Technologies
Best VR Headsets of 2025: My Favorite Hardware Right Now
The future may belong to glasses, but there are still great VR headsets, too. Here are my go-to options.
Our Experts
- Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
Editors’ Note, Nov. 24: This list reflects my current choices for Best VR headsets for the holidays. Be sure to check out CNET’s top Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals too: Meta’s headsets are already getting discounts.
VR HEADSET DEALS OF THE WEEK
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I’ve looked at VR and AR headsets for well over a decade, from Google Glass and the first demos of the Oculus Rift to peeks at the future of AR glasses and Android XR. Right now, VR has settled down to just a few players, but the landscape is changing fast. Apple’s newest mixed reality Vision Pro headset has a far faster M5 chip and works with Apple’s iPadOS apps and MacBooks, while the Samsung Galaxy XR is the first device running Google’s new AndroidXR operating system, which works with Google apps and the Google Play ecosystem. And Valve is back in the VR game with the Steam Frame, a new standalone headset I demoed that’s coming in 2026. It’ll play Steam 2D and VR games, and also stream from PCs.
But right now, VR is best enjoyed as something affordable, since the landscape is shifting so fast (and smart glasses are evolving functions that creep closer to what VR and mixed reality headsets can offer).
What’s the best VR headset overall?
The Meta Quest 3 offers mixed reality and improved display resolution and optics, and is $500 — $3,000 less than the Apple Vision Pro. However, the newer Meta Quest 3S, a lower-cost version of the Quest 3 for $300, is an even better buy for entry-level VR adopters. Even better, it’s often on sale for even less. I prefer the Quest 3, but there are plenty of people who will find the 3S to be a great choice for its price. I love these headsets because they’re by far the most affordable devices out there. While Meta could have a new headset next year, if you buy a Quest 3 or 3S now it’s still a heck of a lot of fun for its price as long as you can deal with living in Meta’s world.
The Quest 3 and 3S both have Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processors that produce better graphics and allow for higher-res color pass-through camera feeds than the older Quest 2, and both have redesigned controllers. Both can create mixed reality effects by blending what the cameras see with VR graphics that are overlaid in the headset to look like AR. The Quest 3 has better lenses and a higher display resolution, but I prefer the feel of the Quest 3S eyepiece on my face, and the 3S also seems to have slightly better hand tracking in low light.
The Quest platform has plenty of side benefits: It has hundreds of games and creative or productivity apps, and several great fitness programs for effective cardio workouts. It can connect to PCs and even double as a work device if you have some patience. It also has hand tracking that works without controllers, but controllers are included to give you two input options. The Quests can even play “spatial” 3D videos shot on newer iPhones. But as Meta clearly emphasizes smart glasses going forward, and Apple and Google embrace new ecosystems of their own, it’s a little unclear where Meta’s VR future truly lies. Treat it as a still-great game console and you should be fine.
Read more: The Best VR Games to Play in 2025
Best VR headsets of 2025
Best overall VR headset
Meta Quest 3
Pros
- Crisp high-res displays
- Improved new processor
- Mixed reality with better color cameras
- Smaller controllers with better haptics
Cons
- More expensive than Quest 2
- Few unique apps and games at launch
- Straps and comfort still aren’t great
- Still only 2-3 hours battery life
Meta’s upgraded VR sequel to the Quest 2 feels like a notable revamp, with improvements across the board: a slightly smaller design, better, clearer lenses, a higher-res display, smaller controllers with better haptics and higher-res color cameras that can mix the real world and the virtual together. This «mixed reality» is similar in spirit to what Apple’s Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR does but in a lower-res form for a lot less money.
Although the Quest 3 has great upgrades, it doesn’t really change the equation much on the general way the headset and software function. That being said, the Quest 3’s display quality and graphics performance are stunning for its price. Quest apps and the OS are largely the same, and mixed reality is mostly a gimmick for the moment that’s only featured in a handful of new games and apps, although seeing your surroundings with the headset on (and even checking messages on your phone) is a lot easier now. The headset’s comfort level isn’t any better, and hand tracking still is fine but not perfect, although it’s getting better.
The Quest 3 may get supplanted by newer hardware next year, but it’s still a really good device right now. And its excellent display quality and improved wireless connectivity also make it a good choice for PC VR gamers: it works as a connected PC headset just like other Quest models do. And the Quest’s multi-use appeal — as a game console, a creative or work device, and even a fitness tool — give it tremendous versatility. It remains one of the most exciting gadgets you can buy for $500.
