The 4 Best VR Headsets for Virtual Reality Gaming

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Does VR still suck? No, it's decent now. Are VR games actually fun? Some of them. Is Mark Zuckerberg still pushing the Metaverse? I think so, sadly... These are the big questions folks! The state of tech in 2024 is, well, pretty fucked up. Everyone thinks they're making the "future of computing," or (worse) "the future of humanity." It's Silicon Valley megalomania shit. But all VR has done is given people a new place to play video games and get freaky.

Okay, but back to the point of this story: VR. It's not bad, but it's definitely for a specific type of person playing a specific type of game. Personally, VR gives me a headache. I played Skyrim VR once, and felt my head spinning for days. Running spreadsheets on the Apple Vision Pro is my motion sickness nightmare. That said, if you want to go Ricky Bobby mode on Gran Turismo VR, we're here to help you do that, reader.

We put our eyes, minds, and bodies in the Metaverse. We regularly sacrifice our own sanity to tell you what's cool in video games and what gaming accessories aren't for teenagers. Recently, we sacrificed our home relationships to try out some VR headsets. These four are the ones that stood out. These are the best VR Headsets to buy in 2024.

Quest 3

At the moment, it's Meta against everyone else. Zuckerberg & Co. have played the long game on VR. Originally, it was cool, but there was only, like, only that Beat Saber game.

Now, the Meta Quest 3 is our standard bearer for a VR headset, especially if you want a standalone option. You can with a PC, or you can go wireless and access games from SteamVR, the Meta Quest store, or Xbox's VR Beta.

The only thing you might be wary about is hardware. This isn't a life-changing experience, but honestly we don't think any VR gaming is. What's great about the Meta Quest 3 is that it's not trying to be too much. It's a great, hassle free platform for VR gaming, and that's why we loved it.

VR2

Meta has been losing its market dominance recently, though. Sony is eating up ground in the VR world, and the PlayStation VR2 might just be as good as the Meta Quest 3. It was at least good enough for a 2023 Esquire Gaming Award.

We love PlayStation VR2 because it's the console experience of VR. Everything is so damn easy. You own a PlayStation, and you own a VR2. You connect the two, and you can play hundreds of games from the PlayStation VR catalog. You don't have to build a specific PC with a high-level GPU. You just have to pay $500 for a PS5, and then $600 for the VR2.

That's the only downside to PlayStation's entry into the game. $1,110 is cheaper than building a PC with incredible graphics processing, but for console gaming, that's a fortune. Still, Sony is buying into VR, so you're never going to be wanting for good games to play if you go this route.

Vive Pro 2

This is where we get into the real shit. If you're a graphics freak or love playing demanding PC games, this is the direction you should go in. The HTC Vive Pro 2 gives you 2448 x 2448 resolution in each eye, which makes 4896 x 2448. Add to that the fact it can run at a 120Hz refresh rate, and you've got the most powerful piece of tech you can strap on your little face.

The only issue is that it's really more than a lot of people need, and that leads to a giant price tag. That said, if you want to buy one headset to use for years to come, this is it. With this thing, a strong PC, and some mods you can run intense AAA action-games like Skyrim VR, which for us is pretty life changing. Is it worth the $1,400 price tag, on top of whatever you paid for a PC? Eh, probably not at the moment. But, the VR world is only expanding, and this is a device that's ready for it.

Apple Vision Pro

Okay, this is not like the others. Where other headsets are VR, and expressly focused on gaming or simulating, Apple's Vision Pro is extended reality (XR). XR is a blanket term that covers VR, augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR).

The Vision Pro is also different in that it's not really best used as a gaming tool. Apple is playing the field and positioning the Vision Pro as a "spatial computer." Essentially, this is a laptop that projects things out in front of you.

So why is it on a list of gaming headsets?

Because you can use it to game! The Apple Arcade is a great little store, and Cupertino is letting developers play around with AR games. The best example of the moment is a classic: Fruit Ninja. One of the OGs of iPhone gaming is available on the Vision Pro as Super Fruit Ninja, meaning it shows up in your living room. Expect more of this from Apple as the Vision Pro becomes a staple in the lineup.

Additionally, we've seen people setting up emulators on their Vision Pro, and they're streaming Nintendo classics into their goggles. We haven't gone this far, but it's out there.

What to Look for in VR Glasses

Amount of Content - Since VR is both a platform and genre of game, this is a big one. If you love your PlayStation and Sony's general catalog, go with PlayStation VR2. If you want to jump in on Meta's budding relationship with Xbox, do that. If you like the freedom of community mods and PC games, get something that can work with a gaming PC.

Specs - We're not super pressed about this. There are some VR headsets that make games look shitty, yes. But on the whole, the market is capable of playing the available games. If you're worried about how much VR gaming is going to upscale in the next decade, splurge on something like the HTC Vive Pro 2 that is ready for more intense gaming.

Stand Alone vs Accessory - The PlayStation VR2 and HTC Vive Pro 2 are accessories. Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro can be stand alone. Accessory models are specific displays that are attached to larger devices with wires. Stand alone models can run a game on their own or be used as accessory displays. Stand alone just gives you some flexibility.

Control - It doesn't seem like a huge deal, but a bad controller can ruin everything. All of these pass that test, with special distinction to the Vision Pro's hand tracking controls.

Why Trust Esquire?

We’ve been poking, prodding, stress-testing, and gaming for years, allowing us to recommend the best tech worth your hard-earned money. With years of experience, our discerning ears are finely tuned to know what sounds good. We also know when something is just hype, so we’re here to sift through the bullshit.

We promise to give it to you straight—no frills, no nonsense. We compile our guides by performing heavy research and testing, and the gadgets we choose are what we’d spend our money on.

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