VR users, what do you think is the best headset at the moment

[cnorwood]

Currently I have a PSVR and an Oculus Quest, I have also tried a HTC Vive and a Valve Index. The PSVR was a great intro into VR and still has some of the best games, however this is a Frankenstein level VR solution and the tracking issues become noticeable once you try another headset.


The Oculus Quest is a game changer for VR and IMO is the #1 way to play VR. The Oculus Quest is a stand alone VR system so you have many titles available to you at all times, they also look and perform great(It has the best way to play Superhot at the moment). It has easy sideload ability, running unauthorized apps is a breeze and you can get amazing unofficial games like Half Life 1 VR, Doom/Quake, Crisis VRgade, and you can get custom Beat Saber songs.


The best part of the Quest is Oculus Link/Virtual Desktop. Now this is what makes the Quest THE VR headset to get. Oculus link is great and works pretty well, I do not notice any latency, the image looks fairly good, and the link cable is long enough to not really cause problems with moving too far. However last night after figuring out you can use your own PC as a 5ghz hotspot I found the true greatness of the Quest. Wireless PC VR. This shit is amazing, the link cable didn't really bother me but being wired will still be in the back of your mind so you try to limit your movement and turns. Not an issue anymore, I was playing the Boneworks arena and was spinning all around trying to shoot the enemies, with no problems. This also opens up more room in the house for VR play as I don't have to be right by my computer anymore, I'm also going to try to play in the backyard on a cloudy day. The Index has better IQ and controllers but still has a wire. VR needs to be wireless, this is how you get full immersion and so far the best way you can do that is on the Oculus Quest. (or buy the expensive vive adapters)

 

[Dest]

I've used all of them before, I don't own an Index yet just an original Oculus but I will say that putting on an Index as the first time I felt like I wasn't getting what someone else was getting out of their headset.

 

[erikNORML]

I think the Oculus Rift S is a great balance of features and price (seems like Quest with Virtual Desktop/Link ends up pretty similar, but haven't tried myself).

I'd imagine most people would freely admit the Index is the best in terms of raw tech on the market, but I honestly don't find the improvements it brings to warrant such a huge increase in price.

 

[Windu]

From all that I have read, the index is the best. But its also really expensive. So probably a better question would be what headset is the best in terms of quality and price.

 

[samred]

Wireless Quest is absolutely dope. But I'll currently take the wires on the Valve Index in order to get its wider peripheral arrangement of pixels, its 120Hz refresh, its wider "sweet spot" of clear pixels, and its incredible hover-over-ears speaker system. I dream of a day in which Valve launches a 2.0 version with an inside-out tracking method, if not some form of native wireless support.

 

[Samiya]

Samsung Odyssey Plus. Top of the line picture quality for only 1/4 of the price.

 

[RaySpencer]

Index is the best. Quest is probably up there though.


Who's voting PSVR? Are you drunk? Maybe it has some good games, but PSVR itself is trash compared to everything else.

 

[CelestialAtom]

Index for graphics and features, but under that price point it's Quest without a question due to the many features it offers.

 

[The Benz]

I'm pretty damn happy with my Rift S. As much as I'd love to try out the Index, I'd much rather hold onto that extra $600 and save it for the next generation of headsets.

 

[Sax]

As someone that's only owned a Quest the Index seems like the most advanced in terms of tech but I'm not giving up being wireless for $600 more. I played through all of Alyx with Virtual Desktop flawlessly (in a different room than my PC completely, since there's more room elsewhere) and loved every second.

 

[TaterTots]

Its the Index. If the Quest was powerful enough to play flagship games like Asgards Wrath without a PC, I might give it the nomination.

 

[Martylepiaf]

I absolutely love my Quest and I don't even have a good enough PC to use link or Virtual Desktop.

 

[Deleted member 2620]

Index is the best, but most people I know are understandably not wanting to spend $1,000 (or more if they don't have a solid PC) on getting into VR.

