The 5 Best VR Headsets for Interactive & Virtual Porn
Kids these days and their new-fangled gizmos and gadgets! Back in my day, we had to haul our nudie-mags up four, five flights of steps – both ways – and liked it! Now, they’re wearing little TV sets on their faces and calling it “virtual reality.”
Kidding aside, that’s a pretty accurate description of VR. Though in practice, of course, it’s far more complicated – and often expensive – than that. But no matter the hardware variations, it’s a universal truth that virtual reality is taking off like the bee’s knees.
Like a lot of technology before it, it’s driven by the very human desire to better ogle naked people doing what naked people do – but this time in 3 vivid dimensions!
Which leads us to the point of this article: my recommendations for which of the many types and brands of virtual reality headsets out there are the best for enjoying interactive adult entertainment?
What are the Best VR Headsets for Interactive Porn and What Makes Them Interesting?
VR is one of those tech things that – echoing my crusty, old-fart-persona above – at first sounds rather meh. After all, we all know what watching porn on a screen looks like, so how could having two screens, especially when they’re strapped to your face, be a plus?
Until you try it, that is, because once you do, I’ll bet you good, hard currency that it’ll blow you away. For one thing, those screens drop you into the action like nothing before, so much so that taking a VR rig off can often be disorienting. The fun doesn’t stop there, as depending on the system you’re using, the headset will also track the movement of your head and body, allowing you to experience a whole new – and very sexy – world.
Couple this with the growing line of interactive sex toys that respond to what’s happening in your VR experience, and you’ll quickly see and feel what the buzz is all about.
Here’s the thing, though, when you talk VR, you have to begin by breaking the hardware down into two very unique camps. Well, three, to be honest: with the new Facebook-sponsored Oculus Quest, there’s now a bridge between them.
On the far side are state-of-the-art systems like the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive, and the astonishing Valve Index. I don’t use state-of-the-art lightly, either, as these systems offer ultra-high resolution scenes for incredibly vivid experiences, motion tracking of the rig in addition to your body for superb interactivity, and frequently includes controls that allow users to manipulate the virtual environment as easily as they can in the so-called ‘real world.’
All, naturally, a huge plus for erotic VR experiences. There’s a problem, though: they don’t come cheap. In addition to needing you to shell out four and sometimes five figures just for a headset, they also require a suitably-powerful PC – which could cost an additional four figures.
So, what can the cash-strapped do if they also want to experience interactive VR porn? The good news is they can – if they have a new-ish smartphone, that is. Way back when, Google started this particular ball rolling with their VR cardboard tech: essentially just a foldable box to hold your smartphone, running a necessary app for it, to your face.
Since then, the world’s been flooded by plastic versions of this rig, some even given away for free by adult entertainment providers. Sure, they lack the high-def resolution of the more-advanced systems, but since new phones come equipped with motion sensors, they can still be enjoyably immersive.
In regards to interactivity, a few of these affordable rigs come with a little Bluetooth-enabled controller. Just like with the graphics, it’s not comparable with the pricier options but better than nothing.
Then there’s the new Oculus Quest, which stands between the two; while it’s significantly superior to smartphone rigs, it doesn’t require a computer to do its heavy lifting.
With all this out of the way, let’s take at the top of each of these types with the goal of giving you the ultimate best VR for that juicy interactive erotic enjoyment you’ve been waiting to experience.
VIVE Cosmos
When you talk about high-end VR rigs, the one often getting the most praise is the VIVE Cosmos. So much so that, if you look at adult entertainment sites with virtual reality content, you’ll see it commonly recommended.
In addition to its 2880 x 1700 pixel screen – providing resolution right up there with your standard, flesh and blood, eyes – the VIVE Cosmos uses a proprietary tracking system considered the finest in the field.
Its controllers are equally precise, to the point where they’ll feel like a natural extension of your body, though it will take a bit of time to get used to the button layout, which is common with pretty much every rig out there.
But there’s a particular reason why it’s here: the VIVE has an add-on component to make their Cosmos line of rigs completely wireless. It may not seem like a big deal, but there’s nothing quite like tripping or tugging on a power cord to ruin that all-important sense of immersion.
- Pros
A top-of-the-line rig by a highly-regarded manufacturer, with phenomenally realistic visuals, intuitive controllers, and, with some additional hardware, that doesn’t require you to cable it to a PC.
- Cons
In addition to its already-steep price, the VIVE Cosmos also requires the backing of a necessarily powerful computer. Like other high-end systems, it’s best to use it in a sizable space free of unnecessary furniture or obstacles, making it problematic for those living in small houses or apartments.
