How cool would it be if you could take your children virtually to the places or museums they always wanted to go to without spending a fortune? Wouldn’t it be great if you could have an immersive experience like you are literally fighting your own battles or riding your own car while playing games?
Technology has been evolving at a rapid pace and nowadays you could do all this and much more with the help of Virtual Reality. But to access the world of virtual reality you need a device called a virtual reality headset.
While there are many virtual reality headsets available in the market today that can cost you a fortune. But I know that everybody can’t afford them. And if you are just starting with the world of virtual reality or want to gift one to your children, then it will not be a wise decision to spend big on your first VR headset.
But if you got around $100 to spare and want to purchase a virtual reality headset strictly under it then you are at the right place. In this article, we have made a list of the 10 best Virtual Reality Headsets that are available for under $100.
This is an exhaustive list that covers the cheapest VR headset, cheapest headset with remote controller, Merge VR headset, Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard, VR Headset for gaming, a headset perfect for gifting to children, a headset that supports iPhone and Android.
But before starting with the list let us look at a few things that you need to keep in mind while buying a VR headset.
Quick navigation:
- VR Headset Buying Guide
- Best VR Headset Under 100 Dollars Quick Comparison
- Best VR Headsets Under $100
- Should You Buy A Virtual Reality Headset Under $100?
- FAQs
VR Headset Buying Guide
1) Weight Of The Headset
The first and foremost thing that you need to keep in mind is the weight of the headset. Because you will be wearing the headset around your head for a while or maybe more. And if the weight of the headset is on the higher side then it will become uncomfortable to wear and you will be left with a headache.
2) Adjustable Horizontal And Vertical Head Straps
Make sure you buy a headset that has both horizontal and vertical head straps. If you have just the horizontal straps then your nose will have to bear all the weight of the headset, which will become quite uncomfortable for long usage. The straps should also be adjustable, as everyone has a different head size and to adjust it according to your head it should have adjustable straps.
3) Bluetooth Remote Controller
To further enhance your experience the headset should come with a Bluetooth controller. So that you can control and navigate through the content without touching or taking off your headset.
4) FD And OD Adjustment
Without going into much detail and further confusing ourselves. Let us understand what are these adjustments in a common man’s terms. These adjustments basically let you expand the viewing angle and allow you to adjust the focal distance and myopic alignment (focus and depth) according to your liking for a clear and optimal viewing experience.
Now that you know what needs to be kept in mind while buying a virtual reality headset, let’s dive straight into the list.
Best VR Headset Under 100 Dollars Quick Comparison
IMAGE | PRODUCT | SPECIFICATIONS | VIEW ON AMAZON |
Cheapest Virtual Reality Headset  | Google Cardboard |
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Best VR Headset Under $100 With Remote Controller  | Newnaivete |
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Best Virtual Reality Headset For Gaming  | VR Entertainment |
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Best VR Headset for Children  | Destek VR Dream |
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Best VR Headsets Under $100
1) BNext VR Headset
This headset is compatible with both iPhone and Android smartphones. So you could easily pair it with any mobile that your friends and family have. But keep in mind that the screen size of the smartphone should be between 4 to 6.3 inches.
FD and OD adjustments in the headset let you adjust it according to your likings for a clearer and better experience. The headset also comes with a breathable foam face and a soft piece for the nose. As a result, you can use it for an extended period of time without facing any uncomfortableness.
This headset offers exclusive Virtual Reality Content. This includes free VR games and experiences so you can play different games and have diverse experiences without paying anything extra.
To fit your head properly and increase comfortability, the headset comes with adjustable horizontal and vertical head straps. The eyesight protection makes sure that you do not get much strain on your eyes. Therefore you can use this VR headset for a long duration without worrying much about your eyes.
This headset does not come with a remote controller. But you can opt for another model of this headset that comes with a remote controller. It is a little bit costlier than this one.
However, there are a couple of shortcomings of this headset too. Firstly, you do not get any built-in headphones with it. So you will have to buy an extra pair if you do not have them already for a more engaging and holistic experience. Secondly, some people find it a little uncomfortable to wear.
2) Atlasonix 3D VR Headset
Whether you have an iPhone or an Android, it doesn’t matter because this headset is compatible with both of them. But your screen size should be between 4 to 6.3 inches.
Adjustable horizontal and vertical straps make sure that it fits snuggly around your head and your nose does not bear the whole weight. There is a Bluetooth remote controller through which you could easily navigate and control your phone without touching the headset.
This headset can support a screen resolution of up to 4K. Therefore you can watch the clearer and crispier VR content out there. It also comes with an eyesight protection system so you can wear it for long hours without straining your eyes.
