I’ve been covering virtual reality since the original Oculus Rift Development Kit launched more than a decade ago. Since then, I’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, ranging from the entry-level, wire-free Meta Quest 3S to the class-leading Apple Vision Pro. I’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 other recommendations, followed by everything you need to know about buying a VR headset.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
February 8, 2026: With this update, our recommended VR headset lineup remains unchanged. The existing picks have been vetted for currency and availability.
- 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
The Quest 3 is a comparatively expensive Meta headset, but its higher resolution and wider field of view justify the price compared with the company’s lower-cost option. Additionally, it’s a well-equipped standalone VR headset, featuring a color pass-through camera for mixed reality and a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor.
VR enthusiasts: For simply using VR however you’d like, the Quest 3 is the best choice. It can run many games and apps, and you can optionally tether it to a PC. Its visual improvements over its less expensive sibling are worth the expense if you regularly work and play in VR.
VRChat players: The Quest 3 is an excellent headset for exploring the VR side of VRChat and immersing yourself in its diverse virtual worlds and communities.
Type
Standalone
Resolution
2,064 by 2,208 (per eye)
Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Motion Detection
6DOF
Controls
Meta Quest Touch Controllers
Hardware Platform
Standalone
Software Platform
Meta
Learn More
Meta Quest 3 Review
- 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
The Meta Quest 3S is the least expensive way to get into VR without making major compromises. It’s a standalone VR headset with color pass-through cameras and the same processor that powers the higher-end Quest 3 model. In fact, it’s nearly identical except for the display; it isn’t nearly as sharp, and doesn’t have as wide a field of view. Still, it looks good for the price.
VR newbies: If you want to explore virtual reality without making a big investment, the Quest 3S is an ideal introductory headset. It comes with everything you need to start playing in VR and costs $200 less than the Quest 3 while retaining all the same features. The only real disadvantage is in its graphical quality, with a display that’s merely good, not great.
Budget VR users: This is the headset to get for the most comprehensive VR experience at the lowest price. You can pay more for a better view, but otherwise, this is all you need.
Type
Standalone
Resolution
1,832 by 1,920 (per eye)
Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Motion Detection
6DOF
Controls
Meta Quest Touch Controllers
Hardware Platform
Standalone
Software Platform
Meta
Learn More
Meta Quest 3S Review
- Excellent graphics and sound
- Strong launch library
- Useful eye-tracking tech
- Lightweight build
- Easy to set up
- Not compatible with PlayStation VR games
The PlayStation VR 2 is a significant upgrade over the original model. It combines the PlayStation 5’s power with new eye-tracking and motion-control technology to make VR games even more immersive. The lightweight headset features impressive specifications, including a sharp OLED display that delivers a 2,000-by-2,040-pixel image to each eye.
PS5 gamers: It’s right in the name. The PlayStation VR 2 is for playing in VR on a PlayStation, specifically the PlayStation 5.
Type
Tethered
Resolution
2,000 by 2,040 (per eye)
Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Motion Detection
6DOF
Controls
PlayStation VR2 Sense
Hardware Platform
PlayStation 5
Software Platform
PlayStation 5
Learn More
Sony PlayStation VR2 Review
- 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
The Vision Pro is Apple’s first foray into AR and VR, though the company is careful to describe it as a “spatial computer” rather than a headset. Whatever you call it (we consider it an AR/VR/mixed reality headset), the Vision Pro is an incredibly ambitious device that’s good for work or play. The headset relies entirely on eye-and-hand tracking controls, enabling a far more intuitive and natural control system than any we’ve tested. As a first-generation device on the newly launched VisionOS platform, it’s surprisingly full-featured, with some of the best hardware ever put into a consumer-available, head-mounted display.
Early adopters: Although it’s more than a year old and has seen the release of a new version with the faster M5 chip, the Apple Vision Pro remains cutting-edge technology, and anyone interested in using it can be considered an early adopter. It’s leaps and bounds ahead of almost any other headset in terms of control and interface, with only Samsung’s new Galaxy XR coming close.
Mixed reality enthusiasts: If you’ve been playing around with a Meta headset and want something more polished, intuitive, and powerful, the Vision Pro is a splurge-worthy upgrade. The Vision Pro’s eye and hand tracking is revolutionary compared with the Quest’s controller-based input system, and currently offers the best mixed reality experience, period.
Virtual office users: There’s something to be said about a completely customizable virtual workstation only you can see, and the Vision Pro offers just that. Pair a Bluetooth keyboard with it, open multiple windows as if they were monitors, and move and resize them on the fly. With the Vision Pro, you can customize your workflow without taking up desk space.
Type
Standalone
Resolution
23 million pixels
Refresh Rate
100 Hz
Motion Detection
6DOF
Controls
Eye and hand tracking
Hardware Platform
Apple M2
Software Platform
Apple VisionOS
Learn More
Apple Vision Pro Review
- The best resolution for VR gaming
- Smooth motion tracking
- Works with Valve Index controllers
- Expensive
- Doesn’t include necessary base stations or controllers
The HTC Vive Pro 2 targets enthusiasts and professionals with the sharpest VR picture available at 2,448 by 2,448 pixels per eye. It works with SteamVR and has its own VR software store (Viveport). The store offers the subscription-based Viveport Infinity service (starting at $5.99 per month), which provides unlimited access to VR experiences—a nice bonus.
