Editor's note, April 30: This list reflects my current choices for Best VR headsets in light of Meta's price increases and removal of some key services for Quest headsets in 2026.
8.7/10 CNET Score
The Meta Quest 3S (Meta's replacement to my longstanding Editor's Choice headset, the Quest 2) is still super-affordable, even at its new higher price of $350, and comes with updated graphics and color passthrough cameras that give the 3S the same gaming and mixed reality powers as the more expensive Quest 3. It's a fantastic budget buy, but Meta cut corners on the display and lens quality with the 3S, choosing to use the same fresnel lenses and LCD display as the Quest 2. It's perfectly fine for general VR and gaming, but the more expensive Quest 3's notably clearer lenses and crisper resolution are my favorite for all-day use and for reading text.
Pros
- Updated graphics and faster processor
- Improved color passthrough cameras
- Better hand tracking
Cons
- No improvement to lenses or resolution vs Quest 2
- Only 2-3 hours battery life
8.9/10 CNET Score
Meta's upgraded VR sequel to the Quest 2 feels like a notable revamp, with improvements across the board: a slightly smaller design, better, clearer lenses, a higher-res display, smaller controllers with better haptics and higher-res color cameras that can mix the real world and the virtual together. This "mixed reality" is similar in spirit to what Apple's Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR does but in a lower-res form for a lot less money.
Pros
- Crisp high-res displays
- Improved new processor
- Mixed reality with better color cameras
- Smaller controllers with better haptics
Cons
- More expensive than Quest 2
- Few unique apps and games at launch
- Straps and comfort still aren't great
- Still only 2-3 hours battery life
8.0/10 CNET Score
The PSVR 2 needs a PlayStation 5 to even work. It's a tethered VR headset, not wireless. And Sony hasn't supported the PSVR 2 with enough unique games to justify its existence. Even so, the PSVR 2 is still a fun luxury if you're a PS5 gamer who also owns a PC. Its HDR OLED display, graphics quality, built-in eye tracking and fantastic advanced controllers -- which have the same vibrations and adaptive force-feedback triggers as the PS5 DualSense controllers -- give this headset a premium feel that makes its best games perform at a different level. It has some exclusives like Gran Turismo 7, Resident Evil Village and Horizon: Call of the Mountain, but not enough. However, Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of a number of promising games with VR support that are still keeping this hardware interesting.
Pros
- Vivid, high-res OLED display
- Comfortable fit
- Excellent controllers
- Realistic vibrations
- Powerful graphics potential
Cons
- Needs to be cabled to PS5
- Included earbuds are just OK
- Doesn't work with old PSVR games
- Game library needs more exclusives
The Apple Vision Pro is an amazing piece of tech and a bleeding-edge high-end mixed reality headset that also runs iOS and thousands of iPad apps, works without controllers using eye and hand tracking and can run multiple apps at the same time, along with being a virtual MacBook monitor. However, it's way too expensive for anyone but XR professionals and early adopters, even with its newest M5 processor bump.
Pros
- Extremely fast M5 processor
- Better head strap for comfier fit
- Best-in-class audio-video quality
- Up to an hour more battery life than before
Cons
- Absurdly expensive
- Still not enough compelling apps
- Heavy, especially during long sessions
- Doesn't work seamlessly with all Apple devices
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I've looked at VR and AR headsets for well over a decade, from Google Glass and the first demos of the Oculus Rift to peeks at the future of AR glasses and Android XR. But right now, VR has settled down to just a few players, while the landscape for face wearables is changing faster than ever.
With Meta suddenly eliminating VR features, shuttering game studios for Quest this year and effectively ending one of its best subscription fitness services, there’s a clear industry pivot to trying to make smart glasses happen. Meta also just increased the price of its several-year-old Quest headsets.
But in the meantime, high-powered and expensive VR headsets are still around. Apple's newest mixed reality Vision Pro is more mixed reality spatial computer than standard VR, with a fast M5 chip and the ability to work with Apple's iPadOS apps and MacBooks, while the Samsung Galaxy XR is the first device running Google's new Android XR operating system, which works with Google apps and the Google Play ecosystem. Both are more experimental than everyday functional.
Plus, later this year, Valve will be back in the VR game with the Steam Frame, a new standalone headset I demoed last year. It'll play Steam 2D and VR games and also stream from PCs, but the price is currently unknown.
VR is still not a needed thing for anyone’s life, and it’s best enjoyed as something affordable, since the landscape is shifting so fast. (Smart glasses are evolving functions that creep closer to what VR and mixed reality headsets can offer, like the upcoming Google Project Aura.) But if you’re really interested in VR gaming now, I’d wait it out to see when the Steam Frame is coming and what it’ll cost.
