DCS is the premier simulation for modern air combat. It’s modern fighter jets and helos have detailed MFDs, gauges, HUDs etc. which need to be rendered at high resolutions to be seen properly. In addition to this, you need to be able to clearly see ground targets, missiles and enemy aircraft and distinguish them based on their silhouette.
Fore the longest time, I was using Gen 1 headsets like the original Vive and Rift. And while it was fun, I felt that there was always something lacking. The new 2021-2021 headsets have solved many of those problems, but not all. If you are looking to buy a new VR headset for DCS and other sims like IL2, Elite etc., here are my top recommendations after 500+ hours in DCS in VR!
1. Pimax Crystal (Best Overall)
Pimax Crystal
- Amazing clarity with 2880x2880 resolution per eye
- High FoV, Best Comfort, Premium feel
- Cutting edge features like eye tracking, Foveated Rendering which drastically improves frame rates
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I have had Pimax on my radar for a while now because they were making headsets with massive resolutions back when other headsets still looked like they were from the 90s. However, Piamx seemed to have small teething issues which prevented their headsets from being great. As they gain more and more experience, Pimax seems to be getting better and better at this.
With the Crystal, we finally have a headset that can beat the competition. It’s still not perfect but I don’t think any headset ever will be. But what it is, is the best of the bunch and it offers amazing visuals for the picky flight simmer.
Crystal is an appropriate name for this beast of a headset because it offers unparalleled clarity. Its not a casual headset by any means and only recommended for enthusiasts, but if you are willing to spend, this is it. This is as good as it gets.
The headset offers a massive 140 degree horizontal FoV and can even go up to 120 Hz or even higher if you overclock it. This is a true enthusiast product.
I was initially concerned about the comfort because this looks like a bulky headset but it is by far the most comfortable headset I have ever worn. The headset is comfortable because it is balanced and fits on your head really well. It most certainly has the most premium system which makes it very easy to put on and keep on for long gaming sessions.
Another unique thing about the Crystal is the support for Quad Views Foveated Rendering. Not all games have this feature but DCS does! That drastically improves the frame-rate even with a mid-tier GPUs on this top-tier headset.
2. Meta Quest 3 (Best Entry Level)
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I am honestly a bit surprised by the Quest 3. That they managed to pack a quality headset with a decently high resolution at such an amazing price point is nothing short of astonishing. Maybe they have enough sales volume that they can reduce their production cost this much? Either way, its a great opportunity for consumers to get started with VR at a respectable price point. And what you get for the price is pretty good.
The resolution is the most important stat for DCS so lets start there. It is significantly better than previous Oculus headsets including the Rift S. Screen Door Effect is pretty much gone and text, menu dials are crisp and readable. FoV and sweet spot are decent. Tracking, controllers, audio etc. are all acceptable. The headset is definitely more comfortable than previous offerings and the adjustable IPD is a big plus for some people.
Overall, I think this is the best you can get at this price range.
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In tis price bracket, the Reverb G2 simply blows everything out of the water when it comes to clarity and resolution. But the Reverb is out of production so keep that in mind. You can read every gauge and see the details on your MFDs without having to zoom in. The G2 version has several improvements over the original Reverb like better colours, adjustable IPD and a lighter cable. DCS, more than any other game, require a high resolution to be able to see those tiny MFDs and spot targets. This is why Reverb G2 is the obvious top choice.
I also found it to be pretty comfortable and much lighter than most of the other headsets I tried. The sweet spot and FoV is acceptable, although it could be improved. The G2 is not without fault. Its hand controllers are not the best but you don’t really need them for flight sims like DCS because you will just be using your HOTAS anyway.
The tracking is also pretty good, not just for seated games but even things like Beat Saber which is my main testing app for tracking. Like all inside-out tracking headsets, you need good lighting in the room to ensure effective tracking. The Index is a solid headset as well, but for flight sims, the additional resolution and clarity of the Reverb G2 definitely won me over. Make sure you have a beefy GPU/ CPU to run it though.
