VIRTUAL REALITY

Whether you’re after an all-in-one device or want to connect to beefier hardware, here are the finest VR headsets of 2023

PLAYSTATION VR2

You could call this the first true next-gen headset, simply down to the PS5 console that powers it. But that would be underselling the PSVR2’s own strengths.

Compared with Sony’s first stab at VR in 2016, version 2 is an enormous leap. Right out of the box (which you should keep, by the way, as a decent way to store the headset), it’s a much smoother setup, with just a single USB-C cable that connects to the front of the PS5. Four embedded cameras at each corner track your head and the controllers – so you don’t need to stand in front of the TV.

Now, did someone mention controllers? Yes, the PSVR2 actually has dedicated Sense controllers rather than the dated workaround of its predecessor. These have a similar design and anti-collision rings to the Meta Quest 2, but with advanced haptics more akin to the PS5’s DualSense gamepad. Better still, even the headset comes with haptics – so you might feel a jolt to the head when hit by incoming fire, or enjoy a more transcendent feel when passing a level in Tetris Effect.