September 2022
VR Headsets: Meta Ranking Report
This report contains an aggregate consensus of VR Headset rankings posted by key online experts, as of September 2022.
Summary
As of 13 Sep 2022, Oculus Quest 2 takes the cake as the most critically-acclaimed vr headset with 10 expert endorsements. 7 experts out of 10 recommended it as the '#1 vr headset' this month. It is followed by Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro 2 , with 7 and 6 expert endorsements respectively.
At a glance - September 2022 Ranking
| Rank | Change | Price | VR Headset |
Forbes
|
WIRED
|
Tom's Hardware
|
BestReviews
|
CNET
|
PCMag
|
Pocket-lint
|
TechRadar
|
PC Gamer
|
Tom's Guide
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
- | $365 |
Oculus Quest 2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
|
2
|
- | Check price |
Valve Index
|
2
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
3
|
3
|
-
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
3
|
- | $730 |
HTC Vive Pro 2
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
-
|
|
4
|
- | $474 |
HP Reverb G2
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
2
|
5
|
5
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
|
5
|
- | $349 |
Sony PlayStation VR
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
2
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
2
|
|
6
|
- | Check price |
Pimax Vision 8K X
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
7
|
+1 | $2399 |
HTC Vive Focus 3
|
-
|
3
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
8
|
-1 | $696 |
HTC Vive Cosmos Elite
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
|
9
|
- | $575 |
Oculus Rift S
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
We ranked Oculus Quest 2 #1 in September 2022 because:
- 10 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR Headsets” rankings.
- Out of those, 7 experts ranked Oculus Quest 2 as #1.
Tom's Hardware
Best VR Headset
|
Pros
Amazing resolution
Much more powerful than original Quest
|
Cons
White picks up dirt and grime
Poor controller ergonomics
|
BestReviews
Best Bang for the Buck
|
Pros
Affordable and comfortable headset.
Features an expansive library of games.
Ergonomic controllers and captivating 3D sound.
Setup was simple in our user testing, and the performance was as expected for the price point.
|
Cons
Users have to log in to a Facebook account to use it.
|
CNET
Best (and still most affordable) VR headset
|
Pros
Self-contained and wireless
great touch controllers
comfortable design for gaming
doubles as PC VR headset.
|
Cons
Now $101 more expensive
|
PCMag
Best Standalone Experience / Editors' Choice
|
Pros
No cables required
Sharp display
Powerful processor
Accurate motion tracking
Optional PC tethering with accessory cable
|
Cons
Short battery life
|
TechRadar
The best VR headset that's the most accessible
|
Pros
Incredibly immersive experiences
Comfortable weight
Easy to use
|
Cons
Requires Facebook account linking
Can still cause motion sickness
|
PC Gamer
The best VR headset
|
Pros
Oculus Link tethering
Improved graphics
Great price
|
Cons
Mandatory Facebook login
Fiddly strap
|
Tom's Guide
Best VR headset overall
|
Pros
Seamless all-in-one VR system
Can connect to PCs
Capable of room-scale VR
Large library of apps
|
Cons
Controllers aren’t rechargeable
Requires Facebook account
|
We ranked Valve Index #2 in September 2022 because:
- 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR Headsets” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Valve Index as #1.
Tom's Hardware
Best VR Headset for PC
|
Pros
RGB subpixel array eliminates screen-door effect
Wider FOV than comparable headsets
Excellent audio quality
|
Cons
Very heavy
Less comfortable than the HTC Vive Pro
Cushions are glued on
|
CNET
One of the best Steam VR hardware options
|
Pros
Futuristic controllers
high-quality headset
works with Vive hardware
|
Cons
Expensive
requires room setup and tethering cable
|
PCMag
Best for Revolutionary Controllers / Editors' Choice
|
Pros
Immersive, finger-tracking controllers
High, 120Hz refresh rate delivers smooth motion
Lots of VR software available on PC via SteamVR
|
Cons
Expensive
Occasionally frustrating tethered design
|
TechRadar
The best VR headset overall
|
Pros
Widest field of view
'Knuckle' controllers great for tracking
|
Cons
Requires a high-end GPU
Still expensive compared to competition
|
PC Gamer
The best VR headset for a premium experience on a gaming PC
|
Pros
Best in class hardware
Comfortable to wear
Virtually no SDE
|
Cons
Setup is awkward
Limited support for finger-tracking
|
Tom's Guide
The best controls and tracking in VR
|
Pros
Great build quality
Smartly designed controllers
Future expansion options
|
Cons
No charging cable in the box
Heavy
|
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 September 2022 ranking
Forbes
WIRED
Tom's Hardware
BestReviews
CNET
PCMag
Pocket-lint
TechRadar
PC Gamer
Tom's Guide
We ranked HTC Vive Pro 2 #3 in September 2022 because:
- 6 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR Headsets” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked HTC Vive Pro 2 as #1.
BestReviews
Best of the Best
|
Pros
Truly Immersive in our user testing.
New 4986 x 2448 resolution doubles previous model's.
Refresh rate of up to 120 Hz for smooth action.
New hard-plastic head mount improves fit and comfort.
|
Cons
Testers felt the 120-degree field of view was not quite wide enough.
