The Best VR Headset for Xbox One

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Sanidhya Rao

Sanidhya is an avid gamer and a VR enthusiast. He specializes in VR tech specifically and has a penchant for reading articles on several multimedia devices and learning what they can offer to the VR medium. Outside of VR, Sandihya also loves Pokemon, Harry Potter and will often donate hours of his free time to chase Victory Royales in Fortnite.

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VR gaming is meant to immerse you into the environment of the game that you’re playing or the multimedia content that you may be consuming. While this mostly happens on a PC with a tethered headset, the other gaming consoles on the market can also support VR gameplay. If you’re an Xbox One user and have wondered what the best VR headset for the Xbox One is, you’ve come to the right place.

You can use this article to see which headsets to use, how to connect them to the Xbox through streaming or HDMI, and how to go about your Xbox One VR experience.

Let’s get started!

Bottom Line Up Front

My headset to suggest here is the Oculus Quest 2. I use this headset most frequently for all my VR experiences, and it doesn’t disappoint as an accompanying headset for the Xbox One and the games that it can run. The headset has a very responsive display and a fairly high resolution to accompany it. It also supports the use of the Xbox One controller when gaming, so you’re not limited to the Oculus Quest Touch Controllers whenever you decide to plunge yourself into the VR space with Xbox.

The headset is also not limited to being tethered. It also is priced competitively and is less expensive than any other headset that offers as many features.

While this is the best headset for the Xbox One, in my opinion, there are a number of others that I could offer as my top picks in this regard. Three such headsets are listed below for you to consider. They each do one thing differently and better than the others. I hope this list accounts for varying priorities and preferences that you could have when you’re looking to purchase a VR headset for the Xbox One specifically.

My Top Picks

1. The Oculus Quest 2 is the most versatile and the lightest headset on my list. It offers wireless capabilities as well as support for the Xbox One controllers. It’s easy to set up and offers close to no hiccups when gaming. This comfortable headset is my easy first pick for this article.
2. The HTC Vive Pro 2 is the complete package for high-end users. Users can find it tops the chart for every single category. Unfortunately, due to the high build quality, it also tops the chart for weight and price. However, if you can look past that, it’s an excellent option.
3. The Samsung HMD Odyssey+ is the clear winner in the display category with a pair of sharp, responsive, and very high-contrast AMOLED displays. You will love every piece of content you consume on this headset because of the deep blacks on the panel as well as the 16 million colors that the display supports. This is a clear winner for visual immersion.

Selection Criteria

For the best VR headsets for Xbox One, the selection criteria will cover the main aspects of the VR experience on the Xbox One. The first criterion I’ll be considering is the display of the headset, including, but not limited to, the overall resolution per eye in the headset, the responsiveness of the headset (though the refresh rate), and the type of panel that the display is made up of. This will account for how your Xbox VR games look in the VR space and how visually immersive the experience is.

Apart from the displays, the weight of the headset is a very important factor, in my opinion. I think that weight makes for a huge factor in the overall experience. If the comfort of the headset isn’t up to the mark or if the headset starts to tire you out and strains your neck, then it’s not a viable option to sue for extended periods of time.

The price of the VR headset is naturally a primary factor in the selection criteria. I’ll do my best to cover some of the headsets that are on the budget end of the spectrum, as well as headsets that are premium and some that are outrightly exorbitant. I want to make sure you find exactly what you’re looking for, given the price range that you want to operate in.

Lastly, the support for the Xbox One interface, the accompanying accessories as well as the controllers is a paramount factor to consider when you’re planning on buying a headset specifically for the Xbox One. For this, I’d like to cover how the experience is overall when you’re using the headset with the console and how it pairs up with the broader VR experience on the device when connected to the headset.

Best VR Headset for Xbox One

Oculus Quest 2

The Oculus Quest 2 is a standalone offering from Oculus that alternates as a tethered headset with the use of a USB cable that fulfills the requirement. To use the headset with your Xbox One, you need to use the AirServer or use one of the apps through sideloading that will let you enjoy our Xbox games in VR.

The Oculus Quest 2 also houses a pair of great 1832 x 1920p LCD panels as its displays. These go as far up as 120Hz for the refresh rate, which means responsive display times and an immersive experience, especially if your game from the Xbox supports the high refresh rate. These displays are sharper than its predecessor, and for a standalone headset, they‘re one of the best LCD panels on the VR headset market.

The Quest 2 weighs in at about 500g, which makes it a fairly lightweight headset. The lack of necessary wires for gaming makes this an even lighter experience and far more comfortable since there are no issues with the weight of the added cable that you’d otherwise have on tethered headsets. It’s one of the most comfortable headsets to wear due to the halo strap and the easy tightening and loosening mechanism.