High-end PC gamers: For the best tethered VR experience available without diving into pro-level extremes, the Vive Pro 2, combined with Valve Index controllers, is the ideal choice (if you can find the controllers for sale). It’ll cost you at least $1,300 before factoring in a PC with the necessary specs to take full advantage of the headset’s capabilities, but you’ll enjoy amazing visuals and controls.
Racing and flight sim fans: If you’re interested in building a racing or flight cockpit around VR, you want the sharpest picture possible. The Vive Pro 2 can be easily integrated into a PC sim setup, and since you’ll be using purpose-built controls with a wheel or flight yoke, pedals, levers, and knobs, you don’t have to worry about getting dedicated motion controllers to use with the headset.
Type
Tethered
Resolution
2,440 by 2,440 (per eye)
Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Motion Detection
6DOF
Controls
None Included
Hardware Platform
PC
Software Platform
SteamVR
Learn More
HTC Vive Pro 2 Review
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The Best VR Headsets for 2026
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Buying Guide: The Best VR Headsets for 2026
Which VR Headset Is the Best: Standalone vs. Tethered?
Modern VR headsets fit under one of two categories: standalone or tethered.
Standalone VR headsets offer incredible physical freedom by eliminating cables and the need for an external device to handle video processing. For example, the Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S use outward-facing cameras to provide motion tracking and motion controls. They lack the processing power of a dedicated gaming PC, but their high-end mobile processors push detailed, smooth graphics.
The Apple Vision Pro is the most advanced standalone headset, and the most advanced headset overall. Apple doesn’t refer to its hardware as a VR headset, but rather a “spatial computer.” It relies entirely on eye and hand tracking for control and has the most intuitive interface we’ve seen in testing. It costs an incredible $3,500, which is a huge ask compared with any other headset on this list. It’s also a first-generation model on a new platform, even if the platform (VisionOS) is built on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
Meta Quest 3S (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Tethered headsets, such as the HTC Vive Pro 2 and Valve Index, are physically connected to PCs. Their cables make them unwieldy, especially since they also require base stations to be placed around a room to function. However, by putting all the video processing in a box, you don’t need to directly strap it to your face; your VR experience can be much more complex.
It’s difficult to recommend these PC-tethered headsets over Meta’s standalone models, though, because Meta’s headsets also work tethered to PCs using an accessory cable—and they’re much less expensive. The Vive Pro 2 and Valve Index are each $600 for the headsets alone, excluding the base stations and controllers required for use. The Index is also no longer available as a bundle, and the availability of its individual parts has been inconsistent. Although it isn’t officially discontinued, most options are regularly listed as out of stock. Rumors have circulated about Valve working on a new headset for several years now, but there has been no firm announcement yet.
Apple Vision Pro (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
On the console side, the PS VR2 is compatible with the PlayStation 5. Since there are no standalone PlayStation VR headsets, a tethered option is your only choice if you want a VR experience on PlayStation.
XR Headsets vs. Smart Glasses
Virtually all VR headsets can now be considered mixed reality (XR) headsets as well. These use color pass-through cameras and other sensors to let you see your surroundings and display information in that setting. Instead of completely blocking out everything around you and replacing it with a virtual environment, they add to what’s already there.
The Apple Vision Pro is by far the most advanced device in this regard, offering the best view and the most intuitive controls. Its eye-tracking and hand-tracking let you simply look at a given web page, app, or virtual object, pinch it, and rearrange it wherever you want. You can sit back on the couch with a huge virtual movie screen in front of you and your social feeds floating to the side, available at a glance. Meta’s headsets also have mixed reality functions and color pass-through views, but their cameras aren’t nearly as sharp, and their controls are clunkier.
Samsung Galaxy XR (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Samsung recently entered the mixed reality market with its first headsets that directly match the Vision Pro. The Galaxy XR is the mixed reality equivalent of the Vision Pro, like a Galaxy phone is to an iPhone. It has largely the same features and functions, including a clear view and intuitive controls that use your eyes and hands instead of physical controllers. It’s also the first consumer device to utilize Google’s Android XR platform, which means it could serve as a template for future mixed reality devices from Samsung and other manufacturers.
Recommended by Our Editors
Adding digital information to what you’re looking at isn’t limited to bulky headsets, though. Smart glasses, specifically display-based smart glasses, offer a more comfortable and easier-to-wear alternative. They use tiny projectors to display images on lenses built into devices that are no larger or heavier than ordinary glasses. They’re much easier to put on, take off, and wear for extended periods than full headsets. The trade-off is that their fields of view are significantly smaller, occupying a rectangular area in front of your vision rather than fully spanning it.
Because they can’t completely replace your view and you can see directly through them, smart glasses aren’t technically considered mixed reality devices; instead, they’re augmented reality (AR). The AR smart glasses category is evolving and has yet to provide a fully polished experience comparable with the Vision Pro. However, several models have already proven useful as wearable displays with some limited mixed reality functions.
Meta Ray-Ban Display (Credit: Meta)
The Meta Ray-Ban Display and Rokid Glasses both show considerable potential as full glasses that can overlay information about whatever you’re looking at, but the category still has room to further develop before I can really recommend these kinds of devices without several caveats.
With that in mind, we’ll continue to track the best new VR headsets as they are released, so please check back soon for updates. And after you find the right headset, check out our list of the best VR games.
