Top vr headsets compared

About Top vr headsets compared

VR headset shopping turns on two things: what a set costs when you press buy, and how much the seller takes on afterwards. This ranking compares 16 brands and shops on both, alongside the platforms each one covers and the markets it will ship to. Entry prices across the field run €15.63 to €4,050.64, a wide spread that separates general computer retailers from shops built around immersive hardware. Warranty cover runs 1 to 3 years, and that gap matters more than any spec line when a strap cracks or a headset is returned. The main trade-off is price against commitment: the cheapest entries here sit at shops whose ranges are built around laptops and desktops, while the sellers whose catalogues start with the VR headset itself ask for more and stay reachable in more countries. Battery life is the other dividing line, running from 13.5 to 70 hours, and the 37.5% share shows how few members sell for headset use without a PC.

How we picked

The scores come from the category weighting rather than a single headline price. Cost carries 40% of the total, the offer weighting, which folds in warranty length, support channels and market reach, carries 40%, and trust carries 20%. Behind those weights sits each seller's own published material: product and category listings for entry prices and the product types in the range, terms and conditions pages for the legal entity, warranty pages for cover length, help centre and contact pages for support channels, and shipping or returns pages for the markets served. Where a seller quotes the same field more than once, the figure tied to the listing behind the ranking is the one used. Partners that serve your country are listed first in this ranking, then the rest by score. General computer retailers are judged on the same terms as specialist stores, which is why a shop with no VR headset line in its range can still sit near the top on price and cover.

Our top picks

1. 1. XRshop - Tienda de Realidad Extendida y Gaming: best for highest-warranty-years

   XRshop is in this ranking on the two things readers weigh first, cover and headset focus. Its warranty of 3 years is the longest of the members listed here, which earns the highest-warranty-years label and matches the top of the 1 to 3 years spread. It is also the most purpose built of the leaders, since vr headset, controller and gaming headset puts the VR headset first and pc, playstation and standalone confirms PC, PlayStation and standalone use. Entry pricing opens at €47.95, the shop trades across DE, AD and SA, and the business behind it is MIXED REALITY SHOP SL. The trade-off is battery life, since 13.5 hours is the lowest figure in the ranking. Newegg, ranked next, quotes a far higher entry price on a computer led range.

   • Price from: €47.95
   • Wireless peripherals: Yes
   • Warranty: 3 years

   Pros

   • Entry pricing from €47.95 sits below the site median of €86.82, so the door is low for a first headset.
   • Warranty of 3 years places the store at 2 in a field of 40, well above the 1 typical across sites.
   • The catalogue mixes vr headset, controller and gaming headset with haptics, drones, action cameras, printers and laser cutting, so one order can cover several hobbies.
   • Returns run 14 days and support spans email, phone and chat, covering email, phone, chat and a help centre.
   • Store categories reach computers, audio and tv, so refurbished gear and cameras sit beside the gaming lines.

   Cons

   • Extended warranty is not offered, so buyers wanting cover past the 3 years term have to look elsewhere.
   • Price from ranks 26 of 47, so it is not the cheapest way into the category.
   • Platforms listed for the haptics vest cover pc, playstation and standalone, leaving Xbox and Switch players to check each product page.
   • A headset-only shop such as Skullcandy carries gaming headset, which keeps buying focused on audio rather than mixed hardware.

2. 2. Newegg

   Newegg sits near the top of this ranking on catalogue size rather than a headset specialism. Its laptop, gaming laptop and desktop list is computer weighted, but the store serves US, AR and AU and covers pc, playstation and xbox, and the 70 hour battery figure sits at the 70 mark. The reason it trails XRshop above is price: the entry figure of $1,099.99 stands well above the €143.52 mark for this ranking. Support reaches buyers through help centre, phone and chat, with no email channel listed, and the store trades as Newegg Commerce, Inc., founded in 2001. PlayStation Direct, ranked next, opens far lower and keeps a headset in its own range.

