Eager to dive into the Beat Saber virtual reality experience, but scared to choose the wrong headset?
Purchasing a VR headset is a pain in the A**. There’s like a million of them, and they all claim they’re better than everyone else.
Luckily for you, I’m a clinically diagnosed VR addict. I’ve tested out Beat Saber on all the relevant headsets in the market. My doctor suggested that I get a life and go to VR-rehab.
But I said, ‘Screw you!’ and wrote this review anyway. So let’s find the best VR headset for Beat Saber for your budget and end-goal- so you have some music-fueled saber-wielding fun.
Let’s get to it!
Best VR Headsets for Beat Saber At A Glance
- Valve Index (Best High-end)
- Oculus Quest 2 (Most Affordable)
- HTC VIVE Pro (Best Full-body Tracking)
- Oculus Rift S (Best Competitive Option)
- Playstation VR
1. Valve Index (Best High-end)
The Valve Index is for those who want to experience Beat Saber in its complete magnificence. It has the best combination of visuals, smooth as butter frame rate, and tracking on this list.
The visuals are razor sharp and incredibly vibrant due to the LCD display (1440 x 1600/eye). And, with a high refresh rate of 120 Hz, the gameplay is silky-smooth.
The tracking is A-grade. Lighthouse base stations, which enable precise tracking, help you achieve a high-score in expert mode.
Here’s something you might not like though.
The Index does come with a minor annoyance. It tethers to the PC with a wire. This can remind you that you’re using a headset – you can feel these wires on your back while playing.
The experience can slightly break immersion. But the more you get used to it, the less this will be an issue. But hey, look on the bright side. The Beat Saber played on the PC has better visuals than a standalone set (like the Quest 2).
In terms of comfort, the Index weighs heavily on the faces of petite people. But for people with larger faces, it is not an issue.
In either case, check out this excellent hack by a clever Reddit user that will improve the overall comfortability of the headset.
All in all, the Index is a BEAST, albeit expensive one. In many ways, this is the best VR headset for Beat Saber. Get this if you don’t mind your pockets being a little lighter. It’s worth it.
What we like:
- Vibrant visuals
- Butter smooth framerate
- Excellent tracking
What we didn’t like:
- Can be uncomfortable to wear for some people
- If you prefer wireless, then you may find the wires annoying
Now if a tethered headset irks you, you will love the next headset.
2. Oculus Quest 2 (Best Value)
Want to play Beat Saber, but don’t want to sell your kidneys on Reddit in the process? (Hey you never know what weird subreddit lurks there, right?).
Or maybe you want a wire-free experience playing VR games?
Or perhaps you don’t own a high-end PC, and you just want a VR headset to enjoy Beat Saber?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, you just might like the Oculus Quest 2.
The Quest 2 is a standalone VR headset that doesn’t require a PC. There is no need to fear getting tangled in wires – you can move with total freedom.
It comes powered with a Snapdragon XR2, a powerful chip that can handle games like the Beat Saber with ease. This results in smooth and fluid gameplay.
The resolution of the Quest 2 is 1,920-by-1,832-pixel/eye, which is more than the resolution of the Index. The means the image quality is crisp and sharp for a more immersive VR experience.
Now while the Quest 2 has better display sharpness, the gameplay feels a little less smooth on the headset than the Index. This is because the Oculus Quest has a refresh rate of 90 Hz compared to the 120 Hz of the Index.
The Oculus 2 uses inside-out tracking with the help of the cameras on the headset. Unfortunately, the tracking is not as good as the Index’s lighthouse-based tracking, however, it still does the job of tracking your Saber movements incredibly well.
In terms of comfort, the Quest 2 is decent. It is a light headset, though some of you might find it weighs heavy on the front of your face. And yes, it may feel uncomfortable.
If comfort is a priority for you- then get the Elite strap. it helps in weight distribution and the Quest 2 will feel a lot lighter.
That said, you need to have a Facebook account to use the Quest 2, so keep that in mind.
To sum up, the Quest 2 is the standalone best VR headset for Beat Saber. It is a great option if you are looking for an affordably priced headset that is an excellent all-rounder.