Best affordable VR headset
Meta Quest 3S
Pros
- Updated graphics and faster processor
- Improved color passthrough cameras
- Better hand tracking
Cons
- No improvement to lenses or resolution vs Quest 2
- Only 2-3 hours battery life
The Meta Quest 3S (Meta’s replacement to my longstanding Editor’s Choice headset, the Quest 2) is super-affordable at $300 and comes with updated graphics and color passthrough cameras that give the 3S the same gaming and mixed reality powers as the Quest 3. It’s a fantastic budget buy, but Meta cut corners on the display and lens quality with the 3S, choosing to use the same fresnel lenses and LCD display as the Quest 2. It’s perfectly fine for general VR and gaming, but the more expensive Quest 3’s notably clearer lenses and crisper resolution are my favorite for all-day use and for reading text.
Still,It’s by far the most impressive mixed reality device at this price available anywhere.
There is another unique advantage to the Quest 3S: its hand tracking is better in lower light than the Quest 3. That might be something that makes some apps work better, especially for viewing movies and shows casually when traveling.
Pros
- Vivid, high-res OLED display
- Comfortable fit
- Excellent controllers
- Realistic vibrations
- Powerful graphics potential
Cons
- Needs to be cabled to PS5
- Included earbuds are just OK
- Doesn’t work with old PSVR games
- Game library needs more exclusives
The PSVR 2 is less expensive now at $300 on holiday sales, but it still needs a PlayStation 5 to even work. It’s tethered, not wireless. And Sony hasn’t supported the PSVR 2 with enough unique games to justify its existence. The PSVR 2 is still a fun luxury if you’re a PS5 gamer who also owns a PC. Its HDR OLED display, graphics quality, built-in eye tracking and fantastic advanced controllers — which have the same vibrations and adaptive force-feedback triggers as the PS5 DualSense controllers — give this headset a premium feel that makes its best games perform at a different level. It has some exclusives like Gran Turismo 7, Resident Evil Village and Horizon: Call of the Mountain, but not enough.
The PSVR 2 lacks any social metaverse-type software so far and feels more like a headset designed to just launch and play VR games. Many of the games for this headset are ports of titles you could get on devices like the Quest instead. Sony hasn’t supported the PSVR 2 much, and a PC gaming adapter that gives the headset Steam compatibility is useful, but also clunky to connect with a necessary breakout box. It’s still fun as long as you keep expectations within reach and accept the games that already exist.
Pros
- Extremely fast M5 processor
- Better head strap for comfier fit
- Best-in-class audio-video quality
- Up to an hour more battery life than before
Cons
- Absurdly expensive
- Still not enough compelling apps
- Heavy, especially during long sessions
- Doesn’t work seamlessly with all Apple devices
The Apple Vision Pro is an amazing piece of tech and a bleeding-edge high-end mixed reality headset that also runs iOS and thousands of iPad apps, works without controllers using eye and hand tracking and can run multiple apps at the same time, along with being a virtual MacBook monitor. However, it’s way too expensive for anyone but XR professionals and early adopters, even with its newest M5 processor bump.
That being said, what the Vision Pro does is often remarkable. The newest model’s M5 processor makes the headset far faster at booting up and launching/switching apps. Its 4K micro-OLED displays are stunning, and videos and photos look fantastic. Apple’s device requires a tethered battery pack, is only made to work within Apple’s ecosystem and still doesn’t have enough unique apps to justify its price, though.
Compared to Samsung and Google’s new Galaxy XR headset, which costs less but runs Google’s Android XR and Gemini AI, Apple’s hardware for Vision Pro feels more advanced and finessed, and fits more comfortably on my face with a newly designed dual band strap.
Apple now has Google to compete with in the mixed reality computing space, but neither Google or Apple has solved all the challenges yet. Apple has a distinct edge with its collaborative tools and more advanced Persona avatars, and I find working in Vision Pro as a giant monitor extension to be really useful. It’s also unequaled as a personal cinema. Support for PlayStation VR controllers and Logitech’s wireless Muse stylus also give it extra versatility. But the Vision Pro still feels like it hasn’t maximized all the ways it could be a 3D creative tool yet.