FD and OD adjustments enable you to adjust the headset according to your need for a better and holistic experience. You also get exclusive Virtual Reality content with this headset. As a result, you are never out of content to watch or games to play.
But like everything else, this headset is also not perfect and there are some flaws to this headset too. You do not get any built-in headphones with it but you can connect external headphones. And the remote controller works only with Android smartphones. So if you own an iPhone then the remote controller is basically of no use to you.
3) Merge VR
This virtual reality goggles from Merge is particularly positioned for helping children in learning. It comes with a lot of experiential learning and field trips from many well-known brands like BBC, National Geographic, NASA, BBC, etc. Therefore your kids’ learning experience becomes exciting and interesting. And they can learn from these first-hand experiences and learn well.
Merge VR is the best VR headset for iPhone and Android under $100 and supports a screen size of up to 6 inches. It comes with OD and FD adjustments so you can adjust the headset to a position that you find the best for an overall experience.
The weight of the headset is on the lighter side so you can wear it for an extended time. There is an adjustable horizontal head strap to make sure that it fits properly on every head that it is worn on.
However, there are some shortcomings of this headset as well. There is no remote controller to control your experience remotely so you have to touch the headset every time you want to press a button or change anything on the screen. Therefore let’s just say that playing games will not be as pleasant as it should be.
It also does not come with a vertical strap so your kids will be complaining a lot about pain in their noses. The headset does not come with inbuilt headphones too. So you will have to purchase a pair to make the experience of your kids more holistic.
4) Newnaivete VR Headset
Let it be iPhone or Android, this headset is compatible with any smartphone as long as it has a screen size between 4.7 to 6.53 inches. And playing games and watching the content is going to be fun as it comes with a Bluetooth remote controller.
Adjustable head straps and the light weight of the headset make it suitable for long hours of usage without any complaint. The headset comes with eyesight protection and is also suitable for wearing over spectacles. Therefore you do not have to worry about your eyes while using it.
Ultrasoft and breathable foam face make sure that it’s light on your skin and can be worn for extended hours. The paddings are washable too so you can wash them as and when they get dirty. Finding your perfect angle for optimum experience is also easier as this headset comes with OD and FD adjustments.
But there are some flaws to this headset as well. It does not come with built-in headphones. And some people find its remote controller a little hard to use.
5) Pansonite VR Headset
As long as your smartphone screen size is between 4.7 to 6 inches, it will be compatible with this headset from Pansonite. It does not matter if it is an Android or an iPhone. And if you love playing games then you are going to love the Bluetooth remote controller of this headset. Because it is in the exact shape of a joystick that you get with video games.
The headset is suitable for wearing with glasses so if you wear glasses then there will not be any problem for you. Also, the headset comes with eyesight protection so you can use it for long hours without putting much strain on your eyes.
You can find a perfect viewing angle for yourself as this headset offers OD and FD adjustments. And this is the only headset on my list that comes with built-in headphones. Therefore you do not have to spend another dime to have a holistic experience.
There are horizontal and vertical head straps that are made up of light material. As a result, you can fit the headset snuggly around your head and use it for a long duration too.
This headset manages to tick almost all the boxes to be the best virtual reality headset under $100. However, there are a few flaws to it too. First of all the weight of this headset is on the heavier side. Therefore it can become uncomfortable to use for a long duration. Secondly, some people have a hard time adjusting the focus of the headset correctly.
6) Destek VR Dream
This headset from Destek is perfect if you want to gift a VR headset to your children. It comes with a special paint job that your kids will find exciting and interesting. The headset is compatible with both Android and iPhone smartphones. And can support a smartphone with a screen size between 4.7 to 7.2 inches. So you can easily fit even the big smartphones.
Finding a perfect viewing angle is not a problem as the headset comes with adjustable OD and FD. And the Bluetooth remote controller makes it easy to navigate and control while playing games and watching videos.
This headset also comes with an anti-blue light coating so it does not put much strain on the eyes of your kid even after the elongated usage. The weight of the headset is on the lighter side too, it has adjustable head straps and has breathable foam mask. Therefore you can not only fit it comfortably around any head size but also use it for long durations.
The only flaw that I could find in this headset is that it does not come with inbuilt headphones. So you will have to buy a pair of headphones if you do not already have them for a more emerging experience.
7) Google Cardboard VR Headset
This is the cheapest virtual reality headset that the money could buy. And yes as the name suggests it is made up of cardboard. It is compatible with both Android and iPhone smartphones. So you can use it with any of them as long as the screen size is under 6 inches. This headset supports smartphones with screen sizes between 3.5 to 6 inches.
This headset is also the lightest among all the headsets available in the world. And if you do not like the cardboard color you can purchase a third-party skin to make your headset look more interesting and cooler.
