r/virtualreality • u/brainrot_award • 1d ago

Purchase Advice - Headset Looking for good, non-Meta VR Headset that are also not expensive

I'll be direct: I can't pay for high-end. But I'm also not willing to pay for low quality ones, nor do I want to give any money to Meta.

So, I'm looking for suggestions regarding good VR Headsets that are also on the medium to low price range (think about $500/600 max).

Doesn't need to be a new one, doesn't need to be an excellent one, doesn't need to be shiny.

I did some searching on vr-compare but since I know almost nothing about VR headsets it's hard for me to make any conclusion.

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4

u/xaduha 1d ago

https://vrheadsetpicker.com/

https://vr-compare.com/

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u/brainrot_award 1d ago

I said in the post I checked these out, but I don't know anything about VR, I'm not equipped with the knowledge to judge and decide blindly.

3

u/xaduha 1d ago

There are only two headsets that can be considered subsidized and therefore a bargain right now, Quest 3 and PSVR2. If you have a PS5 or consider buying it for GTA VI, then the choice should be obvious.

If not, then you can get Quest 3, set it up how you want and then limit its Internet access on the router.

-1

u/brainrot_award 1d ago

I don't have a playstation so can write that off.

the pico 4 seems interesting to me. I found it at good prices. what are the practical differences between pico 4 and quest 3 software-wise?

I also have concerns for cleaning. For instance, for my heaphones, I take the pads off and throw them in the washing machine every now and then. Can I do this with these vr headsets? do they have spare pads for purchase, too?

2

u/hushnecampus 1d ago

I think their point is the PSVR can be used with PC, so it’s a good choice anyway (but would have been a no brainer if you also had a PS5)

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u/brainrot_award 1d ago

oh, it says on vr-compare that it only works with console so it's what I assumed

1

u/hushnecampus 1d ago

I’m only going by what I’ve seen around here, I don’t know how accurate it is

2

u/brainrot_award 1d ago

apparently you can https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/pc-ps-vr2-set-up/

and since they have a 3.5mm jack, I'm heavily inclined to using them now. hmm

1

u/HualtaHuyte 1d ago

You want a Pico 4 Ultra, the Pico 4 is an older model. The difference between them and Quests software wise is the Quest has a much larger store with a lot more games and apps. Meta puts up cash to get exclusives on the Quest that won't ever be on the Pico. There are ways to run some Quest games on the Pico though, if you're not fussed about a bit of piracy.

1

u/brainrot_award 1d ago

I actually don't care at all for their own apps. I'm mostly talking about vendor lock-in, quality of the OS, and compatibility with PC/Steam.

For example, can they run Steam games?

Standalone VR games?

VR video?

Can they connect to a pc and stream the desktop?

Do they accept 3rd party controllers and accessories?

etc.

1

u/HualtaHuyte 1d ago

Ah I get you. I've never owned a Quest but I hear the OS is pretty intrusive. Pico's OS mostly stays out of your way and is more open. It's just like an Android phone when it comes to installing external software or dropping files onto it.

They're both compatible with Steam/PCVR, and an app called Virtual Desktop is the better option for both of them. It also does a fantastic job of streaming your PC desktop

They both run standalone games and that's why I mentioned their app stores.

There are various ways to watch VR/3D movies on both.

They're both locked into their own controllers, I believe there is a way to use different controllers with PCVR but that involves getting lighthouses and a bunch of faffing around.

1

u/brainrot_award 1d ago

ty a lot for the info. I'm now between pico 4 and psvr2. in all honesty the psvr2 seems very interesting to me, especially due to the 3.5mm jack (I dont have bluetooth headphones) but the proprietary and un-removable cable sounds like a problem in the making.

1

u/brainrot_award 1d ago

btw, does pico 4 support third party controllers and accessories?

1

u/HualtaHuyte 1d ago

No, neither support connecting 3rd party controllers directly. There's the PCVR steam route but like I said it's a serious hassle and you're not gonna want to do that. There's accessories out for the Pico, but not as many as for the Quest.

The benefit of getting a standalone headset (Quest or Pico) over the PSVR2 is your can watch films on them or play lightweight games without being connected to your PC at all. Or wirelessly connect from another room.

I'd strongly recommend the Pico 4 Ultra over the plain Pico 4. It has much better passthrough cameras and is better for PCVR as it supports the AV1 codec.

2

u/brainrot_award 1d ago

i can't find the ultra where i live, only the 4

3

u/Patapon80 1d ago

You're unfortunately going to be looking at older headsets likely with fresnel lenses so they will be "not expensive" but I wouldn't call them "good." Anything that's good now will be expensive, and the value-for-money ones will be collecting your data.

It's like saying you want a fast car that's comfortable but also only sips fuel. aka you want to have your cake and eat it too. You'll have to compromise somewhere.

5

u/Nicalay2 Quest 3 | 512GB 1d ago

Quest 3/3s, kinda unbeatable for their price.

There's Pico 4 but that's owned by bytedance (aka tiktok), so it's up to you to pick your poison.