   • Return window: 30 to 90 days
   • Price match: Yes
   • Extended warranty: Yes

   Pros

   • Return windows run 30 to 90 days, long enough to set a machine up properly before deciding to keep it.
   • Categories cover computers, phones and audio, so computers, phones, audio, gaming and refurbished kit come from one account.
   • Price match is offered, so a cheaper listing elsewhere gives you a number to hold the seller to.
   • Trade in is available, so an older phone or laptop can offset part of a new order.
   • Support covers help centre, phone and chat, so help is not limited to reading policy pages.

   Cons

   • Refurbished phones are graded excellent, very good and good, so a lower price can mean fair rather than excellent condition.
   • The refurb warranty runs 3 months, shorter than the usual 12 months for the sites in this group.
   • Support runs on help centre, phone and chat only, with email absent from the listed channels.

3. 3. PlayStation Direct

   PlayStation Direct belongs in this ranking because it is one of the few members selling the headset line itself instead of a general computer range: console, controller and gaming headset includes the VR headset alongside consoles and controllers, and the platform list covers pc, mobile and standalone. Entry pricing of $74 sits under the €143.52 mark, with a battery of 30 hours. Two points count against it. Support runs on help centre and chat only, and the warranty of 1 year is the floor of the 1 to 3 years spread. ShopTo.net, ranked next, also keeps VR headsets in range and adds phone contact to the same channels.

   • Price from: $74
   • Wireless peripherals: Yes
   • Warranty: 1 year

4. 4. ShopTo.net

   ShopTo.net holds its place in this ranking by pairing a low entry price with a catalogue that still counts the headset: console, handheld and controller and an opening figure of £24.99, the lowest quoted by a member with a VR headset in range. Support through help centre, chat and phone is wider than PlayStation Direct's, and the shop trades in GB, DE and FR as TradeTo Ltd, with a battery of 30 hours. Against that, the 1 year warranty sits at the bottom of the range, and standalone use is not in pc, playstation and xbox, which cover PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch. PICO, ranked next, is a headset maker itself but answers buyers through help centre only.

   • Free delivery threshold: £0
   • Return window: 14 days
   • Markets: GB, DE, FR, and 8 more

   Pros

   • gaming, computers and tv covers gaming, computers and televisions, so a controller, a headset and a new PC can come from a single seller.
   • The catalog spans console, handheld and controller, so handhelds, VR headsets and controllers sit beside consoles rather than a separate store.
   • Support runs on help centre, chat and phone, so a help centre, chat and a phone line are all listed.
   • Delivery reaches GB, DE and FR, further than a single market.

   Cons

   • Returns run 14 days, which places ShopTo.net at 58 of the 80 brands compared on that measure.
   • The warranty on products runs 1 year, sitting at the 1 median for stores in the comparison rather than above it.
   • Email is not among help centre, chat and phone, so queries run through a help centre, chat and phone.
   • Store categories stay at gaming, computers and tv, while computers, phones and audio also covers phones, audio, cameras and appliances.

5. 5. VITURE

   VITURE sits further down this ranking as a headset maker selling direct, and it earns the place on coverage rather than on price. The vr headset and controller range is the VR headset and its controller, and pc, playstation and xbox makes those glasses usable across PC, the main consoles and mobile, which is broader than the PC only list at Pimax further down. Entry pricing opens at $59, under the €143.52 mark, with 1 year of cover and support across email, help centre and community. Against that, trading is limited to US. The other ALTERNATE entry, ranked next, reaches DE, AT and BE but its laptop, desktop and gaming pc range is computer led.

   • Price from: $59
   • Wireless peripherals: Yes
   • Warranty: 1 year

   Pros

   • Platform spread: pc, playstation and xbox covers PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and mobile, wider than Skullcandy at gaming headset.
   • Wireless is supported, so the glasses and controller run untethered across pc, playstation and xbox.
   • vr headset and controller pairs a VR headset with a controller, so the matching controller comes from the same maker.
   • Support runs on email, help centre and community, giving a help centre and a community alongside email.

