Best VR Under 50 – Top 3 Reviews, Buyer’s Guide, Tips & More

The VR industry has made great strides over the last few years which is why VR has now become very affordable to the average consumer. 

That being said, it can be confusing to shop for cheap virtual reality headsets because of a few reasons. 

The important thing to realize is that you have to first assess what your own needs are. Once you know your needs, you will realize what factors you must assess in a VR headset. 

These factors are: 

Build Quality 

This is almost always important with any electronics you buy but with cheap VR headsets, it’s doubly important. This is because there are a lot of shady manufacturers for cheap virtual reality headsets in the market right now. 

These manufacturers pump out cheaply-made virtual reality headsets that are made from low-quality materials. You don’t want to buy a virtual reality headset like that because, even if you get it for cheap, it will break down within a few weeks or months. 

If that happens, you’d have to dig into your wallet again to buy another cheap virtual reality headset. In the long run, it won’t be so cheap after all. 

Hence, it’s very important that you assess the build quality of the cheap virtual reality headset that you intend to buy. If you can do it in person, that’s obviously most preferable. Try it on, see how it feels; Maybe give it a test run with a few virtual reality games. 

If you can’t buy it in person and have to order it online, make sure that you conduct thorough research on the product to ensure it’s from a reputable company. It’s a good idea to go through user reviews for the product and see what they have to say. 

When you intend to buy a certain VR headset, it can also be a good idea to check its manufacturer’s website. If the manufacturer does not have a website or only has a poorly made one, that’s a major red flag.

Compatibility 

With cheap virtual reality headsets, you really have to assess what VR titles they are compatible with. Not only that but you must also keep in mind what future VR titles they will be compatible with as well (if at all). 

Again, this is where you have to assess what your own needs are. 

If you want to jump into VR for cheap and just want to see what the technology has to offer, then a cheap VR headset that isn’t compatible with too many titles may not even be that bad for you. 

That being said, if you want to play specific VR titles with your cheap virtual reality headset, then you may want to check what it’s compatible with first. 

Naturally, since the VR headsets are cheap, they might not have great compatibility and might only work with certain setups. 

Just ensure before you buy a VR headset that it’s compatible with all or most of the VR titles you intend to play.

Design and Comfort 

VR can be extremely tiring and physically intense during longer sessions. Furthermore, some VR titles are quite more physically demanding than others. 

If you want to perform well in such titles, it’s important that your VR headset is highly comfortable and not a hindrance in any way. 

You don’t want your VR headset to have a restrictive or uncomfortable design. It makes the intense titles a pain to play. Not only that but it also turns pleasant and relaxing VR titles into frustrating experiences. 

You want a VR headset that is preferably adjustable to different head sizes. Another thing to look for is constructed from high-quality materials that feel good on your head. You want comfortable cushions that rest nicely on your face. 

It’s also important for the VR headset to be breathable and not highly restrictive or claustrophobic. 

Interpupillary Distance 

This is something that many consumers forget to think about when they look for a VR headset. It’s quite concerning because this is something that’s very important to ensure whether your VR headset works well for you or not. 

The interpupillary distance or IPD is the distance between your pupils and the screen inside your VR headset of choice. Different people have different ideal IPDs. That being said, for most men, it is 63 mm, and for most women, it is 61 mm. 

When you buy a VR headset, it’s important to know what your ideal IPD is and whether or not that particular VR headset supports that IPD or not. 

Some VR headsets have adjustable IPDs while others cover a range of IPDs at one time. Whenever you browse the market for a cheap virtual reality headset, ensure that you keep its provided IPD in mind. 

Tracking Technology and Accuracy

Lastly, you have to think about the tracking technology that the VR headset of your choice uses. 

Some VR headsets use inside-out tracking. This means that these headsets use sensors inside them to map out their physical 3D environment. For headsets such as these, you don’t need to set up any external sensors. Hence, you don’t need as much space. 

That being said, the VR headsets that have inside-out tracking as a feature are typically a lot more expensive. Not only that but inside-out tracking technology is still in its early phases. That’s why it’s also not as accurate as traditional tracking with external sensors. 

Most of the cheap virtual reality headsets that you will come across will use the traditional tracking approach. This means that you will have to ensure you have enough space inside your home or apartment to properly set up these sensors. 

As long as you have the appropriate amount of space, you will be able to use any cheap virtual reality headset that uses this type of tracking.