➡️ Check the Price of the Vive Cosmos
Valve Index
No discussion of “best” virtual reality set-ups would be complete without the Cadillac… no, wait, that’s not a fair analogy. Much better to refer to the Valve Index as the industry’s Bugatti: as it’s the current technological pinnacle, and with a staggeringly-high price tag to prove it.
Brought to us by the minds behind the legendary Half-Life game series and other highly-regarded titles, the Valve is simply awe-inspiring in its graphics, motion detection, and innovative controllers.
To put that last bit into context, commonly, the most you can hope for with other rigs is a rough approximation of the user’s hand in virtual reality; things like pointing or grabbing objects is handled via a button press or a trigger pull.
Not so with the Index, as for the first time, users can use their actual flesh-and-blood digits to interact with anything in the VR environment. Yes, you may whistle about this – I certainly did.
- Pros
The top of the line when it comes to VR rigs in every aspect: sound, video resolution, tracking the user’s movements, and especially with that controller set-up I was gushing about.
- Cons
Just one, really, and – oh, boy – it’s a massive one, though it’s well-deserved, as that old saying, “You get what you pay for.” puts it. Let me spell it out a bit more clearly; you can get a fairly decent used car for what a Valve Index, and the computer to run it on, will set you back.
➡️ Check the Price of the Valve Index
DESTEK V5 VR Headset
Within the sprawling – and that’s putting it mildly – world of smartphone VR rigs, I’m recommending the DESTEK V5 VR Headset as it hits pretty much every vital point this kind of type should.
Case in point, it’s affordable, far more comfortable than other brands, works with both an Android or an iPhone, and – the cherry on top – comes with a handsome Bluetooth controller that, along with the obligatory Select and Start buttons, also comes with four configurable ones and a joystick.
This may not feel like a big deal but take my advice that there’s nothing more annoying when using one of these smartphone systems than waving a clumsy and poorly-made Bluetooth controller around trying to get the cursor to go where you want it to. Not so with the DESTEK V5 VR Headset, however.
- Pros
An excellent beginner’s level entry into the pleasures of interactive adult entertainment. Since a smartphone’s the brains of the operation, it’ll work on every porn site with browser-based VR content. When possible, videos can be downloaded onto the phone for enjoyment offline or if low connection speeds create an undesirable lag.
Works with iPhone and Android, unlike other similar rigs, and the Bluetooth controller brings much more interactive bang for the buck than its competition.
- Cons
As it’s dependent on your phone, that’s what will determine video quality and motion tracking smoothness. While there are porn sites that boast a degree of interactivity with these set-ups, they are few and far between compared with what’s available for higher-end rigs.
➡️ Check the Price of the DESTEK V5 VR Headset
Google Cardboard
If rigs like the DESTEK are out of your price range, or you’re simply not ready to spend anything, even a few bucks, on VR until you know it’s going to be for you, then how about any of the baseline ones you can pick up for pin-money on the Google Cardboard site.
They don’t come with any bells and/or whistles and, let’s be blunt about it, they’re not a big step up from holding your smartphone up in front of your face, but a good option if you want an introductory VR experience.
You also won’t have a controller, unless you buy one separately, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have interactive fun with one of these. For instance, you can still use a suitably-smart sextoy, link it to the action in the video of your choosing, and then put on your cardboard rig.
- Pros
Let’s face it; a Google Cardboard rig only has one thing going for it: that it’s gosh-darned cheap. But don’t let this stop you from considering it, as there are tons of porn sites out there with all kinds of wonderfully explicit videos that support rigs like these – and for newbies to VR, that might be perfect – all without mortgaging your home.
- Cons
Unless your smartphone is brand new and the best-of-the-best, your experience with one of these is gonna be less than spectacular – and the same if your Wi-Fi is sluggish or non-existent. Though some porn sites offer the option to download as opposed to streaming content, meaning the slow Wi-Fi thing may not be all that much of a “con” for you.
Meta Quest (our top pick!)
What happens when a social networking goliath partners up with a just-about equally popular VR company? Well, their offspring is the Oculus Quest (now known as the Meta Quest): a new addition to the virtual reality roster.
Not only new but one that, as I hinted at previously, has finally filled that yawning chasm between expensive rigs and the more affordable smartphone-based ones.
Being the middle child, the Quest isn’t as powerful as the VIVE Cosmos or offer the same amount of video resolution and – while cheaper than it and its kin – will still set you back considerably more than going the smartphone route.
