VR HEADSET ROUNDUP
1 META QUEST 2
Take away the Oculus name and all of a sudden existing Quest owners already own a little bit of Mark Zuckerberg’s future metaverse tech. The standalone Meta Quest 2 continues to be the VR gift that keeps on giving with an ultra-attractive price point and no need for additional tech other than your smartphone. Plus the stratospheric success of the system means that the Quest doesn’t suffer from a lack of dedicated apps. There are hundreds of games and experiences to make the most of the improved screen, speedy processor, and eternally impressive Touch Controllers with individual finger tracking. If you’re looking to play on PC, you can always just plug in for games like Half Life: Alyx.
From $599, oculus.com
2 PLAYSTATION VR2
There’s no release date, pricing or even visuals just yet – hence the image of the original PSVR above – but Sony has revealed it isn’t leaving VR behind. The PlayStation VR2 and Sense Controllers will, unsurprisingly, be exclusive to the PS5 and use cameras on the headset to track your hands in real time. A 4K display with 2000 x 2040 pixels per eye was a predictable upgrade but less so are what Sony is calling ‘sensory features’. We’ll be experiencing haptics through the new controllers but also directly through the headset thanks to a built-in motor. This means feeling character heartbeats and even the whoosh of near misses. With eye tracking confirmed as well, the PSVR2 is an exciting proposition.
$TBC, playstation.com
3 LYNX R-1
Why choose between AR and VR when you can do both? The Lynx R-1 mixed reality headset was a resounding Kickstarter success last year and is aiming for true versatility. This also means that as well as AR and VR it also works in both wired and unwired forms. The Lynx R-1 has an impressive 1600x1600 pixels per eye and runs on a speedy Snapdragon chip that can stream Steam VR over Wi-Fi. It’s got an SD card slot for upgradeable storage, as well as built-in speakers and microphones, and a unique headband-like design to suit mixed reality experiences. If you want to solely use it for VR though, you’ll want to buy the add-on Facial-Interface to block out the rest of the world.
US$599, lynx-r.com
4 PANASONIC MEGANEX
Maybe those Steampunk cosplayers were onto something… Panasonic’s MeganeX VR goggles from its Shiftall division are ultra-compact and make the most of OLED micro-display tech. This means there’s no messing around with fidelity: the MeganeX delivers an incredible 2560x2560 pixels per eye, meaning it offers 5.2K imagery with HDR functionality, and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate to boot. Weighing in at just 250g, this headset unsurprisingly needs to be connected to a PC and we haven’t seen the controllers just yet. Panasonic has confirmed that these goggles will work with SteamVR games and apps, making this officially the lightest and graphically detailed way to play.
$TBC, panasonic.com
5 HTC VIVE
Why choose one VR solution when you can have them all? HTC Vive’s suite of consumer and professional headsets is so unique that we’re ignoring T3 convention and mentioning three different ones. The Vive Flow is an ultra light set of VR goggles with a built in cooling system for on-the-go VR with a focus on wellness and relaxation, while the HTC Vive Focus 3 is a professional all-in-one equivalent of the Quest 2. Vive is known for its superior room-scale tracking and that’s now left to the high-end Vive Pro 2 with base stations. Also essential is the unique Viveport subscription that includes a Gamepass-style collection of titles to save you spending even more on games.
From $699, vive.com
6 VALVE INDEX
It’s easy to forget that Valve has its own dedicated SteamVR hardware and that’s at least partly down to the pro-level price-point. It is possible to buy elements standalone but the full Valve Index set up includes a headset, two Index controllers, and two base stations with stands. You’re tethered to your PC – and a wall power adapter – but the cable is 16ft, giving you plenty of leeway for full room scale VR. The headset delivers a smooth 120Hz experience but the true winners here are the intuitive Index controllers with finger tracking. Even compared to the Quest 2 controllers, the Index feels surprisingly natural. Sadly the Index isn’t yet sold in Australia, and we hope that changes.
$TBC, store.steampowered.com