I suggest the Rift S the most these days, but in most of these cases it's to PC gaming nerd friends that are interested in VR. I suggest the Quest to everyone else, as I think a Linkless Quest is still a better experience than PSVR.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Of the ones I've owned (all of the Oculus, most of the HTC, and Index), I'd say the Vive Pro and Index have been the best so far.

My experience does not go beyond that. I thought the Rift S was a poor value proposition compared to that Quest so I returned it and kept the Quest, which is awesome.

If I were recommending someone buy in, I'd suggest that they buy an Oculus Quest first. If they like it and want to get some serious shit and have or will buy a powerful computer, go with the Index or whatever HTC's best current headset is.

Or wait for the next generation.

Really, everyone should own a Quest. It's just that good.

 

[Rirse]

I have a Oculus Quest coming in tomorrow from Best Buy, but I excited to use and it sounded exactly what I wanted with VR. I originally put myself on the wait list for the Index while waiting on the stimulus check to arrive, but using almost the entirely of that check on one just doesn't sit well with someone who never used a VR set before. Quest with 128 GB is half the price and I can use it beyond just my room.

 

[Yudoken]

I mean it's obviously the Index but I do have the feeling that HP's new headset in collaboration with MS and Steam is a new top contender for at least something comparable to the Index.

 

[Deleted member 2620]

Really, everyone should own a Quest. It's just that good.

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I love the Quest, but I think that for a lot of my friends it's worth the trade-off to have a better PCVR experience (comfort, image quality, latency, less USB finickiness) than have the current Quest portable library. The value of that library is obviously mad subjective and I'm looking forward to it not being a tradeoff with the next version of the Quest.

 

[PickledCucumber]

I was thinking of getting a Quest, but they seem to either be sold out or overpriced at the moment.

The visual quality should be better than when using an iPhone 11 Pro Max on a VR headset, right?

 

[Flandy]

Index is better than every other headset is most ways imo. Biggest flaw with the Index is the controllers. Finger tracking is nice but build quality is worse than CV1 controllers, button placement is awkward because of the touchpad, and theres a huge library of games where you have to emulate vive wands instead of native support.

 

[Deleted member 388]

I'd rather deal with knock in quality and use the Quest wirelessly with Virtual Desktop than to deal with a long cable. Not being tethered means way more to me for VR.

 

[Quample]

I haven't tried all of them, but based on everything I've gathered, Index for quality, Quest for versatility, S for PC cost effectiveness. Touch controls seem to be the best regarded controllers overall (CV1 specifically because of superior build quality). Index controllers obviously offer things other controllers don't, but questions of comfort/ergonomics/price/durability come into play.

In other words, "best" depends on clearly defined parameters.

 

[Ninjatogo]

IMO, the Quest seems like the obvious choice if we're looking at the best headset overall. It's portable, wireless, has great tracking and can be used standalone as well as linked to a PC. It's the Jack of all trades type of headset. If you want the best image and audio quality then the Index is the one to get.

 

[TitanicFall]

Regardless of how much money you spend on a headset, I'd say PSVR still has the best games overall and is most comfortable. Oculus Rift S is the most simple to setup and use, and has nice fidelity and comfort. Some of the Oculus exclusives are hard to ignore. Index I haven't tried, but it has the best specs. However the base station setup probably doesn't work for many people's spaces, and you need workarounds to play Oculus exclusives otherwise you're stuck with alot of indie games that are stuck in perpetual early access or just aren't as polished.

 

[Owlowiscious]

poll isn't absolute

i voted Index but never used it
I own a vive and just got index controllers a few days ago (not played with em)
I would almost suggest a PSVR so someone asking for VR, so in a way PSVR is best

 

[Deleted member 8468]

Quality wise of the HMD it's the Index, as well as its controllers. It's comfy, looks amazing, and the hovering speaker headphones are a great design.

Ease of use wise it's the Quest. No substitute for inside out tracking on a fully wireless headset. It's the inevitable goal of all VR. HMD and processing power are lessened of course, but if someone wasn't already a hardcore PC gamer and wanted VR, I'd point them towards the Quest easy.

