December 2024
VR Headsets: MetaRanking
This page highlights the aggregate summary of VR headsets rankings posted by key online experts, as of December 2024.
Summary
On 6 Dec 2024, ReviewFinder team examined a total of 55 VR headset endorsements from 10 reputable publishers.
17 VR headsets were endorsed in total, only 10 made it into this month's ranking. (ReviewFinder requires a minimum of 2 endorsements to be included)
As of 6 Dec 2024, Meta Quest 3 takes the cake as the most critically-acclaimed VR headset with 7 expert endorsements. 7 experts out of 7 recommended it as the '#1 VR headset' this month.
Brand breakdown
-
Meta: 4 VR headsets
(#1 is Meta Quest 3)
-
HTC: 3 VR headsets
(#1 is HTC Vive Pro 2)
-
Apple: 1 VR headsets
(#1 is Apple Vision Pro)
-
Playstation: 1 VR headsets
(#1 is PlayStation VR 2)
-
Valve Software: 1 VR headsets
(#1 is Valve Index)
Price breakdown
At a glance - December Ranking
| Rank | Change | Price | VR Headset |
TechRadar
|
Tom's Guide
|
PCMag
|
Pocket-lint
|
Tom's Hardware
|
PC Gamer
|
Forbes
|
CNET
|
WIRED
|
BestReviews
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
- | $545 |
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.
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
|
2
|
+1 | Check price |
Apple Vision Pro
|
4
|
2
|
4
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
5
|
3
|
|
3
|
+6 | Check price |
Meta Quest 3S
|
-
|
3
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
|
4
|
- | $1299 |
Meta Quest Pro
The Meta Quest Pro VR headset receives positive reviews for its graphics, tracking system, comfort, and potential for business applications, making it a versatile and immersive VR headset.
|
7
|
5
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
|
5
|
-3 | $478 |
Meta Quest 2
The Oculus Quest 2 is a virtual reality headset that offers improved graphics, accurate tracking, decent battery life, and reasonably good comfort, making it suitable for various use cases and providing a diverse range of gaming experiences.
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
6
|
- | $529 |
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.
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
3
|
-
|
|
7
|
-2 | Check price |
Valve Index
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.
|
2
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
6
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
|
8
|
-1 | $499 |
HTC Vive Pro 2
The HTC Vive Pro 2 is a high-quality virtual reality headset with impressive graphics, accurate tracking, decent battery life, and comfortable wear, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.
|
6
|
-
|
7
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
|
9
|
-1 | Check price |
Pico 4
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
10
|
- | Check price |
HP Reverb G2
The HP Reverb G2 VR headset offers impressive graphics, a comfortable design, and a comprehensive content library, although its tracking system may not be as strong as some other VR headsets.
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
We ranked Meta Quest 3 #1 in December 2024 because:
- 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR headsets” rankings.
- Out of those, 7 experts ranked Meta Quest 3 as #1.
TechRadar
The best VR headset overall
|
Vastly better graphics than Quest 2
Improved mixed reality
Incredible suite of software
|
Lacks eye-tracking
Disappointing battery life
|
Tom's Guide
Best Overall / Editor's Choice
|
More comfortable design than Quest 2
Vibrant LCD display
Excellent Touch Plus controllers
Impressive full-color passthrough
|
Mixed reality features lacking
Short battery life
Hand tracking isn’t quite useful yet
|
PCMag
Best Standalone VR Headset / Editors' Choice
|
Color pass-through cameras allow you to clearly see your surroundings
High-resolution picture
Powerful processor
Comfortable design
|
Short battery life
Lacks eye-tracking tech
|
Pocket-lint
Best VR headset overall / Editor's Choice
|
Great passthrough quality for MR
Improved graphics and performance
Slimmed-down headset and controllers
|
More expensive than its predecessor
|
PC Gamer
The best overall VR headset
|
Easy setup
Compact, comfy design
Great display
An actual affordable VR headset
|
Unproven Mixed Reality content
Expensive accessories
Modest performance upgrades
|
CNET
Best mixed reality VR headset for $500 / Editor's Choice
|
Crisp high-res displays
Improved new processor
Mixed reality with better color cameras
Smaller controllers with better haptics
|
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
|
We ranked Apple Vision Pro #2 in December 2024 because:
- 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR headsets” rankings.
