VR headset

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My sons have asked for a VR headset- has anyone got any recommendations? They have an xbox one, PS4 and switch but I'm assuming they don't mean an add on but something completely separate? Anyone have any recommendations?

They'll mean the Meta Quest one.

My son got meta quest 2 for Christmas 2yrs ago. He loves it he plays on it everyday it's the best present he got. He has a phone, laptop and Xbox but the Meta gets used the most.

Meta quest 3 is released soon so if you hold on the price of quest 2 should drop a little when that happens (there will be loads being traded in too so you should be able to get a bargain pre owned one).

My ds is desperate for one of these and it’s the only thing he’s asking for! He’s only 7 though, 8 in January and I feel he’s too young.

Thanks so much everyone, @Mydogisamentalist yes I know what you mean, my youngest asked first when he was 7 which felt young and as his big brother wasn't interested I said no back then, he's 10 now and his brother wants to share so I feel happier splitting their budget to share it so there is still some money for other things!

My ds uses his lots, he has a ps5 one ( you need a ps5) and an occulus 2, gets good use out of them

Let me know if you want to buy one second hand. We bought three a couple of years ago for our boys - but they were used for a few days and have sat in the box ever since 🙄

One of ours wants the new Quest, whenever it comes out.

Dh has the Playstation VR2 which is very good but I don't think it works with PS4.

There are also the HTC ones which I think are meant to be good but I know nothing about them.

One of mine likes the psvr2 and one likes the occulus (sp?) So I would check which he's talking about. Both my DS love watching reviews about things like this, which seems to be most of the fun.

Harder if you're trying to keep it a complete surprise but mine would prefer to pick their own tech.

Definitely the meta quest occulus
Don't get the 1 as some of the games are being taken off the software as its getting outdated. So Definitely occulus 2. It's currently 299 direct but depends on if you are happy with 2nd hand? We got my sons from CEX rated B for quality at 220 when it was 300+ to buy at the time. Which was ideal for us as my son can be clumsy with his autism so I didn't want to be freaking out every time he used it. He is asking now for the 2 (he knows we can't afford the 3 when it comes out) and I will probably be doing the 2nd hand again.

Os they are sooooo much fun. .even I go on it all the time.

Agree it will be the Oculus headset they went, I have one and it’s amazing!

Pre orders are just open for quest 3. At his age you'd need him attached to parental account. I've had a quest 2 for 3 years now and do a lot of VR (both standalone and PCVR). Be aware of potential eye issues for kids and imo a quest 2 may be too heavy for a young growing neck but quest 3 will be slimmer and lighter. Online safety is a big issue for multiplayer games so good idea to have him cast to TV so you can supervise. Budget extra 100 quid for better headstrap, case and battery pack to balance if you get one.

Thanks all really useful. In terms of games, I assume it is all done digitally, are we better off paying for the subscription?

Digitally. Add a PIN if you keep a payment method on the account. I don't use the subscription. Happy to provide game or app recs if you're interested in a particular direction....reviews on site less reliable since they offered up referral codes.

Thank you, how much are the games? Just wondering what to budget!

Games vary in price. Some are free but some can cost £30. They have deals on games weekly and when it's occasions like xmas they usual have a sale.

There are quite a few free trials so you can have a go before buying. Safe starter bets for a child imo (and I do think 10yo is young for VR but do your own research obvs) would be walkabout golf, beatsaber and maybe blaston (last one is free these days). For each game on the website you can play a trailer video definitely do watch those...you will also find info on comfort levels (for motion sickness) and age rating. Some games are highly unsuitable for kids so you need to vet carefully. There are lots of education things available eg Brink. You can also do individual game parent locks so get familiar with all the security features. If your child has any tendency to bad behaviour in multiplayer or social environments be aware another user may record, report them and the outcome may be a ban. Another reason to monitor usage!

I’m not technically minded so I’ve checked…my son got an oculus quest 2 a year ago and it’s brilliant

hes doing his alevels so doesn’t play it all the time but he loves it…if he plays beat saber he’s drenched in sweat after a few sessions

Seems to be good fun

got it from John Lewis, maybe you could go in an try it with them?

@FrontEnd ah wow, sounds like another world! Tbh despite the fact we have a lot of tech, it is quite heavily monitored and limited, they're only allowed on it on the weekend/school holidays but note I need to carefully research this one as it sounds quite different, and limit/supervise appropriately. Sounds like it'll become more of a family gadget.

Join a couple of the FB groups for Meta Quest...they are usually v happy to help and you'll get insight into who your son may be mingling with if they do multiplayer games. I love VR and with safety precautions it can be amazing for kids too. Check out the trailer for Titans of Space too...educational experiences like that are simply mind-blowing. Don't be tempted to buy any headset second hand until you (or someone who knows how to use the headset) has checked it in action for sun damage. Impossible to spot unless you're actually in VR and if someone has let sun hit the lenses it is completely worthless so beware of that.

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