What's the best VR headset overall?
Despite the recent price increases, drop in some key services, and ongoing concerns about Meta's privacy policies over time, the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S are still the best VR headsets available for their price. Even at $600 and $350 respectively for the two headsets, they're thousands less than the Apple Vision Pro. But considering Meta's price changes and the shifting XR landscape, I'd recommend the cheaper Quest 3S now over the technically better-quality Quest 3.
The Quest 3 has better lens optics and a higher-resolution display than the Quest 3S. It has more onboard storage (512GB versus 128GB on the starting 3S model). But both headsets have the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processors and mixed reality capabilities that blend graphics with video of your surroundings using its color cameras. They both play all the same games, too, and can connect with PCs.
The Quest platform has plenty of side benefits: It has hundreds of games and creative or productivity apps and several great fitness programs for effective cardio workouts. It can connect to PCs and even double as a work device if you have some patience. The platform also has hand tracking that works without controllers. However, controllers are included to give you two input options.
The Quests can even play “spatial” 3D videos shot on newer iPhones. But as Meta clearly emphasizes smart glasses going forward and Apple and Google embrace new ecosystems of their own, it's a little unclear where Meta's VR future truly lies.
Meta's been removing support from Quest headsets lately, from shuttering some of its top game studios to ending new content for my favorite workout app on the headset, Supernatural. Its metaverse platform, Horizon Worlds, is also effectively ending soon. Still, more top-notch VR games arrive on Quest than practically anywhere else, and its back catalog has plenty of fantastic stuff to explore. Meta could have a new headset arriving as soon as next year, but reports suggest it might change form and be more expensive, too.
Read more: The Best VR Games to Play in 2025
Best VR headsets of 2025
Pros
- Updated graphics and faster processor
- Improved color passthrough cameras
- Better hand tracking
Cons
- No improvement to lenses or resolution vs Quest 2
- Only 2-3 hours battery life
The Meta Quest 3S (Meta's replacement to my longstanding Editor's Choice headset, the Quest 2) is still super-affordable, even at its new higher price of $350, and comes with updated graphics and color passthrough cameras that give the 3S the same gaming and mixed reality powers as the more expensive Quest 3. It's a fantastic budget buy, but Meta cut corners on the display and lens quality with the 3S, choosing to use the same fresnel lenses and LCD display as the Quest 2. It's perfectly fine for general VR and gaming, but the more expensive Quest 3's notably clearer lenses and crisper resolution are my favorite for all-day use and for reading text.
That being said, it's by far the most impressive mixed reality device at this price available anywhere, and with Meta's future VR outlook now seeming fuzzier than ever and Quest 3 prices rising to $600, the Quest 3S feels like the one to get.
There is another unique advantage to the Quest 3S: Its hand tracking is better in lower light than the Quest 3. That might be something that makes some apps work better, especially for viewing movies and shows casually when traveling.
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Pros
- Crisp high-res displays
- Improved new processor
- Mixed reality with better color cameras
- Smaller controllers with better haptics
Cons
- More expensive than Quest 2
- Few unique apps and games at launch
- Straps and comfort still aren't great
- Still only 2-3 hours battery life
Meta's upgraded VR sequel to the Quest 2 feels like a notable revamp, with improvements across the board: a slightly smaller design, better, clearer lenses, a higher-res display, smaller controllers with better haptics and higher-res color cameras that can mix the real world and the virtual together. This "mixed reality" is similar in spirit to what Apple's Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR does but in a lower-res form for a lot less money.
Although the Quest 3 has great upgrades, it doesn't really change the equation much on the general way the headset and software function. That being said, the Quest 3's display quality and graphics performance are stunning for its price. Quest apps and the OS are largely the same, and mixed reality is mostly a gimmick for the moment that's only featured in a handful of new games and apps, although seeing your surroundings with the headset on (and even checking messages on your phone) is a lot easier now. The headset's comfort level isn't any better, and hand tracking still is fine but not perfect, although it's getting better.
The Quest 3 may get supplanted by newer hardware next year, but it's still a really good device right now. And its excellent display quality and improved wireless connectivity also make it a good choice for PC VR gamers: it works as a connected PC headset just like other Quest models do. And the Quest's multi-use appeal -- as a game console, a creative device, and even a fitness tool -- give it tremendous versatility. However, at its new higher price of $600, you might want to consider waiting for whatever new hardware Meta might announce in the next year.