Thinking about it, that may not honestly be the case. After all, if you already have a good smartphone, then you’re all set, but if you don’t and decide to purchase one with VR in mind, then you have to factor in the cost of the phone and the rig – which is nearly the price of a Quest.
The most significant benefit, though, is that the Quest is a stand-alone bit of kit, in that it doesn’t need a computer. Like, at all: its brains are in the unit itself, running on a tweaked version of Android. This also means it’s wireless, all without needing to pay for an expensive add on.
It also boasts excellent finger-recognition controllers, something it shares with the super-super-super high-end Value Index – again for a fraction of the cost.
Able to connect to the web, it works excellently with interactive porn sites – with the interactive bit reinforced by the Quest’s ergonomic and responsive controllers.
- Pros
Brought to you by the brains behind legendary systems like the Oculus Rift and sponsored by Facebook. The unit is entirely self-contained, so anyone, even if they don’t have a smartphone or a computer, can use it – though Wi-Fi is essential.
The rig is also completely wireless, so there’ll be no fears of tripping over cords or wires. As it’s powered by Android, it can run any VR app or be used in conjunction with any browser or smartphone-supported VR adult sites.
- Cons
Like with smartphone rigs, where the heavy lifting isn’t provided by a separate computer, the Quest’s computational side is relatively limited. This means that large or labor-intensive software may, at times, be too much for it.
As of this writing, it’s currently unavailable directly from the manufacturer, though some are selling new units on sites such as Amazon to make way for the coming-soon release of the upgraded Oculus Quest 2.
It also requires a good-sized, clutter and furniture-free space if you want to do a lot of virtual walking around, though if you don’t want to or can’t, it works just as well if you’re sitting at a desk or on a sofa.
➡️ Check the Price of the Meta Quest
Honorable Mention
Before popping open a bottle of celebratory champagne and announcing my top pick, I’d like to acknowledge a possible fourth option: PlayStation VR.
PSVR, as it’s commonly initialized, is a way for PlayStation 4 owners to experience the delights of immersion, though not without some noticeable drawbacks.
Before listing them, however, a good reason I’m including it is that, like the Oculus Quest, it’s an affordable option for VR adult content – through the PlayStation’s web browser. If you like games as much as porn, it’s also a good option as PlayStation continues to release more and more superb titles specifically for their VR platform.
It’s just that – while it can do the porn-viewing job – the PSVR controllers aren’t the best for interactivity. Still, if you already have a PS4, it’s worth considering. Besides, you can always just play cool games on it.
➡️ Check the Price of the PlayStation VR
Best VR Headsets for Interactive & Virtual Porn: The Verdict
The decision regarding which of these to award the Best VR Headsets for Interactive Porn gold medal honestly comes down to what you think will get you where you – virtually – want to go.
Don’t have a lot of cash to spare? Then something like the DESTEK V5 VR Headset is worth considering – if, of course, you have a smartphone to use it with.
Love playing with computers as much as you love getting off on porn? For you, a high-end rig like the VIVE Cosmos could be the way to go as your out-of-pocket would be for the rig all on its lonesome.
Which is why, after considering the complexities and variables between the two, I’ve decided to split the difference by recommending the Oculus Quest.
Please don’t think I’m chickening out by taking the path of least resistance here: the Quest has a lot more going for it than its enticing balance between affordability and quality.
As I listed in my pros for it, the Quest is a stand-alone unit that’s wirelessly liberated from needing any additional hardware, with an added benefit of being portable so you can take your VR sex fun along with you no matter where you go.
For this portability, it’s resolution and controller interactivity is excellent: more than enough to please even the most enthusiastic interactive porn fan – and mind-blowing for those new to the fun.
All this without mentioning the possibilities of using it with the new generation of Bluetooth-enabled smart sex toys out there right now, and with more on the immediate horizon.
With this kind of tech – and how adult sites continue to fervently embrace VR by uploading what feels like thousands of new videos and interactive experiences every day – you may very well find yourself tumbling down a never-ending erotic rabbit hole and into a land of virtual, sexual delights.
So if I’ve successfully tantalized and tickled your various erotic fancies with VR possibilities, then feel to go forth and have your own immersive porn adventures – just be sure to surface now and again to take a walk on a pleasantly sunny day.
M.Christian (they/them) is a popular Sex Tech journalist and the author of six novels,12 collections, 50+ short stories, and the editor of 25 anthologies. They’ve also written 700+ reviews and essays on everything from the best smart vibrator to the most exciting interactive sex game. Whether having fun speculating on the future of human sexuality or reporting on an exciting new teledildonic breakthrough, nothing pleases Chris more than knowing someone enjoyed reading their work as much as they had writing it.