   Cons

   • Support runs on email, help centre and community alone, so a phone line is not part of the offer.
   • Warranty cover is 1 year, and the rank on warranty years is 17 of 40.
   • Shipping is listed for US alone, so buyers outside that market should confirm delivery before paying $59.
   • The range is narrower than HyperX, which lists gaming headset, gaming mouse and gaming keyboard, and CORSAIR, which lists gaming headset, gaming keyboard and gaming mouse, against vr headset and controller here.

6. G6. GOOVIS: best for GOOVIS

   GOOVIS sells head-mounted displays and video display goggles with accessories, with worldwide free shipping on orders over US$200.

   • Markets: HK

7. S7. Scan: best for top-pick

   Scan sits at the top of this ranking because it pairs the lowest tier of entry cost with the longest cover on the field. Its entry price of £48.98 sits under the €143.52 mark, and the 3 years warranty matches the top of the 1 to 3 years spread. Support is unusually broad for a shop of its size, running through email, chat and phone, and the business behind it is Scan Computers International Ltd, trading since 1986 with a battery figure of 70 hours. The trade-off is scope: it sells in GB alone, and the laptop, gaming laptop and desktop range is built around computers rather than immersive hardware. ALTERNATE, ranked next, reaches further into Europe but offers a shorter warranty and a lower entry price.

   • Price from: £48.98
   • Build to order: Yes
   • Warranty: 3 years

   Pros

   • Scan builds to order, so a machine can be specified part by part rather than picked from a fixed shelf range.
   • Cover on its own systems runs 3 years, and Scan ranks 1 of 34 brands compared on warranty length.
   • The store spans laptops, gaming laptops, desktops, gaming PCs and mini PCs, so a household can do its computing in one basket.
   • Support runs on email, chat and phone, so a fault on a custom build can be talked through on the phone as well as in writing.
   • Returns run 14 days, which gives room to live with a new build before deciding it is wrong.

   Cons

   • Trading is limited to GB, so delivery, returns and warranty claims stop at the UK border.
   • Operating systems listed are Windows and Linux, so a buyer after a Mac or a ChromeOS machine finds nothing on the shelf here.
   • Graphics choices are limited to nvidia, amd and intel, so anyone after Apple silicon hardware has to look elsewhere.
   • Coverage outside computing is thin: cameras top out at 8k video and the drone listings give 23 minutes of flight time on a 126 gram body.

8. 8. ALTERNATE

   ALTERNATE earns its place in this ranking on reach rather than on one headline number. It serves DE, AT and BE and lists pc, playstation and xbox as its platform coverage, the longest list here, while the laptop, gaming laptop and desktop range stretches from laptops to tablets. Entry pricing opens at €31.99, below the €143.52 mark, the warranty is 2 years, and support runs through email, phone and help centre under the ALTERNATE GmbH entity. Against Scan above, it gives away a year of cover in exchange for shipping across most of Europe. Against XRshop next, its range has no VR headset line, since laptop, gaming laptop and desktop stops short of one where XRshop's vr headset, controller and gaming headset puts the headset first.

   • Return window: 14 days
   • Extended warranty: Yes
   • Click and collect: Yes

   Pros

   • Store categories run from computers and phones to audio, tv, gaming, appliances and refurbished goods, so most tech lists stay in one place.
   • Returns run 14 days, a clear window to compare before you commit.
   • Build to order is available, which matters for gaming laptops and desktops where stock configurations run out.
   • Support reaches you through email, phone and help centre, and click and collect is on top of standard delivery.
   • Cover starts at 2 years, with extended warranty available as an add on.

   Cons

   • The 14 day return window sits in the middle of the field, behind the brands ranked higher on that measure.
   • A dead pixel policy is not offered, so a faulty panel has to go through the standard returns route.
   • Monitor listings cap at 540 Hz, with ips, va and oled panels stocked, which narrows the top end of the display range.
   • Buying outside DE, AT and BE means dealing with a foreign ALTERNATE GmbH, which can complicate a return.

9. P9. PICO

   PICO is in this ranking for what it makes rather than what it stocks. Its vr headset and controller covers the VR headset and its controller, and pc, mobile and standalone means a headset bought here serves PC, mobile and standalone play, with wireless support as standard. The company was founded in 2015 and operates as PICO Immersive Pte. Ltd.. The limit sits after the sale: help runs through help centre only, narrower than the email, chat and phone offered at the top of this ranking. VITURE, ranked next, reaches more platforms on pc, playstation and xbox and opens its store at $59, though it trades in US alone.

