24 Verified Hands-On Reviews
To combat fake reviews we only accept video reviews from verified channels. Each review must show the product and the face of the reviewer.
Expert reviews [24]
- with a score: 8
- without a score: 16
| Highest score by Tom's Hardware |
90
|
| Average score based on 24 reviews |
81
|
| Lowest score by Wareable |
70
|
Score distribution:
| 80-100 | |
| 60-80 | |
| 40-60 | |
| 20-40 | |
| 0-20 |
- Valve Index has individual finger tracking and immersive controllers, providing a more natural and immersive VR experience.
- The Valve Index offers a bright, colorful, and sharp picture with its slightly lower resolution compared to other VR headsets, and the 120Hz refresh rate provides smooth and fluid movement.
- The Index controllers have comfortable straps to keep them connected to your hands and offer natural interactions and vibrations for added immersion.
- Half-Life: Alyx plays well with the Index controllers, providing precise controls for manipulating objects and solving puzzles.
- The finger tracking on the Valve Index controllers is not 1:1 and delicate finger flexes are not tracked as well, and the grip of the controllers takes some getting used to.
- The face buttons on the Valve Index controllers can be slightly awkward to press.
- The cable and base stations for tracking position and movement can be a bit cumbersome.
- The Valve Index comes at a higher price point compared to other headsets, making it less accessible for those on a budget.
Expert consensus
The Valve Index is a highly praised virtual reality headset that offers impressive graphics, accurate tracking, comfortable design, and a diverse content library, making it suitable for a wide range of users.
The Valve Index is a virtual reality headset that offers impressive graphics capabilities, with a high resolution and wide field of view that contribute to a sharp and immersive visual experience. The headset's dual LCD display technology and higher subpixel count result in even sharper visuals compared to OLED panels.
The Valve Index also has a high refresh rate, allowing for smoother movement in games and reducing the risk of motion sickness.
The tracking system of the Valve Index is highly accurate and responsive, considered one of the best on the market. It relies on external base stations for tracking, providing precise and reliable tracking for hand and finger position, motion, and pressure. While occasional tracking issues have been reported, the overall performance is praised for its accuracy and immersion.
The battery life of the Valve Index controllers is around 5 to 7 hours during gameplay, with the ability to recharge them fully in just a few hours. This makes them suitable for extended gaming sessions without frequent recharging.
In terms of comfort, the Valve Index stands out with its adjustable head strap and ergonomic design. The strap provides a secure and comfortable fit, distributing the weight of the headset evenly and reducing discomfort. The soft padding and fabric covering further enhance the comfort level, allowing for hours of wear without fatigue or pain.
The headset is also easy to put on and take off, with various adjustment sliders for lens focus and the ability to create more space for glasses.
The Valve Index offers a vast content library through its association with Valve's Steam VR platform. This library includes a wide variety of games, experiences, and applications, ranging from popular franchises to games specifically built for virtual reality. The content library also includes fitness and meditation apps, as well as educational experiences exploring science and nature.
Overall, the Valve Index is a highly praised virtual reality headset that offers impressive graphics, accurate tracking, comfortable design, and a diverse content library. It is suitable for gaming enthusiasts, science enthusiasts, and those looking for fitness and relaxation applications.
Graphics
The Valve Index offers impressive graphics capabilities with its high resolution, wide field of view, and high refresh rate, providing a sharp, detailed, and immersive visual experience for virtual reality gaming and other applications.
Based on expert reviews, the Valve Index offers impressive graphics capabilities for a virtual reality headset. It features a dual LCD display technology with two RGB LCD panels, each running at a resolution of 1,440 by 1,600 pixels per eye. This high resolution provides sharp and detailed visuals, contributing to a more immersive experience.
The LCD panels also offer a higher subpixel count compared to OLED panels, resulting in even sharper visuals. The Valve Index has a field of view of up to 130 degrees, which is wider than many other headsets on the market. This wider field of view, combined with the high resolution, enhances the immersive nature of the graphics.
The headset has a refresh rate of 120Hz, with the option to increase it to 144Hz. The higher refresh rate allows for smoother movement in games and experiences, reducing the risk of motion sickness. Overall, the Valve Index offers impressive graphics capabilities that provide a sharp, detailed, and immersive visual experience for virtual reality gaming and other applications.
Tracking
The Valve Index has a highly accurate and responsive tracking system, considered one of the best on the market, providing precise and reliable tracking for hand and finger position, motion, and pressure, although occasional tracking issues have been reported.
