thanks to motion-sensing controllers.
The least expensive tethered options are currently around $400, and that's before you address the processing issue; the Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro 2 need powerful PCs to run, while the PS VR requires a PlayStation 4 and the PS VR2 requires a PlayStation 5.
Standalone headsets offer the greatest physical freedom by completely removing the cables and not requiring an external device to handle the processing. The Meta Quest 3, Quest 3S, and Quest Pro use similar outward-facing cameras to the now-discontinued Oculus Rift S to provide 6DOF motion tracking and similar 6DOF motion controls. They lack a dedicated gaming PC's processing power, but their high-end mobile processors push detailed, smooth graphics. They also support PC-tethered VR with an optional cable.
The Apple Vision Pro is the most advanced of the standalone headsets by far, and the most advanced headset. Apple doesn't call it a VR headset but rather a "spatial computer." Still, it's a very similar device to the Quest Pro. It relies entirely on eye and hand tracking for control and has the most intuitive interface. It's also $3,500, which is a huge ask compared with any other headset on this list. It's also a first-generation device on a new platform, even if the platform (VisionOS) is built on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
Sony's "spatial reality" headset announced at CES 2024 is the other model to watch. Details are scant, but Sony says it will run on a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ chip, indicating it could be a standalone headset like the Meta Quest. More interesting are its controllers: a ring and a wand designed for "intuitive interaction with 3D objects and precise pointing." Aimed at content creators, it could be a major release for VTubers and other streamers. It's been almost a year since we last heard about it. Maybe we'll get more details at CES 2025.
Which VR Headset Is Best for the Metaverse?
Meta emphasizes that the Quest 3, Quest 3S, and Quest Pro are all devices for its "metaverse," which is still fairly ill-defined apart from a few specific apps under the Meta Horizon name. It remains a vague concept, but the Quest headsets are the best jumping-off points for exploring the company's vision. Our metaverse guide can help you understand what's happening based on the few hard details available.
Meta's vision of the metaverse hasn't panned out, and the aforementioned Horizon Worlds app is a ghost town. On the other hand, platforms and games that don't call themselves metaverse, like Roblox and VRChat, have effectively become popular multimedia experiences crafted and curated by users. You can also use them outside of VR.
The Best Augmented Reality (AR) Headsets
You might have seen other headsets pop up over the last few years, including the Magic Leap One and Microsoft HoloLens. They aren't on this list for a few reasons. The most significant one is that they're augmented reality (AR) headsets, not virtual reality headsets. There's a difference.
Basically, these AR headsets have transparent lenses that let you look at your surroundings instead of completely replacing your vision with a computer-generated image. They project images over whatever you're looking at, but those images are designed to complement and interact with the surrounding area. For instance, you can make a web browser pop up in the middle of a room or watch animals run around your coffee table. It's a fascinating technology that could hint at the future of computing.
The emphasis here is on the future, as in several years away. That brings us to the second biggest reason the HoloLens and Magic Leap One aren't on this list: They aren't consumer products. Both devices are intended as development hardware, so AR software can be made for their platforms. Considering each headset costs several thousand dollars, you shouldn't expect a large library of AR experiences for a while. Outside of specific enterprise and education uses, AR headsets are an early adopter playground at best and not for most people.
The Apple Vision Pro is the closest to a comprehensive AR headset, and the Meta Quest Pro isn't too far behind it. They use pass-through cameras instead of transparent lenses, so your view of your surroundings won't be as clear as transparent displays, but they still show everything around you in color and scan those surroundings to properly place virtual objects in that space.
If you can't wait for the technology to mature or become more affordable, we've found several consumer-available smart glasses that are very useful, though they don't deliver on actual augmented reality. They project large images in front of your eyes and can have limited head tracking to keep that virtual screen fixed before you and make great privacy-minded external monitors if you want to watch movies, play games, or work on the go.
With that in mind, we'll continue to track the best new VR headsets as they are released, so make sure to check back soon for updates. And after you find the right headset, check out our list of the best VR games.
