Best VR Headsets
As technology continues to advance, VR gaming is becoming a common hobby instead of one solely for the rich. More and more games are being released with VR gameplay support, and some games, like Half-Life: Alyx, are being made exclusively for VR.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best VR headsets of 2020, from the simplest mobile-friendly headsets to the most impressive, fully-featured, and self-contained VR machines.
BNEXT Universal Virtual Reality Goggles
- PERFECT GIFT FOR KIDS & ADULTS - This premium VR headset for phone is the perfect present for holidays and other occasions.
- VR SMARTPHONE COMPATIBILITY - Bnext's VR headsets are compatible with smartphones with a gyro sensor (almost all models) and with a 4" x 6.3” screen. VR goggles are compatible with models X, XR, XS, 8, 8 plus, 9, 9 plus, 11, 11 pro, 12 mini, 12 pro, SE, etc. This is also compatible with Samsung Android Galaxy Note 20, S20, OnePlus, Box VR, Google Pixel, etc. This soft & comfortable new 3D VR glasses can also support drones that require a phone VR headsets.
- ADVANCED VR GAMING TECHNOLOGY - This VR headset for iPhone and Android offers FD and OD adjustments (wide field of vision) to expand the viewing angle and perfectly match focal distance and unilateral myopic alignment for reduced distortion to ensure an optimal viewing experience.
- COMFORTABLE, EXTENDED WEAR DESIGN - This VR headset comes with a fully adjustable head strap, eyesight protection system, and a soft nose piece to reduce pressure and ensure a comfortable experience.
- EXCLUSIVE VR CONTENT & ONLINE SUPPORT - The VR headset (viewer) is delivered with our special free VR content list of VR games & VR experiences. It is compatible with google cardboard apps that don't require a button and many other VR apps & adventures that can be found on the application stores.
These virtual reality goggles from BNEXT comprise your basic mobile-phone-compatible virtual reality headset. To use this unit, all you do is slide your mobile phone into the front compartment. The VR headset itself doesn’t have any electrical components or parts; it’s just a “viewer” that holds your smartphone in place.
For virtual reality goggles like these to work, your smartphone must fit inside the goggles, and you must use an app or game that’s VR-compatible. Your phone’s internal gyroscope acts as the sensor that changes the VR world as you tilt your head. This VR headset fits with a wide variety of smartphones, both new and old.
Before you purchase these viewers, make sure your smartphone supports VR. If your phone doesn’t have a gyroscope, it cannot support VR, and it won’t work if it can’t fit inside the goggles, either.
Pros:
- Compatible with a wide range of smartphones
- East to assemble and set up
- FD and OD adjustments built-in
- Inexpensive
Cons:
- No built-in headset
- No remote included
Oculus Rift S PC-Powered Headset
- Top VR gaming library: Blast, slash and soar your way through the top library in VR gaming. Oculus Rift S lets you play hundreds of games and exclusives already available in the Oculus store, with so much more to come.
- Improved optics: Stare down the competition with next-generation lenses and a sharper display. Improved optics deliver bright, vivid colors and reduced “screen-door” effect.
- Ergonomic design: Keep your head in the game thanks to a Halo headband redesigned with speed in mind. Rift S stays securely and comfortably in place with a quick twist of the fit wheel, so it can take-or double take-your fastest reactions.
- Oculus touch controllers: Arm yourself with our updated Oculus touch controllers. Your slashes, throws and grab appear in VR with intuitive, realistic precision, transporting your hands and gestures right into the game.
- Oculus insight tracking: take a step forward with Oculus insight. It translates your movements into VR No matter which way you're facing and provides room-scale tracking without external sensors.
This headset by Oculus Rift is a PC-powered headset. As such, it’s designed to work with computer games. Its performance is mainly dependent on your PC’s power, so if you have an older computer or a weak graphics card, you may not be able to support this device.
From a performance standpoint, the new Oculus Rift S is an improvement over Rift’s previous generation. It has better room and motion tracking, and it’s more comfortable to wear as well. The price is also quite good for a fully-featured VR headset.
This headset does have one major drawback, and that is the speakers. The onboard speakers are tinny and not fantastically immersive. They’re okay for casual gaming, but they won’t impress any hardcore gamer.
Pros:
- Affordable for a PC-powered headset
- Excellent tracking technology
- Comfortable
Cons:
- Poor speakers
- Supports DisplayPort only – no HDMI
HTC Vive Cosmos Elite
- Lighthouse tracking - base station 1.0 provides up to 160 sq. Feet of play space for those that demand the best in Vive VR gaming..Memory: 4 GB RAM or more. Operating system: Windows 10, Windows 11. Screen: Dual 3.4" diagonal. Connections: Micro-USB charging port
- Crystal-clear graphics - see the virtual world through a 2880 x 1700 combined Pixel resolution. All-new LCD panels reduce the distance between Pixels, minimizing the screen-door effect.
- Flip-up design - go easily between reality and virtual reality with the flip-up design, without disrupting your VR journey.
- Vive port - Get the most out of VR with Infinity. Enjoy unlimited access to hundreds of VR games, apps, and videos.
- Vive reality system - Vive reality system lets you navigate seamlessly between virtual experiences. Discover new content, launch titles from your library, play a video, or browse the web.
The HTC Vive Cosmos is the newest VR headset offering from HTC, and the Elite set comes with the new VR-based game, Half-Life: Alyx. Opinions on the HTC Vive Cosmos are very mixed, but overall, this is a good headset if you have the patience to configure it properly.