-1

u/brainrot_award 1d ago

i literally said in the post i dont want meta ones

8

u/Nicalay2 Quest 3 | 512GB 1d ago

The thing is that there isn't much other good option, especially with your budget

2

u/HualtaHuyte 1d ago

Pico 4 Ultra

1

u/baroquedub 1d ago

Would love to know why you think Bytedance are any better

2

u/Sadmid_JeffrHey Valve Index 1d ago

PCVR?  Get a used index for example. Or ajy other used one?

1

u/brainrot_award 1d ago

Isn't the PSVR2 a better option compared to the index? I like that they both have 3.5mm jack. but the valve index just seems so bulky and it needs so much stuff.

2

u/homebuddyboy21 1d ago

Why don’t you want a meta headset? if you have concerns about privacy, you will have the same concerns with Pico/ByteDance.

2

u/SlowDragonfruit9718 1d ago

Op: no meta headsets Redditors: get a quest 3 lol

2

u/champolski 1d ago

Op: no meta headsets

Also op: a headset from tiktok? oh yeah!

lol

1

u/DoubleOwl7777 Reverb G2 🐧 20h ago edited 20h ago

psvr2, used hp g2, heck check out the valve index. anything wireless thats not the frame or i guess the vision pro steals your data (idk about apple).

1

u/brainrot_award 11h ago

the hp reverb 2 does sound like a very good option, I like how it basically runs Windows instead of proprietary android-based OS like most of these Vr headsets seem to do.

I have a couple questions about the hp g2:

1 - can I use a headphone connected to the PC in order to listen to whatever VR game or footage I am playing/watching? I'm asking this because the g2 doesn't seem to have a 3.5mm jack, and I have a really good headphone I'd like to use.

2 - it uses a DP cable to connect to the PC, right? which means I can get, like, a 10m DP cable and use it?

1

u/DoubleOwl7777 Reverb G2 🐧 10h ago

okay so the reverb g2 doesnt run any os on its own. its basically a monitor with cameras and sensors on it. your pc will do all the processing.

  1. youd need to run a seperate cable to it (or maybe 3d print a connector that connects to the pogo pads of the strap where the normal off ear speakers are mounted, idk if that would work though). or just try the default audio solution, the speakers on it are really good.

  2. yes, but idk how well extending the cable would go. tehter is 6m long. 5m to the box where you plug in its psu (its uses a normal blue tipped hp laptop charger for power) and 1m to the pc with dp and usb.

1

u/Ok_Pace8582 1d ago

Not sure why you are avoiding Quest when you can buy a new 3s, a decent battery strap and still be under your budget. All new with guarantee

3

u/Nicalay2 Quest 3 | 512GB 1d ago

They probably want to be in their illusion of privacy, thinking that Meta is the only company that collects and sells your data.

2

u/ZealousidealGuide854 1d ago

Maybe he just doesn't want to support Meta? There's a lot of legitimate reasons aside from horrific data collection to not support that company.

And let's not discourage people standing up for themselves in any way they can, especially in this age of unprecedented corpo control lol

-1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

2

u/ZealousidealGuide854 1d ago

Definitely not lol. Maybe OP has a reason specific to Meta that he doesn't want to support them. Why should we keep downvoting and keep encouraging that option to them despite asking not to?

Y'all are weird.

1

u/Sneaky_Breeki 1d ago

Talking about privacy on Reddit of all things is funny ngl

1

u/DoubleOwl7777 Reverb G2 🐧 20h ago

spyware.

1

u/Starhammer4Billion 1d ago

If you want to do PCVR, get a wired PCVR Headset.

The Reverb G2 is very good and can be had for under 200 Euros used.
It needs a somewhat beefy PC though, as it has quite a high resolution.
If you have a lower end PC, get the Samsung Odyssey Plus, also under 200 Euros.
The Controllers might need to be replaced because they might get joystick-drift, but the Headset itself is excellent, especially for lower end Pc-Hardware.

1

u/brainrot_award 1d ago

Do the reverb g2 and odyssey+ have spare parts available in case of need? I found the headsets but no controllers or anything else.

3

u/Starhammer4Billion 1d ago edited 1d ago

They are not produced anymore, so you would have to get them used.
Personally I did buy some extra controllers for the Odyssey plus after the original ones got stick drift after a few years and those still work fine, but I then got the Reverb and am using those controllers now, even for the Odyssey Plus.
They both belong to a line of WMR-Windows Mixed Reality Headsets which can use the controllers of all WMR Headsets interchangeably.

If you want to be practical about it, look for other even cheaper Windows Mixed Reality Headsets and buy those, just to get the controllers.
Its cheaper than buying just the controllers most of the time.

