Best VR Headsets For Under $100

Have a headset made out of cardboard, but wish the device were a bit more durable? The

Noton VR

may be bare-bones, but the headset is sturdy, light-weight, holds any brand or size of phone, and has straps for your face. You can’t adjust the lenses, the headset doesn’t fit over glasses, and Noton lacks a control button and padding. Remember: It’s a solid piece of plastic. However, the lack of padding makes the device very easy to clean.

Did I mention Noton is only $6?

Where to buy: GearBest

Starting at around $25, the

Mattel View-Master VR

is a colorful, sturdy device–that

does

have a control button–and comes with cute augmented reality “experience reels.” The downside? No straps, so you have to hold the headset in place against your eyes, and it’s too small to fit over glasses. The lenses are also not adjustable, and those “experience reels” are fairly strong marketing gimmick. Instead, go to the app stores and download one of the thousands of free, low-cost virtual reality apps and videos.

Where to buy:

Amazon,


Target,


Walmart

Want a headset no smaller than your sunglasses? Check out the $20

Goggle Tech C-1 Glasses

. The device lacks sides, a top or bottom, or even straps. But the

headset

is a very easy way to quickly watch a virtual reality video–or an app to a friend. Alternatives include the Homido Mini, the

Baofeng Mojing Small

, the Cobra VR, and the VR Fold.

Where to buy: Amazon

Although the priciest set on this list, the

Samsung Gear VR

($99) comes with extra built-in sensors for a better experience. There’s also a trackpad, back button and volume control built right into the set. Gear VR has some great games in its app store as well, and is more robust, supporting Netflix and Hulu. The downside? (You knew there had to be one.) The selection of games is still small and the games are pricier than similar games for the Google Cardboard. Plus, Gear VR only works with late-model Samsung phones.

Where to buy:

Samsung

,

Amazon

,

BestBuy

,

Walmart

Is it possible to get everything in a single headset under $100? A device that fits over glasses, works with any phone, has adjustable lenses, is compatible with augmented reality apps, has room for audio cables, is cool, comfortable, light weight, and has with a wide field of view? The

FiiT VR

headset meets every requirement on my VR viewer checklist: all starting at just $25. The only downside is a lack of a built-in button. Don’t have an external controller? Consider buying the Fiit as a bundle with the controller as part of the deal.

Where to buy:

Amazon

,

GearBest,


AliExpress

,

GeekBuying