Good day!

I owned a Valve Index, which I really liked. I played with it daily for a year before it started collecting dust, so I decided to sell it.

Now, four years later, the urge to play VR games is growing each day, and I am once again looking to buy a VR headset. However, all the guides I find seem outdated for headsets that are several years old.

What would you recommend? Ideally, I'd like a headset in the 500 euro/dollar price range. The headset that has caught my eye is the Quest 3, but I’ve read mixed reviews about it.

I have about 40x40 foot of open space to use my VR. I’m curious as if there are any games I can play and utilize my space and not have to use a joystick to move? Just walk around and play the game? Not sure if this is a thing? I have a backpack and laptop that will run the VR and WiFi in the area so not a problem.

I have the Rift S

Im not a big fan of my fresnel lenses and I've seen discussions on here about modding vives to have pancake lenses for example with Gear VR lenses, which lead me to think about modding my headset.

Looking for advice

Hi there,

thinking about getting first VR headset. Mainly would be used for fitness gaming. I already have PS5, so PSVR2 sounds not too bad, but it is not wireless. Another option is quest 3s. For those who use cabled headset, is the cable ruining your experience for moving freely around? Thanks.

As many of you may well know, DLSS 4 has been released by Nvidia for their RTX cards. I have a 4080 S that used to play RDR2 somewhat okay when playing in VR. I tried it with the DLSS 4 function and the difference is really visible! I followed guides on YouTube for activating DLSS 4 in a game by using DLSS swapper to get the latest version for a game and then setting the DLSS settings in the Nvidia app so it uses DLSS 4. I started the game and was really amazed by how much smoother it is now running on pretty high settings on 3472x3472. One can also activate DLAA but have not tried it. I understand it as 30-series cards can also benefit from this upgrade. So if you have been bothered by low performance when playing in VR, give this a shot!

EDIT: People are asking which version I am running and how. I followed this very simple guide by Mick Manchester which you can find below. Also, it won’t work with a newer version of the game as I understand it. I am running the 1436.28 version by Empress. The mod is pretty straightforwar. You can change the settings to suit your card and then run it with DLSS 4 activated according to the information above, video also below.

https://youtu.be/aSySuVHrS5I?si=F8lH5isCXZlo3q3t

https://youtu.be/c2O4_A1shvM?si=quYd4uuAZcudcjts

If I wanted to run a quest 3 at native res 120hz, would 250-300 GB/s be enough? What does it actually look like when the bandwidth isn't high enough? Low fps? Stutters?

i have though of buying a VR headset but not rly sure which one to get, i used to have a oculus rift s and like that one, mainly the feature where it could track my movements with its cameras inside it. i want one for just playing games and don't want a crazy expensive one with a more expensive setup.

Seriously, if this game gets a PCVR mod with motion controls then it will be worth buying a VR headset for.

For those who don't know, it's a sequel to Kingdom Come Deliverance, a first-person epic set in medieval times where you roleplay a peasant that progresses towards greatness.

Like the first game, the sequel is also in full 1st person, with a 'realistic' combat system, 1st person crafting and potion making, it's basically a medieval simulator and LOOKS FREAKING BEAUTIFUL, the open world is lush and detailed, kind of a mix to my eyes between RDR2 and modded SkyrimVR.

If I was to make a loose comparison of immersion I would say that this looks like the 'Cyberpunk 2077 mixed with RDR2 mixed with SkyrimVR' of the medieval world in the respect that it will give you a living breathing world fully in context with its setting with an epic story progression and the ability to roam around and do as you please.

Reviews here https://www.metacritic.com/game/kingdom-come-deliverance-ii/

We need a VR version with motion controls, VR modders who are motion-control friendly please kindly take note! :)

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EDIT - Here's a couple of reviews from popular Youtubers to show you all the visuals and mechanics:

Luke Stephens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs31ueBLex8

AVG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9hKz54u9t8

Hey VR gamers,

We’ve been working on Vital Knights: Rise Against the Titans, a VR action-adventure game where your real movements directly impact your in-game abilities. But here’s something unique we built:

Adaptive Combat System Based on Real Stamina

Most VR combat games let you swing infinitely without considering real-world fatigue. We wanted to change that. In Vital Knights, your stamina isn’t just an in-game bar—it actually adapts to your physical endurance.

