The best all-in-one VR headsets of 2021 (standalone VR)
What’s the best standalone VR headset?
There are currently nowhere near as many untethered VR headsets available in the burgeoning virtual reality market, compared to PC VR (tethered VR) and smartphone VR.
Tethered VR/AR HMDs must be connected by cable to a PC, harnessing the powerful processing power of the hardware in the connected PC or console. However, mobile VR headsets use the more widely accessible and available smartphones to deliver less advanced VR.
Standalone virtual reality headsets (a.k.a. untethered, wireless, standalone VR) don’t require a PC or a smartphone to deliver a VR experience. The self-contained headsets (made popular by releases such as the Oculus Go) include built-in processors, GPU, sensors, battery, memory, displays, and more. In addition, as these VR goggles are uncabled, users don’t have to limit themselves to a restricted space. In general, they offer a more powerful VR experience than smartphone VR but less powerful than tethered VR.
Various high-profile tech companies such as Google, Facebook, HTC, and others are focusing more resources on developing additional and sophisticated HMD’s for standalone VR. At Aniwaa, we think the future of VR does exist in increasingly wireless yet powerful virtual reality experiences via standalone VR headsets.
We have provided a comprehensive overview of the virtual reality market to present the best all-in-one virtual reality headsets available.
For a comprehensive overview of the range of headsets available, read our types of VR headsets guide.
Best standalone VR headsets 2021
| Brand | Product | Release date | Country | Price
Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary by region, over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …).
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GenBasic | Quad HD | 2016 | United States | $ 199 | Quote |
| Oculus | Go | 2018 | United States | $ 199 | Quote |
| Xiaomi | Mi VR | 2018 | China | $ 235 | Quote |
| Pico Interactive | Goblin
This product has been reviewed by our team.
| 2017 | China | $ 269 | Quote |
| Oculus | Quest | 2019 | United States | $ 399 | Quote |
| Lenovo | Mirage Solo | 2018 | China | $ 400 | Quote |
| DPVR | M2 PRO | 2016 | China | $ 590 | Quote |
| HTC | VIVE Focus | 2018 | Taiwan | $ 650 | Quote |
| Pico Interactive | Neo | 2018 | China | upon request | Quote |
The products in the table are ranked by price (low to high).
| Product | Brand | Release date | Country | Fov horizontal | Price
Approximate starting prices based on supplier-provided information and public data. Prices may vary by region, over time and do not include additional products or services (taxes, shipping, accessories, training, installation, …).
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quad HD | GenBasic | 2016 | United States | 110 | $ 199 | Get a quote |
| Go | Oculus | 2018 | United States | $ 199 | Get a quote | |
| Mi VR | Xiaomi | 2018 | China | $ 235 | Get a quote | |
| Goblin
This product has been reviewed by our team.
| Pico Interactive | 2017 | China | 92 | $ 269 | Get a quote |
| Quest | Oculus | 2019 | United States | 95 | $ 399 | Get a quote |
| Mirage Solo | Lenovo | 2018 | China | 110 | $ 400 | Get a quote |
| M2 PRO | DPVR | 2016 | China | 96 | $ 590 | Get a quote |
| VIVE Focus | HTC | 2018 | Taiwan | 110 | $ 650 | Get a quote |
| Neo | Pico Interactive | 2018 | China | upon request | Get a quote |
Overview of the best standalone VR headsets
All-in-one virtual reality HMDs generally offer a more affordable solution compared to tethered VR for users who want to experience virtual reality. However, the compromise in affordability is offset by having less powerful wireless VR, although newer headsets like the HTC VIVE Focus are an exception in terms of performance (see more information below).
Furthermore, most standalone VR headsets only offer 3DoF, hence a less immersive VR experience for the user. (See our glossary of terms for VR, AR, and MR).
The inclusion of controllers has become more standard for this VR category. Handheld controllers allow for users better interaction with the content and depending on the DoF (Degrees of Freedom), the better the immersion in the VR experience.
| Country | China |
| FOV Horizontal | 96 |
| Release date | 2016 |
| Price | $ 590 |
DPVR (or Deepoon) has a few VR products available, however, this is the only standalone VR headset available from the manufacturer.
One of the features is the ability to relatively quickly recharge the VR HMD. Although it has a high price point, it doesn’t offer the same high specs as other all-in-one headsets available. Furthermore, no controllers are available.
Platform(s): Google Play Store
Pros:
- Low latency
- Quick battery recharge
Cons:
- No controllers
- Less affordable than most products in this VR category
- 3DoF
| Country | United States |
| FOV Horizontal | 110 |
| Release date | 2016 |
| Price | $ 199 |
This untethered VR was one of the first HMDs in the category to be released, and it has good specs considering. With 110° FOV, a decent refresh rate of 75Hz, and the standalone VR is compatible with a variety of OS.
However, due to the age of the device, it is the least future-proofed and user feedback was negative on the comfort and content available.
Platform(s): Google Play Store
Pros:
- Affordable price-point
- Runs on multiple OS
Cons:
- Dated technology
- Poor comfort and wearability
- Bad ventilation and can overheat
- 3DoF
| Country | Taiwan |
| FOV Horizontal | 110 |
| Release date | 2018 |
| Price | $ 650 |
The VIVE FOCUS is one of the few standalone VR headsets to have 6DoF (6 Degrees of Freedom), hence the much higher price-point. However, this HMD does offer a range of features such as adding 2TB storage, basic gesture tracking, and longer battery life compared to other devices in this category.
