VR (Virtual Reality) sim racing games are getting more and more popular and one of the most popular motorsport racing simulator games is iRacing. With VR racing, you can experience racing against other competitors as if you are driving on the race track itself.
For the best VR goggles or headsets, you must choose carefully as it can make or break your gaming experience. The HP Reverb G2 is one of the best VR headsets for iRacing as it provides you with a realistic immersive experience with its high-quality audio and visual performance. It also has built-in cameras for better tracking.
Aside from the HP Reverb G2, this article will feature 5 other VR headsets that are best for iRacing. We have compared several VR headsets to give you the best option suited for your playing needs. We will talk about the pros and cons of each headset and we also have a buying guide to help you make sound decisions. If you are ready to level up your sim racing experience, read until the end!
Best VR Headsets For iRacing
| Image | Product | Pros | Cons | Price |
 | Meta Quest 2 — Advanced All-In-One Virtual Reality Headset — 128GB with $50 Amazon Gift Card | – Easy to set up for iRacing- Powerful software for immersive experiences- 3D positional audio, hand tracking, and haptic feedback- Can be used wired or wireless | – USB 3 cable not included- The gameplay might lag if played via Air Link | Check Price |
 | Oculus Rift S PC-Powered VR Gaming Headset | – Comfortable to wear – The headset provides crisp and bright images – It has a reduced screen door effect | – The headset can cause motion sickness to some users – It can have tracking issues | Check Price |
 | SAMSUNG HMD Odyssey+ Windows Mixed Reality Headset with 2 Wireless Controllers 3.5″ Black (XE800ZBA-HC1US) | – It has 360-degree Spatial Sound – It provides high-quality visuals – 1440 x 1600px resolution per eye | – Field of view can be an issue – It can be uncomfortable to wear for longer periods – Some might have a hard time setting up the headset for SteamVR | Check Price |
 | HTC Vive Cosmos Elite Virtual Reality System | – It provides crystal-clear graphics – It provides high-quality audio – It has a flip-up design for easy switching between reality and virtual reality | – Expensive – The cable can be bothersome while playing – Delay issues can happen with the eye displays | Check Price |
 | Valve Index VR Full Kit | – Adjustable panels and lenses – Good tracking system – The headset is compatible with previous HTC Vive base stations | – Expensive – The headset may be bulky and big for some – If your PC does not have a great system, image quality might be compromised | Check Price |
 | HP Reverb G2 VR Headset with Controller, Adjustable Lenses & Speakers from Valve, 2160 x 2160 LCD Panels, for Gaming, Ergonomic Design, 4 Cameras, Compatible with SteamVR & Windows Mixed Reality | – High-quality audio and visuals for sim racing – 4 built-in cameras for better tracking – Adjustable lenses – Compatible with SteamVR and Windows Mixed Reality | – Cable can get in the way – Setting up the headset on your PC can take time | Check Price |
Meta Quest 2
The Meta Quest 2 is an immersive all-in-one wireless VR headset that can be cast to your TV or phone using the Oculus App. The Quest 2 can also be connected to your PC but you will need to connect the headset via Air Link or an Oculus Link Cable. You will also need to download the Oculus App on your PC.
For a sim racing game such as iRacing, it is recommended to connect the Quest 2 to a PC via a link cable for smoother and better VR gameplay. If you have a strong Wi-Fi network, you can definitely connect the Quest 2 to your PC via Air Link. To use Meta Quest 2, you also need to create a new Meta Account and you no longer need to connect your Facebook Account.
The Meta Quest 2 has powerful hardware that can give you an immersive virtual racing experience. It also has 3D positional audio, hand tracking, and haptic feedback which can make you feel as if you are on a real race track.
Most users have said that the Meta Quest 2 works great for iRacing but they do have to tweak their game settings a bit to get the right visuals. Some users have also said that playing iRacing with Quest 2 via Air Link works well. However, some users did say that they experienced lagging when playing wirelessly.
Meta Quest 2 does come with a USB2 cable but it is not powerful enough for optimal VR experiences. You would need to buy a separate longer USB3 cable. Meta sells this accessory separately but you can also buy third-party USB3 cables.