What we like:
- No PC required
- Hi-res visuals that immerse you
- No pesky wires to annoy you
- Cheap. Like very
What we didn’t like:
- May not be comfortable for some people; though you can get the Elite strap to eliminate the issue.
- Not so high framerates
3. HTC Vive Pro – Best Full-body Tracking
Beat Saber is hella fun using just your hands. But what if you add in your feet?
With the help of the HTC Vive Tracker, you can play the FeetSaber mod (I know, such a clichéd name, but hey it suits!).
With the mod, you can turn Beat Saber into a fun Dance Dance Revolution alternative. Check out Feet Saber in action. And the HTC Vive Pro is the only option headset on this list that can play this.
The HTC Vive Pro has a resolution of 1440×1600 per eye – similar to the Valve Index. But compared to the Index, the Pro comes with an OLED display. This means the colors are more colorful and the blacks are darker than the LCD screen of the Index. However, the Vive’s sharpness isn’t as good as Valve’s headset, so the ups and downs are balanced.
The tracking is precise. It is better than the Quest 2, and is on par with the Index. If you are a competitive soul and want to rank on the Beat Saber leaderboard, then this is a great headset.
Now, coming to the topic of comfort- the HTC Vive Pro is also one of the most comfortable on this list. The face cushion and nose pad feel soft. It is well-balanced and doesn’t feel heavy on the head. You can adjust the headset for comfort with the help of a simple wheel.
Now you may be wondering; damn this headset sounds good. What’s the catch? Well, the unfortunate catch is that the HTC Vive Pro is pretty high-priced. It is slightly cheaper than the Index without the base stations, but more expensive if you include them.
I feel ya, I wish that all good things came cheap as well.
To sum it up, if you want the best VR headset for Beat Saber that is comfortable and has full-body tracking, then you will love the Vive Pro.
What we liked:
- Play Feet Saber! A super fun mod
- Very comfortable
- Precise tracking. Great for competitive playing.
- Beautiful OLED display
What we didn’t like:
- Display sharpness: low on account of OLED.
- Pricey
4. Oculus Rift S – Best Competitive Option
Do you want to destroy the competition in Beat Saber multiplayer? Then the Oculus Rift S is the best headset for you.
The Rift S has excellent tracking. The image is sharp and clear (1280 x 1440 resolution) which makes it perfect for gamers.
The Oculus Touch VR controllers are almost essential for competitive gaming, They are light, they fit in your hand like a glove, and are easy to move around. Using these controllers is a delight, and you can play for long hours without breaking a sweat.
Another reason the Rift S is great for VR gaming? It’s comfortable to wear and you can play Beat Saber for hours. It makes it a much more enjoyable experience.
The excellent tracking, light controllers, and comfortable headpiece are the reasons to get this for competitive Beat Saber.
Keep in mind that the Rift S uses wires to connect to the PC. So if you prefer a standalone set, I still recommend the Quest 2.
But in general, this is the best VR headset for Beat Saber if you want an affordable headset that delivers a fluid and competitive multiplayer experience.
What we liked:
- Excellent tracking and frame rate – so you can demolish the competition.
- The Oculus Touch controllers are a joy to use.
- Comfortable to wear.
- Affordable
What we didn’t like
- Uses wires
5. Sony Playstation VR
If you own a Playstation 4 or 5, then the PS VR is a headset that doesn’t compromise on features despite its affordable pricing.
The refresh rate is a whopping 120 Hz, which puts it on par with the Index. So expect more fluid gameplay compared to some of the other headsets on the list. And even though the resolution is low compared (960×1080 per eye), it still manages to blow you away with its visuals. It has an OLED panel and the colors are vivid.
The headset is light. The weight is distributed evenly across the headband. So you can play Beat Saber for long hours without feeling uncomfortable.
The Playstation VR uses a camera for motion tracking. Now, this is one of the headset’s problems – if you are too far from the sensor, the camera loses track of you.
On top of that, the motion tracking isn’t the best among the headsets I reviewed so far. But if you have good lighting in your room and if you stay close to the camera, then you should have no issues with tracking.
