• Crisp high-res displays
• Improved new processor
• Mixed reality with better color cameras
• Smaller controllers with better haptics

• 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.

• Updated graphics and faster processor
• Improved color passthrough cameras
• Better hand tracking

• No improvement to lenses or resolution vs Quest 2
• Only 2-3 hours battery life

TheMeta Quest 3S (Meta's replacement to my longstanding Editor's Choice headset, theQuest 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.

• Vivid, high-res OLED display
• Comfortable fit
• Excellent controllers
• Realistic vibrations
• Powerful graphics potential

• 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 itsbest 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 aPC 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.

• 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

• Absurdly expensive
• Still not enough compelling apps
• Heavy, especially during long sessions
• Doesn't work seamlessly with all Apple devices

TheApple 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.