Technologies

Best VR Headsets of 2022

Guess what? The Quest 2 still remains the best.

VR still isn’t an essential experience for anyone, but it can be a lot of fun and surprisingly useful at times. The hardware, however, is currently in transition. Sony’s $550 PSVR 2, which requires a PlayStation 5, arrives Feb. 22 but is available for preorder. There’s been a wave of new VR headsets lately, including the $1,500 Meta Quest Pro and the not-available-in-the-US Pico 4. Apple’s rumored headset should be on its way in 2023, along with the Quest 3. And yet, right now, the 2-year-old Meta Quest 2 is still by far the best choice. Right now, a couple of our favorite VR headsets also have Black Friday sales: the Quest 2 and HP Reverb G2.

The cost of a new VR headset might be going up these days, and the $400 Quest 2 jumped up in price earlier this year (it used to be $299, but is back on sale for $350 in a limited Black Friday bundle). Even so, it still offers a completely wireless experience, with access to a great library of fantastic games like Resident Evil 4 and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners. It can also be connected to a PC to play titles like Half-Life: Alyx, or run a variety of PC VR applications. Meta keeps improving its software over time with added extras.

Anyone in the VR/AR industry looking to explore next-gen face tracking or mixed reality might consider the Quest Pro, but its high price means it won’t make sense for anyone else right now. Keep in mind, Meta is releasing the Quest 3 next year, at a price expected to be similar to the Quest 2 and possibly with some features that are on the Quest Pro. (The Pico 4 gives some hints of how the Quest 3 could be upgraded.) You might want to wait for it, or for the other VR headsets on the horizon.

Apple is expected to have some form of advanced VR/AR headset next year that could also be super expensive. Sony’s PlayStation VR 2, also coming in 2023, requires a PlayStation 5 but has fantastic new controllers and could boast unique games. And in the meantime, we may see more experimental, phone-connected headsets like the HTC Vive Flow start to pop up.

VR in 2022 remains an impressive but still limited proposition. Thanks to tremendous advancements in the visuals, tracking and overall performance of VR hardware, the best VR headset options have become more realistic and immersive. More advanced metaverse platforms and social worlds have given VR owners more to explore, too. Even so, VR still hasn’t become a necessary product for most people.

VR’s strongest applications tend to be gaming and fitness. For fitness, a standalone headset like the Quest 2 is practically mandatory, to avoid wire tangles and make sure you can move around. (The Quest 2 also has a fitness tracker app and syncs with Apple Health.)

Will you want a headset that works with your phone? Qualcomm’s been making headway on a wave of VR and AR headsets that plug right into phones, but at the moment the software for these devices is a work in progress. Neither Google nor Apple really supports VR at a seamless system level for phones yet, meaning devices have to figure out awkward solutions.

If you’re a PC gamer,a PC-connected VR headset still offers the most versatile collection of software for an immersive VR experience, and also lets you use that headset for creative and business tools. Note that a more powerful VR systemwill still be largely tethered to a desktop or laptop and may require external sensors.

And what about console gaming? The aging PlayStation VRstill exists, but you’re better off waiting for the PSVR 2 if you have a PS5.

We update this best VR headset list periodically, but note that prices are subject to change.

VR FAQs

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Technologies

Instagram Adds New Features, Including Reposts and Maps

Feed posts and public reels can now be reshared on the popular social-networking app.

Instagram has launched new features aimed at further connecting users with their online contacts, the company announced Wednesday. One involves sharing public feed posts and reels, another shares locations with others on an Instagram map, and a new Friends tab shows what content your contacts have liked or commented on.

For reposts, you’ll be able to share public reels and feed posts from other users. The original poster will be credited and those reshares will appear in the sharer’s profile in a new tab. Posts and reels will now include a reshare icon when they’re available to share.

Instagram says creators will be able to reach more people since those posts will be recommended to others’ followers.

You have to enable the new map feature to start sharing your last active location. You can set who can see your location and can also choose not to share your location when you’re in specific places, or have your location available to specific users.

Location sharing can be disabled at any time, Instagram says. Reels, posts and stories can be viewed through the map.

Also, a new Friends tab at the top of Reels shows public content from contacts. This feature has been available previously, but is now being expanded globally.

You can opt out of having your content displayed in the tab with options to hide likes, comments and reposts. You can also mute likes, comments and reposts from accounts you follow.

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Technologies

How to Play Battlefield 6 Beta: Open Access Resumes This Friday

The Battlefield 6 open beta for all will open back up this weekend, starting on Aug. 14.

EA’s DICE studio has blown the lid off the multiplayer for its upcoming military shooter Battlefield 6, and after an exciting first beta weekend, you can join the fray again in just a few days. Battlefield 6’s first public beta is available to everyone and will resume this weekend. It’s not too late to join in, and here’s how.

The Battlefield 6 open beta is the first chance for players to experience the game’s multiplayer before its full release on Oct. 10. While those with early access got a couple extra days to play and the first open beta weekend was a rousing success, if you didn’t get to play, don’t worry — the second weekend will kick off at 1 a.m. PT on Aug. 14 and run through Aug. 16.

Fans can visit Battlefield’s website to get info for the open beta, which just requires linking your EA account to your platform account. PC players will also have to configure their system to Secure Boot as well (see below).

The beta will be playable on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S.

When does the Battlefield 6 beta end? What are the dates and times?

Aug. 7-8: Early access.
Aug. 9-10: First open beta weekend available to all.
Aug. 14-16: Second open beta weekend available to all, starting at 1 a.m. PT on Aug. 14 and closing Aug. 17 at 1 a.m. PT.

How to access the Battlefield 6 open beta

As this is an open beta, getting access is pretty easy. Simply download the Battlefield 6 beta client from your preferred platform, including the PS5, Xbox Series X and S, Steam, Epic Games Store or the EA app.

Preloading the Battlefield 6 beta started on Aug. 4. Doing a preload means you’ll be able to jump on the beta as soon as it’s available instead of waiting for it to download on the day of access.

Battlefield 6 open beta download links

Here are the BF6 Beta download links for each platform:

Battlefield 6 beta maps

EA revealed the rotation of maps for the Battlefield 6 open beta weekends.

For the first weekend of Aug. 9-10, the maps were:

Liberation Peak: A large mountainous desert.
Siege of Cairo: An urban battlefield in the heart of Egypt.
Iberian Offensive: Tall buildings for fun times.

The second weekend of Aug. 14-17 will include the first weekend maps, plus:

Empire State: A close-quarters NYC map.

Battlefield 6 beta game modes

Just like with the maps, each weekend will also feature certain game modes.

The modes for the first weekend were:

Conquest
Closed Weapon Conquest
Domination
King of the Hill
Breakthrough

Then on the second weekend of the beta, it will be the previous modes along with:

Rush
Squad Deathmatch
And more (DICE did not provide specifics)

PC-specific notice for Battlefield 6 beta

A special note if you haven’t played a Battlefield game on PC recently: Studio DICE and EA recently started requiring players to set their computers to Secure Boot when playing Battlefield games to combat cheaters, and Battlefield 6 is no different. To even play the open beta, you’ll need to delve into your BIOS and switch your PC to Secure Boot. Check EA’s guide for help.