Sony PlayStation VR

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If you’re a newcomer to VR, you will probably have seen or heard the phrases above. But what exactly do they mean? Sweet spot: The area right in the centre of the lens that affords the clearest view of the display itself. The larger the sweet spot, the better. And that’s without compromising on the hardware front. By slotting in a new processor and increasing the available memory, Oculus (Meta – this is getting tiring) has drastically improved the performance of the Quest 2, opening the door for more ambitious VR games. Not that existing titles are left wanting: courtesy of a gorgeous near-4K LCD panel refreshing at a smooth 90Hz, games and other experiences look better than anything we’ve tested before.

IPD slider: Inter-Pupillary Distance slider – a physical or virtual slider that allows you to widen or shrink the gap between the two lenses inside the HMD. After all, some of us have bigger heads or wider-set eyes than others. Confused? Don’t be. Every product on our list is a good old-fashioned virtual reality headset. You’ll find that headsets with the “Windows Mixed Reality” label have been discontinued – but if you do happen across one that’s available to buy, know that it’s just a VR headset with support for Microsoft’s own VR software. What about the rest of the jargon? Virtual reality: Peering into a specially designed pair of goggles that display a 3D CGI environment that you can interact with using wand-like controllers (or in some cases, your hands). It's admittedly difficult to recommend the Vive Pro 2 as a commercial headset. The wired headset requires several cables for it to function properly, meaning managing it as part of your PC gaming setup can be stressful. Plus, all that power means it can start to run hot after just a short session, so we'd say it's best enjoyed in shorter bursts.

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Display type: You won’t need to worry too much about this, but for reference, most PCVR manufacturers are moving to fast-switch LCD panels and leaving OLED displays in the dust. This is because OLEDs are expensive, and produce a blurrier image than LCDs. READ NEXT: The best controllers to use on PC What’s the difference between virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality? In addition to the luxury VR headsets from big-hitters Oculus (or Meta, as it will henceforth be known), Valve and HTC, there’s a slew of lesser-known products from manufacturers like Pimax, Zeiss and even HP. Each year brings new possibilities to the VR market – take the new Oculus/Meta Quest 2, which is currently the best VR headset around (wireless or otherwise). And then there’s Sony’s PSVR and Nintendo’s Labo VR, which brought virtual reality console gaming to the masses.

The Meta Quest Pro, in essence, is a souped-up version of the Meta Quest 2. The improved controllers are a particular highlight here, featuring a sleek, comfortable design that feels more premium than similar motion-based gamepads. And comfort really is the key word here, as the Quest Pro is well-suited for longer gaming sessions thanks to a cushioned headband. If these things don’t dissuade you, there’s no simpler way to put it: the Quest 2 is the best VR headset around. Adjust the scope position by carefully holding it around the edges and wiggling it until it’s comfortable and the image is as clear as possible. PSVR 2 exclusive games like Horizon: Call of the Mountain seriously impress with stellar image quality. Meanwhile, solid ports of PSVR favorites like Tetris Effect, Rez Infinite and Moss: Book II return looking better and playing more responsively than ever. The device is massively helped by its 2,000 x 2,040 panel resolution, allowing for much clearer image quality. You may struggle to find and maintain the headset's 'sweet spot' though, meaning you might find yourself readjusting the headset during sessions. However, our guide to the best PSVR 2 accessories can help to make this process significantly less stressful.We know you’re excited to get playing, but it’s really important to take your time with configuration to get the best possible gaming experience. This is a VR headset for HTC loyalists, particularly those who already own additional base stations and/or the Vive Pro controllers (the Cosmos can take advantage of both). It’s also for those who want a headset that sits between the very traditional HTC Vive Pro 2 and the user-friendly Oculus Quest 2 – a spot no longer filled by the esteemed and dearly departed Oculus Rift S. One of the areas I wanted to focus on first was the idea of creating a vent in the headset to let air out, similar to the vents on the PS5 console that allows airflow," senior art director Yujin Morisawa wrote in a blog post. "Our engineers came up with this idea as a good way to allow ventilation and avoid having the lens fog up while players are immersed in their VR games". Screen-door effect: This is when you can see the individual pixels of your headset’s display, arranged in a grid that overlays the image. It’s an unfortunate side-effect of the current limitations of VR technology; the higher the resolution of the display, the less visible the screen-door effect is. What on earth is the metaverse? You don't have much space: Valve Index is quite complicated to set up, requiring several cables and cameras to function properly.

