What to know before getting your first XR headset

The XR market is starting to flourish. There are already a handful of XR devices on the market from companies such as Meta, HTC, and Apple. At the time of writing this, Samsung is gearing up to launch its own XR headset as well. So, there’s no doubt that this is the new frontier in mobile tech. However, if you’re looking to jump into this market, there are a few things you’ll want to know. These are just some common tips to make sure that, when you purchase your headset, you’re getting your money’s worth.

What do the prices look like?

There is a fair amount of devices out there on the market, and they have a pretty wide range of prices (this is mostly due to one of the devices). So, you’ll want to have a solid idea of what headsets are out there and how much they cost.

Meta Quest headsets

On the lower end of the spectrum, there are the Meta Quest headsets. The company is currently selling its Quest 3 and Quest 3S. The Quest 2 is still a viable option if you want a cheap way of getting into VR with very minimal passthrough.

However, the cheapest headset that Meta offers is the Quest 3S. This one starts at $299. It’s probably the cheapest headset on the market that you can still get new from its manufacturer. Next up, there’s the Meta Quest 3, and that comes in at $499. It’s a bit higher, but that’s still a great price for what you’re getting.

HTC Vive headsets

After making a silent exit from the smartphone market, HTC has decided to take the VR market by storm, and that it did. The company offers a selection of headsets for both VR and XR purposes. The most recent headset from the company is the HTC Vive Focus Vision. It’s a powerful headset that connects to your computer wirelessly. This one costs $999.

The company also has a headset called the XR Elite. This device is also a very capable headset that connects to your computer. This one costs $899, so you’ll be saving a little bit of money with your purchase compared to the Focus Vision.

If you’re looking for a more powerful headset from HTC, then you’ll want to look into getting a Vive Focus 3. This is a more powerful and premium headset than the Focus Vision, and it has a price of $1,300.

Pico 4 Ultra

This company isn’t as well-known as some of the others on the list, but it still makes quality devices. The Pico 4 Ultra is a powerful XR headset that comes with all of the specs you’d expect from a decent headset. This one comes in at about $659.

Apple Vision Pro

At the top of the price pecking order, there’s Apple’s first XR headset. The Apple Vision Pro is probably the most powerful and fully-featured headset on the market right now, and it costs a whopping $3,499.

This section wasn’t really an explainer of the devices themselves. It was just to give you a rough idea of the general price of getting into XR. The Meta Quest 3S is an excellent starting point for people who want to see what XR is all about.

What do VR, AR, XR, and MR mean?

If you start researching these headsets, then you’re likely to run into some of these terms. It can be confusing, especially to an outsider. You can check out our in-depth explainer on the terms, but if you want a quick rundown, here you go.

VR (Virtual Reality) fully immerses you into the world. So, you’ll have no context as to your surroundings. It’s meant to transport you to other environments.

AR (Augmented Reality) shows you your surroundings, and it projects digital items over it. While that’s the case, the digital items aren’t designed to interact with the real world. Imagine showing map directions or computer screens in front of your face.

MR (Mixed Reality) is like the next evolution of AR. You’ll see items projected over your environment, but the difference is spatial awareness. The device you’re using will scan your environments and place items around you. The items will stay in the same place in relation to your room. Also, those items will interact with real life objects. For example, think about a game that will have creatures hopping on your bed or your dresser.

XR (Extended Reality) is the umbrella term that encompasses all of the other terms. So, VR, AR, and MR all exist under XR.

PC vs. Standalone headsets

There are two primary types of headsets out there. One type of headset requires your computer to use. Earlier headsets like the original Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive fall under this category. They acted more as a medium to show what was on your computer rather than devices all their own.

This method has its ups and downs. As for the downsides, you’re tied to your computer, so there’s a limit to how much you can move around when using them. Another downside is the fact that you typically need a beefy computer, which can be pretty expensive. However, one upside is that the PC VR games you play will look rather nice. They’re being rendered using your computer’s CPU, so everything will look great.

