10 best virtual reality headsets in 2020

Which VR headsets should you buy? We make it easier with our top 10 virtual reality glasses. Come and see our review of the 10 best virtual reality headsets on the market in 2020.

Oculus Rift

The Oculus Rift is by far the most comfortable PC powered VR glasses that you can find at the moment. With the Rift you do surrender to the leeway. This is because in the first instance there was a high focus on comfort and user-friendliness. Just like the HTC Vive, the Rift has two OLED screens with a resolution of 1080×1200 pixels per screen. The Rift is also known for its highly refined integrated headphones. The so-called ‘Touch controller’ of the Rift is very well finished. Through various clever tricks, you really have the feeling that your hands are present in the virtual world during use. This way you can pinpoint or grab objects. The installation software is now in local languages, and takes you by the hand during the installation process. Oculus Rift retail price is €449.

• PROS:
• Easy to connect via usb
• Light and comfortable
• Built-in headphones
• Dutch-language software

• CONS:
• positional tracking only suitable for a smaller environment
• Many USB ports required

PlayStation VR

Those who already played AR (augmented reality) games on the PlayStation 3 will probably be familiar with the colorful LED lighting on the PlayStation VR. Sony uses the same technique to determine the position of the headset. Although the PlayStation VR does not have the technical highlights of the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, they still offer a great VR experience. The resolution of the AMOLED display does not seem optimal at 1920 x 1080 pixels, but those who are not too critical will not be bothered by the lower resolution while playing. The controllers also come straight from the PlayStation 3. The so-called move controllers also seem to be an excellent tool for serving the virtual world. For those who do not want to buy a PC, but do have a PlayStation 4, the PlayStation VR is an ideal solution. Sony currently controls most of the VR market. Maybe that’s also the price. For €299 you get the Sony PlayStation VR Worlds Package. This package consists of PlayStation VR headset, the required camera and the PlayStation VR Worlds game. The controllers can be purchased separately and have a suggested retail price of €79.

• PROS:
• Cheap price
• Quite easy to install
• Easy to use

• CONS:
• A little less qualitatively
• Greater chance of VR sickness

Oculus Go

The Oculus Go is an autonomous VR glasses. With this headset Oculus wants to make it even easier for the user to enter the virtual world. Because the Oculus Go does not have a postional tracker system, you cannot walk around with it, but while sitting you can look around 360 degrees. With the headset you get a controller with which you can point and operate things in the virtual world. Through the Oculus Store you have access to endless apps and games. Some apps also work together with the Oculus Rift and Gear VR. This way you can virtually play the board game Settlers of Catan with someone who uses a Rift. With a suggested retail price of just over €200, the Oculus Go is an attractive purchase for anyone who does not always want to use his smartphone.

• PROS:
• No smartphone required
• Light and comfortable
• Good price

• NEGATIVE POINTS:
• No positional tracking
• LCD display less of quality

Samsung Gear VR

In 2014, Samsung and Oculus joined forces to design VR glasses that the smartphone should use as a source. This resulted in the same year in the Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition, a holder for Samsung’s flagship Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Thanks to the combination of the impressive QHD AMOLED screen, the powerful GPU and CPU, a fantastic mobile VR experience could be created. On the side of the headset there is a touchpad with which you can control the virtual environment and with the latest models of the Gear VR a remote control is also included. Thanks to the ever faster smartphones and better screens, more and more graphics are possible.

• GOOD POINTS:
• Excellent software thanks to Oculus
• Almost perfect tracking

• NEGATIVE POINTS:
• Only works with expensive Samsung devices

HTC Vive

The HTC Vive is the cream of the crop when it comes to virtual reality. These VR glasses offer enormous freedom of movement in combination with an almost perfect tracking system. Together with the high resolution screens you quickly forget in these VR glasses what is happening around you in the real world. The headset and the controllers are a bit big and heavy. Setting up the hardware is also somewhat more difficult than is the case with the Oculus Rift. For example, there are two base stations that both need to be powered and placed diagonally across the room and the headset itself also needs an additional power supply. That is why the Vive is especially suitable for people who want to play VR games undisturbed over a relatively large space. The price of HTC Vive, including controllers and base stations, is €599.

• PROS
• Cream scale
• Tracking system
• Excellent audio quality
• Long battery life

• CONS:
• High price
• Installing hardware pretty much work
• No built-in headset

Medion Erazer X1000

Medion offers their Erazer X1000 excellent VR glasses for a reasonable price. The Erazer X1000 has, just like the Acer AH100 and PlayStation VR, opted for a main fire that comes to lie on your forehead with a kind of pillow. The 2880×1440 pixel resolution is fine and slightly better than the Vive and Rift. The 105-degree field of view is slightly smaller than the Vive or Rift and slightly larger than the Acer AH100. Like the other Microsoft Mixed Reality headsets, the major disadvantage is the controllers’ tracking. They quickly fall out of sight of the sensors on the front of the headset.

• PROS:
• Larger field of vision than the Acer AH100
• Good price
• Comfort

• NEGATIVES:
• Tracking controllers
• Cannot be used wirelessly
• Not moisture resistant

Acer AH100

Acer opts for a striking blue color with their virtual reality headset. The headset has a headband that is similar to that of the PlayStation VR. As a result, the headset itself is not pressed against your head and the ski goggles that you get when applying the Vive and Rift too tight will save you. The resolution is a bit higher with 2880×1440 pixels than with the Rift or Vive and therefore looks a bit sharper. You do hand in the field of vision. With 95 degrees, that is a lot less than with the Vive or Rift, which reaches 110 degrees, so that you have the feeling that you look in a box a little more. All in all, Acer offers a great VR experience for a very attractive price.

• PROS:
• Comfortable
• Sharper due to high resolution
• Easy to connect

• CONS:
• Smaller field of vision
• Tracking a bit worse than the Rift or Vive

Carl Zeiss ONE Plus

A company known for its quality lenses is Carl Zeiss. It is therefore not surprising that they appear on the market with their own headset. The ZEISS: VR ONE has a sleek design, quality lenses and the headset is a lot more comfortable than a Google Cardboard headset. A disadvantage is that the telephone must be placed in a kind of holder, which is then slid into the headset. Therefore, only the Samsung Galaxy S5, S6, the iPhone 6, 6s and the Sony Xperia Z6 Premium fit into the headset.

• PROS
• Nice lenses
• Compatible with iPhone

• CONS
• Holder is for older devices
• High price

VR Box

The VR BOX is suitable for smartphones from 4.7 to 6 inches. The device is placed in the VR BOX smartphone holder, similar to the Carl Zeiss One Plus, which is slid into the side of the headset. The Virtual Reality glasses have a headband with a soft foam edge so that it is a lot more comfortable. Apart from the self-crafted VR glasses, this is the cheapest solution to give VR a try.SCORE

• PROS
• Low price
• Great to discover VR
• Universal

• CONS
• No overwhelming VR experience
• Quality

Nintendo Labo VR

Nintendo Labo is an inventive way for Nintendo to combine computer games with crafting, learning and playing. With the cardboard building kits, various games can be played and the user can discover how the technology works. With the fourth Labo package from Nintendo you can make VR glasses yourself and use them in combination with the Nintendo Switch game console. The simple VR technology from Nintendo makes it a user-friendly virtual reality experience that can be used by children and families.

• PROS:
• Also suitable for children
• Learn, play and be creative
• Low price

• CONS:
• No additional software available
• Cardboard is fragile material