• More Movement = More Power → The more dynamically you fight, the stronger your attacks become.
• Tired? Your Character Feels It Too → Slower dodges, weaker swings—just like in real combat.
• Recovering? Use Strategy → Players who manage movement wisely will outlast enemies instead of button-mashing.

We tested this on different VR players—some went full Berserker Mode 🔥, while others played like a patient swordsman. Both strategies worked, but playstyles felt completely different.

We’re curious—what’s your biggest gripe with VR combat?
Do you prefer fast-action slashing or a more strategic approach in VR fights?

Would love to hear your thoughts! If this sounds like something you'd want to play check the game link.

I have an HTC Vive, and while it's enjoyable, it might be about time for an upgrade. Unfortunately the market is looking a little rough for the things I'm looking for. My requirements:

1. Minimal privacy issues. What this means for me: I'm not comfortable going with anything connected to Meta/Facebook.

2. Lightweight. The Vive is heavy enough to give me headaches from the weight tugging at my head. I have a small head and the weight of the headset gets to be significant. I was thinking a Valve Index would be a great upgrade, but now seeing that it's substantially heavier than my Vive, that's going to be a no-go.

3. Compatible with SteamVR out of the box. I looked for a bit at standalone headsets like the Pico 4, but I don't want to need to buy extra apps just to make the thing work.

For a little bit the Bigscreen Beyond looked appealing, but finding out that it needs a full facial scan with an iPhone feels too sketchy to me - feels like biometric data gathering that I want to avoid, so that's a no-go.

Again, I know these are a bit restrictive, but just hoping to double check in case there's something on the market that might fit what I'm looking for. Thanks!

I am looking for a headset around 300 to 400 dollars. My pc is kinda bad though. Here are my specs: CPU: Ryzen 5600x GPU:RX580 RAM:ddr4-3600(8x2) PSU:700w. I'm looking for suggestions since I just have a throttle and stick laying around and I want to use it but I want to use VR with it

I’m looking into a nice setup for my newly built pc. I’ve owned a meta quest 1 and liked it for a long time but I think it’s time to get something nice. I’ll probably be buying second hand! Any advice helps!

I wanted to post this as a possible solution for anybody who might be having the similar issue that has been plaguing me since October 2024 because I did not see any other possible solutions for it:

I could not launch half of the VR games I own in Steam VR. I tried fully reinstalling and resetting steam vr as well as any game that was crashing, verifying files, deleting new programs, reinstalling windows.

Note that this issue affects other flat-screen games that also use Direct 12. I encountered the same issue with trying to launch VAIL as well as Marvel Rivals. However, this issue is something that originates from the Intel 13th and 14th gen processors, NOT from your graphics card (if you have the same issue as I), even though your computer might send error codes that direct you to your graphics card.

Steps to Fix:

1 - Download Intel Extreme Performance Utility --> https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/17881/intel-extreme-tuning-utility-intel-xtu.html (I used the 7.1.14.2.14.exe)

2 - Run the program and restart your computer when the prompt pops up saying to restart.

3 - After restarting, open the program, go to the "performance core ratio" which SHOULD be at 57x by default, and tune it to 55x (example image attached)

4 - ENJOY YOUR GAMES

I hope this helps somebody who has been having their games crash a lot too!

https://preview.redd.it/ixyvbsf4ozge1.png?width=788&format=png&auto=webp&s=00b5cdec87b9e67e629831212e8549790420a221

I bought my Quest 3 about three weeks ago. I noticed yesterday that the left thumbstick was making clicky noises when I simply tapping/touching it (without actually moving it). Did some research online and apparently this defect is prevalent. Since I now became aware of the issue I tried to listen to my right thumbstick...it's there, but a lot less audible. Like I really just hear it if I focus on it and it's closer to my ear vs the left which is a lot louder

I reached out to Meta and they agreed to replace both controllers with possibly refurbished controllers.

Besides the fact that it's disappointing to get a refurbished for something just a few weeks old within the return window, I was wondering if controllers with no clicks noises exist at all (how rare?). Or do all of them have but some are just louder than others? I'm not sure if I should replace the right controller since I truly wouldn't have known if it wasn't for the left side bringing it to my attention.

Or should I try my luck and return both to hopefully get silent ones?

