Virtual reality has expanded to numerous platforms taking the technological world by storm. When VR became available on PlayStation, gamers were ecstatic to experience virtual reality on a mainstream platform.
The PlayStation VR headset was a great addition to VR headsets and it has gone through quite a few updates over the past 5 years. However, this headset lags behind some of the other exceptional VR headsets on the market.
Therefore, in this post, we will help you identify all the reasons why the PSVR headset is worth the purchase as well as which alternatives should be considered if PSVR is not suitable for you.
Winner
PlayStation VR Headset
The PSVR headset is one of the most popular VR headsets on the market. It provides a good VR experience at a relatively affordable rate. Moreover, it is comfortable to wear and allows longer hours of gameplay.
Runner Up
Oculus Meta Quest 2
The Meta Quest 2 is quite an impressive headset. At an affordable rate, you receive a lot more value in exchange for its price tag. It is a comfortable, lightweight headset with high-quality features that compete with expensive VR headsets.
Also Great
Samsung HMDOdyssey
The Samsung HMD Odyssey VR headset is a great Windows Mixed Reality headset. With support from Mixed Reality and SteamVR integration, you can get access to a sea of VR content. Moreover, this headset provides quality visuals alongside comfort.
Now that we have looked at an overview of our top choices, let’s look at these options in detail.
VR Headset PS4 Cheap - Top 4 Reviews
#1: Best PS4 VR Headset - PlayStation VR Headset Review
PSVR is one of the most popular VR headsets on the market because it is compatible with your PlayStation gaming console and does not require expensive PC support. It is one of the more affordable headsets falling in the mid-range price categories.
This headset is very comfortable to wear. It holds to the crown of your head taking pressure off your nose and forehead. An adjustment button allows you to slide the faceplate backward or forward to achieve more comfort levels.
The white halo of the headset is made from hard white plastic that is lined with textured foam along with a ballast placed on the back to make the headset as comfortable as possible. A white adjustable dial can tighten the headset to hold properly and a release button can loosen it.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy PSVR Headset
Price: The PS VR headset falls in the same price range as Oculus Quest. It provides the same quality and value in its features as the market’s best VR headsets. However, as it was designed back in 2016, it has become a bit dated.
Features: This headset has a 1920 x 1080 resolution with an OLED display that gives great visuals with crisp images. It has a 120 Hz refresh rate with a 100-degree field of view. This headset reduces motion sickness to give a more immersive experience.
Moreover, it has a built-in microphone to help you stay connected to your friends during online gaming sessions where you can freely chat when playing VR games.
Specifications:
The PS VR headset has the following specifications:
- 7.36 x 7.28 x 10.91 inches dimensions
- 4.99 pounds weight
- OLED screen
- 1920 x 1080 resolution
- 90, 120 Hz refresh rate
- 100 degrees FoV
- Accelerometer, gyroscope sensors
- Cinematic mode
- Social screening
- 3D audio processing
- USB, HDMI connections
Tracking: PS VR uses Move motion controllers or the Dual motion controllers that are tracked by the PS camera that has 3D depth sensors and dual lenses for precision tracking. Moreover, the headset has 9 LED lights present all over the headset for movement tracking.
VR Content Library: Sony does not reach the highest level of VR gaming, however, it provides a promising library of games that have good image quality even if the fidelity is not too grand. It gives you a ton of VR experiences and Blockbuster adventures with its creative games.
- Affordable
- Comfortable
- Good VR content selection
- Sleek, unique design
- Good quality features
- Tracking not very precise
- Does not block light out completely
Best PS4 VR Headset
The PlayStation VR headset is a great viewer for PlayStation owners as it supports all PS VR content alongside non-VR content. It has near-PC quality performance and provides good tracking and crisp double images.
#2: Best Standalone VR Headset - Oculus Meta Quest 2 Review
The Meta Quest 2 is a versatile VR headset that is leading the industry right now. It is suitable for seasoned veterans and novices alike. We highly recommend it because you can get high-quality features from this headset that provide a lot of value at an affordable price.
It allows you to step into virtual gaming worlds as well as 360-degree VR videos and have the best, most immersive experiences. Moreover, since it is a standalone VR headset, you will not be tethered to your PC, and the setup is extremely easy.
Even the most tech-shy members of your family can easily use this VR headset. The Meta Quest 2 is a new version of the Oculus Quest headset with further improvements on the already quite impressive VR headset.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Meta Quest 2
Price: The Quest 2 headset is popular because of its low price tag. While it does not fall under the $100 markup, it is still relatively affordable and frequently purchased because no other headsets provide the quality at this price that the Quest 2 does.
Features: This headset has 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye resolution with up to 90 Hz refresh rates with support for 120 Hz for some VR games. Moreover, it has built-in 3D positional audio that adds to the VR immersion.