   • Wireless peripherals: Yes
   • Legal entity: PICO Immersive Pte. Ltd.
   • Founded: 2015

   Pros

   • The headset family covers pc, mobile and standalone, so the same unit works standalone or alongside a PC or phone.
   • The range is wireless, which suits room-scale play without a cable running back to a desk.
   • PICO sells vr headset and controller, so the controllers come in the same range rather than as a separate purchase.
   • Entry pricing sits under the category median, which the VR headset ranking puts at €143.52.

   Cons

   • Support runs on help centre only, so there is no phone or live chat route listed.
   • The range is a single headset family plus controllers, narrower than the gaming headset spread at gaming headset, gaming mouse and gaming keyboard.
   • Owners of a gaming PC may find pc, mobile and standalone redundant, since the standalone option means the headset needs no computer beside it.
   • Console platforms are not among the stated pc, mobile and standalone, so the range covers PC, mobile and standalone hardware.

10. 10. ALTERNATE

    The other ALTERNATE entry appears in this ranking as a mirror of the German store, and it loses ground on headset range and on entry price. It serves DE, AT and BE and its laptop, desktop and gaming pc range is computer led, with no VR headset line among the product types. Platforms cover pc, playstation and xbox and stop short of standalone use. The entry figure of €1,226 stands well above the €143.52 mark for this ranking. What it does offer is a battery of 70 hours, support through email, phone and help centre, and the ALTERNATE GmbH entity behind the store, trading since 1992. Pimax, ranked last, keeps the headset first in its range.

    • Return window: 14 days
    • Click and collect: No
    • Markets: DE, AT, BE, and 7 more

    Pros

    • Returns run for 14 days, which places ALTERNATE at 58 of 80 brands compared on return days.
    • Support runs on email, phone and help centre, with a help centre listed on 96.7% of the group's stores.
    • Refurbished stock is graded like new, excellent and very good and carries 12 months of cover, so used kit arrives with a stated condition.
    • The store ships across DE, AT and BE, so buyers outside their own home market are still served.
    • The range covers computers, phones and audio, adding computers, phones and appliances to the audio, gaming and refurbished set that JBL lists as audio, gaming and refurbished.

    Cons

    • Click and collect is not offered, so collection is out of reach while 65.2% of the group hands goods over in person.
    • Chat is missing from email, phone and help centre, and only 34.9% of the group lists it.
    • Graphics cards listed are nvidia, while 67.6% of the group covers AMD builds as well.

What to look for

Entry price

Compare what a set costs at checkout against the €143.52 mark for this ranking. The €54.33 and €920.37 marks show how far the shelves apart, from €29.04 at the bottom to €4,050.64 at the top.

Warranty length

Cover here runs 1 to 3 years with a 1 mark. Longer cover is the clearest signal that a seller expects headset returns, and it costs a shopper nothing extra to prefer.

Battery life

Battery figures run 13.5 to 70 hours with a 40 mark. Read them carefully: a figure taken from a gaming headset says little about how long a standalone set lasts.

Platform coverage

Platform lists decide whether a headset is usable at all. 100% of what is ranked serves PC, 56.2% covers PlayStation and 37.5% covers standalone use, so check that the platform you own appears on the seller's list.

Panel and refresh rate

Panel choice splits 100% oled from 57.1% va and 57.1% ips, while refresh rates reach a 520 mark. Both matter most for PC driven sets, where a tethered display has to hold up to a monitor.

Wireless support

Wireless support covers 80% of what is ranked here, so a wired purchase is the exception. That figure is worth confirming against a seller's platform list, since some PC sets pair a wired display with wireless controllers.

Frequently asked questions

Top vr headsets compared by country

• Australia
• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Netherlands
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• United States

Brands compared head to head

• XRshop - Tienda de Realidad Extendida y Gaming vs ShopTo.net

The data behind this ranking

All data and the CSV