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Pros
- Vivid, high-res OLED display
- Comfortable fit
- Excellent controllers
- Realistic vibrations
- Powerful graphics potential
Cons
- Needs to be cabled to PS5
- Included earbuds are just OK
- Doesn't work with old PSVR games
- Game library needs more exclusives
The PSVR 2 needs a PlayStation 5 to even work. It's a tethered VR headset, not wireless. And Sony hasn't supported the PSVR 2 with enough unique games to justify its existence. Even so, the PSVR 2 is still a fun luxury if you're a PS5 gamer who also owns a PC. Its HDR OLED display, graphics quality, built-in eye tracking and fantastic advanced controllers -- which have the same vibrations and adaptive force-feedback triggers as the PS5 DualSense controllers -- give this headset a premium feel that makes its best games perform at a different level. It has some exclusives like Gran Turismo 7, Resident Evil Village and Horizon: Call of the Mountain, but not enough. However, Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of a number of promising games with VR support that are still keeping this hardware interesting.
The PSVR 2 lacks any social metaverse-type software, which might be seen as a plus by some. Many of the games for this headset are ports of titles you could get on devices like the Quest instead. Sony hasn't supported the PSVR 2 much, and a PC gaming adapter that gives the headset Steam compatibility is useful, but also clunky to connect with a necessary breakout box. It's still fun as long as you keep expectations within reach and accept the games that already exist.
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Pros
- Extremely fast M5 processor
- Better head strap for comfier fit
- Best-in-class audio-video quality
- Up to an hour more battery life than before
Cons
- Absurdly expensive
- Still not enough compelling apps
- Heavy, especially during long sessions
- Doesn't work seamlessly with all Apple devices
The Apple Vision Pro is an amazing piece of tech and a bleeding-edge high-end mixed reality headset that also runs iOS and thousands of iPad apps, works without controllers using eye and hand tracking and can run multiple apps at the same time, along with being a virtual MacBook monitor. However, it's way too expensive for anyone but XR professionals and early adopters, even with its newest M5 processor bump.
That being said, what the Vision Pro does is often remarkable. The newest model's M5 processor makes the headset far faster at booting up and launching/switching apps. Its 4K micro-OLED displays are stunning, and videos and photos look fantastic. Apple’s device requires a tethered battery pack, is only made to work within Apple’s ecosystem and still doesn’t have enough unique apps to justify its price, though.
Compared to Samsung and Google's new Galaxy XR headset, which costs less but runs Google's Android XR and Gemini AI, Apple's hardware for Vision Pro feels more advanced and finessed, and fits more comfortably on my face with a newly designed dual band strap.
Apple now has Google to compete with in the mixed reality computing space, but neither Google or Apple has solved all the challenges yet. Apple has a distinct edge with its collaborative tools and more advanced Persona avatars, and I find working in Vision Pro as a giant monitor extension to be really useful. It's also unequaled as a personal cinema. Support for PlayStation VR controllers and Logitech's wireless Muse stylus also give it extra versatility. But the Vision Pro still feels like it hasn't maximized all the ways it could be a 3D creative tool yet.
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Get ready for the most powerful Meta Quest yet. Dive into full immersion with brilliant 4K resolution and rich spatial audio, feeling like you're inside your favorite games. Stream shows on giant vibrant screens anywhere in your home, or enjoy the ultimate experience with Infinite Display’s widest field of view. With premium comfort and wireless design, you can move freely in workouts or take your headset on the go. And when you buy a Meta Quest 3 now, you’ll get $30 in Quest Cash.
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Samsung Galaxy XR: Samsung and Google's new blend of Google Android XR OS and Samsung headset design is like a lower-cost (but still $1800) version of Apple Vision Pro and runs camera-enabled Gemini, but it doesn't have many dedicated apps yet and its interface doesn't feel fully baked.
Meta Quest Pro: This older, outdated, eye-tracking-equipped Quest headset can track facial expressions and has a crisp display, but the less expensive Quest 3 already makes it obsolete with its better graphics, cameras and display resolution.
HTC Vive XR Elite: The glasses-like design of the XR Elite is a sign of the future, but the software and performance of this headset don't justify its price.
PlayStation VR: The original PSVR still works on the PlayStation 4 and 5, but it's not compatible with PSVR 2 games and hardware. It still has some great games to discover, but its lack of dedicated controllers and awkward setup feels ancient.
Although mainstream VR headsets have been around for nearly a decade, the apps they run and the computers, phones and game consoles they work with keep changing. I run key apps and software on the headsets, using them mainly in standalone mode if they're designed to be self-contained, or with a PC, game console or phone if they're primarily meant as connected peripherals.
I use the headsets for a mix of work, gaming, fitness and creative uses, and stay attentive to where the headsets have pain points (moments of discomfort, feelings of disconnect or sensations of nausea or distortion). Using technology like VR can often be a highly subjective experience, but by being attentive to details I find I can discover where each product is uniquely useful.