The headset does not have a completely adjustable IPD anymore rather it has three pre-set IPD options of 58mm, 63mm, and 68mm. Furthermore, the headset has different storage spaces of 128 GB and 256 GB, which cause a variation in prices as well
Specifications: This headset has the following specifications:
- 10.24 x 7.36 x 4.96 inches dimensions
- 1.83 pounds weight
- Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor
- Fast-switch LCD screen
- 60, 72, 90 Hz refresh rates
- 1832 x 1920 resolution per eye
- Touch controllers
- 6 DoF tracking
- 3.5 mm audio port
- 3D positional audio system
Tracking: The Quest 2 has come back with a redesigned version of its touch controllers to give better gesture tracking. It features the same two shoulder buttons for pulling triggers coupled with precision motion tracking.
Its controllers also feature unique haptic feedback to give you a buzzing feel of lightsabers and recoil from shooting guns. Moreover, the controllers also allow hand tracking for you to easily navigate the interface and menu screen.
VR Content Library: The VR content that the Oculus platform offers is rich and diverse providing magical and adventurous experiences. It features hundreds of immersive apps and games some of which are Oculus exclusive.
- Relatively affordable
- Comfortable
- Hosts a generous library
- Sharp and crisp visuals
- Standalone
- Powerful processor
- Low battery life
- Requires a Facebook login
- Non-rechargeable AA batteries of controllers
Best Standalone VR Headset
The Oculus Meta Quest VR headset is one of the leading headsets on the market alongside HTC Vive and Valve Index. It is the most purchased headset because of its versatile features available at an affordable price.
#3: Best Windows Mixed Reality Headset - Samsung HMD Odyssey Review
The Samsung HMD Odyssey is a great option when it comes to Windows Mixed Reality headsets. Albeit it’s slightly expensive as compared to the Oculus Quest or PSVR headsets, its high-quality features justify its price.
Samsung was a little late at joining the platform. However, it showed up with a promising headset. It has a high resolution and crisp image quality, along with the support of built-in headphones and a microphone that add to the immersive experience.
This headset is quite lightweight and comfortable to wear. While it does not have a flimsy feel to it and holds to your head without exerting pressure on your cranium or neck, for a headset falling in a slightly expensive price range, it could have been more substantial.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Samsung Odyssey
Price: The Samsung HMD Odyssey falls in the mid-range prices of VR headsets and is slightly more expensive than the Oculus Quest 2 by an additional $100. However, for its price tag, it offers quality features and ensures value deliverance.
Features: This headset stands out with its dual AMOLED display with 1440 x 1600 pixels resolution per eye that promises crisp images and high visual fidelity. However, it has a lower refresh rate of 60 Hz and 90 Hz, which only touches the industrial standards.
The 6 degrees of freedom coupled with inside-out tracking allows buttery smooth visuals that may not seem much through the numbers mentioned above but provide a truly immersive experience.
Specifications: The Samsung HMD Odyssey has the following specifications:
- 7.95 x 4.37 x 5.18 inches dimensions
- 1.42 pounds weight
- 1440 x 1600 resolution
- 3.50 inches AMOLED QHD screen
- Single fresnel lens
- 90 Hz refresh rate
- 110-degree field of view
- AKG built-in premium speaker
- 2 6DoF cameras for tracking
- 120 fps
- Bluetooth 2.0 BDR / EDR, Power Class 2
- 2.36-2.83 inch range IPD adjustment
- USB 5V power supply
Tracking: This headset features 2 cameras with a 6DoF room and controller tracking. These cameras are placed on the bottom of the lenses in the front to look down on the floor for precision movement tracking.
The controllers of the headset work quite well and have accessible trigger buttons. However, they are not as intuitive and comfortable as the Oculus controllers.
VR Content Library: Due to the support of the SteamVR and Windows Mixed Reality platforms, the Samsung HMD Odyssey has access to a wide range of VR content that includes apps, games, videos, photos, social games, and more.
- Lightweight headset
- Good, crisp visuals
- Comfortable to wear
- Built-in 3D audio
- Adjustable lenses
- High resolution
- Relatively expensive
- Controllers not as comfortable
Best Windows Mixed Reality Headset
The Samsung HMD Odyssey is the best Windows Mixed Reality headset because it offers high resolution and good quality visuals at a relatively affordable price. Moreover, it has a very lightweight and comfortable build.
#4: Best Visuals and Sounds - HP Reverb G2 Review
The HP Reverb G2 is an improved version of its predecessor, coupled with the high sound quality and comfort of Valve Index. This headset has seen a Microsoft software improvement, a Valve lens improvement, and new display technology.
Due to such improvements, this headset can give crisp images and good visual fidelity. The screen door effect has reduced drastically, and the images are free from streaking effects and light flashes that increase immersion significantly.
Moreover, even though the headset is not covered in fabric anymore, however, it still has a more cloth covering than its predecessor. It is covered with soft memory foam with padding on the rear strap. It has almost the same three-point design with Velcro and plastic straps for comfort.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy HP Reverb G2
Price: The HP Reverb G2 is a mid-range headset with a difference of an additional $100 in price as compared to the Samsung HMD Odyssey headset. It provides good quality and comfort to support longer hours of gameplay.
Features: This VR headset has a resolution of 2160 x 2160 pixels per eye that beats both Oculus Quest 2 and Valve Index headsets. It has a refresh rate of 90 Hz, which is the baseline in the industry; however, with a higher resolution, it can give quality visuals.
