Another reality: the best VR headsets for the virtual world
These gadgets bring the real and digital realms closer than ever before
Oculus Rift
One of the pioneers of modern virtual reality (VR) is Oculus, a US-based gadget firm acquired by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg for around $2bn (£1.4bn) in 2014. The company has since become the go-to name for gamers and professionals looking for a powerful VR device.
Oculus’s headset is called the Rift. It has a pair of 1080x1200 resolution monitors for each eye that are housed in a relatively compact frame. The system also comes with two Touch controllers and two motion sensors, which connect to the headset through a lightweight cable.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
You’ll need a powerful computer to be able to run games in VR, but the Rift’s visual quality is among the best.
£399; Amazon.co.uk.
HTC Vive Pro
If you’re on the hunt for the best in VR image quality and head-tracking performance, the HTC Vive Pro is the headset for you.
Unveiled at the Las Vegas-based Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, the Vive Pro sports a pair of 1440x1600 resolution OLED screens for each eye. Those figures equate to a 718% increase in image clarity over the previous Vive, while the head strap has been redesigned to make the device feel more comfortable during long periods of use.
Much like the Oculus Rift, a high-end PC with a powerful processor and top-tier graphics cards will be needed to make use of the Vive Pro.
£799; John Lewis.
PlayStation VR
Gaming in VR isn’t exclusive to PC users as Sony offers its PlayStation VR headset for PS4 and PS4 Pro players.
While the headset doesn’t quite match the image quality of the HTC Vive Pro and Oculus Rift, the PSVR is significantly cheaper than both its rivals and compatible with a host of console-exclusive games. These include Gran Turismo Sport VR, Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One: X-Wing and Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
You can plug the PSVR into a PC, but you’ll need to download a piece of software from third party developers Trinus VR.
£259;Amazon.co.uk.
Oculus Go
For those who don’t have a Sony-branded home console or a powerful gaming PC, the Oculus GO [pictured top] is one of the few-standalone VR headsets there is.
This means there’s no need for an external piece of hardware to drive the Oculus Go as all the necessary computer power is stored in the headset. There are numerous games and videos you can interact with, giving you a taste of VR without the high price tag.
Oculus Go isn’t on sale yet but it may be soon. Tech Radar says it’s expected to be released shortly after Facebook’s F8 developer’s conference on 1 May.
$199 (£140); Oculus.
Samsung Gear VR 2017
Samsung seems to have every area in the world of gadgets covered and the realm of VR is no exception.
The company’s Gear VR is a headset that works with your Samsung smartphone. Simply download VR games and apps directly to your phone, before slotting your mobile into the front of the headset.
As the Gear VR makes use of your Samsung smartphone’s AMOLED display, you can expect an impressive picture quality that’s on a par with some of the more expensive headsets on sale.
£119; Amazon.co.uk.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The Week Unwrapped: Should we talk to the voices in our heads?
Podcast Plus Macron charms Morocco, and do Americans really work harder than the rest of us?
By The Week Staff Published
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures A spooky donation, a shirt-shredding rally, and more
By Anahi Valenzuela, The Week US Published
-
Vanessa Bell: A World of Form and Colour – an 'expansive' exhibition
The Week Recommends The 'sweeping' show features over 140 works from paintings to ceramics
By The Week UK Published
-
The Count of Monte Cristo review: 'indecently spectacular' adaptation
The Week Recommends Dumas's classic 19th-century novel is once again given new life in this 'fast-moving' film
By The Week UK Published
-
Death of England: Closing Time review – 'bold, brash reflection on racism'
The Week Recommends The final part of this trilogy deftly explores rising political tensions across the country
By The Week UK Published
-
Sing Sing review: prison drama bursts with 'charm, energy and optimism'
The Week Recommends Colman Domingo plays a real-life prisoner in a performance likely to be an Oscars shoo-in
By The Week UK Published
-
Kaos review: comic retelling of Greek mythology starring Jeff Goldblum
The Week Recommends The new series captures audiences as it 'never takes itself too seriously'
By The Week UK Published
-
Blink Twice review: a 'stylish and savage' black comedy thriller
The Week Recommends Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie stun in this film on the hedonistic rich directed by Zoë Kravitz
By The Week UK Published
-
Shifters review: 'beautiful' new romantic comedy offers 'bittersweet tenderness'
The Week Recommends The 'inventive, emotionally astute writing' leaves audiences gripped throughout
By The Week UK Published
-
How to do F1: British Grand Prix 2025
The Week Recommends One of the biggest events of the motorsports calendar is back and better than ever
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Twisters review: 'warm-blooded' film explores dangerous weather
The Week Recommends The film, focusing on 'tornado wranglers', stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell
By The Week UK Published