Another awesome benefit of the PS VR is that you get to play cool Playstation 4 exclusives like Blood and Truth, Iron Man VR, and also Resident Evil 7 (this game is scary. Make sure you have relieved yourself before playing it).
All in all, if you own a Playstation and you love virtual reality, then you will love the moderately priced PS VR.
What we liked:
- High refresh rate so smoother framerates
- OLED panel displays rich and vibrant colors
- Amazeball exclusives like Resident Evil 7 and Blood and Truth
What we didn’t like:
- Not the best tracking
- Need PS console
FAQs
Will I get motion sickness from playing Beat Saber?
No, you will not get motion sickness using Beat Saber as it doesn’t involve any artificial motion.
Do controllers make a difference for Beat Saber?
Yes. controllers do make a difference to your experience of Beat Saber.
The Oculus Touch controllers are used both for the Quest 2 and the Rift S headsets. The controllers are compact and light. They feel like a breezy extension of your hand, which is important when you are holding the controllers for long periods of time.
The Index controllers can hamper wrist movement while slashing in Beat Saber, so you may have to loosen the straps and hold them in a way that is conducive to playing the game. Luckily, you don’t need to use the straps in Beat Saber, so that’s fine.
The Vive wands are a bit bulkier compared to the Oculus Touch, but it isn’t much of a big deal. The light from the saber emits right above the hilt in-game, which makes it feel very organic and aligned. The wand feels perfect for sword VR games (like Skyrim) in general.
Is there any difference between a standalone headset and a PC tethered headset?
Yes, there are key differences between standalone headsets and PC tethered ones.
The obvious difference is that the standalone headsets (Quest 2) are wireless, whereas the Valve Index, HTC Vive Pro, Oculus Rift S, and PS VR all use wires. Wireless headsets are a more comfortable experience as you don’t have wires sticking onto your back.
There is also a slight danger you can trip on the wires – and bring your TV or PC crashing down (scary I know). So if you want a safer PC VR experience, check out this cable management system. You can hang the wires on the ceiling and you never have to worry about tripping ever again.
A standalone headset can also run VR games without needing a PC. Just start the headset and you are ready to go.
But the downside to a standalone headset is that the PC version has slightly better graphics. The PC version has better anti-aliasing and few more details.
What is Inside-Out and Outside-In Tracking?
Inside-out tracking involves using cameras or other sensors to locate the position of the controllers in space.
Outside-in tracking often uses lighthouse base stations as external sensors to track your headset and controllers in space.
Outside-in tracking is more accurate than inside-out tracking in general.
The headsets that use outside-in tracking are the Valve Index, the HTC Vive Pro, and the PS VR.
The Quest 2 and the Rift S use inside-out tracking. With these headsets, if you move your hands out of the range of the cameras, there will be a slight adjustment period when the camera re-tracks your hand. This can be annoying but in no way a deal breaker.
Does it matter if the screen is an OLED vs an LCD?
The type of screen, whether an OLED or an LCD, definitely matters on headsets.
The OLED has two sub-pixels per pixel (Pentile display). Whereas the LCD has 3 sub-pixels per pixel (RGB Stripe). This means that LCDs are sharper than OLEDs and everything looks crisper.
But what if you prefer colors that pop and darker blacks? Then go for an OLED. LCDs have grey blacks which are slightly washed out.
LCDs also have less of a screen door effect because there are more sub-pixels.
Does the resolution matter?
Yes, the resolution does matter – if you care more about sharpness. The more the pixels, the sharper the image and definition. Also, the higher the resolution, the less you can notice the screen door effect.
Conclusion
So what is the best VR headset for Beat Saber? That depends on your requirements.
If you want the best VR headset for Beat Saber overall, and you have cash to spend, then I recommend the Valve Index – without batting an eye…. my eye still hasn’t batted like 5 sec later. Just saying. The Index is that good.
If you want something affordable and wire-free, then the Quest 2 is a no-brainer. It is a top-of-the-line headset at a why-is-this-so-cheap price.
If you love to dance, then you may enjoy the HTC Vive Pro with the Vive Trackers.
For the Playstation lovers out there, the Playstation VR is a great headset to purchase.
And to those of you who hunger for blood to satisfy your competitive cravings, you will love the Rift S.