The Valve Index has a highly accurate and responsive tracking system, which is considered one of the best on the market. It relies on external base stations for tracking, using SteamVR 2. 0 technology. These base stations, which can be set up to cover a large tracking area, provide precise and reliable tracking for hand position, finger position, motion, and pressure.
The tracking is known to be fast, super-precise, and super-reliable, allowing for a wide range of movement and immersion in virtual reality experiences. However, some users have reported occasional tracking issues, such as drifting or floating of the controllers when not in motion. Overall, the Valve Index tracking system is highly praised for its accuracy and performance, making it an excellent choice for virtual reality enthusiasts and professionals.
Battery Life
The Valve Index controllers have an average battery life of 5 to 7 hours during gameplay, but can be quickly recharged in less than a few hours.
The Valve Index controllers have an average battery life of 5 to 7 hours during gameplay, according to experts from circuitstream. com, TechRadar, and CNN Underscored. However, the actual duration can vary depending on the intensity and activity level of the VR experience. Movement-packed games and apps tend to drain the battery faster.
On the positive side, the controllers take less than a few hours to fully recharge, with approximately an hour on the charger bringing them back to full power. This makes them suitable for extended gaming sessions or immersive VR experiences without the need for frequent recharging.
Comfort
The Valve Index is highly praised for its comfort and ergonomic design, with an adjustable head strap, soft padding, and even weight distribution, making it ideal for extended VR sessions.
The Valve Index is highly praised by experts for its comfort and ergonomic design. The head strap is adjustable and wraps around the back of the head, providing a secure and comfortable fit for extended VR sessions. The strap's design helps distribute the weight of the headset evenly, reducing any discomfort associated with front-heaviness.
The use of soft and ergonomic padding further enhances the comfort level, allowing users to wear the headset for hours at a time without experiencing fatigue or pain.
The Valve Index's head strap stands out for its comfort and secure fit compared to other headsets. It is easy to put on and take off without force, and the strap's adjustability allows users to customize the fit according to their individual needs. The headset is covered in super-soft fabric, ensuring that the user's skin does not touch any hard plastic or sharp edges, making it comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
The Valve Index is considered one of the most comfortable and ergonomically balanced headsets available, setting a standard for VR comfort. It is particularly suitable for users who engage in extended VR gaming sessions, as it stays in place and provides a comfortable experience even during long play sessions.
The various lens adjustment sliders make it easy to get the lenses in focus, and the front padding can be removed to create more space for glasses. The face gasket can also be easily removed for cleaning after sweating. Overall, the Valve Index offers a high level of comfort and is well-suited for immersive and prolonged VR experiences.
Content Library
The Valve Index offers a wide range of games, experiences, and applications through its association with Valve's Steam VR platform, making it suitable for gaming enthusiasts, science enthusiasts, and those looking for fitness and relaxation applications.
The Valve Index offers a vast and continuously growing content library through its association with Valve's Steam VR platform. This library includes a wide variety of games, experiences, and applications for users to explore and enjoy. The SteamVR library offers popular games like Star Wars: Squadrons, Star Trek: Bridge Crew, No Man's Sky, Beat Saber, The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Doom, among others.
These games range from converted VR versions of existing franchises to games specifically built for virtual reality. The Valve Index also comes with the highly acclaimed game Half-Life: Alyx for free, which is considered one of the best VR games available. In addition to gaming, the content library includes fitness and meditation apps, as well as educational experiences exploring science and nature.
Overall, the Valve Index's content library provides a diverse range of immersive experiences for users, making it suitable for gaming enthusiasts, science enthusiasts, and those looking for fitness and relaxation applications.
Position in ranking
We maintain a monthly ranking that sums up expert recommendations for all VR headsets.
| Rank | Change | Price | VR Headset |
BestReviews
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WIRED
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CNET
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PCMag
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Pocket-lint
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Tom's Hardware
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PC Gamer
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Forbes
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Tom's Guide
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TechRadar
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1
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- | $529 |
Meta Quest 3
The Meta Quest 3 VR headset receives positive reviews for its graphics capabilities, accurate tracking system, comfort, and diverse content library, making it a top choice for gaming enthusiasts.
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4
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1
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1
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1
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1
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-
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1
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-
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1
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1
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2
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- | Check price |
Apple Vision Pro
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3
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5
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4
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4
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3
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-
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-
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-
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2
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4
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|
3
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+3 | $400 |
PlayStation VR 2
The PlayStation VR 2 is a highly praised VR headset with impressive graphics, comfortable design, accurate tracking, and a growing library of immersive games.
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1
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3
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3
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5
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-
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-
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-
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-
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4
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5
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4
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-1 | Check price |
Meta Quest 3S
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2
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2
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2
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2
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-
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-
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2
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-
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3
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