Get ready for the most powerful Meta Quest yet. Dive into full immersion with brilliant 4K resolution and rich spatial audio, feeling like you’re inside your favorite games. Stream shows on giant vibrant screens anywhere in your home, or enjoy the ultimate experience with Infinite Display’s widest field of view. With premium comfort and wireless design, you can move freely in workouts or take your headset on the go. And when you buy a Meta Quest 3 now, you’ll get $30 in Quest Cash.
Other VR headsets we’ve tested
Samsung Galaxy XR: Samsung and Google’s new blend of Google Android XR OS and Samsung headset design is like a lower-cost (but still $1800) version of Apple Vision Pro and runs camera-enabled Gemini, but it doesn’t have many dedicated apps yet and its interface doesn’t feel fully baked.
Meta Quest Pro: This older, outdated, eye-tracking-equipped Quest headset can track facial expressions and has a crisp display, but the less expensive Quest 3 already makes it obsolete with its better graphics, cameras and display resolution.
HTC Vive XR Elite: The glasses-like design of the XR Elite is a sign of the future, but the software and performance of this headset don’t justify its price.
PlayStation VR: The original PSVR still works on the PlayStation 4 and 5, but it’s not compatible with PSVR 2 games and hardware. It still has some great games to discover, but its lack of dedicated controllers and awkward setup feels ancient.
How I test VR headsets
Although mainstream VR headsets have been around for nearly a decade, the apps they run and the computers, phones and game consoles they work with keep changing. I run key apps and software on the headsets, using them mainly in standalone mode if they’re designed to be self-contained, or with a PC, game console or phone if they’re primarily meant as connected peripherals.
I use the headsets for a mix of work, gaming, fitness and creative uses, and stay attentive to where the headsets have pain points (moments of discomfort, feelings of disconnect or sensations of nausea or distortion). Using technology like VR can often be a highly subjective experience, but by being attentive to details I find I can discover where each product is uniquely useful.
Comparison is also key: I’ve looked at pretty much every wearable AR and VR device of the last 15 years and also covered a lot of the wearable tech, phone and computer landscape. How these devices work as game consoles, fitness devices, work accessories and social tools are all key areas. I also think about displays, audio, controllers and accommodations for eyeglasses.
Factors to consider when buying a VR headset
VR and AR sometimes feel like product categories that never quite seem to become mainstream, but change is coming fast to the headset landscape.
When it comes to VR productivity, Google and Samsung have made a new leap into Android XR to challenge Apple and the Vision Pro. The Samsung Galaxy XR is the first of a wave of VR and AR devices and glasses in Google’s software ecosystem, and you should expect Android XR to eventually forge a bridge between Android phones and headsets and glasses, although it’s hard to tell how fast that shift will happen. The Galaxy XR could be the first of many new Android-ready VR headsets, though, and some could end up being big competitors to Meta Quest.
Apple’s Vision Pro, now in its second iteration, hasn’t changed its price or its general proposition. But the M5-equipped model is definitely better. Still: will we see Apple make lower-cost devices or glasses soon? It’s unclear.
If you’re interested in VR for gaming, the Quest headsets are still the way to go. But change is coming. Valve’s Steam Frame standalone headset, coming in 2026, could be the biggest news in a while. The Snapdragon-powered VR portable can also play Steam Deck games via Steam OS, and has controllers that sport full d-pad and button layouts. Valve’s headset doesn’t have a price yet, but it could be well worth waiting for. It also might signal other standalone VR headsets gaining Steam OS support, too.
Meanwhile, Sony’s $550 PlayStation VR 2 doesn’t feel like the product I expected it would be when Sony introduced it nearly three years ago, but there are a number of great games you can play on it. Its older displays and tethered connection make it feel dated, though.
For PC owners, there are several options. You could use a Quest 3, Quest 3S, PSVR 2, or consider several existing devices. Or, you could wait for the Steam Frame, which also streams games via PCs with a new dedicated wireless connection. Steam is clearly the best conduit for PC VR right now, and the Steam Frame could be the best bet to hang on for.
One thing you should keep in mind: the cost of a new VR headset is going up these days. If price is your biggest concern, the Quest 3S currently offers the best value in VR, a completely wireless experience, with access to a great library of fantastic games.
VR headset FAQs
Technologies
Were You ‘Tricked’ Into an Amazon Prime Subscription? You Might Be Owed Part of a $2.5B Settlement
Consumers who were «tricked» into a Prime subscription and unable to cancel could see a payout. Here’s who qualifies, and how much you might receive.
