Which VR headset is right for me?

The most important question when buying a VR headset is not resolution but what you use it with. Some headsets run entirely on their own, others need a powerful PC or a PlayStation 5. The finder above asks about that, plus how you will use it, mixed reality, glasses, who else uses it and what else matters. The result is a ranking where every place is explained. Manufacturers and retailers cannot buy a place in it.

Standalone, PC or PlayStation

Most standalone headsets can also be plugged into a PC or connected over Wi-Fi. Apple Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR are the exception: they are not PC VR headsets.

Mixed reality and passthrough

With passthrough the headset shows your surroundings through its cameras. With colour passthrough you can see your drink, your keyboard or your flatmate without taking the headset off, and games can place things in your room. Black and white passthrough is enough to find your way. Many PC headsets have none.

Wearing glasses

According to the makers, glasses fit under Meta Quest, PICO, HTC and PlayStation VR2, with HTC taking frames up to 150 mm wide. Apple, Samsung, Bigscreen and several Pimax models need prescription inserts, sold as accessories. The Shiftall MeganeX has its own diopter adjustment for short-sighted users.

Children and several users

Only Meta (from 10 with a parent-managed account), Sony (12+), Apple and Samsung (13+) state a minimum age. If several people share the headset, the eye distance (IPD) should adjust over a wide range. The Bigscreen Beyond comes with a face cushion made from a 3D scan of your face, so it only fits one person properly.

Base stations and accounts

Some PC headsets track their position with base stations, small boxes you set up in the room. That is very precise, but base stations and controllers cost extra. All other headsets track themselves with built-in cameras.

Meta Quest needs a Meta account, Apple Vision Pro an Apple account, Galaxy XR a Google account. PC headsets mostly run through Steam, PlayStation VR2 through your PlayStation account.

Prices and retailers

Prices are guide prices from the makers’ shops in October 2026, for Pimax including 19 % VAT. Many headsets are sold only by the maker, in which case the link goes there. You will see the current price at the retailer.

All VR headsets at a glance

Data: our own research from manufacturer and retailer information. Undocumented values are marked as such.