As we roll into 2024, the virtual reality landscape is in flux. While big players like Apple, Sony, and Meta are making serious moves into the space, consumer sales have cratered—according to CNBC, U.S. sales of VR headsets and AR glasses in the U.S. have fallen nearly 40% in 2023, as of Nov. 25. (Sales weren’t that great in 2022 either.)
Still, tech giants seem to see widespread adoption of virtual and augmented reality technology on the horizon. If the future is now for you, here are the best VR and AR headsets you can buy.
Best VR headset overall: Meta Quest 3
The Meta Quest 3 sums up the state of the entire VR/AR world in 2024—it is a jaw-droppingly awesome piece of technology, but a killer, must-have app has yet to surface for the device.
Still, if you like keeping on the edge of experiences that can be provided by electronics, and you don’t want to spend your life savings, you can’t do better than Meta’s Quest 3. This VR headset is superior to its predecessor in nearly every way—computing power, graphical capability, ergonomics, user-experience, etc.—but the most dramatic point-of-improvement comes from the Quest 3’s array of front-facing cameras. They turn “virtual reality” into “augmented reality,” which creates the illusion that various app screens and menus are occupying the real-life space around you. This makes for a much less queasy, claustrophobic, and overwhelming experience, whether you’re gaming, working out, or using a virtual version of your PC.
The Quest 3’s standalone experience is worth the price of admission on its own, but its ability to connect to a PC, either wired or wirelessly, opens another virtual world for users who are tech-inclined. Its performance as a VR monitor powered by a computer is comparable with much more expensive “PC-only” headsets. In short: the Quest 3 is the industry standard of VR in early 2024, for good or ill.
Best budget VR headset: Meta Quest 2
Credit: Brata Susilo/Shutterstock
For $249, the “last-gen” Meta Quest 2 VR headset is a steal. That said, the system’s black-and-white pass-through cameras only allow for the most rudimentary augmented reality experiences, and you won’t be able to take advantage of all the features in the most cutting edge VR/AR apps.
But if you’re looking to check out a few VR games, maybe see what virtual workouts are like, or meet some new friend in VRChat, the Quest 2 is a solid choice. The set-up is a breeze, the 128GB of storage on the base model is more than adequate, and the VR experience is fantastic. The Quest 2 is the go-to choice for entry level VR mainly because of its excellent stand-alone experience, but the system can link to a PC too.
Trendiest AR headset of 2024: Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses
Credit: Ray-Ban
The overall state of VR headsets might be disappointing, but a gleam of light is shining from a surprising source. Driven by TikTok-coolness, eyewear maker Ray-Ban’s line of Meta Smart Glasses are having a moment. They don’t do that much, but that’s a feature, not a bug. Even calling them AR might be a stretch, but if you want to livestream high-quality video and audio directly to Instagram or Facebook, take photos without a camera, make a call without touching your phone, or listen to some music without sticking in your earbuds, these glasses will make it possible. Plus, they don’t look dorky.
Best high-end VR headset of 2024: Bigscreen Beyond
Credit: Bigscreen
One of the biggest hurdles to widespread acceptance of VR might be simply how unnatural and heavy the devices feel strapped to your face. The Bigscreen Beyond solves that fundamental problem by scanning users’ faces and providing a custom-fitted headset for each user. That means a comfortable device and absolutely no light leaking in around the edges. The Beyond is super lightweight, weighing in at around 5 ounces, about a quarter of the weight of Quest 3.
Lightweight doesn’t mean under-powered though. With a resolution of 2,560 × 2,560 (6.5MP) per eye in its pancake lenses and a refresh rate of 75Hz, 90Hz, the Bigscreen provides a bleeding-edge VR experience—but it doesn’t come cheap. At $1,000, the base unit is twice as expensive as a Meta Quest 3, and that’s not including controllers and a charging station, which bring the cost up to $1,600. Add in some headphones (the Beyond has no built-in sound), prescription lenses and the fairly powerful PC you’ll need to take full advantage of the Beyond’s capabilities, and you’re looking at a price of—who knows, really, but if you have to ask, it’s not the headset for you. But if you want a comfortable, best-in-show VR experience, check out the BigScreen Beyond.
Most anticipated VR headsets of 2024: Apple Vision Pro and Sony’s new headset
Credit: Apple
The coin is still up in the air when it comes to the best VR headset of 2024: both Sony and Apple are planning to release higher-end, more “serious” VR/AR gear this year. Apple Vision Pro is scheduled for release on February 2, and Sony just announced its own mixed reality headset at this year’s CES show to be released in 2024. Both headsets are fighting for the same market: not gamers and hobbyists, but designers, engineers, and other professionals. Both are stand-alone units, with impressive hardware and intriguing possibilities. Sony has experience in the space—the company’s Sony VR 2 headset earned rave reviews when it came out in February—but don’t discount Apple’s ability to create tech that’s world’s better (and usually more expensive) than everything else on the market.
