Best VR Headsets 2017/2018

The Oculus Rift is widely considered to be the origin of the new VR hype and began as a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2012. Two years later, Facebook acquired the company and finally released the consumer version in March 2016. The Rift includes two Oculus Touch controllers and two room-scale sensors for a recommended 3×3 meters physical space. Oculus suggests improving the room tracking quality by purchasing a third sensor that can be easily integrated into the current set-up. The installed displays are comparable to the HTC Vive, using the same 1080×1200 resolution per eye (2160×1200 combined), with a 90-Hz refresh rate. The 110° field of view is similar to the Vive’s.

The integrated Rift headphones set the headset apart from the Vive, for which the audio strap (~100€) has to be purchased separately. The Oculus Rift has benefited from recent sales and is now available for 419€ (US $379). While it is noticeably cheaper than the Vive, the hardware requirements for the PC that powers the headset are basically the same: Oculus recommends 8GB RAM, a GTX 960/R9 290 GPU, and an Intel i3 6100/AMD FX 4350 CPU as a minimum configuration. Similarly to ViveCheck, there is an Oculus tool for checking the existing computer hardware.

Both accessories, the leap motion hand tracker, and the TPCast wireless adapter, are available for the Rift, too. Furthermore, there is plenty of general VR equipment that can, assuming one is willing to pay for it, enhance the VR experience, for example, the Kor-FX that offers a gaming vest with a haptic feedback system, adding an additional layer of immersion; the 3dRudder Foot Controller that makes movement in VR feel more natural or VirZoom’s Bike Controller that turns your VR set-up into a workout experience.

The main source for VR games and apps is called Oculus Home, and it includes a few games that previously could be played exclusively on the Rift. Lately, native stream integration and updates of the central hub made the navigation and handling much more convenient. As with the Vive, the Oculus Rift matured over time and despite minor differences in the perceived controller and tracking quality, both systems offer a pretty similar experience.

Considering the lower price tag of the Oculus Rift compared to the Vive, it is a very compelling compromise between money spent and high-end VR experience. The saved money could be spent on the wireless adapter or potent PC hardware. Buy it if you want the best price for VR state-of-the-art.

The PlayStation VR (short: PSVR), formerly known under the codename Project Morpheus, was released in October 2016 by Sony Interactive Entertainment. As the name suggests, the headset is designed to work with Sony’s PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro video game consoles. It uses a 5,7″ OLED display with a resolution of 960 × 1080 pixels per eye, featuring a 100° field of view and 90-120 Hz refresh rate. In order to work properly, the PSVR requires a PlayStation 4 console and the PlayStation camera for positional tracking.

The PSVR includes a microphone for social experiences and offers 3D sound via a headphone jack, but the headphones are not included. In October 2017, Sony released a slightly upgraded version of the headset with installed headphones, a thinner connection cable to the console, and an upgraded HDR-capable processing unit. Unfortunately, this version is currently exclusive to the Japanese market. Over here, the headset can be purchased bundled with the camera (but without the PlayStation Move controllers) and certain games for less than 400€ (USD $349). Considering the PlayStation 4’s price is below 300€, the Sony VR experience is the most cost-effective tethered solution. Therefore, it is no wonder that PSVR outsold both the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift.

Even though the PlayStation 4 lacks computing power, compared to modern gaming PCs, the PSVR is able to deliver reliable tracking and a responsive and smooth gaming experience. Sony claims to offer over 100 VR-compatible games and applications, including music and movie streaming services. The only small downside is that most bundles exclude the PlayStation Move controllers (100€) and the Aim controller (90€) for shooting games. Adding those useful accessories so that players can enjoy the whole PSVR experience puts the PSVR closer to competitor Oculus Rift in terms of price.

In conclusion, the PSVR offers a high-quality experience at a considerably lower price tag compared to the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. Yet, if starting from scratch, buying the PlayStation 4, a PSVR bundle, and additional controllers aren’t exactly cheap.

The Google Daydream View was released in November 2016 and was recently (October 2017) succeeded by a slightly improved but more expensive version. It comes with a motion tracking Bluetooth controller and works similarly to the Google Cardboard or Gear VR. After the setup process, which involves installing the Daydream app from the store and following the instructions, the smartphone can be inserted into the headset. Unlike the Gear VR, the Daydream View supports multiple smartphones with the headset, including select models from ZTE, Huawei, Samsung, Motorola, Asus, LG and, of course, Google’s own Pixel/Pixel 2 series.

The menu and store connection features are comparable to Oculus Home but feel less extensive in terms of the available apps and games. However, there is a lot of content to be explored and, thanks to the fabric design, the headset’s look is less tech-nerdy and more comfortable than the Cardboard and the Gear VR. For the owner of a supported smartphone from the list, the Daydream View is a valid alternative to Samsung’s Gear VR.

The Zeiss VR ONE Plus, the successor to the VR ONE, was released in June 2016 by German optics and camera lens manufacturer Zeiss. It features a tray for ideal positioning of the smartphone and a translucent plastic front panel, allowing users to utilize the smartphone camera for AR purposes. Luckily, the headset has now a universal tray that holds any smartphone with a display size between 4,7 and 5,5 inches; the older model needed a specific tray depending on the type and size of the smartphone. The VR ONE Plus includes high-quality but non-adjustable lenses and offers comfortable handling. Unlike the Daydream View or Gear VR, there is no controller or touch panel for navigation included. The price tag dropped and is now about 50€.

Zeiss provides a few apps, especially for their VR headset on both iOS and Android. Unfortunately, these are tech demos at best, since they add little value and feel unpolished. However, all the standard VR apps available in their respective stores can be used and allow, due to the quality lenses, a good VR experience. In conclusion, the VR ONE Plus is manufactured very well but lacks dedicated high-quality content and a controller device. It might be the choice for smartphones that are not supported by Daydream View or Gear VR.

The Google Cardboard headset, which is literally made of cardboard, was released in June 2014. It is the perfect entry into VR since it’s super cheap and compatible with almost any device. There are dozens of different versions, e.g. do-it-yourself manuals, and free promotional gifts, with and without a head strap but always featuring a pair of simple plastic lenses. There is no controller, no buttons and often, not even a head strap. Consequently, the wear comfort is low, especially over time. However, the headset is sufficient for testing simple VR apps (e.g. watching YouTube in VR) or games and getting an idea of the technology. To sum up, it is the best headset for curious people or for use during promotional events to take the first step into the VR sphere.