TechRadar
The best premium VR headset
|
Controls are intuitive and precise
Unmatched visual experience
Superb spatial video functionality
|
On the heavier side
Requires a battery pack
|
Tom's Guide
Best premium VR headset
|
Amazing eye- and hand-tracking interface
Jaw-dropping 3D movies and Apple Immersive Video
Impressive Spatial video and photos
Works magically with MacBooks
Great AR apps and experiences
|
Super expensive
Big apps missing like Netflix and YouTube
Personas need work
Tethered battery can be annoying
|
PCMag
Best AR/VR Interface
|
Best AR/VR interface we've seen
Class-leading eye and hand tracking
No physical controllers needed
Sharp, colorful display
Outstanding video passthrough
Plenty of visionOS apps and features
|
Expensive
Short battery life
Front-heavy design gets uncomfortable
Gaps in iPad app compatibility
|
Pocket-lint
Best productivity VR headset
|
Amazing picture quality
Passthrough quality and object permanence is second to none
Some impressive productivity-centric ideas
|
Eye-wateringly expensive
App library is sorely lacking
Users complain about comfort after longer use
|
CNET
Best standalone VR/AR computer
|
Amazing micro-OLED display
A mostly fluid hand-eye control interface
Blends the real and virtual worlds impressively
iOS support folds in tons of familiar apps for work
Playing back personal 3D memories feels transporting
|
Extremely expensive
Hand-eye interface isn't always perfect
Not many VisionOS optimized apps yet
External battery and cord required for use
Doesn't work over glasses
|
BestReviews
Premium Mode
|
Turns your room into a space for movies and app that can be expanded and arranged however you please
Each eye has a display with more pixels than a 4K TV.
Features a 3D camera that captures spatial photos and videos
Apple's light Seal and cushioned headband offer immersion and comfort
|
The battery only last about 2hours and requires an additional tethered pack of use.
|
Methodology: combine opinions of key experts
Identify Experts
We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend VR headsets.
Capture Rankings
For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of VR headsets, it must be updated in the last 9 months.
Aggregate Rankings
We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking
Experts chosen for December 2024 ranking
TechRadar
Tom's Guide
PCMag
Pocket-lint
Tom's Hardware
PC Gamer
Forbes
CNET
WIRED
BestReviews
We ranked Meta Quest 3S #3 in December 2024 because:
- 6 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR headsets” rankings.
Tom's Guide
Best value VR headset
|
Affordable price
Compact design
Great performance
Robust game and app library
Strong audio
|
Uncomfortable to wear for long periods
Short battery life
|
PCMag
Best Affordable VR Headset / Editor's Choice
|
Inexpensive
Fast processor
Color pass-through camera
Works standalone or tethered to PC
Many apps and games
|
Occasionally grainy display
Controllers must be in view of the headset for accurate tracking
|
PC Gamer
The best budget VR headset
|
Oculus Link tethering
Improved graphics
Great price
Steady updates
|
Fiddly strap
Now $100 more expensive
Quest 3 is coming soon
|
CNET
Best affordable VR headset / Editor's Choice
|
Updated graphics and faster processor
Improved color passthrough cameras
Better hand tracking
|
No improvement to lenses or resolution vs Quest 2
Only 2-3 hours battery life
|
BestReviews
Best Bang for the Buck
|
The system doesn't need to be tethered to a computer like many other headsets, so you can move around freely without a wire to juggle.
You can also use it to watch movies.
It comes with 128 or 256 GB of storage
|
It can be uncomfortable for longer play sessions
|
We ranked Meta Quest Pro #4 in December 2024 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR headsets” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Meta Quest Pro as #1.
TechRadar
The best headset for comfort
|
Comfortable for long sessions
Impressive performance
Sleek controller design
|
Short battery life
One of the more expensive options
|
Tom's Guide
The best VR headset for working
|
Comfortable to wear
Doesn't isolate you from the real world
Convincing spatial audio
|
Very expensive
Short battery life
Working in VR is still unintuitive
|
PCMag
Best for Pros and Enthusiasts
|
Improved design with a more comfortable fit than the Quest 2
Cool eye- and face-tracking tech
Color pass-through camera
Rechargeable headset and controllers
Doesn't require a PC to operate
|
Expensive
Meta Horizon's metaverse is often empty and sometimes buggy
Short battery life
|
Forbes
Best Enthusiast VR Headset
|
Impressive facial and eye tracking
VR visuals have enhanced color and contrast
Controllers are light and intuitive
|
Very expensive compared to its competition
The Horizon Metaverse will be more interesting once more people buy the headset
|
BestReviews
Best of the Best
|
The company's premier VR headset includes a high-quality screen and top-of-the-line control schemes for a comprehensive experience. There's 256 GB of onboard storage and 12 GB of RAM with spatial audio and movement/face sensors.
|
The Metaverse itself fails to live up to the tech and other uses.
|
We ranked Meta Quest 2 #5 in December 2024 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR headsets” rankings.
- Out of those, 2 experts ranked Meta Quest 2 as #1.
Pocket-lint
Best budget VR headset
|
Amazing value
Standalone
Comfortable
|
Not as impressive as wired headsets
|
Tom's Hardware
Best VR Headset
|
Amazing resolution
Much more powerful than original Quest
|
White picks up dirt and grime
Poor controller ergonomics
|
Forbes
Best VR Headset Overall
|
Doesn’t require additional hardware
High resolution
Good library of first and third-party games and experiences
|
Refresh rate not as high as on PC-centric models
Inside-out tracking has some occlusion issues
|
We ranked PlayStation VR 2 #6 in December 2024 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR headsets” rankings.
