Standalone VR headsets are all the fad as of late. Choices just like the Meta Quest Professional, Quest 3, or Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional ship distinctive experiences, all with out requiring a connection to a PC to perform.
And but, the class of PC-driven VR headsets stays. As long as you’ve a strong PC, you’ll be capable to drive video output at greater than double the decision of a few of these lower-powered VR headsets for essentially the most immersive VR as doable. Listed here are the very best choices you should buy in the present day.
Pimax Crystal
The best-resolution PC VR headset made for customers is the Pimax Crystal. It options shows with 2880 x 2880 pixels per eye, mini-LED backlighting, inside-out monitoring of controllers and the headset, and eye-tracking with foveated rendering.
At $1,599, the Crystal comes full, so that you solely want a Home windows pc with a quick graphics card. If that sounds costly, it could be as a result of PC VR headsets just like the Valve Index value round $1,000. Nonetheless, these methods require two controllers and at the very least two base stations for monitoring, including $679 to the invoice.
I examined the Pimax Crystal and located it to be a dependable PC VR headset that gives crisp imagery, a wider-than-usual area of view, and total nice visible constancy. The one draw back is the load and bulk.
Weighing slightly below 2 kilos, the Crystal is the heaviest headset on this checklist. The battery located within the again for steadiness, plush facial interface, and deluxe head strap assist cut back the stress. Nonetheless, it’s an enormous, cumbersome headset. There’s even a standalone mode when wanted, although the app library is kind of restricted presently.
HTC Vive XR Elite
HTC’s Vive XR Elite is a standalone VR headset with a singular characteristic that makes it notably fascinating when related to a PC — the again comes off so you possibly can put on it like glasses. Because the headset is powered by the PC tether, there’s no want to fret about battery life when related.
I acquired an opportunity to do that headset briefly and was shocked by how gentle it’s on this configuration. Usually weighing 1 pound, 6 ounces, the Vive XR Elite drops 8.5 ounces with the rear battery eliminated, making it one of many lightest choices out there. You can even connect with a PC wirelessly.
The show decision is 1920 x 1920 pixels per eye, not as sharp because the Pimax Crystal’s, however the pancake lenses with built-in diopter adjustment supplies good readability. Just like the Crystal, the HTC Vive XR Elite has inside-out monitoring and comes with controllers. With a $1,099 price ticket, this can be a compelling PC VR headset in its personal proper, however there’s much more to love in regards to the Vive XR Elite. When utilizing the standalone configuration, you get two hours of battery life to maneuver round untethered and expertise color-mixed actuality gaming.
The Viveport library is massive in comparison with Pimax, however smaller than that of the preferred VR platform, Meta’s Quest.
Meta Quest Professional
The Meta Quest Professional didn’t have an awesome debut on the surprisingly costly launch value of $1,500. Meta realized its mistake and dropped the worth to $1,000, making it a extra enticing possibility.
You possibly can join your Quest Professional to a Home windows or Mac laptop computer for spatial computing, however you’ll wish to be sure you have a strong PC for gaming. Meta has a dependable wi-fi possibility, however you may also use a high-speed USB-C cable to maintain the battery charged.
The 1800 x 1920 show decision is nice for gaming and acceptable for productiveness. Distinction and vibrancy are good because of mini-LED backlighting. The Quest Professional has a quicker Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 1 chip, which is a bit speedier than the XR2 Gen 1 used within the Pimax Crystal and HTC Vive XR Elite.
The Quest Professional additionally has eye-tracking, foveated rendering, and a sturdy hand-tracking answer that works effectively with a rising variety of apps and video games.
I nonetheless favor my Quest Professional over the Quest 3 because it’s the one mass-produced VR headset designed to drift above my face, as a substitute of urgent into it. It additionally comes with the very best controllers on this checklist and a pleasant charging dock.
Meta Quest 3
No fashionable VR headset checklist is full with out mentioning the amazingly inexpensive Meta Quest 3. Whereas its standalone mode is extra generally used, you possibly can join the Quest 3 to your PC and luxuriate in the identical Home windows apps and SteamVR library out there to different PC VR headsets.
The 2064 x 2208 show decision beats the Meta Quest Professional and HTC Vive XR Elite, although the Quest Professional has an edge in dynamic vary with its mini-LED backlighting.
I used to be amazed by the Quest 3’s unbelievable worth. It handles all the pieces you’d ever need from a VR headset: standalone VR, PC VR, combined actuality gaming, and spatial computing. Whereas the Quest 3 doesn’t have the highest-resolution shows, it’s not far behind. It’s not the smallest or lightest headset, however the slim profile makes it snug, and there are many equipment to customise the match.
The $500 value isn’t the one cause the Meta Quest 3 is our prime decide for total finest VR headset out there — it’s simply that good.
Bigscreen Past
Bigscreen Past represents a conflict of previous and new expertise. It’s the world’s smallest and lightest PC VR headset that boasts vibrant micro-OLED shows with a decision of 2560 x 2560 pixels per eye, but it requires exterior base stations for monitoring.
The $999 value doesn’t embrace audio, base stations, or controllers. That places your whole value at about $1,700. When you already personal a Valve Index or older PC VR system that makes use of base stations, you may be capable to hold the associated fee down.
The Past ought to be among the many most snug VR headsets because of the outstanding five-ounce weight and customized facial interface. You have to get a scan with an iPhone with Face ID to position an order.
Regardless of being one of the vital costly headsets, the characteristic set is proscribed. The Bigscreen Past accommodates no battery, so plugging in is a requirement. It additionally lacks a combined actuality possibility and there’s no standalone or wi-fi mode.
Which PC VR headset is finest for you?
With so many selections, it may be exhausting to resolve between these nice PC VR headsets. The Quest 3 is a good place to begin from each a versatility and value standpoint. When you’re not sure of what to do, you possibly can’t go flawed with the Quest 3.
Nonetheless, for those who don’t thoughts a cumbersome headset with restricted standalone means and no combined actuality, the Pimax Crystal has the very best specs for PC VR whereas costing lower than a whole Bigscreen Past system.
There’s good cause to contemplate the Bigscreen Past, although. For instance, for those who already personal an older VR system just like the Valve Index, Pimax 8K, or HTC Vive headset, your base stations and controllers will work with the Bigscreen Past. That makes the worth extra enticing, on prime of the truth that it’s tiny and light-weight.
And lastly, for those who just like the glossy styling of the Bigscreen Past, however need extra versatility, the HTC Vive XR Elite has a glasses mode for PC VR, in addition to high quality standalone mode and combined actuality capabilities.