Firstly, the headset is modular, so while it has a very high price tag, you can mitigate that cost with modular updates down the line. The viewer itself has “flip-up” functionality that makes taking off the entire headset unnecessary – just flip it up and out of the way. The picture quality is outstanding, but like the Oculus Rift S, the speakers could use some work.
Finally, this VR headset has a tiny “sweet spot” for viewing that can be difficult (and annoying) to find. However, with a little patience, it works well.
Pros:
- Gorgeous picture
- “Flip-up” functionality makes taking the headset off unnecessary
- Can go fully wireless
- Modular and customizable
Cons:
- Expensive
- Small “sweet spot”
Oculus Quest All-In-One VR Headset
- All-in-one VR: Simply set up the device with your Oculus mobile app and Oculus Quest has everything you need to explore VR, right out of the box
- Insight tracking: Oculus Insight tracking system instantly reflects your movements in VR without the need for any external accessories
- Touch controllers: Oculus Touch controllers precisely recreate your hands, their gestures and interactions, so every game is real enough to reach out and touch
- Beyond room-scale: Oculus Quest works with your environment, so you can play standing or sitting, in spaces big or small
- Oculus Quest requires your Facebook account to log in, making it easy to meet up with friends in VR and discover communities around the world.
The Oculus Quest is a revolutionary new headset that takes VR gaming to a different level. Unlike the Oculus Rift we looked at before, the Oculus Quest is a self-contained unit, meaning you don’t need a PC to use it. Games download directly onto the Oculus Quest instead of onto your PC.
This means that, if you’re a console gamer who doesn’t have access to a powerful enough PC, you can finally get the full VR experience with this headset. Do keep in mind that you need a smartphone to complete the Oculus Quest’s original setup, but after that, the unit is entirely independent.
Because this is a standalone unit, it’s cord-free, and you can set it up virtually anywhere. The only problem with the unit is its storage space: it comes in either 64GB or 128GB. This could definitely be higher, as some modern game titles are already surpassing 128GB of data before install.
Pros:
- Self-contained unit – no PC required
- Very comfortable
- No wires
Cons:
- Resolution and refresh rate are inferior to the HTC Vive Cosmos
- Could use more storage space
OIVO 3D VR Headset for Nintendo Switch
- Upgraded Version: Special virtual reality vr glasses for Nintendo switch & Nintendo Switch OLED Model, would be a big surprise as gift for your friends and family or yourself, this is the upgraded version.(More suitable experience and people with prescription glasses can wear this VR too.).NOTE: Please take out the Joy-Con would be light weight to use, 15~36mm, may not fit for huge nose.
- Say Goodbye To Carboard Materials: Made of EVA and Oxford materials, super light weight and durable, no worry that your VR glass get mildew in wet weather, includes adjustable headstrap and more thick materials to touch your face, no need to grip the switch console near your head.
- Watch and Play in VR: HD optimization takes you special experience to watch Youtube and play Super Smash Bros. & Zelda & Super Mario Odyssey etc. (VR games may be updated in succession), Full range with the joysticks and the buttons are covered fully, easy to use when playing action games (I.e. smash bros.)
- Ergonomical Design: Adjust the size to fit for everyone's head, with heat dissipation and type C port holes, it also increases the thickness to touch your face more comfortable, watching Youtube while charging, and you can take out the joy-cons while playing, regular cardboard VR which is not allowing full range with the joysticks and a few of the buttons are half covered making it difficult to use them quickly.(I.e. smash bros.).
- Safe Hook & Loop Design: Easy to use, protect your switch from scratch and fall down, just choose your VR game or Youtube video "watch in VR", very convenient to enjoy the 3D world.
As the name of this item suggests, these goggles are designed to turn a Nintendo Switch into a VR platform. All you do is clip your Switch into the headset’s front, then boot up a VR-compatible game.
Overall, this headset is comfortable, easy to wear, and quick to set up. The headset’s problems don’t stem from the headset itself, but rather stem from the Nintendo Switch’s low VR compatibility. The headset is lightweight and cost-efficient – the cheapest option on this list so far.
All in all, if you’re looking to explore the novelty of VR on your Nintendo Switch, you’ll likely find this item fun. However, it won’t hold up compared to any other headset (or even a mobile-phone-based headset).
Pros:
- Comfortable
- Easy to use
- Inexpensive
Cons:
- The Nintendo Switch is not designed for VR use, and as such, gives an inferior experience compared to other VR platforms
Our Top Choices
- All-in-one VR: Simply set up the device with your Oculus mobile app and Oculus Quest has everything you need to explore VR, right out of the box
- Insight tracking: Oculus Insight tracking system instantly reflects your movements in VR without the need for any external accessories
- Touch controllers: Oculus Touch controllers precisely recreate your hands, their gestures and interactions, so every game is real enough to reach out and touch
- Beyond room-scale: Oculus Quest works with your environment, so you can play standing or sitting, in spaces big or small
- Oculus Quest requires your Facebook account to log in, making it easy to meet up with friends in VR and discover communities around the world.
Overall, we think that the best VR headset of 2020 is, hands-down, the Oculus Quest. Not only is the Quest accessible for everyone since it doesn’t require a PC to use, but it’s relatively bug-free, easy to set up, and comfortable to wear. Oculus’ technology has come incredibly far since its inception, and the Quest is an excellent example of that.
Don’t ignore the other types of VR headsets in this guide, either, though! If you’re looking to begin exploring the world of VR, you’ll probably enjoy starting with a mobile-friendly headset like the BNEXT VR Headset. That way, you’ll be able to give the technology a try before purchasing a full setup from Oculus or HTC.