Looking for a hardware upgrade? Then check out our list of new VR headsets 2022!
The VR industry finds itself at a critical point at the start of 2022. After years of perceived turmoil and sluggish sales, the Meta Quest 2 appears to have finally broken through the glass ceiling and is selling well. But, whilst it’s great to see VR developers thriving off of the sales of a headset, there are genuine concerns about the lack of true competition in the market right now.
2022 might provide the antidote to those issues. Sony’s lining up its new PS5 VR headset, Apple’s plans might finally be made public and there’s a whole host of smaller competitors vying for a slice of the pie too. Read on for the rundown of what’s on the way.
New VR Headsets 2022
Meta’s Project Cambria
We know less about Project Cambria than we thought we would at this point in time. Rumors building up to last year’s Connect conference suggested a full reveal of an ‘Oculus Quest Pro’ that could be arriving imminently. Instead, we got a quick glimpse of a new standalone headset that’s separate from the Quest line and will be arriving sometime later this year.
But some of what we heard about Quest Pro remains consistent in Cambria. We know it has color passthrough and face and eye-tracking, for example. It’s also expected to have a more compact form factor and controllers that ditch the tracking rings. But, while Cambria will have access to the Quest library of content, Meta assures it won’t be replacing the $299 headset. Think of this as a higher-end alternative for a lot of enterprise applications and enthusiast VR users, then.
While we wait, you can catch up with everything we know about Project Cambria right here.
PS5 VR/PSVR 2
Meta and Apple’s efforts might mean more for the long-term view of where VR and AR are going, but when it comes to the here and now, Sony’s PSVR follow-up promises to deliver incredible gaming experiences we can’t wait to dive into. Officially, we know PS5 VR (which isn’t yet named PSVR 2) exists. We also know it has all-new controllers. But that’s where all of the announced information ends.
Our own reporting has confirmed eye-tracking and 4K resolution among other features. It all sounds incredibly exciting but, truth be told, it’s the games we’re really interested in here. The increased power of the PS5 suggests we’ll see much more impressive titles than what we got on the original PSVR, and Meta and others are still leagues behind when it comes to securing a compelling gaming software line-up for a platform. We’ll be keeping a close eye on PSVR 2 in 2022.
Need more? Here’s everything we know about PSVR 2.
Apple’s Mixed Reality Headset
We’ve been following the rumors surrounding Apple’s supposed mixed reality headset for the better part of a decade now, but 2022 might just be the year we finally get to see something tangible. Public comments have always seen Apple highlight the potential of AR over VR, but reports suggest this first device will be capable of both.
In fact, the latest rumors point to a $1,000 price tag for a kit with 4K OLED microdisplays, high-resolution color cameras and a new Apple chip similar to the power seen in the Mac’s M1 processor. Apple has also been on a hiring spree for AR/VR engineers for years now and has bought up relevant companies like NextVR. But, at the end of the day, all we have is speculation and hope. Will 2022 finally be the year of Apple VR?
Pimax Reality Series
As PC VR becomes an increasingly distant second priority for Meta, and Valve, Microsoft and more remain silent on the future of their own hardware efforts, the PC VR space has few new contenders to turn to in 2022. We do know that long-time headset maker Pimax is going all-in with its Reality series, which promises the highest-end experience going for VR.
So that’s 200Hz HDR LCD panels with near 6K per eye resolution and a 200 degree field of view. It’s also a standalone/PC hybrid that features an XR2 for the former (and will also scale back some of those specs when in standalone). Of course, it costs just as much as you’d think, starting at $2,499. We’ve also had issues with Pimax headsets in the past, but we’re hopeful this device improves across the board.
There’s quite a lot to keep up with on this one, though, so best read our full article here.
What Else To Look Out For
Though they technically launched last year, the HTC Vive Flow and Varjo Aero are still in their infancy and we’ll be looking forward to new developments for both in 2022. Meanwhile, there are some relatively unknown contenders to look out for, including the recently-announced modular standalone headset from Somnium Space. The DecaGear PC VR headsets is also still in development, though it recently had to hike up its price from $450 to $700 citing tough competition, so our expectations are more reserved there. And what about that rumored Valve standalone headset, supposedly codenamed Deckard? Whilst Valve comments suggest the device could be quite real, the company’s current focus on the already-delayed Steam Deck handheld console suggests it’ll be some time before that’s a priority. As for Xbox VR? We’ll keep our fingers crossed, but persistent executive comments don’t inspire much confidence.
And that’s our list of new VR headsets 2022. What are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below!