Comparison is also key: I've looked at pretty much every wearable AR and VR device of the last 15 years and also covered a lot of the wearable tech, phone and computer landscape. How these devices work as game consoles, fitness devices, work accessories and social tools are all key areas. I also think about displays, audio, controllers and accommodations for eyeglasses.
VR and AR sometimes feel like product categories that never quite seem to become mainstream, but change is coming fast to the headset landscape.
When it comes to VR productivity, Google and Samsung have made a new leap into Android XR to challenge Apple and the Vision Pro. The Samsung Galaxy XR is the first of a wave of VR and AR devices and glasses in Google's software ecosystem, and you should expect Android XR to eventually forge a bridge between Android phones and headsets and glasses, although it's hard to tell how fast that shift will happen. The Galaxy XR could be the first of many new Android-ready VR headsets, though, and some could end up being big competitors to Meta Quest.
Apple's Vision Pro, now in its second iteration, hasn't changed its price or its general proposition. But the M5-equipped model is definitely better. Still: will we see Apple make lower-cost devices or glasses soon? It's unclear.
If you're interested in VR for gaming, the Quest headsets are still the way to go. But change is coming. Valve's Steam Frame standalone headset, coming later this year, could be the biggest news in a while. The Snapdragon-powered VR portable can also play Steam Deck games via Steam OS, and has controllers that sport full d-pad and button layouts. Valve's headset doesn't have a price yet, but it could be well worth waiting for. It also might signal other standalone VR headsets gaining Steam OS support, too.
Meanwhile, Sony's aging PlayStation VR 2 doesn't feel like the product I expected it would be when Sony introduced it in 2023, but there are a number of great games you can play on it. Its older displays and tethered connection make it feel dated, though.
For PC owners, there are several options. You could use a Quest 3, Quest 3S, PSVR 2, or consider several existing devices. Or, you could wait for the Steam Frame, which also streams games via PCs with a new dedicated wireless connection. Steam is clearly the best conduit for PC VR right now, and the Steam Frame could be the best bet to hang on for.
One thing you should keep in mind: the cost of a new VR headset is going up these days. If price is your biggest concern, the Quest 3S currently offers the best value in VR, a completely wireless experience, with access to a great library of fantastic games.
Should I wait to buy a VR headset?
Right now, the Quest 3 and Quest 3S are still the best devices to try without spending a lot, even with the hardware getting more expensive. But, Valve's Steam Frame could be worth waiting for in 2026. Also, it's possible that Meta announces a new VR headset sooner than later. In general, the market for mainstream VR has quieted down a lot.
What should I look for in a VR headset?
It really depends on whether you're connecting to a PC or not, and whether you plan to do work with it. There are plenty of Steam VR PC-compatible headsets, but they vary in display resolution. Higher is better, and so is a larger field of view. Headsets can refresh at up to 120Hz now, and the faster they refresh, the more natural and smooth VR movement feels. Do you want a headset that works as an Apple services-connected computer, like Apple's Vision Pro? For fitness, remember that the Quest is the best option with its various accessories, apps, and fitness app hook-ins.
For gamers with a PlayStation 5, the PSVR 2 is the best option, and it also has a PC VR adapter now. Also, consider the app libraries: The Quest has a lot of exclusive games, and Steam-based PC-connected headsets have lots of compatibility with work apps and experimental tools. The PSVR 2 has its own library of games that aren't backward-compatible with original PSVR games.
Do any of these headsets work with phones?
The old world of phone-based VR headsets -- like the Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream -- is basically dead. A good number of the current iPhone, Android and VR app options don't even work with the old mobile VR goggles. The Quest does have a phone app for streaming content for a parent to monitor and can receive phone notifications and sync some health data for workouts. Apple's Vision Pro doesn't connect to iPhones at all, except to AirPlay an iPhone's display in-headset. Google's Android XR should eventually connect phones and future headsets, and Samsung Galaxy XR can connect with Samsung phones.
How do I care for my VR headset?
VR headsets can get dusty and grimy. Take extra care with the lenses, which should be cleaned gently with microfiber cloths the same way you'd treat glasses (but don't use liquid cleaners). A slightly damp paper towel (just wet with a bit of water) can help clean off exteriors. It's a good idea to invest in a case or bag to protect the headset from dust and keep your headset covered when not in use.
Take extra care not to expose your VR headset to bright sunlight: The sun can damage VR displays if beams hit the lenses of the headset. To be safe, I keep mine in cases, turn the lenses away from windows, and cover them with an old t-shirt or towel if I don't have a case.