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to set up for iRacing | USB 3 cable not included |
| Powerful software for immersive experiences | The gameplay might lag if played via Air Link |
| 3D positional audio, hand tracking, and haptic feedback | |
| Can be used wired or wireless |
Oculus Rift S
The Oculus Rift S is the predecessor to Meta Quest 2 and is a wired VR headset. This VR headset has an ergonomic design making it comfortable to wear. The optics also allow for a brighter and vivid color which reduces the screen door effect. This effect causes thin, dark lines (or grids) to appear on the screen.
This PC-powered VR headset also has an insight tracking feature that tracks your movements and also provides room-scale tracking. As long as your PC is compatible with the Oculus Rift S, you will be able to play sim racing games like iRacing.
Most users have said that the Rift S still has good resolution for racing games and that the visuals are crisp and bright. Some users have also said that the Oculus Rift S has tracking issues causing them to have motion sickness.
| Pros | Cons |
| Comfortable to wear | The headset can cause motion sickness to some users |
| The headset provides crisp and bright images | It can have tracking issues |
| It has a reduced screen door effect |
Samsung HMD Odyssey +
The Samsung HMD Odyssey + has a 3K anti-SDE AMOLED display that has 1440 x 1660px resolution per eye. This will provide you with high-quality visuals which is perfect for sim racing. It is also a wired VR headset that has no wireless option. If you have an organized cable system, you don’t have to worry about getting tangled up with the wires.
This VR headset also has a dynamic AKG 360-degree Spatial Sound making racing more realistic as you can hear the sound from all directions. It also has a viewing angle of 110 degrees and a refresh rate of 60/90Hz allowing for a more fluid VR experience. The Samsung HDM Odyssey + is also easy to set up and it is a great VR headset for racing sims such as Asset Cross Competition, Dirt Rally 2.0, and iRacing.
Most users have said that the visuals are great but the field of view can be an issue. Some users have also said that the tracking works great and there is little to no screen door effect. The setup was easy but, some users did a little bit of tweaking with the system to make the headset work with SteamVR. Some users have also said that the head strap was uncomfortable when playing for longer periods.
| Pros | Cons |
| It has 360-degree Spatial Sound | Field of view can be an issue |
| It provides high-quality visuals | It can be uncomfortable to wear for longer periods |
| 1440 x 1600px resolution per eye | Some might have a hard time setting up the headset for SteamVR |
HTC Vive Cosmos Elite
The HTC Vive Cosmos Elite is one of the more expensive VR headsets in the market and you can either buy the full VR system or just the headset.
The full VR system includes the headset, controllers, base station, and converter. If you already have a steering wheel and pedal system, you can just get the headset which is less expensive than getting the full set up. However, do note that you need at least one base station so it can track your movements. If you will be using the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite other than for sim racing, getting the full setup is better.
The HTC Vive Cosmos Elite base station has a playing area of up to 160 sq. Feet but since sim racing is a seated VR experience, you don’t have to worry about playing in a bigger space. This headset also has crystal-clear graphics with 2880 x 1700px combined resolution which is great for realistic sim racing.
Along with great visuals, the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite has rich stereo audio making your racing experience more immersive. The headset also has a flip-up design that allows you to switch from VR mode to reality easily.
Most users have said that this headset really provides an immersive experience. Most users have also said that the tracking works well and the headset is comfortable to wear. Some users did say that the cable can be quite bothersome and that they also experience delay issues with the eye displays.
| Pros | Cons |
| It provides crystal-clear graphics | Expensive |
| It provides high-quality audio | The cable can be bothersome while playing |
| It has a flip-up design for easy switching between reality and virtual reality | Delay issues can happen with the eye displays |
Valve Index
The Valve Index is another great option for iRacing. It is a high-end VR headset that has a dual 1440 x 1600px LCD panel per eye that gives you high-quality, crystal-clear visuals. It also has great sound quality that provides a more realistic racing experience.
