Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day. This includes unlimited access to and our print magazine (if you'd like). Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). Updated December 2021: Refreshed information for the rebranded Meta Quest 2 and added Vive Focus 3, Logitech G333 Earbuds for VR, and Horizon Workrooms. Below, we feature both kinds of headsets. Plus, in the case of the Meta Quest 2, you can plug it into a PC if you want the extra graphical horsepower. You can bring this kind of VR headset to any room in the house without having to lug around a PC. It's more comfortable, you don't have to worry about getting tangled up in your own cables, and it's totally portable. But if you're looking for absolutely top-of-the-line graphics, and you already shelled out for a great gaming PC or laptop, then you'll want to go tethered.įor most people, myself included, wirefree VR is a much better option. You'll likely trip on them at some point, too. There's no getting around the fact that cables are awkward to deal with, especially when you can't really see them. The disadvantage is that you're, well, hooked up to a PC. Tethered VR gives you more graphical detail because you're hooked up to a PC.

Oculus rift s pc-powered headset