I'm trying to build a replacement rig since my gaming laptop died but I don't have the funds to go with a high end graphics card, so I was looking at purchasing a RTX 3060 12GB from Amazon for $299.99

My coworker(both of us in IT) is willing to sell me his RTX 2080 Super for $150. I trust that he's kept it in good order and he isn't trying to make any shady deals(he's one for updating often and as soon as he has the money for it), so I'm not worried about wear and tear so much as performance.

I'm someone who enjoyed playing PCVR on my Zephyrus M15 as well as PC Gaming in general, so I'd be up for his deal as long as the performance is comparable/superior to my gaming laptop. Any suggestions for the choice?

Here are links to the two models:

Asus Dual GeForce RTX 3060 V2 OC Edition

EVGA FTW3 GAMING GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB Video Card

So I recently watched a video of self proclaimed VR enthusiast Yahtzee explaining why he believed VR will never become popular: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy8Fjzc4NZY&t=1s

Regardless of whether I think VR is the future or not, I found this video incredibly frustrating to watch and found that almost all of his points were either outdated or poorly thought out. Equally frustrating was that 90% of the the comments were mindlessly eating up everything he said.

So I wanted to go through his points one by one here and see what other people think:

0. "VR hardware isn't mature enough for common use anyway"

This a non point as future VR tech can improve on current issues, which he concedes, and he even mentions ways it already has improved such as Quest 3 being wireless, but as he still lists this as a point against VR in general I'll include it here for completeness.

However I will mention one point he made here as he lists the front heaviness of a Quest 3 as a problem. This point is already pretty outdated as its common knowledge among Quest users that (inconvenience and cost or buying an additional peripheral aside) this is easily fixed by buying an additional headstrap. I find the fact that this self proclaimed VR enthusiast doesnt seem to even know this is quite telling.

Anyway on to the real points...

1a. "VR restricts you to first person"

This one really annoyed me as I believe VR is simply an inherently superior medium to non VR. The assertion that non VR that can do things that VR cannot do is as irrational to me as thinking a radio can do things a tv can not do.

In fact Yahtzee literally lists popular non 1st person VR games as counter examples right off the bat (Moss, Super Lucky Tales) before waving it away and moving on, baselessly asserting that "VR is only 1st person" for the rest of the video, without ever offering further explanation.

Now I'm going to do Yahtzee the favour of assuming he actually has a reason for discounting the likes of Moss as proof that 3rd person games can work in VR, and if I were to guess, its because of the fixed camera angle (indeed other popular non 1st person games like Max Mustard are better described as 2nd person). And to be fair, we do not to my knowledge yet have a popular 3rd person VR game that uses a dynamic camera angle.

But theres no logical reason to assume that VR cant have 3rd person games with a dynamic camera, and I dont know why he thinks there is. Because of motion sickness maybe? But people have already modded AAA 3rd person flatscreen games for VR without issue. One of the most popular VR apps (Google Earth VR) literally features a dynamic camera, where you can pan, zoom in and out, spin, do whatever you want, all while also looking around with the headset.

Not only do I believe VR can do 3rd person games as well as non VR, I think it can do it better. 1) you still have the benefit of depth perception (think 3d platformers), 2) you can actually see around easier as you can both look around and move the camera.

(Ok, he also lists quick scene changes as a reason, but 360 videos exist, and quick scene chances in 360 videos work perfectly well so I dont see why it would be an issue in a game)

1b "VR cant do grand strategy"

This one baffles me. To my eyes VR seems tailor made for strategy: 1) Gods eye view, 2) easy interacting via motion controllers or finger tracking, 3) menus you can arrange in 3D space. I think VR can blow non VR out of the water when it comes to strategy. What does Yahtzee think of Triangle Strategy VR? Most people that played it seem to think its better than the flat version. Yet as a top down isometric tactical RPG it seems to be slap bang in the middle of games Yahtzee thinks arent possible in VR.

1c "Popular VR would mean the end of 2D games"

2D apps are extremely popular in VR. One of the main uses of VR is virtual home theatre. Why is it stranger for someone to play some simple pixel graphics game on a standalone VR headset than it for them to play it some on overpowered rig with RTX 4090 and 4K 240Hz OLED screen?