Base stations lack mounting hardware.
|
PCMag
Best for the Highest-Resolution VR
|
Pros
The best resolution for VR gaming
Smooth motion tracking
Works with Valve Index controllers
|
Cons
Expensive
Doesn't include necessary base stations or controllers
|
Pocket-lint
|
Pros
Amazing display
Nice and comfortable
Plays nice with most games
|
Cons
You'll need a fancy PC
|
TechRadar
High-resolution PC VR
|
Pros
Very high resolution
Wide field of view
Access to great games
|
Cons
Expensive
Can get hot
Lots of cables
|
PC Gamer
The best display in a mainstream VR headset so far, but it'll cost you.
|
Pros
Awesome display
Precise tracking
Mature tracking
|
Cons
Ridiculously expensive
Takes time to setup
Gets hot in use
|
We ranked HP Reverb G2 #4 in September 2022 because:
- 6 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR Headsets” rankings.
BestReviews
High resolution
|
Pros
Screen resolutions of 2160 x 2160 pixels per eye afford exceptional picture quality.
The lenses can be adjusted to different eye distances.
Near-field speakers create more realistic audio than headphones.
|
Cons
Cameras need good lighting for best accuracy.
Head tracking can be inconsistent.
|
CNET
Highest-Resolution PC VR Headset
|
Pros
Really sharp high-res display, great audio, comfortable design
|
Cons
Mediocre controllers
|
PCMag
Best for Simple, Tethered VR
|
Pros
High resolution for the price
Comfortable headset and controllers
Works reliably with SteamVR
|
Cons
Camera-based tracking has occasional hiccups
Much more expensive than the Oculus Quest 2, even when factoring the optional cable for PC tethering
Windows Mixed Reality is almost completely dead as a VR platform
|
Pocket-lint
|
Pros
Great resolution levels
Works nicely with Steam
Solid pricing
|
Cons
Not the best controllers
|
PC Gamer
The best VR headset from the Windows Mixed Reality group
|
Pros
Easy setup and long cable
Accessible physical IPD Toggle
No screen door effect
|
Cons
FOV below average
Limited tracking volume
|
We ranked Sony PlayStation VR #5 in September 2022 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR Headsets” rankings.
CNET
Best bet: wait for PSVR 2 on PS5
|
Pros
Plenty of games
lower price
works with many PS4 controllers like the DualShock and Move.
|
Cons
Resolution isn't cutting-edge
Sony hasn't yet made great VR controllers that match the competition, but a new version may be coming next year.
|
PCMag
Best for PlayStation Gamers / Editors' Choice
|
Pros
Immersive VR experience.
Works with non-VR apps and games.
Motion control support.
Low cost of entry compared with PC-based headsets.
|
Cons
Requires PlayStation Camera, which is not included.
Slightly less powerful than its main competitors.
Some motion-tracking hiccups when playing in brightly lit rooms.
|
TechRadar
The best VR headset for consoles
|
Pros
Affordable compared to the competition
Near PC-quality performance
Good selection of games
|
Cons
Lacking required accessories in box
Poor job sealing out light
Spotty motion controller tracking
|
Tom's Guide
The best VR headset for consoles
|
Pros
Good gaming library
Fairly easy setup
Relatively affordable
|
Cons
Camera can be very exacting
Could be visually sharper
|
We ranked Pimax Vision 8K X #6 in September 2022 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR Headsets” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Pimax Vision 8K X as #1.
Tom's Hardware
Best VR Headset Splurge
|
Pros
Excellent clarity at full resolution
Wide FOV
|
Cons
Poor clarity at reduced resolutions
Requires RTX 3000 or better for 90 Hz
|
Pocket-lint
Best VR Headset
|
Pros
Some of the best specs you'll see
Ultra-wide field of view
Staggering gaming visuals
|
Cons
Requires a monster PC to run
|
We ranked HTC Vive Focus 3 #7 in September 2022 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR Headsets” rankings.
Tom's Hardware
Best Standalone VR Headset for Business
|
Pros
Widest FOV in a standalone headset
Well-balanced weight
|
Cons
Expensive
Mediocre controller ergonomics
|
We ranked HTC Vive Cosmos Elite #8 in September 2022 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR Headsets” rankings.
BestReviews
Most comprehensive
|
Pros
Immersive graphics.
Accurate motion controls.
Optimized for premium VR PC gaming.
Detailed 2880 x 1700 resolution.
Crystal-clear stereo audio.
Comfortable fit.
|
Cons
Controllers can be difficult to use.
Some issues with the Viveport software.
|
PC Gamer
HTC goes back to base stations for improved accuracy
|
Pros
High resolutions displays
Accurate tracking
Includes Half-Life: Alyx and Viveport Infinity
|
Cons
First-gen controllers and base stations
Not massively innovative
|
We ranked Oculus Rift S #9 in September 2022 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best VR Headsets” rankings.
Pocket-lint
|
Pros
Great resolution
Nice and comfortable
Good for glasses-wearers
|
Cons
Not the newest
|
TechRadar
A great older PC VR option
|
Pros
No external tracking stations
Improved visuals
|
Cons
Reduced refresh rate
Prone to crashing
|