The Oculus Quest 2 prices itself at $300 as its starting price. However, this price is not a deterrent, and if you consider the many multimedia use of the headset as well as the standalone nature and the freedom of sideloading, this makes it very clearly the best value for money package that you can get as a headset for your Xbox One.

Lastly, the Oculus Quest 2 allows users to connect the Xbox One with the use of the AirServer or through the sideloaded apps. It’s a smooth connection, considering the headset can also work wirelessly. However, what really makes the experience great is being able to pair the Xbox One controller with the Oculus Quest 2. This allows for a truly immersive experience where you’re not limited to the capabilities of the Oculus Touch Controllers and can rely on the Xbox One controller as well.

All in all, it’s an immersive option that is priced competitively, comfortable, and connects conveniently. The headset also is very versatile and will not disappoint you even if you play other consoles or different titles from within the Xbox One. This is my clear top pick for the best VR headsets for the Xbox One.

Pros

• Display, Weight, Controller support, Price

Cons

• None

HTC Vive Pro 2

The HTC Vive Pro 2 is a premium, high-end headset meant for users that want the best possible experience from their VR headset. You can connect it to the Xbox One with the Xbox streaming app. It’s a relatively simple setup and doesn’t require you to do much.

The HTC Vive Pro 2 displays are sharper than the Oculus Quest 2 displays on paper. The Vive Pro 2 comes equipped with a pair of 2448 x 2448p panels that offer a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The nature of the panels is a low persistence LCD. This is much closer to the traditional AMOLED panel that the predecessor of the Vive Pro 2 used.

This means that the contrast ratios on the displays are much higher than the LCD panels on the Oculus Quest 2, and the black parts of the visuals are close to true black and don’t use much pixel lighting at all. This then translates into lower power consumption as well as a less physically strenuous experience when you’re viewing content on the headset.

The HTC Vive Pro 2 is much heavier than the above-mentioned Oculus Quest pro. It weighs in at 855g. While this isn’t a deal-breaker, the additional issue of the head straps on this headset, as well as the wired configuration, means that it is a little less comfortable to wear than the Oculus Quest 2. It could stress your neck out after extended periods of use.

The HTC Vive Pro 2 is very pricey, coming in at a release price of about $800. This isn’t cheap by any means, but this is the highest-end tethered headset available in the VR market right now, and I believe this is the way to go for users that can afford it since it will be the best display to use on the Xbox One.

The Vive Pro 2 does not directly connect to the Xbox One. However, you can use the streaming app on the Xbox One to stream your content over to your VR display. This may cause latency issues in some cases. However, there is the added advantage of not having controller issues since your controller will always be connected to the Xbox One and not to your headset, as in the case of the Oculus Quest 2.

If you’re planning on picking up a high-end headset that will serve as the best possible headset in terms of performance, display, and gameplay power, then this one is the way to go. Make sure you really want what this headset offers because the price is not low by any means, and you should reconsider a cheaper option like the Oculus Quest 2 if you wish to save some of that VR headset money.

Pros

• Display, Power

Cons

• Weight, Price, No direct Xbox One connectivity

PlayStation VR

The PSVR is a headset meant to support the VR games that Sony and its developers released for the PlayStation 4. However, as we know, Xbox One does not make any VR games of its own, and if we want to use headsets to play games in VR on the Xbox One, we can only do this by using the headset as a cinematic screen. Because of this, a workaround exists that lets you use the Sony PSVR screen in cinematic mode to stream content onto the display from the Xbox One.

To do this, you only need to connect the headset to the Xbox One via the HDMI-Out port. This would then mean that your console would recognize the headset as an HDMI output screen, and you will see the image outputted by the Xbox on the PSVR if you use the in-built cinematic mode.

However, there is an issue if you wish to change the size of the screen or additional settings in the headset. You will need to use your PS4 with the headset plugged in to change any settings before connecting with the Xbox One again.

The PSVR display is a large screen. However, the display comes in only at a resolution of a meager 960 x 1080p per eye. The saving grace is that the display does rack as high up as 120Hz, and it is an OLED display. This means the responsiveness of the display is great, and so is the contrast ratio. The contrast ratio is particularly important since you’ll be using the display as a screen for the Xbox One, and you want the best possible visual experience since games will not be supported by the headset yet.

The PSVR sits somewhere in the middle of the Oculus Quest 2 and the HTC Vive Pro 2. It’s about 625g. However, the headset is designed such that there is no pressure from any of the components on your cheekbones, your nose, or your eyes. It sits firmly on top of your head and is counterbalanced. Disregarding the weight, this may actually be one of the most comfortable headsets to use with the Xbox One because of the ergonomic design and smart weight distribution.

The PSVR was released at a hefty price of $350 when it came out. The premium price, it’s mostly justified because it’s aimed at PlayStation users and their focus on actual VR gaming. However, it may be a little overpriced for users who just want to stream media to the headset from the Xbox. However, if the comfort is the primary objective that you want and the high refresh displays, then this headset is justified at a price that’s only $50 more than the Oculus Quest 2.

