Top 10 Best VR Headsets in 2021 (HTC, Google, and More)

To help you get started on your search, we've narrowed down the 10 VR headsets that are well-loved by consumers. They all have different specs and features, so read on to see which product fits your needs the most. 

When researching this article, we realized we wanted to talk to someone in the VR industry who was both a consumer and insider, who buys and plays around with headsets as an excited fan, but who’s also caught up on all the newest trends and developments. And so we interviewed Tony, the SkarredGhost.

Still, if you're looking for great graphics, PC headsets are the way to go since they can reach higher frame rates in comparison to consoles. Also, if you don't want to be tied down to your console or computer, go for a wireless headset! 

Console headsets are designed to elevate your console gaming experience. Even though they cannot provide graphics as clean as the PC type, they are more affordable. Setting up should be self-explanatory as well since you'll just need to plug the headset into your gaming console. 

Also, keep in mind that console headsets are usually sold as a peripheral device to a specific game console. This is a plus point since you won't have to worry about any hardware compatibility problem.

For instance, if you own a PlayStation console, you'll need a PSVR headset. We think the PSVR is user-friendly and a good match for middle-class consumers, but it does have one big weakness, as Tony mentions below.

The image quality produced by a VR headset is determined by the resolution per eye. Basically, resolution per eye is the number of pixels that the VR headset can display and is shown as a pixel width x a pixel height. 

Sometimes, the product listings might use a combined resolution instead of a resolution per eye. But they can be calculated from each other and technically describe the same thing. For an immersive experience, you'll want products with a resolution per eye of at least 1080×1200 per eye (or 2160x1200 pixels combined). 

Some high-end models such as HTC Vive Pro and Oculus Quest feature a resolution of 1440x1600 pixels per eye (or 2880x1600 pixels combined). And currently, Reverb G2 is the VR headset with the highest resolution at 2160x2160 pixels per eye, which totals more than a 4K resolution when combined (3840x2160 pixels). 

As for the display, it can be either LCD (liquid crystal display) or OLED (organic light-emitting display). Generally speaking, OLED will give you richer, saturated colors and cleaner images. LCDs, however, offer brighter images.

However, LCD technology is still evolving. If you look at newer LCD screens, oftentimes, they change colors just as quickly and look almost as good as OLED displays.

The wider the field of view (FOV), the more real the environment feels. Humans have a monocular FOV of about 170 - 175 degrees (what you see through separate eyes) and a binocular FOV of around 100 - 110 degrees (what you see through both eyes at the same time)–this overlapping area is where we have depth perception. 

In an ideal world, your entire field of view–including the monocular–is covered by your VR headset. However, it takes a lot of computing power to provide that much image in high quality.

That is why devices out now aim to cover just your binocular FOV. After all, we see only a tiny, focused region in high resolution, and our peripheral vision is blurry. So, with current technology, we would say a FOV of 100 degrees is a good threshold for an immersive VR experience as it's basically the same as our binocular FOV.

Some headsets offer a huge play area and can now follow your movements across a space–this is known as room-scale VR (room-scale virtual reality). We hardly need to talk about how much more immersive the experience is if you can use your own two legs to move around.

For a high-quality room-scale VR, headsets use either an inside-out or an outside-in tracking system. In inside-out tracking, motion trackers and sensors are attached to the headset itself, offering you more freedom and mobility. 

However, this type of tracking needs good computer vision, and this technology is actually lagging behind the outside-in tracking. 

On the other hand, outside-in tracking needs external cameras and sensors. Setup is, therefore, more of a pain, because you have to position the sensors or cameras in such a way that they can keep track of you across the entire play area. If you move out of a camera's view, you will break your immersive experience.

Still, compared to inside-out tracking, outside-in tracking provides better latency and also accuracy. You're also less likely to experience nausea.

Moreover, do you like any of the games currently available on the device? Not only can you play those, but you can also look forward to sequels in the future.

Sometimes, peripherals can be game-changing. Some VR headsets still use gamepads, which are fun, but many new controllers are streaming onto the market, such as motion-tracking wands. The more streamlined the design is, the more real everything feels.

The Tracker for the Vive, for example, looks like a big hockey puck. You attach it to things, which it automatically turns into a controller. You can stick it onto a racket and play a virtual game of tennis, for example. Or you can mount it on a gun, and where you point the gun, your digital crosshairs will follow.

Also, check if the headset comes with integrated audio. If not, you will have to plug in separate headphones. If you’re an audiophile, you might prefer this because then you can use your own high-end audio system. But it is extra weight on your head. 

Integrated audio systems will be much more comfortable, and while the sound isn’t topnotch, it’s good enough for a believable VR experience.

If, for example, you need to read a text message, or respond quickly to something in the real world–a strange sound, for instance–you can do so without taking off your headset. It also opens up lots of gaming and programming possibilities, where you can digitally manipulate the real world in whatever way you wish.

Are you a die-hard Playstation fan? We've got many interesting games to keep you entertained! So check out our articles to know what they are. 

As there are various options available online, choosing the best VR headset that meets your needs is not an easy task. You also have to make sure that it's compatible with your device.

Hopefully, our buying guide can help you understand all the confusing tech jargon and quickly figure out the right headset that can provide you with an immersive experience. 

• Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more mybest recommendations!