3. Meta Quest Pro (Best mid-range)
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The Quest Pro took us by storm when it first arrived. It’s still a great headset that offers a fine balance between price and quality.
Clarity: The most important thing for a DCS headset is clarity. More so than any other game or any other flight sim even. You need to look at radar, look at your readouts, look at ground targets and enemy planes and you need to be able to actually tell what you are looking at. The Reverb does this well but it has a small sweet spot. The maximum clarity is only at the very center which was good enough for 2019 to 2021 or whatever, but The Quest Pro now has excellent quality throughout the whole lens! This is really a game change for DCS because you can now see everything clearly without just looking at the absolute centre of your lens.
Field of View: The FoV is pretty good actually. Higher than what I expected and definitely in the top 3 among the premium headsets.
Colours: I never thought I would talk about colours but then I met VR. I started with the HTC Vive back in 2016 and it had a beautiful OLED panel with awesome colours. Since then, everything I have used has had washed out colours. I am happy to report that the Quest Pro is excellent on this regard too. Much better colours than the competition and no godrays, fringing, muras, glare or any other such issues.
Comfort: Comfort is fine for me but it really depends on your head shape. I have had headsets that would to much pressure on my nose bridge but this one seems pretty good so far. I would not call it perfect, but I don’t have any serious issues either.
Tracking and battery: Tracking is really good and battery life is decent. One hour of use drained about 15% battery life. You can also keep it plugged and it will keep charging so that’s nice.
Software & setup: Much better and easier than Windows Mixed Reality.
Overall, I think the Quest 3 is the most balanced choice for flight sims and DCS in particular.
| Headset | Resolution (per eye) | Total Pixels (both eyes) | Refresh Rate | Horizontal FoV | Weight (with headstrap) |
| Reverb G2 | 2160 x 2160 | 9,331,200 | 90 Hz | 98° | 498 g |
| Quest 2 | 1832 x 1920 | 7,034,880 | 72 Hz | 97° | 503 g |
| Quest Pro | 1800 x 1920 | 6,912,000 | 90 Hz | 106° | 722 g |
| Vive Pro 2 | 2448 x 2448 | 11,985,408 | 120 Hz | 116° | 850 g |
| Pimax 8K X | 3840 x 2160 | 16,588,800 | 90 Hz | 159° | 850 g |
| Index | 1440 x 1600 | 4,608,000 | 144 Hz | 108° | 809 g |
| Cosmos Elite | 1440 x 1700 | 4,896,000 | 90 Hz | 97° | 702 g |
| Rift S | 1280 x 1440 | 3,686,400 | 80 Hz | 88° | 590 g |
4. Pimax 8K X (Highest FoV)
Pimax 8K X
- Unmatched resolution of 3840x2160 per eye
- Highest vertical and horizontal FoV for true immersion
- Perfect fit for simmers offering clarity and situational awareness
If you are willing to splurge, then there are few headsets out there that offer what the Pimax 8K X does. It has a resolution that will probably melt your graphics card, but you can turn down the super sampling and still get a better picture than any other VR headset out there.
Another impressive feature of the Pimax is the field of view. It has the widest FoV of any headset out there, bar none. I cant put into words how useful this is in both flight and racing sims. The ability to see your gauges or objects in your peripheral vision without having to twist your neck is a godsend. It’s a big bump in immersion.
All of this comes at a hefty price tag however but thats the cost of being at the bleeding edge of innovation. For hardcore fans of DCS VR, this is it.
5. Valve Index (Most versatile)
The Index is quite expensive for what it offers, especially for flight sims. Its not a bad headset, its just that the Reverb is better which is what makes it a runner up. If you intend to play games that require good hand controllers like Alyx or Beat Saber, that is where the Index shines.
I got it pretty cheap since I already had the lighthouses from my Vive. Yet, I still passed on it after trying it out because it lacked where it matter most – the resolution and clarity. The Index has a slightly lower resolution, which would not be a problem for most games but games like DCS require as much pixel density as you can squeeze out in order to read those MFDs.
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