Amazon used to make it easy to sign up for a Prime subscription — but very difficult to cancel. From tricky shipping options to Prime Video, plenty of customers wound up with a subscription they didn’t want, and now Amazon is paying the price. In September, the US Federal Trade Commission dropped a massive $2.5 billion settlement on the company for its deceptive subscription tactics.
This isn’t just a slap on the wrist. A whopping $1.5 billion is earmarked to refund eligible subscribers, with the rest serving as a civil penalty. Amazon is now legally required to provide a clear, obvious option to decline Prime, making it as easy to leave the service as it is to join.
Amazon isn’t admitting to any shady behavior. «Amazon and our executives have always followed the law, and this settlement allows us to move forward and focus on innovating for customers,» Mark Blafkin, Amazon senior manager, said in a statement. «We work incredibly hard to make it clear and simple for customers to both sign up or cancel their Prime membership, and to offer substantial value for our many millions of loyal Prime members around the world.»
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Why did the FTC file a lawsuit against Amazon?
The FTC filed suit against Amazon, accusing the company of using «dark patterns» to nudge people into Prime subscriptions and then making it too hard to cancel. The FTC maintained Amazon was in violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act.
«Specifically, Amazon used manipulative, coercive or deceptive user-interface designs known as ‘dark patterns’ to trick consumers into enrolling in automatically renewing Prime subscriptions,» the FTC complaint stated.
Who’s eligible for Amazon’s payout?
Amazon’s legal settlement is limited to customers who enrolled in Amazon Prime between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025. It’s also restricted to customers who subscribed to Prime using a «challenged enrollment flow» or who enrolled in Prime through any method but were unsuccessful in canceling their memberships.
The FTC called out specific enrollment pages, including Prime Video enrollment, the Universal Prime Decision page, the Shipping Option Select page and the Single Page Checkout. To qualify for a payout, claimants must also not have used more than 10 Amazon Prime benefits in any 12-month period.
Customers who signed up via those challenged processes and did not use more than three Prime benefits within one year will be paid automatically by Amazon within 90 days. Other eligible Amazon customers will need to file a claim, after Dec. 23, and Amazon is required to send notices to those people within 30 days of making its automatic payments.
Customers who did not use a challenged sign-up process but instead were unable to cancel their memberships will also need to file claims for payment.
How big will the Amazon payments be?
Payouts to eligible Amazon claimants will be limited to a maximum of $51. That amount could be reduced depending on the number of Amazon Prime benefits you used while subscribed to the service. Those benefits include free two-day shipping, watching shows or movies on Prime Video or Whole Foods grocery discounts.
Customers who qualify for the payments should receive them by Dec. 24.Customers outside the US aren’t eligible for the payout.
Technologies
Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Nov. 27, #1622
Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for Nov. 27, No. 1,622.
Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Wordle puzzle is a little tricky. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.
Today’s Wordle hints
Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.
Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats
Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.
Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels
Today’s Wordle answer has two vowels.
Wordle hint No. 3: First letter
Today’s Wordle answer begins with R.
Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter
Today’s Wordle answer ends with T.
Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning
Today’s Wordle answer can refer to sending money to pay for something.
TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER
Today’s Wordle answer is REMIT.
Yesterday’s Wordle answer
Yesterday’s Wordle answer, Nov. 26, No. 1621 was HOVEL.
Recent Wordle answers
Nov. 22, No. 1617: THICK
Nov. 23, No. 1618: BUNNY
Nov. 24, No. 1619: DOUGH
Nov. 25, No. 1620: PLEAD
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 27, #900
Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Nov. 27, #900
Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. The purple category relies on you to know the other games in the New York Times stable. (We feature answers to five of those games.) If you need help sorting them into groups, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.
The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.
Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time
Hints for today’s Connections groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Look out!
Green group hint: Store things here.
Blue group hint: In the shop.
Purple group hint: Some meta rhyming.
Answers for today’s Connections groups
Yellow group: Inundation.
Green group: Main folders in a computer.
Blue group: Woodworking tools.
Purple group: Rhymes for New York Times games.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is inundation. The four answers are avalanche, outpouring, tidal wave and torrent.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is main folders in a computer. The four answers are desktop, documents, downloads and music.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is woodworking tools. The four answers are drills, files, routers and saws.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is rhymes for New York Times games. The four answers are confections (Connections), grands (Strands), hurdle (Wordle) and swelling sea (Spelling Bee).
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