It only comes with a horizontal strap and that too is not adjustable. Also, some people find it a little uncomfortable to wear. And you have to take extra care of it as it is prone to tearing. But you can’t really complain about anything at this price point.
8) Destek V5 VR Headset
If you have a smartphone that has a screen size between 4.7 to 6.8 inches, then you can use it with this headset. It supports both Android and iPhone smartphones and comes with a Bluetooth remote controller so playing games and navigating through the content is easy and fun.
This device can be used for long-duration without putting strain on your head and nose. Because it comes with adjustable straps and a face mask that is breathable and the headset is lightweight too.
You also do not have to worry about your eyes as the headset has anti-blue light and an anti-reflective coating on lenses. So even after using the headset for a long duration, your eyes will be strain-free. Adjustable OD and FD let you adjust the headset perfectly for a clearer and more engaging experience.
This VR headset almost seems perfect until you notice that it does not come with inbuilt headphones. So you will have to purchase an extra pair.
9) VR Entertainment Real Feel
This year’s best VR headset under $100 for all the gamers out there is VR Entertainment virtual reality goggles as it comes with a Bluetooth steering wheel that offers max force feedback. So whenever you crash onto the competitor’s car or on the wall, the rumbling feedback from the steering lets you feel the crash. This makes it perfect for playing car racing games. It is also compatible with both iPhone and Android smartphones as long as they have a screen size under 6 inches.
This headset comes with both horizontal and vertical head straps that are adjustable too. So you can fit it snuggly around your head and your nose will not have to bear the whole weight of the headset.
However, there are a few shortcomings to this headset as well. Firstly, it does not come with in-built headphones. And for a complete holistic car racing experience, you will have to buy good quality headphones too. Secondly, some people find it hard to connect the steering wheel. Thirdly, it does not come with adjustable OD and FD so you can not adjust it according to your liking for a better experience.
10) Samsung Gear VR
The last headset on my list is for all the Samsung fans out there. This VR headset only supports Samsung smartphones. So if you are not a fan of the company or do not own its smartphone then this headset is not for you.
The headset looks premium and is lightweight too. This is the only headset on this list that comes with head tracking technology. It tracks your head movement and provides you the experience accordingly.
Picture quality is also top-notch compared to all the VR headsets available under $100 and it can be worn over the eyeglasses if you wear any. There is an ample amount of room given to adjust almost any eyeglasses.
But when it comes to a perfect VR headset, then Samsung too could not make one. And there are some flaws to this headset as well. As we discussed earlier that it only supports Samsung smartphones so it is not usable for people who do not own one. It does not come with a vertical strap so your nose will not be happy while using it for a long duration. There are no built-in headphones so it lacks the holistic experience as well. Also, it does not come with a Bluetooth remote controller.
Should You Buy A Virtual Reality Headset Under $100?
Virtual reality is the future of everything, be it education or entertainment. It offers a better and more engaging version of learning and experiences.
Don’t you think that kids will learn more about history if they can see and feel what really happened rather than just reading about it in the books? Kids or adults, everyone learns more from experiences. And when your kids can experience all the things that you want to teach them then they will not only learn faster but will also remember more. Because learnings can be forgotten but not experiences.
And similar is the case with playing games, not everyone can have the experience of driving a car in a racing tournament or fighting wars on enemy territory. But with virtual reality, you can experience all these and much more while playing games. It takes your gaming experience to another level altogether.
How about visiting your dream destination that you always wanted to travel to but never had the time or money to take the leap. With VR you can do this as well. You can visit a place virtually and experience it.
And to do all of the above and much more you need a VR headset. And when it comes to entry-level VR headsets you will have to shell out around $100. So yes, you should buy a virtual reality headset for under $100 and start your journey to the virtual world.
FAQs
Are Cheap VR Headsets Worth It?
Yes! While the best VR Headsets can cost you a fortune and if you can afford them then you should definitely buy the costlier ones. But if you are on a tight budget then you should definitely consider buying cheap VR headsets.
Does VR Headset Damage Your Eyes?
Yes! Elongated usage can put a strain on your eyes. But many VR headsets come with anti-blue light and anti-reflective coating to protect your eyes.
Which Is The Cheapest VR Headset?
Google Cardboard is the cheapest VR headset that money can buy.
Do I Need To Wear Glasses for VR?
No, it is not mandatory to wear glasses for VR. But you can wear glasses if you want with many VR headsets because they come with extra space to house eyeglasses.
Can A 7-Year-Old Play VR?
While the minimum set age limit for VR experience and gaming is 7 years old. But many brands set their own age limits as well, which can range from 7 to 13 years old.