Aside from iRacing, Valve Index is also compatible with other sim racing games such as Dirt Rally 2.0 and Assetto Corsa Competizione. The headset’s refresh rate can operate at 80, 90, 120, or 144 Hz and it has a field of view of 130 degrees.
You can also adjust the panels and lenses of the headset horizontally if you want to adjust them to your IPD (inter-pupillary distance). The Valve Index also has a good tracking system and is compatible with HTC Vive’s base station if you use SteamVR.
Most users have said that the Valve Index offers a smooth and natural VR experience. Some users also said that the option to adjust the headset’s FPS (Frame Per Second) also helps with motion sickness. Some users did say that the headset is uncomfortable to wear and others find it big and bulky. Some users also mentioned that the image quality isn’t good in iRacing.
| Pros | Cons |
| Adjustable panels and lenses | Expensive |
| Good tracking system | The headset may be bulky and big for some |
| The headset is compatible with previous HTC Vive base stations | If your PC does not have a great system, the image quality might be compromised |
HP Reverb G2
One of the best VR headsets for iRacing is the HP Reverb G2. It offers realistic audio and visuals with its full immersive spatial audio and high-quality 2160 x 2160 LCD panels per eye. These features will provide you with a more realistic racing experience.
The headset is also made of flexible material that has an increased cushion size and adjustable lenses so it can fit your eye’s distance. It also has 4 built-in cameras that will track your movement better and it is compatible with both SteamVR and Windows Mixed Reality.
Most users have said that the HP Reverb G2 works great with iRacing and other sim racing games. Most users also said that the visuals and sound quality are great.
Other users have had issues with the cable being in the way and they said the cable needs to be adjusted frequently. Other users have also said that setting up the headset was not that easy.
| Pros | Cons |
| High-quality audio and visuals for sim racing | The cable can get in the way |
| 4 built-in cameras for better tracking | Setting up the headset on your PC can take time |
| Adjustable lenses | |
| Compatible with SteamVR and Windows Mixed Reality |
Buying Guide
Sim racing is one of the most popular games in the gaming industry and adding VR to it makes the experience more immersive. Looking at the VR headset market can be overwhelming so here are some of the factors you should consider before investing in a VR headset.
Budget
One of the most important things to consider before buying a VR headset is your budget. A VR headset can cost anything between 200 to 1000 USD. For new VR sim racers who have a tight budget, consider getting a headset that is less expensive.
Meta has VR headsets that are under 500 USD and they can be a great entry to virtual reality if you are just starting out. On the other hand, if you want to replace your current VR sim racing setup and have the budget for it, there are high-end VR headsets that you can invest in.
Tracking System And FPS
Another important factor you should consider is the headset’s motion-tracking capabilities. A good tracking system can make your virtual reality experience more immersive and realistic.
A VR headset specifically typically needs two base stations for standing VR experiences but with seated VR games, one base station can be enough. However, it is still recommended to have two base stations for better tracking.
Along with the headset’s tracking system, consider getting a VR headset that does not induce motion sickness. For this, you might have to buy a VR at a physical store to personally try and see if you will have motion sickness. If you do have motion sickness, consider getting a VR headset that has an adjustable FPS to reduce lag time or has a frame per second of 60 FPS or higher.
PC Compatibility
Your PC should be VR-ready to be able to play VR iRacing to have a fully immersive experience. Make sure to have the best graphics card for VR gaming to avoid delay issues and to provide a better visual quality overall. Having the right PC specs will give you a better VR experience regardless of the VR headset that you buy.
Conclusion
Several VR headsets in the market are compatible with iRacing and other racing simulation games. This article features 6 of the best VR goggles for iRacing and if you are wondering which is the best, we recommend the HP Reverb G2. It provides a realistic racing experience because of its high-quality audio and graphics.
At the end of the day, the best VR headset for sim racing will depend on your playing style, budget, and PC specs. We have listed VR headsets perfect for those who are new to the sim racing game and we also included high-end headsets for sim racers looking to upgrade their setup. We hope this article gives you an idea about which VR headset is best for you. If you have other questions, let us know!
