'Tis the season, everyone. Holidays are just around the corner, Christmas trees are up (well, for some of us at least) and the race to find the perfect gift is on. If you have a techie friend, relative or better half, now is a great time to start thinking about something they'll certainly enjoy having this Christmas. We're rounded up some of the best virtual reality holiday gifts to help you get going.
VR HEADSETS
This is a great and inexpensive (it's normally priced $15.00) introduction to virtual reality. Besides being a budget-friendly git, Cardboard comes with plenty of compatible apps and titles, including Google's very own Arts and Culture, full of incredible videos and documentaries. All you'll need is your phone (with either Android and iOS), strap it to the cardboard case and enter a new virtual reality world.
This VR headset is a great gift for PlayStation fans - and one of the most affordable (at about $200) ways of getting into virtual reality gaming. PSVR offers an incredible experience that will certainly impress whoever you give it to, as there are also plenty of great titles to try one like fan favorites Resident Evil 7 and Star Wars VR. However, you might consider going for a bundle deal as playing PlayStation virtual reality titles will also require motion controllers and a camera.
There's no way of going wrong with a Meta 2 VR headset. Compared to its predecessor, Meta 2 is lighter, has far better display quality and it's much more comfortable to wear. There are thousands of great titles that are compatible with Meta - and you might even be able to snag a great holiday deal as every year Facebook (sorry, Meta) normally holds holiday bundle sales.
VR TRAVEL CASE
Owning a VR headset can be an incredible experience, but transporting it not so much. Fortunately, this common headache can be easily solved with a VR travel case, making it a perfect Christmas gift (and a must-have accessory for all VR users). There are plenty of options out there, but Sarlar has one of the most top-rated cases, which also happens to be quite affordable too. A protective VR headset case is no doubt a useful and thoughtful present this season.
VR CAMERAS
Most of us are used to taking high resolution pictures, but the next technological step-up will be VR photos and videos. Kodak's PIXPRO is one of the most exciting tech gifts in 2021, allowing users to shoot in ultra-high-resolution with a 360-degree function. This camera can be controlled remotely, which adds another great layer of functionality to this already great gadget.
Taking 360-degree selfies has got to be some next-level Instagram flex. Besides having advanced stabilization, immersive audio and editing features, this camera is also extremely portable (and waterproof, too). And have we mentioned the slow-mo or hyperlapse options? Whoever you offer this camera to will be able to boast about some absolutely mind-blowing pictures after this Christmas.
VR HEADPHONES
Having a VR headset may be a feast for the eyes, but what about sound? With the majority of VR headsets relying on the use of external headphones, users might not always get the surround-sound experience they might have been expecting. That's why purchasing dedicated VR headphones could be a deal breaker. The Turtle Beach Stealth 350VR gaming headset is a great option this Christmas. As described by the manufacturer, this headset "delivers Virtual Reality audio loud and clear with battery-powered amplification, Variable Bass Boost, and an ergonomic built for VR design".
Meta Quest 2 (formerly Oculus Quest 2), remains one of the most popular headsets in the market. So if you're considering gifting a VR accessory to a friend or loved one this season, the Logitech G333 earphones are a great choice to consider. These official earphones for the Meta Quest 2 promise to deliver audio that will take users further into the virtual world. They've also been designed specifically for an optimal gaming experience and come with "dedicated drivers, one for highs/mids and one for bass, providing detail-rich audio to accurately recreate the VR environment."
Having a VR headset is great, but sharing a virtual reality experience with friends and loved ones is even better. In order to cast a VR game or video to a TV, and share with others what you're seeing in VR, you'll need a Chromecast device like the Google Chromecast Ultra, offering 4K casting with latency under 1 second.
VR GAMES
The holidays are the perfect time to relax and have some family festive fun. Here some of the best VR games that you might think of giving to a loved one this Christmas:
Beat Saber
When it comes to a truly addictive game, there are very few that can top Beat Saber. This virtual reality title has become a fan favorite and no wonder why - players are given lightsabers with two different colors to cut blocks, each with a color and a different direction. And have we mentioned that the game comes with some really catchy music? Beat Saber is great fun - and also a way of burning off some of that Christmas turkey calories.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
This is a heart-racing VR experience that will get friends and family truly excited. In Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, players find themselves locked alone in a room with a ticking time bomb. And while they might ask friends to read out the manual on how to defuse the bomb, players can actually see the manual so they will have to rely on others to decipher the correct instructions. Each time you play, the bomb and manual are different.
Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy's Edge
If you have an action aficionado amongst friends and family, then they're sure to enjoy playing Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy's Edge. In this thrilling VR title, players take on the role of droid repair technician operating near the Outer Rim. When a group of pirates attack you on Batuu, they'll discover that anyone in the galaxy can become a hero.
And in case you're interested in more great titles, make sure to check our VR suggestions across categories like indie, horror or relaxing VR games.
AR BOOKS
Books are a traditional must-buy Christmas present, but you might want to experiment with some technology this year and consider an Augmented Reality (AR) book instead. Tech fans - and especially the younger ones - will love learning about popular topics like biology, history or the solar system with AR books like those provided by DEVAR.