Nowadays, more headsets are standalone. This means that they have their own processor. Again, there are ups and downs. One downside is that you’re dealing with weaker processors. You won’t play games with amazing graphics. While we’ve seen some rather impressive games running on VR headsets like Batman: Arkham Shadow, they’re still a far cry from the PC-driven VR landscape.

As for the upside, these headsets allow for much more freedom. There are no wires to tie you down, so you can freely move about your living room. This opens the possibilities for more XR and AR experiences.

Be sure to find out which kind of headset you’re getting. You don’t want to buy a PC headset thinking that it’s a standalone headset or vice versa.

Space!

If you’re planning on getting a headset, then you’ll need a good amount of space in your environment. This is especially for when you’re using your headset in VR mode. Remember, VR doesn’t give you any context to your surroundings. So, it’ll be extremely easy to bump into something in the middle of your room or your living room.

Make sure that you have a space in your home that gives you plenty of room to play. If you’re using AR or MR apps, that won’t be as much of a problem, as you’ll be aware of your surroundings.

Motion sickness

If you’re a person who gets motion sickness easily, then you might want to reconsider getting a headset. While it might not be much of an issue if you use the headset primarily for AR and MR purposes, VR gaming might be an issue for you. There are several games that have you moving around in 3D space. It looks like you’re moving, but you’re physically standing still. This sensory conflict is what causes the sickness.

So, the best thing to do is to find a way of trying out a headset before you buy. Try wandering around to see how you feel.

Neck strain

Companies are still trying to make their headsets lighter. however, for the moment, they’re still pretty bulky. The issue isn’t that they’re heavy, however. It’s that they put a bunch of weight on the front of your head. This causes the back of your neck to work harder, and that leads to neck pain.

So, you’ll want to make sure that the headset you’re looking at has a strap that can distribute the weight more evenly. There are some accessories for the Meta Quest 3/3S that offer a counterweight on the back of the headset. This greatly increases how long you can wear it before discomfort sets in.

IDP (interpupillary Distance)

This is one of the more important aspects of getting a headset. Since headsets have to go over your face, the spacing of the lenses plays a huge role in your experience. When you put on a headset, you’ll need to account for your IPD. This is the space between your pupils. Different people have different IPDs, and this can be an issue for companies building headsets.

IPD also stands for the spacing between the lenses in a headset. When you get your headset, you’ll have the option to adjust the spacing. This is crucial because, if the lenses are too far apart or too close together, then the image will be out of focus for you. If you’re looking into getting a headset, then you’ll want to know your specific IPD.

IPD, for both your eyes and for headsets, is measured in millimeters. The average for an adult is about 63mm, and headsets are built to accommodate the average range of IPDs. However, there are cases where a person’s IPD falls outside of what a headset can offer. It’s important to know your own IPD and whether it falls outside of the average. You don’t want to spend money on a headset only to find that you can’t use it.

Glasses

If you need to wear glasses, then your XR journey might be a little harder than most. There are headsets that have glasses wearers in mind. For example, the Meta Quest headsets have an insert that allows you to wear your glasses while using the headset. Make sure that the headset you’re considering accounts for glasses wearers.

Unfortunately, the Apple Vision Pro (the most expensive headset out there, mind you) doesn’t allow you to wear glasses. You have to upload your prescription and order a pair of custom Zeiss lenses that attach to the headset magnetically. That can add between $100 and $150 to your order.

Software

The selection of software is an important part of the whole experience. It’s unfortunate to say this, but the XR app market just isn’t as developed as the smartphone app market. So, you won’t have quite as many VR apps to choose from. There is still a decent amount, but it will vary depending on the device that you buy.

One thing to note is that the XR market isn’t home to as many free applications as the smartphone app market. Many applications that you’ll run into will cost you between $10 and $30. That’s not to say that there aren’t plenty of free applications. However, a fair amount will cost you some money.

This is bittersweet; while you’ll run into paid applications much of the time, they won’t be as heavy on microtransactions.

With that, you now know just what you need to know to get your XR journey started!