The world of virtual reality is just getting good. Thanks to new technology that makes headsets less cumbersome, bigger and better screens that make virtual worlds look like the real thing, and haptic feedback that give you some sense of a tactile experience; there’s never been a better time to sack off the real world, and surrender yourself to a virtual one. But there’s a few contenders when it comes to VR headsets , with each doing a few things differently.
PSVR 2
PlayStation’s second generation headset has the highest resolution of the bunch (meaning the graphics are next-level). It has eye tracking—which makes shooting baddies in virtual reality that much easier—and cameras on the front that will warn you if you’re getting close to your in-real-life coffee table.
Best VR headsets For: Gaming. As its name would suggest, this is for casual and hardcore games alike. Plus, PlayStation has put lots of effort in creating games just for its platform (such as this month’s Horizon Call of the Mountain).
Tech Specs: 2000 x 2040px resolution, OLED display, 120Hz refresh rate, eye-tracking, forward-facing cameras, headphone jack, 2x sense controllers.
Price: AED2,000
META QUEST 2
Mark Zuckerberg changed the name of his company to Meta (as in, verse) and declared it was jumping headfirst into virtual and augmented reality. Its best efforts to realize that is the Meta Quest Pro, a dinky headset that is comfortable enough to wear all day. It offers face tracking, so that when you speak out loud your virtual avatar mouths the words in exactly the same way. It pegs itself as a mixed reality tool, meaning it will add digital elements to the real-world around you.
Best VR headsets For: Being social (duh). No surprises here but Facebook wants you to come hang out in Horizon Worlds—its own virtual world. In it you can chat with friends and play games. But let’s be honest, it’s social media: expect to spend an hour arguing with a 13-year-old about climate change.
Tech Specs: 1832 x 1920px resolution, LCD display, 120Hz refresh rate, eye-tracking, forward-facing cameras, battery pack, 2x Oculus Touch controllers.
Price: AED5,500
VIVE PRO 2
HTC has been in the virtual reality game since its inception. Strange then, that it’s latest headset is the only one here that still requires sensors mounted on the wall above your play space.
Still, there’s lots to love with the Vive Pro 2; namely in the power department. This has miles away the sharpest screen of the bunch (which is very important, when you consider a VR headset is little more than a screen sat millimeters away from your eyeballs).
Best VR headsets For: Total immersion. This packs two 2.5k panels that will render virtual environments almost to photorealism. That will improve everything; games and virtual experiences included. Plus, 360-degree video look pixel-perfect.
Tech Specs: 2448 x 2488px resolution, LCD displays, 120Hz refresh rate, forward-facing cameras, 2x base stations, 2x Vive Pro controllers.
Price: AED6,000