Platform(s): SteamVR, HTC VIVEPORT
Pros:
- Built-in microphone and speakers
- Ongoing software updates for improvements
- 6DoF
Cons:
- High price-point
| Country | China |
| FOV Horizontal | 110 |
| Release date | 2018 |
| Price | $ 400 |
This standalone VR headset is not as affordable as other options on our list, but it has better specs compared to some of the other HMDs available. The Mirage Solo offers a more immersive VR experience than other VR headsets lacking 6DoF.
On the downside is the heavy, large design making it less portable for users.
Platform(s): SteamVR, HTC VIVEPORT
Pros:
- Great storage and memory options
- High accuracy of positional tracking
- Long battery life
- 6DoF
Cons:
- Bulky design, heavy and uncomfortable to wear & not ideal for portability
- Lacks built-in speakers
- A shortfall in great content
| Country | United States |
| FOV Horizontal | |
| Release date | 2018 |
| Price | $ 199 |
The Oculus Go is arguably the most well-known example of standalone VR, therefore it is credited with increasing the visibility of VR in the mass market. The HMD is very easy to use and the plug and play setup caters for beginners and experienced users.
The Oculus Go provides accessible VR of very good quality at this price-point.
Platform(s): Oculus
Pros:
- Affordable all-in-one VR
- Comfortable design and fit
- Large range of content available
Cons:
- Only 3DoF
- Basic controller
- Long recharge time
| Country | United States |
| FOV Horizontal | 95 |
| Release date | 2019 |
| Price | $ 399 |
The Oculus Quest, previously known as the Project Santa Cruz, is a game-changer. Launched in Spring 2019, the Quest all-in-one VR headset provides immersive experiences with 6 degrees of freedom and controllers similar to those of the premium Oculus Rift PC VR headset.
Platform(s): Oculus
Pros:
- 6DoF with Oculus Touch controllers
- Guardian system that maps the environment
- Large range of content available
Cons:
- No built-in earphones
| Country | China |
| FOV Horizontal | 92 |
| Release date | 2017 |
| Price | $ 269 |
The Pico Goblin (reviewed by Aniwaa here) also sits in the affordable bracket of standalone VR headsets and is a reasonably comfortable HMD to wear. However, it suffers from a lack of quality content.
The device offers 3DoF and good memory options, however, the device is likely to be overtaken by new tech quickly.
Platform(s): Pico Digital Store
Pros:
- Affordable
- Comfortable
- Easy to use
- Memory options
Cons:
- Lack of content
- 3DoF
| Country | China |
| FOV Horizontal | |
| Release date | 2018 |
| Price | upon request |
The 2nd all-in-one headset from Pico Interactive, this follow-up to the Pico Goblin, has a much higher price point compared to most products on our list.
However, the VR headset features 6DoF for the HMD and controllers, therefore offering a more immersive VR experience.
Platform(s): Pico Digital Store
Pros:
- 6DoF for headset and controller
- Hand-tracking enabled
Cons:
- A high price point for the VR standalone category
- Limited content for now
| Country | China |
| FOV Horizontal | |
| Release date | 2018 |
| Price | $ 235 |
This popular standalone VR HMD is a partnered rebrand of the Oculus Go, but available only in China. The main changes are cosmetic on the exterior and different access to content, therefore due to localization, the Mi VR has access to popular Chinese content and apps.
Furthermore, it is slightly more expensive than the Oculus Go.
Platform(s): Oculus
Pros:
- Same technical features as Oculus Go
- Comfort design and fit
Cons:
- Limited content
- Only 3DoF
- Long recharge time
Wireless adapters for PC VR
Thanks to developments in wireless technology, a number of manufacturers have released wireless adapters for tethered virtual reality HMD to offer an uncabled or untethered VR experience.
The aim is to offer more freedom in movement as well as a high-performance VR experience. Examples include WiGig (Intel’s Wireless gigabit), TPCAST Wireless Adapter (for the Oculus Rift or HTC VIVE), the HTC VIVE Wireless Adapter for their own devices, and the DisplayLink Wireless VR adapter.
All-in-one VR headset: pros and cons
Pros of all-in-one VR headsets
Portability
Standalone VR headsets are easy to carry around (wireless) and less space is required to use them.
Affordability
These VR HMDs are generally quite affordable in comparison with PC VR.
Ease of use
Standalone headsets are plug-and-play and, therefore, easy to use for all users.
Cons of all-in-one VR headsets
Less powerful VR
Doesn’t compete with most tethered PC VR headsets.
3DoF
Most standalone headsets only have 3DoF, offering a less
Battery life
This needs to be improved if users want to use the device extensively.
Standalone VR price
Most of the untethered VR headsets available are considerably more affordable ($200 to $300) than PC VR, however, some of the recently released VR HMD and future releases which deliver 6DoF, are far less affordable ($600+).
There is still the added benefit of not requiring an expensive PC to operate the HMD, regardless of which untethered VR headset a user buys.
How to choose the best all-in-one virtual reality headset?
In addition to a range of considerations such as comfort, processing power, memory, display and refresh rates, these are some of the key elements to consider when buying an all-in-one VR HMD.
Battery life
A key factor as it will impact how long users can operate the device (and if portable battery packs are available).
DoF
Currently, a limited number of untethered VR headsets have 6DoF, and the ones that do are much less affordable.
Controllers
Not all devices currently available have controllers, and again there are limitations with 3DoF.
FOV
Although standalone VR may not have as much processing power compared to tethered VR, the field of view is generally within a great range; the higher the FOV, the more immersive the experience.
Our VR headset buying guide dives deeper into technical considerations for choosing an HMD (also covers PC VR headsets and smartphone VR headsets).