Yahtzee refers to how the advent of 3D gaming made 2D gaming die out for a while, but the point here is that it made a comeback, even on superior hardware that can play far more complicated games, so this really works against his point.

And here hes shows his customary lack of imagination on this topic of VR, because not only can VR also 2D gaming, I believe it can actually reinvent 2D gaming in a way that 3D capable machines never could.

Think about it: 3DS style 3D effects (only better) to add pop out to old 2D games, multiple screens you can arrange in 3D space for easier inventory management and less HUD clutter, superior immersion. You could even have 2D games that use exotic 2D surfaces a new way- massive hemispherical surfaces, winding mobius strips, you name it. Just think about how Super Mario Odyssey interplayed 2D with 3D and now think what VR could do.

(Yahtzee also baselessly lists other genres that VR supposedly cant handle but my points apply to them equally so I'll move on.)

2 "VR is only good for driving, climbing, shooting, hitting and punching"

By this logic non VR is only good for pressing buttons and pulling sticks in games.

Yahtzee says that it would take full body haptic suits and other massive tech improvements to make VR more general, by which point Humanity will have bigger fish to fry, but the truth is we dont have to look into the future at all as, well, VR controllers also have buttons and analogue sticks anyway.

What action can I do in non VR that I cant do in VR?

3 "VR is not efficient"

Yahtzee mentions how a phone is more efficient than VR, but this is a false equivalence as the entire point of the video was the comparision of VR gaming vs flatscreen gaming (a gaming PC is also less efficient than a phone at many tasks). More relevant is that playing a game on a Quest 3 has the same warm up time as booting up a game on a PC, and theres no reason to believe quick resume cant be implemented on future VR headsets.

4. "People dont even want immersive games"

Yahtzee lists popular casual social games, but still presumably views immersive sole experiences like the Witcher 3 as commercially successful. Immersion may not be all people want from games but I've yet to see "too immersive" listed as a negative for a game.

Besides is that the only plus point of VR? Are people really playing Beat Saber just for immersion?

5 "VR is too strenuous"

Yahtzee seems completely unaware of the notion of sitdown VR and never mentions it once in this video. Another spectacular oversight. Anyway, sitdown VR with a traditional controllers is still VR, so this is a moot point as well.

5. "The real future is AR"

Finally something I can agree on. But heres the thing: VR and AR are joined at the hip. VR is just AR with the lights turned off. If AR headsets become popular, then VR headsets would also become popular as they would be one and the same. Even the Quest 3 already switches between both modes at the press of a button. Its doesnt matter that the headset would mostly be used for AR. A gaming PC that is mostly used to watch youtube and netflix is still a gaming PC.

So that was his video pretty much, let me know if I overlooked or misunderstood something, I tried in good faith to address all his points. To personalise this, I think VR has a decent future almost by default, because even improvements external to that of VR hardware itself, such as the VR software ecosystem (eg VR injection in flatscreen games), and general mobile chip improvements, ubiquitous VR capable PCs, make VR a far more formidable proposition in 10-20 years time than it is now.

I have noticed, that virtual desktop drops stream when vram is close to maximum utilization. Maybe is here anyone who tried if this issue pressist in newest nvidia driver? Or better to keep hags off? Gpu 4080super/cpu 5800x3d

So basically I love my index, but the resolution of the displays are a little dated for me. Im kind of looking for a similar headset to the index to use with vive trackers that just has higher res displays and is base station tracked. Is the Pimax Crystal any good with the base station tracking face plate? Or are there significant drawbacks that make it not worth it? Most reviews I can find are at least 5-8 months old, and was wondering if the issues mentioned in those reviews have been resolved. I have a bigscreen beyond, but the lenses and fov leave a lot to be desired.

There’s an overrepresentation of people that talk about their motion sicknessin VR, compared to what I hypothesize is silent majority of people who have a stomach of iron. Which one is you?

View Poll

So im just playing around with the headset trying to get it set up how i like. I have it plugged in from a 3.2 USB connector on my motherboard to the c port on the headset, but i noticed when i used meta link and then launched VR chat through steam on the desk top the quality was just fine. If i launch SteamLink i get a message about my internet quality and VR chat is super blurry and pixelated.

I'm alittle confused about why the meta link works but steamlink is apparently worse.

ryzen 7 5800x
32gb ram
7900xt nitro+