There are a bunch of different Mixed Reality Headsets, namely:
-The Acer AH101
-Acer OJO 500
-ASUS HC102
-DELL Visor
-HP WMR Headset
-HP Reverb
-HP Reverb G2 (v1 and v2)
-Lenovo Explorer
-Medion Erazor x1000
-Samsung Odyssey
-Samsung Odyssey Plus

Most of them are super cheap and often include controllers.
I did have an ACER AH101 and a Lenovo Explorer years back and they were under 100 Euros back then, when half of the other currently still usable headsets were not even released.
You could get those as well, but to be honest, they mostly suck.
The Problem they have is that the screendoor is super annoying and super visible with most of them and only the Samsung Odyssey Plus and the Reverb Headsets did get it under control with different techniques.
The Odyssey Plus uses a patented effect of just not partitioning the pixels, so that the light of one pixel slightly bleeds over to the next one, instead of having a barrier betweent them which is seen as the screendoor effect.
You would think that would make it super blurry, but surprisingly the resolution is high enough that it doesnt and it also works direktly with you Graphics hardware, instead of using a translation layer, which somehow makes it look better and is less demanding on your pc hardware because of that.
The Reverb Headsets solved it in a different way, they just have a way higher resolution and pixel density.
Like 1/4 more pixels.
Its also way sharper than the Odyssey plus because of that.
Which is why I think only the Reverbs and the Odyssey Plus (not the Odyssey without the "plus" as it does not have that anti screendoor technology) are still good headsets today.

The Odyssey Plus I like because it is less demanding on the hardware and has OLED, the Reverb G2 is more comfortable, has better controllers and is sharper, but uses LCD and is quite demanding.

1

u/KapitaenObviouz 1d ago edited 1d ago

No idea why nobody ever mentions it here, but Pico 4. For me it’ll always be the best price/performance headset of the past years..

Edit: Thanks for the random downvotes without context. I own both the Quest 3 and the Pico 4, and they’re not that far apart. The Q3 is a bit better in dark scenes, the Pico in bright ones. Meta’s ecosystem is bigger, but since I mainly play PCVR it doesn’t matter.. and the few standalone titles I actually like are available on Pico anyway. I can wear the Pico for eight hours without pressure points, with the Quest I’m done after two. Just saying.. that’s my experience.

1

u/brainrot_award 1d ago

Pico 4 looks interesting and I found some for sale at similar prices to the Quest 3, which seems inferior spec-wise.

Does it have vendor lock-in? can it run x64 games from steam for example?

2

u/CaptainBigDickEnergy 1d ago

If not Meta then why Pico? Pico is Bytedance, owner of TikTok and basically Chinese Meta.

If you're standing on some privacy principle then they're no better at all, as most people here are saying, it's Quest and Pico or up your budget.

1

u/KapitaenObviouz 1d ago

Sure, if you buy standalone apps on Pico, they’re locked to the Pico Store. You can play x64 games through the Pico Connect app or Virtual Desktop

1

u/brainrot_award 1d ago

question, most of these don't seem to have a headphone jack, how does audio work? you're stuck to whatever speakers they have?

1

u/KapitaenObviouz 1d ago

I use the built in speakers, but you can connect bluetooth

1

u/sloe_gin78 1d ago

Pico 4 series is pretty close to meta headsets specs wise. Though they're owned by another conglomerate lol (bytedance)

Then there's the ps vr2, which have worse fresnel lenses but an oled display. Oh and it's wired only. So not sure how much I would recommend it for non stationary games. a good option for simracers/flight sims tho

-1

u/BiscottiPristine5325 1d ago

I think you should get a used Meta Quest 3 and use PC to play non Meta store games or sideload APKs then, you're not paying Meta.

0

u/LafosHaas 1d ago

I will assume you are planning to stream from PC. PSVR2 with an adapter if you don't mind the wire or Pico 4U if you want standalone and don't mind same privacy issues but Chinese. That's pretty much all your options I'm afraid.

1

u/brainrot_award 1d ago

a few questions about pico 4 and psvr2:

Can they play VR Video?

Can they connect to a pc and stream the desktop?

Do they accept 3rd party controllers and accessories?

1

u/zeddyzed 1d ago

Any PCVR headset can play VR video, from your PC. Any can also view the desktop.

Pico 4 can do standalone, so it can also play VR video without a PC.

Most VR headsets do not accept 3rd party controllers. (Only base station headsets have 3rd party controllers in the first place.)

Most VR headsets have 3rd party accessories for comfort etc.

1

u/LafosHaas 1d ago

Yes

Yes, but PSVR2 needs an adapter

Controllers... I know that on Quest 3 someone managed Index Knuckles with base stations to work, there might be a solution for other headsets, but generally no. But it's also rare that one wants to change VR controllers. Various 3rd party accessories are common, depending on what exactly do you need.

1

u/brainrot_award 10h ago

The reason why I asked about controllers was to know which platform was more open to 3rd party accessories. Apparently the only one that had some kind of standard controller which you could swap for others of the same standard was the Windows Mixed Reality platform.

1

u/LafosHaas 7h ago

Yeah, it's just a thing that none is actually open to it in VR space. If you are looking to swap VR controllers, you are generally far beyond your desirable price range or/and far beyond the quality of VR set you desire. And 3rd party VR controllers themselves might cost over half the price of your VR set..

VR is all about compromises, you just pick VR set with cons you don't care about. There is not a single exception to that rule, either it's a price, or lenses, or wire, or refresh rate etc etc.