PSVR is very comfy to wear and has some great games. But it's hard to suggest right now unless you can get a good deal on it. PS5 nearing launch means future support is limited and compatability with future games (on Playstation) is unknown. Also the tracking on thr move controllers is by far the least accurate or fast solution, although it mostly works fine on games outside Best Saber on Expert +.

 

[StudioTan]

I picked the Quest because it's really hard to go back to wired. With Virtual Desktop wireless streaming you get the best of both worlds, portable when you need and PC quality if you want it. Index is better technically but it comes at a price and with less convenience.

Its the Index. If the Quest was powerful enough to play flagship games like Asgards Wrath without a PC, I might give it the nomination.

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The Index can play those games without a PC? That's pretty impressive!

 

[Meech]

Valve Index. It's seriously amazing.

 

[Wintermute]

i'd love to buy an index but it's so goddamn expensive. i'd rather wait for the next iteration or two to see how long it reigns, use that chance to update my pc which is sorely out of date in some respects. i have an oculus quest which is amazing for what it is. i've been playing half life alyx over link with it and it's very cool. i just hear people talking about those valve index controllers and i feel like they are incredibly important and something that is as much of a gamechanger as lenses or any other part of the vr experience.

 

[cakely]

Valve Index is the best VR headset available right now.

The Knuckles controllers put it over the top.

 

[Tayaya]

Quality of visuals and controllers - Index all day.

Overall experience, usability, and fun? Oculus Quest

 

[Like the hat?]

I've been looking for a quest but they're out of stock everywhere

 

[Soapbox Killer]

We have psvr and the kids love it. Is the Oculus Quest that much better?

 

[Wowzors]

I have only used the Index, Oculus Quest, Oculus Roft and PSVR. Out of those the index is by far the best, there are certainly things that each headset do better than others.

One thing I am super jealous of is a lot of the Oculus exclusives (I know I can use Revive but some games run like shit on the index with revive). Also astrobot may be one of the best VR games on any headset.

 

[TaterTots]

The Index can play those games without a PC? That's pretty impressive!

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No I didn't say that. I said the Index is the best, but it could be the Quest if you could use it without a PC for the big games.

 

[Synth]

We have psvr and the kids love it. Is the Oculus Quest that much better?

Click to shrink...

In terms of hardware? Yes, absolutely. PSVR is massively behind every other option on list in regards to tracking, controls, etc.

In terms of games? I would say PSVR has a stronger lineup than Quest currently does. The Quest standalone can't run a lot of VR's heavy hitters. If you link a Quest to a PC though, then it's notably ahead of PSVR here too.

 

[SaberVS7]

Price:Quality ratio? Rift S and Quest

Absolute Quality? Index without a doubt.

 

[gothmog]

+1 on the Quest. The wireless is truly a game changer when it comes to mass adoption. The link is just gravy for the enthusiast.

 

[Soapbox Killer]

Is the Quest picture quality better on videos? PSVR is kinda fuzzy and I'm looking for some cool educational stuff for the kids.

 

[SirBaron]

Got a quest and virtual desktop is a life saver. Was tired of using stupid Base stations for tracking and now I have fully wireless and even play my quest in bed streaming from my pc downstairs.

 

[Yautja_Warrior]

Valve Index = Best Specs.

Oculus Quest = Best Price vs Performance.

PSVR = Best Price.

 

[rusty chrome]

PSVR has the best price and best games (Astro Bot is a masterpiece).

Index is probably the best overall.

 

[cnorwood]

Is the Quest picture quality better on videos? PSVR is kinda fuzzy and I'm looking for some cool educational stuff for the kids.

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Yeah, the Quest is 2 1440p Oled screens and the PSVR is 1 1080p screen. Much better for videos, however VR videos in general are fairly fuzzy.