The PSVR is merely an external display that connects to the Xbox One. The connection is wired, and this means there’s no latency between the controller input and the display on the screen.

In the instance that you are looking for a comfortable headset that rests well on your head and has a pair of good displays, this headset is extremely comfortable. If comfort is your priority, then you should get this headset. It’s particularly cool to be able to use a Sony headset that’s made for the PlayStation and dedicated to it with its closest competitor. If you ask me, that satisfaction is the icing on the cake that is the comfort offered by this headset.

Pros

• Comfort, Cool to use a PSVR on Xbox, Price

Cons

• Display

Valve Index

The Valve Index is arguably one of the most complete VR packages on the market. It comes with an excellent set of controllers, very sensitive cameras, and a package that feels like it will leave you satisfied and not wanting more from a VR headset experience.

It comes equipped with an LCD panel of 1440 x 1600p per eye. The displays operate at 120Hz but go as high as 144Hz in some instances, making this the most responsive display in the VR market. While the Valve Index does not win on pure resolution or panel type, the headset makes up for it with the super smooth and responsive display that makes it feel like every operation you run on the headset is faster and smoother.

The headset does weigh in on the heavy side, with the weight at 809g. It’s not easy to wear for extended periods of time for sure, and the head strap isn’t designed very smartly. It does not distribute the weight in the best way possible. However, I think it’s a manageable weight considering the responsive rate of the display. Moreover, I think that the headset compensates for the weight with the extra features and the endless possibilities that come with it, including the controllers and the additional features.

The headset is priced particularly high at $999. However, it’s a complete set, so you can use it for a lot more gaming and VR experiences than just the Xbox. It’s good to stream the Xbox games as well. However, the price doesn’t justify using it just for this purpose.

It does not connect directly to the Xbox controllers and needs streaming software to run the Xbox content on its displays. The controller connects to the Xbox directly, and then the content is streamed on the Index. This is common for most headsets in this article, and it’s hard to get headsets to run native Xbox footage directly without a streaming workaround, unfortunately.

Overall, it’s a great headset for anyone willing to sacrifice some weight preferences and pay a premium for one of the most responsive VR displays on the market. While it doesn’t excel in any categories particularly associated with Xbox One gaming, it is a complete package and very versatile and powerful for general VR gaming on the PC.

Pros

• Display, Refresh rate

Cons

• Price, Weight

Samsung HMD Odyssey+

The Samsung HMD Odyssey+ is one of my favorite display-based headsets to recommend. It is very well designed for the users that prioritize the visual aspects of the VR experience.

The headset comes with a 1440 x 1600p display that is AMOLED. This means that black pixels are infinitely blacker than any of the other headsets on this list. The contrast ratios are amazing, and the 16 million color display does not disappoint when streaming Xbox One games. The display is also a high refresh rate panel, with a refresh rate of 90Hz.

The HMD Odyssey+ isn’t particularly heavy, weighing in at 594g. It’s lighter than some of the headsets on the list, but it isn’t the lightest one I have listed out. However, the Samsung head strap and the weight distribution are excellent. You won’t feel very strained when you’re wearing the headset, even for extended periods of time. It’s designed so that it sits on top of your head, and you don’t have to shuffle or move around too much to adjust the weight distribution for comfort.

The HMD Odyssey+ was released at the high price point of $500. This is the best price you can find for an AMOLED VR display in the market. It is a premium price tag, and that is to be expected from Samsung in this type of visually oriented market.

Once again, this headset does not connect to the Xbox controllers. However, it does stream Xbox games to its fantastic display. The headset will stream the Xbox gameplay to its screen with a streaming app and the help of a cable.

If you value the displays in the headset you wish to use on an Xbox One, this is a clear winner, and you should buy it for the sharp, high contrast display.

Pros

• Display, Weight

Cons

• Price

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

The Xbox One is a premier gaming device of the previous generation and offers a number of excellent titles that are exclusive and immersive in the Xbox experience. However, if you’re looking for that little bit more immersion, you could choose t play the games on the Xbox One in VR. They wouldn’t per se be VR games. However, they would run on your VR headset, which would essentially act as the output for the Xbox One.

For this, the best headset, in my opinion, is the sharp, wireless, and very versatile Oculus Quest 2. The headset is easy to connect to the Xbox One and doesn’t cause too many hiccups or latency issues when playing. You can also use the Xbox controllers directly with the headset, making it a smoother experience than streaming your Xbox One content on different headset.

I hope this article also offers some insight into the other options that I’ve explored that span a wide range of prices, displays and weights, all meant to stream your Xbox One gaming content, amongst other things.

Happy gaming!

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