Display resolution: VR headset resolutions are measured both as a whole unit, and on a per-eye basis. Modern PCVR headsets tend to have a combined display resolution of at least 2,560 x 1,440, or 1,280 x 1,440 per eye – the higher the resolution, the clearer the image, and the more you will have to pay (usually). You want more battery life: The Quest Pro's one significant flaw is its relatively low battery life, maxing out at a meager two to three hours on a full charge. Hold the headset by the top of the headband (A), press the headband release button (E) and pull the front section forward. If you’re still having problems adjusting the camera this could be because the room lighting is too bright. Find out how to set up your room for the best experience and try again.

We've selected the best VR headsets for PC, PS4 and Nintendo Switch users – plus standalone models

We've been harsh on the Vive Pro 2 so far, but we can't ignore the strengths it boasts over other headsets in this list. The Vive Pro 2 is capable of outputting a '5K' resolution (that's an astronomical 2448 x 2448 pixels per eye), a 120-degree field of view and a 120Hz refresh rate. Yes, you will need an ultra-powerful PC to make the most of it, but the Vive Pro 2 is capable of providing some of the most accurate and immersive visuals of any headset on the market right now. The Meta Quest Pro, the company's latest and arguably greatest headset, is certainly one of the more expensive VR options currently on the market, but it's not like you won't get your money's worth. The headset's comfortable design and sleek controllers are easy to use from the get-go, and you don't need any external equipment to get set up. The Valve Index certainly looks the part of a high-end headset, but that means it also requires a complex setup (and a powerful PC) to match. In fact, our least favorite thing about Valve's headset is the setup process, which requires several wires and a dual camera setup to work properly. Make sure you have enough desk and room space (not to mention a few free power outlets) to ensure a seamless experience. The process is worth it, however, as you'll be treated to impressive wide field-of-view and full Steam integration, making browsing your existing library in VR a cakewalk. FOV: Field of Vision – how much of the virtual world you can see when peering into the lenses of your HMD. Most VR headsets have a FOV of around 100-110 degrees, which is just barely enough to make you feel like you’re inside the world, rather than just looking at a screen. It’s by no means a perfect headset, however. The Cosmos still suffers from a few niggling flaws, not least of which is the bloated price tag. The Cosmos controllers are unwieldy, and the lenses have a pitifully small sweet spot, so you will notice strong blurring if you move your eyes from the centre of the image. HTC’s Viveport user interface, moreover, is far less polished than the Oculus or Steam equivalents.

At its core, that’s all the metaverse is: any collaborative virtual environment accessed via a VR headset like the Oculus/Meta Quest 2. Applications that fall under the metaverse umbrella have actually been around for a while now: VRChat and Rec Room allow users to don a headset, create an avatar and jump into a virtual world shared by others where they can play games, hang out or just sit and marvel at the scenery. Sony's State of Play conference delivered for VR fans, showcasing four new PSVR 2 games. Alongside our first look at Horizon Call of the Mountain gameplay, the following confirmed games are: Resident Evil 4 remake, Resident Evil Village, No Man's Sky, and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution. Basically, we hope you like zombies.To begin with, the Vive Pro 2’s display is the highest resolution we’ve ever seen on a commercial VR headset, with a boosted total resolution of 4,896 x 2,448 (2,448 x 2,448 per eye). It also now supports a maximum 120Hz refresh rate, as well as a wider 130-degree FOV. Provided your accompanying PC is powerful enough to meet the minimum spec requirements, then there’s absolutely nothing better for virtual reality gaming at the moment. Games like Half-Life: Alyx never looked so good. It’s no surprise that the most expensive VR headset on this list is also the most fully featured. It’s not cheap, not by any stretch of the imagination, but the Vive Pro 2 benefits from a handful of exclusive, game-friendly features that you won’t find anywhere else. Each device is tested extensively across a range of software available in the headsets' associated store. Many of our reviewers have experience using different ranges of virtual reality hardware, enabling them to make informed comparisons between products. No device in our buying list above has been included without first being tested and reviewed.