 

[Sabretooth]

*smashes bottle on the table*

I'VE GOT YOUR BACK SAMSUNG ODYSSEY+

*gets dragged out and thrown out of the thread*

 

[Deleted member 29674]

I recently switched from a Rift S to Valve Index. I have to say, for me, Rift S was a better experience overall.
1. It's much cheaper.
2. The headset and controllers are much more comfortable on my head and in my hands. The Index is heavy and feels like I'm wearing ski goggles, while the Rift S was light and felt supported by my skull like a comfortable helmet. I could wear the Rift S for hours without discomfort while the Index becomes painful after 30 minutes. Also, the Index controller was awkward to hold, and the buttons and stick felt just didn't fit my hands well, or feel as easy to press.
3. Rift S had overall better quality for my eyes. Everything looked crisp and clear to me, despite being technically lower resolution. The lenses on Index caused visible god rays when anything light was in my peripheral vision. My eyes couldn't perceive the frame rate difference between the two.
4. Not part of the headset: Index's grip gimmick was cool, but never got much use, even in Alyx. In VRChat and other VR games, the grip just works better as a button, because it allows for the tactile feedback to know that you're currently grabbing something or not. With the Index commonly I'll try to throw something and my pinky lifting off a little late will cause my in-game grip to open late.

 

[Ctrl Alt Del]

Never tried any other headsets beside the PSVR and my Rift CV1 but I figure the Index is the best, especially with its controllers.

 

[Alvis]

Samsung Odyssey Plus. Top of the line picture quality for only 1/4 of the price.

Click to shrink...

And shit tracking. And I speak as someone who has ONLY experienced WMR, I can only play VR when my brother lets me borrow his Odyssey+. The tracking is shit, pure and simple. Having to look at the controllers in order for them to be tracked is ridiculous. Simple gestures like drawing a pistol in Pavlov don't work if you take too long or if you hesitate midway, or if you initiate the motion while the controller is already out of view, since even though it "kinda" tracks out of view, it only does so for like one second and then stops completely. You can actually SEE the controller stop being tracked if you move it slowly across the top part of your field of view. Glide it slowly in a straight line and you willl see it stop mid way. The gun also gets stuck while aiming in Pavlov and Alyx and any game with guns if I put the gun too close to my face. I can control the orientation but it won't MOVE until I separate it a bit from the headset. I also constantly miss blocks in Beat Saber when they're too far to the sides, so I have to look at them while slicing them which causes me to not see the following blocks. It's just a bad experience tbh.

If WMR 2.0 includes 5 cameras like the Rift S then people will take it more seriously. And Microsoft should drop the shitty branding, of course. Whoever came up with "Mixed Reality" is probably fired by now. Come on, "mixed reality", it sounds like it's something lesser than "virtual reality" when it's actually fucking virtual reality lol.

Anyways, answering to OP, the Index is factually the best headset. But it doesn't warrant the insane price IMO.

I'd like to avoid Facebook, but with the current offerings, if I were to buy a headset for myself today I would buy the Rift S. Unless HTC or Valve come out with their own inside out headset with 5+ cameras, while also making it cheap or if WMR 2.0 is a thing. Inside out tracking with 2 cameras just doesn't work.

 

[sirap]

Valve Index.

That said, I sold mine after falling in love with the Quest and Virtual Desktop.

 

[Edward]

Out of the 3 i own (Rift S, Quest and index) i find myself using the quest 99% of the time and i think it's the overall best VR headset for a consumer. You can play it as a PCVR or wireless and i don't notice that much of a difference outside FOV. From a pure spec perspective it's the Index.

 

[copelandmaster]

I can only speak from owning an HTC Vive with a Wireless Adapter and a PSVR that I prefer the former significantly more than the latter. I don't miss the cable at all.

 

[BarryFishFinger]

I've only ever tried PSVR which was cool, but obviously not a patch on a decent PCVR headset.

From my recent research, whilst specs wise the Index is the top of the tree apparently, it's the Oculus Quest that most appeals. It feels affordable, £399 is decent and wireless is a huge draw. I'm trying to get funds for one for work, wireless will make life so much simpler showing things to clients without having to think about wires. And then there is the link cable if needed for stuff like Alyx. For less than half the price of an Index it sounds like the perfect PCVR headset.

Shame I can't get hold of one to try. Someone sell me one!