Moreover, it has a built-in audio system which makes the headset more comfortable by cutting down the burden of headphones and extra wires. Furthermore, as a PC-tethered VR headset, it has complete support from SteamVR and Windows Mixed Reality.
Specifications: HP Reverb G2 has the following specifications:
- 7.32 x 3.31 x 2.95 inches dimensions
- 1.1 pounds weight
- 2160 x 2160 resolution per eye
- 90 Hz
- Mini-DisplayPort or DisplayPort adapter
- Power Adapter
- Mura-free LCD panels
- 2 x 2.89” LCD
- Full RGB stripe
- IPD Adjustments
- 6M cables
- USB-C to A Adapter
- 4 tracking cameras
Tracking: This headset comes with 2 standard controllers for each hand. They have a very ergonomic design for hand comfort with a propriety central hand grip. These controllers have a joystick, four face buttons, a bumper button, and a trigger button.
There is a circular ring on top of the headset that is covered with lights. The Reverb G2 uses these lights to track your hand movements. It supports motion tracking by the 2 cameras installed on the headset for precision tracking.
VR Content Library: The G2 has support for both SteamVR and Windows Mixed Reality games and apps. Even though Windows Mixed Reality does not have a very large library, the best VR games are still available on it. Moreover, SteamVR has a very immersive library.
- High-resolution
- Comfortable
- Relatively affordable
- Works well with SteamVR
- Easy set up
- Good sound quality
- Motion tracking is a bit less impressive
- More expensive than Oculus and not standalone
Best Visuals and Sounds
The HP Reverb G2 headset is new and improved with Valve’s industry-leading lenses and sound system. It is comfortable to wear and supports high-resolution images making the experience quite immersive.
Buyers’ Guide
The expansion in the virtual reality platform has benefited users by offering many good quality alternate options to experience VR through. The best part about this is that most competitors have cut prices by half to become the most purchased viewers.
However, you still need to consider the following factors in order to select the best option:
Price
Most VR headsets of the same price level fall within the same price range with a difference of a few dollars. These headsets share the quality level and similar features one another which makes it harder to determine the best one.
However, since they barely differ from one another, you should select the least expensive one out of these headsets that fulfill your requirements.
Features
The headset that you select should have good quality features that include high frequency, high resolution, good quality lenses, precision tracking, high visual fidelity, and high-quality audio systems. All of these features greatly contribute to an immersive experience.
Therefore, you need to ensure that you identify these features in the headset you want to purchase.
Specifications
A good quality VR headset is determined by its build, the processor it uses, and its visual capabilities.
Moreover, the dimensions of the headset along with its weight are also important specifications to be considered because heavier headsets exert more pressure ruining your experience.
Tracking
Motion tracking greatly determines the level of immersion you will experience in virtual reality. Motion tracking is the movements the headset transfers into VR to allow you to feel completely immersed in another dimension.
If this tracking breaks or lags, you can feel nauseous and experience motion sickness or dizziness.
VR Content Library
The library supported by the VR headset matters a lot. Most tethered headsets have support from SteamVR or Windows Mixed Reality. While Windows Mixed Reality is almost completely outdated at this point in time, SteamVR still provides a vast library of apps and games.
Standalone headsets such as the Oculus Quest series have support from their own platform with compatibility for some of the most immersive and thrilling games and apps.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the best, most affordable VR headsets?
There are some incredible VR headsets on the market that are extremely budget-friendly while providing value with features that compete with Valve Index and HTC Vive headsets.
These headsets include:
- Oculus Quest headsets
- PlayStation VR headset
- Samsung HMD Odyssey and Odyssey+ headsets
- HP Reverb G2
Some cheap, low-ranged headsets that also provide value include:
- Gear VR
- DayDream View
- Google Cardboard
- Merge VR
- BNext headset
Which VR headsets work with PlayStation?
Unfortunately, at the time being, the only VR headset that works with PS4 and PS5 is the PlayStation VR headset. However, PlayStation has announced PSVR 2 which promises many improvements to its predecessor and will hopefully provide the value PSVR could not.
Is PS VR better or is Oculus Quest better?
While the PSVR headset provided much value back when it was released in 2016, however, since then the VR platform has expanded and better opponents have entered the market including Oculus Quest.
The Oculus Quest series is quite a promising VR experience. It provides HTC Vive-level visuals and comfort. It has a resolution of 1832 x 1920 per eye as compared to PlayStation VR’s 960 x 1080 per eye.
Final Verdict
We have reached the end of our post on the VR headset PS4 cheap with a complete review of the PSVR headset along with our favorite options that deserve consideration as well.
The PlayStation VR headset is a good choice to go for if you own a PlayStation gaming console. It supports a vast library and provides good tracking with immersive gameplay from its Dualshock or Move controllers.
On the other hand, the Samsung HMD Odyssey headset is also a great choice as it provides good value for many. It is comfortable and provides quality visuals.
However, at the end of the day, the Oculus Quest 2 VR headset wins the battle. It supports high visual fidelity and a comfortable experience due to its standalone nature. Moreover, it possesses high-quality features that you would expect from an expensive VR headset.
Let us know if you have any other questions.
