Help me find best VR headset for the most reasonable price

Here are my notes:

• VR technology has taken a long time to mature, but it has gained mainstream attention with more people looking for VR headset to help them experience immersive games in the promised immersive future.
• Earlier VR device problems such as low-resolution displays, poorly optimized optics, low frame rates, and often poor tracking accuracy, and lack of comfort have been largely solved with the most recent HMD designs.
• The format of VR devices used to be VR headsets powered by smartphones, but those have been phased out of the market and replaced with standalone HMDs and console-based VR headsets.
• The highest-end VR headsets need a high-end gaming computer to maximize their superior pixel count, refresh rates, and feature sets.
• The standalone HMD segment is benefiting from rapid innovation.
• The qualified recommendations for VR headsets are:
  1. Oculus Quest 2: Best VR Headset
     • Connectivity: None required
     • Display: 1x Fast-switch LCD
     • Per-eye Resolution: 1832 x 1920
     • Refresh Rate: 90 or 120 Hz (experimental)
     • FOV: Not disclosed
     • Weight: 1.1 pounds (503g)
  2. Valve Index: Best VR Headset for PC
     • Connectivity: PC
     • Display: 2x LCD, canted
     • Per-eye Resolution: 1440x1600
     • Refresh Rate: 80, 90, 120 or 144 Hz (experimental)
     • FOV: Up to 130 degrees
     • Weight: 1.78 pounds (807.4g)
  3. Pimax Vision 8K X: Best VR Headset splurge
     • Connectivity: PC
     • Display: 2x customized low persistence liquid (CLPL)
     • Per-eye resolution: 3840 x 2160 (native), 2560 x 1440 (upscaled)
     • Refresh Rate: 60 Hz, 75 Hz (Native), 90 Hz (Native with RTX 3000 GPU) or 114 Hz (Upscaled)
     • FOV: ?
     • Weight: 2.2 pounds
• The article advises to consider the following when looking for the best VR headset for gaming:
  • PC-connected VR has the best experience but requires an expensive system

• The page provides a list of the best VR headsets of 2023.
• CNET is the source of the recommendations, and its staff rigorously researches and tests its top picks.
• Experts have reviewed the VR/AR industry since the arrival of the original Oculus Rift prototypes, through trying demos of every headset and reviewing all the biggest products in the marketplace.
• The Meta Quest 2 is still CNET’s favorite all-around headset, but the upcoming Meta Quest 3 could be worth waiting for as it has better graphics and higher-resolution display. It also has mixed reality, blending the virtual and real world with passthrough color cameras.
• The Quest 3 has impressed experts in an early hands-on, and it is backward-compatible with the existing Quest apps. It is also smaller and can be worth the extra money according to CNET.
• The PSVR 2 is expensive and requires a PlayStation 5 to work, but its OLED display, graphics quality, built-in eye tracking, and fantastic advanced controllers make its best games perform at a different level.
• The HP Reverb G2 is best for those who want the best image quality in consumer VR. Its 2160x2160-per-eye resolution and 114-degree field of view are the best at this price range, and it has fantastic dropdown speakers designed by Valve. It is also technically a Microsoft Windows mixed reality headset that prefers to launch into Microsoft’s native Windows 10 VR ecosystem, but it bridges with Steam VR and works with those games and apps, too.
• The Valve Index’s Steam VR and Vive hardware compatibility, its excellent audio and fancy controllers, and its pressure-sensitive “knuckle” controllers that can track all five fingers still make it hardware worth considering, although it is not as cutting-edge as it once was. It lacks the self-contained feature of other headsets and needs external “lighthouse” boxes for tracking.
• The Meta Quest Pro is expensive, but last year’s eye-tracking-equipped Quest headset can track facial expressions and has a crisp display.
• The HTC Vive XR Elite is glasses-like design for the future, but the software and performance of the headset do not justify its price.
• The original PSVR still works on the PlayStation 4 and 5, but it is not compatible with PSVR 2 games and hardware. It still has some great games to discover, but its lack of dedicated controllers and awkward setup feels ancient.
• CNET runs key apps and software on the headsets, primarily using them in standalone mode if

