The best VR headsets for PC

Blowing the competition away with its combination of excellent performance and value, the Meta Quest 2 is truly the PC VR headset to beat this year.

A true feat of modern gaming technology, the Meta Quest 2 is a decisive frontrunner in the VR headset market, in large part thanks to its balance of excellent performance and affordability. A fraction of the price of competing VR headsets this year, yet never falling short when it comes to the overall user experience - the Meta Quest 2 looks and feels premium, there's no denying it.

Plush, light and comfortable, while also unhindered by lengthy cables thanks to its wireless functionality, the Meta Quest 2 is utterly seamless, and perfect for gamers eager for their first foray into the VR gaming world. Running at a mind-bogglingly brilliant 120Hz refresh rate, you really couldn't wish for better performance from the Meta Quest 2 at its price - and best of all, even those with budget PCs are likely able to handle it.

With hardware requirements that are particularly low, the Meta Quest 2 is likely able to run with mid-tier specs at barely any cost to performance, you're even welcome to ditch the PC altogether thanks to its dedicated 128GB of storage.

A mainstay of top VR headsets for PC, the HTC VIVE PRO has made waves in the gaming community thanks to its overall comfort, excellent performance and seamless user experience, and there's no mystery as to why.

Certainly the most premium VR gaming experience on the market, practically every facet of the HTC VIVE PRO has been carefully designed and manufactured to offer the most immersive gaming experience possible.

From the precise 360-degree VR controller with haptic feedback, to the gorgeously seamless gyroscopic head tracking and 3D spatial sound, there's no end to the HTC VIVE PRO's excellence.

Unlike the cheaper Meta Quest 2, however, the VIVE PRO lacks any sort of wireless functionality, instead opting for five metres of cabling which may become irritating if you find yourself wandering around your gaming area.

Despite claiming to have low-performance requirements, the HTC VIVE PRO does require some performance heft, so you may not manage to run it on your old laptop, but a great gaming PC under £1,000 should handle it just fine.

The biggest competition against Meta's Quest 2, the PICO 4 is an incredibly reasonably priced VR headset that's perfect for some serious gaming action.

With sky-high eye resolution, an incredibly comfortable design thanks to its lightweight and supportive headstrap, and excellent internal sensors that leave players free to plug in and play, without the needless hassle of a room littered with sensors, the PICO 4 is a headset that practically anyone can enjoy.

Equipped with a whopping 256GB of internal storage, the PICO 4 has the ever-appreciated optionality of running games without a dedicated PC, giving you an untethered gaming experience should you desire it.

Experiencing the pulsing neon beats of Beat Saber, and the sweat-inducing allure of Superhot feels revolutionary with the PICO 4, there's no denying it.

Meta's flagship VR headset is, in terms of tech, the VR headset for PC to beat right now, there's no denying it. The Meta Quest Pro is a ferocious mixed-reality VR headset, designed with immersion in mind.

Versatile and powerful, gamers have the chance to choose standard VR gaming or VR gaming that blends our reality and gaming together, in a move that is changing the virtual reality industry altogether.

This phenomenal all-in-one VR package, including a terrific charging dock and the unrivalled Touch Pro controllers by Meta is a great way to dive into some terrific gaming this year.

A remarkably brilliant option for those who value visuals over performance, the HP Reverb G2 is easily a contender for one of the best VR headsets of the year so far, with a growing following of devoted gamers swearing by this wonderful headset.

The HP Reverb G2 VR headset for PC is a truly excellent bit of kit for some serious VR gaming, whether you're caught battling Draugr in Skyrim or pushing your medal to the metal with Project Cars 2.

Equipped with a simply gorgeous 4K display, perhaps one of the highest VR headset resolutions on the market, the HP Reverb G2 delivers realism and immersion that outshines most of its competition.

Of course, as for performance - the Reverb G2's lower 90Hz refresh rate might not concern most gamers delving into VR, but for those hungry for ultra-seamless gameplay, you might be disappointed. Yourbudget gaming PC should be able to handle this excellent VR headset for PC, but be sure to check out the specs first, just in case.

An incredible, almost psychedelic experience - Beat Saber bathes players in a neon glow, arms them with two swords and bombards them with rhythmic challenges that are both gripping and gruellingly difficult.

Get lost in the moment and strike to the rhythm of Beat Saber, it's an enthralling experience you won't soon forget.

A truly phenomenal next-generation VR experience, The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners is a remarkable technical achievement that's passed under a lot of VR gamers' radars, but it certainly shouldn't have.

Incredible interactive physics, a gripping story and creepy atmosphere permeate the world of The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, and with scarce ammunition and limited supplies, players must scavenge and search whilst the dead roam and raiders hunt for survivors - do you have what it takes?

Valve takes the immersive physics of VR games to the next level with Half-life: Alyx, a truly next-generation gaming experience worth sinking your teeth into.

A spiritual successor to the ever-worshipped Half-life series, Half-life: Alyx re-introduces the simply gorgeous puzzle-solving, shooting and stealth of Half-life back into the fold, but with VR - the game series has reached some seriously excellent new heights of immersion.

Visually beautiful, yet stark and dilapidated, Half-life: Alyx is a remarkable VR gaming experience you have to see to believe.