TechRadar
The best VR headset for console
|
Superb image quality
Simple setup
Comfortable in-game experience
Pin-sharp responsiveness
|
Occasional image ghosting
Poor controller battery life
Can be tough to find its 'sweet spot'
|
Tom's Guide
The best VR gaming headset / Editor's Choice
|
Easy to set up
Great controls with haptic feedback
Gorgeous display
Overall excellent VR experience
|
Costs more than a PS5
Controller straps are awkward
|
PCMag
Best for PlayStation 5 Gamers / Editors' Choice
|
Excellent graphics and sound
Strong launch library
Useful eye-tracking tech
Lightweight build
Easy to set up
|
Not compatible with PlayStation VR games
|
CNET
Best high-end console gaming VR headset
|
Vivid, high-res OLED display
Comfortable fit
Excellent controllers
Realistic vibrations
Powerful graphics potential
|
Expensive
Needs to be cabled to PS5
Included earbuds are just OK
Doesn't work with old PSVR games
Game library needs more exclusives
|
We ranked Valve Index #7 in December 2024 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR headsets” rankings.
TechRadar
The best headset for PC gaming
|
Widest field of view
'Knuckle' controllers great for tracking
Well-supported game library
|
Requires a high-end GPU
Lots of cables and cameras needed
Can be tricky to get set up
|
PCMag
Best Controllers / Editors' Choice
|
Immersive, finger-tracking controllers
High, 120Hz refresh rate delivers smooth motion
Lots of VR software available on PC via SteamVR
|
Expensive
Occasionally frustrating tethered design
|
Tom's Hardware
Best VR Headset for PC
|
RGB subpixel array eliminates screen-door effect
Wider FOV than comparable headsets
Excellent audio quality
|
Very heavy
Less comfortable than the HTC Vive Pro
Cushions are glued on
|
Forbes
Best VR Headset For Hand Controls
|
High refresh rate delivers smoother VR
Crisp visuals
External Lighthouse sensors offer excellent tracking
|
No wireless option
Expensive
|
CNET
Still one of the best Steam VR hardware platforms
|
Excellent SteamVR compatibility
Good audio
Innovative controllers
|
Requires external room sensors for tracking
Display resolution lags behind current headsets
|
We ranked HTC Vive Pro 2 #8 in December 2024 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR headsets” rankings.
TechRadar
The best high-resolution VR headset
|
Very high resolution
Wide field of view
Access to great games
|
Tends to run hot
Lots of cables
|
PCMag
Best for the Highest-Resolution VR
|
The best resolution for VR gaming
Smooth motion tracking
Works with Valve Index controllers
|
Expensive
Doesn't include necessary base stations or controllers
|
Pocket-lint
Best VR headset for PC
|
Amazing display
Nice and comfortable
Plays nice with most games
|
You'll need a powerful PC to make the most of it
No standalone VR
|
Forbes
Best VR Headset For PC
|
Big library of SteamVR content
Wireless option
Very high resolution
|
Wireless mode limits resolution
LCD screens lack contrast
|
BestReviews
For High-level Gaming
|
The screens inside combine for up to 5K resolution, and the field of view is wide at 120 degrees.
It also has a fast 120-hertz refresh rate and plenty of padding and comfortable straps to keep it in Place.
|
You need a high-end PC to take advantage of what this headset offers
|
We ranked Pico 4 #9 in December 2024 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR headsets” rankings.
TechRadar
The best Meta Quest alternative
|
Fully standalone
Better specs than the Quest 3
Reasonably priced
|
Not available outside the UK
Less software support
|
Pocket-lint
Best value VR headset
|
Extremely comfortable
Improved visuals
Great standalone and tethered performance
|
The standalone library is much smaller than Meta's
Not available in the US
|
PC Gamer
The best alternate VR headset
|
Super intuitive
Great quality-to-price ratio
Nice display
Genuine competition for the current VR king
|
Beaten out by Meta's software offerings
Light leakage and just okay tracking
Not very unique
Not available in the US
|
We ranked HP Reverb G2 #10 in December 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR headsets” rankings.
TechRadar
The best budget VR headset for PC
|
No screen door effect
Easy to set up
Incredibly high-resolution lens
|
Motion Tracking lacks some precision
Requires a decent gaming PC
|
Forbes
Best Value VR Headset For PC
|
One of the highest resolution VR headsets available
Inside-out tracking makes it easy to setup and use
Capable motion controllers come as standard
|
Inside-out tracking has some occlusion issues
Lacks high refresh rate of some other VR headsets
|