• The post provides a 2022 VR headset purchasing guide.
• It mentions that most people are hitting the VR world for the first time or just planning to get their first VR headset.
• The author of the post believes that price and different uses are the main difficulties in choosing the right VR product.
• The author provides information about various popular VR headsets and their prices.
• Oculus Quest 2 is recommended for entertaining and has a cheaper price than other brands. It’s suitable for new VR users but not for 3A level gamers or major modelling designers.
• It comes in two options, 128GB for $299 and 256GB for $399.
• The website adds $10 on strap/battery, and more discount codes can be searched.
• The PlayStation VR headset is recommended for console players. It doesn’t boast the highest resolution displays and doesn’t offer wild, room-scale tracking, but it makes up for it with quality experiences. It is currently sold for $349 for a big Marvel bundle that includes several accessories.
• The HTC Vive Pro is a high-quality VR headset and provides an excellent VR experience.
• It can be run with a PC, and it’s recommended to use NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1070/Quadro P5000 or above, or AMD Radeon™ Vega 56 or above for the best experience.
• Unfortunately, it’s currently out of stock.
• Pimax is recommended for a high-end quality VR visual experience and has the most hard-core hardware.
• Its major product is the Pimax 5k Super and Pimax 8kx, and it features dual native 4K industry-leading resolution screens and has an ultra-wide 200° field of view.
• Pimax can be compatible with most VR systems and can project Meta or any mainstream VR app on it.
• Pimax requires a high-end PC to support NVIDIA® RTX 20 series or better graphics cards and is not compatible with AMD graphics cards or laptops.
• Pimax has wireless models and is quite popular in sim racing gamer or 3D modeling and construction using. It’s highly-priced, and there is currently a special package where one can win a random Pimax headset from Pimax 5ks, Pimax 5kp, Pimax8kp, Pimax 8kx.
• Varjo Aero is also a hard-core VR headset but is high-priced. It has dual mini-LED displays with 35 ppd peak fidelity and a 115°

• The forum thread is titled “in your opinion, what’s the best VR headset, and why?” posted on Reddit’s r/virtualreality page, 1 year and 8 months ago and has 50 points.
• The original poster is looking for the best and most quality VR headset/controllers and money is not an issue, but does not want the Oculus Rift for personal reasons.
• Several recommendations for VR headsets are provided by the users:
  • HP Reverb G2: no external trackers needed, excellent screens, good tracking and a solid choice for its price (~$400-$600) with a slightly smaller FOV than other models.
  • Varjo Aero: most expensive (at $2,000), but considered the best consumer-level headset in quality with a high pixel per degree (PPD) count.
  • Vive Pro 2: excellent screens but very expensive at around $1,400 with the added cost of a Base Station and Index controllers (costing about $600) for good tracking.
  • Valve Index: good but outdated screens, good and comfortable with excellent control and tracking and is considered all-around best kit on the market ($1,000) by one user.
  • Pimax 8kx: expensive at ~$1,200 with Base Station and Controller costs at around $600, but has a large FOV and great speakers with a good image quality and is considered the best headset for its price ($2,600 on average) by one user.
  • Oculus Quest 2: a fine headset and affordable for its price at around $400, it is still limited in terms of picture quality and tracking compared to stronger headsets, and requires a Facebook/Meta account.
• Other recommendations by users:
  • XTAL 3 Mixed VR: considered the best headset and controllers, but it is extremely expensive at $11,500 with the addition of Base Station and Index controllers that cost an additional ~$600.
  • MeganeX, Quest 2 Pro, and Pico 4 (regular and pro) should be out soon, but the quality of these headsets has yet to be determined.
• The pros and cons of each headset are discussed by the users, based on factors like image quality, FOV, speakers, microphone, and tracking.
• Some users noted that playing games that have lots of movement made wireless feature important rather than resolution or FOV.
• Several users also provided helpful tips, such as researching cross-play capability and getting multiple sets

• A reddit user posted a question on r/virtualreality about the best VR headset to get for less than $1000.
• A user replied saying that the best VR headset on the market starts at $1,000, but that the Quest 2 or Pico 4 could still be considered in that price range.
• Another user replied that the PSVR2+PS5 is the best quality headset for less than $1,000.
• A user suggested the HP Reverb G2, Pico 4, Quest 2, and PSVR2 as options for under $1,000.
• A user recommended the Pimax crystal/12k as the most promising headset in their opinion, but the headset is not without its issues and is still relatively new on the market.
• Another user suggested the HP Reverb G2 as the pick for someone looking for gaming and home cinema watching.
• A user commented that the Reverb G2 v2 has strong features and is comfortable, but possibly has worse tracking than other options.
• Another user suggested the Quest 2 for someone who just wants to experience VR but isn’t a heavy user.
• Someone suggested the PSVR2 for those who own a PS5 and want a good deal more tech in their headset and better visuals.
• A user mentioned that there is no “best” headset out there, as they all have their pros and cons.
• A user pointed out that two of the three options under $1,000 (the Quest 2 and HP Reverb G2) are in their final year of availability, which might make them less desirable to some buyers.
• Someone asked what VR headset to buy if they want something that is best in class, to which one user recommended waiting and preparing to spend more than $1,000.
• A user suggested that if someone wants to experience VR for the first time, the Quest 2 on sale for $300 is a good purchase.
• Another user recommended the Pico 4 as having the best display when it comes to VR headsets.
• A user mentioned that the Pimax 8kx FOV provides major benefits, but that the price point may make it less desirable.

Note: There are also some comments reflecting personal opinions and experiences with VR headsets.

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