We want to see the best movies and funniest videos and we always want that cinema-like experience to be as immersive as possible. So, you may be wondering, what’s the best personal theater headset?
See Our Editors’ Picks if you are in a hurry!
People aren’t only watching movies in actual physical theaters or on their TV’s, tablets and phones.
They’re now watching them on VR Headsets. The same goes for videos of all kinds, including TV.
To be able to carry your own little theater with you, to keep it in whatever room you desire in your house, this is a new and exciting time video-viewers are living in.
If you haven’t yet gotten into it and haven’t purchased a VR Headset yet, then you may be interested.
And if you’re interested, you need to do a little research on the topic. Or, find an article such as this, where the research is there for you.
I’m here to help you make the pick that’s perfect for you.
In this article, I’ll review and compare the 8 best personal theater headsets in 2021, and provide an actionable Buyers Guide and a relevant FAQ section at the end!
You want to buy a VR Headset for a unique immersive cinema-like experience and join the revolution, right?
Then, let’s find your best personal theater headset among many in 2021.
Overall Best Personal Theater Headset
(Ultimate Cinema-like Experience)
GOOVIS Pro
Feel an ultimate, immersive 4K cinema-like experience with Goovis Pro thanks to its ever-impressive OLED display, astonishing resolution, deep blacks and vivid color profile as well as anti-glare on the screen.
Bring your theater wherever you go as this standalone, compact headset weighs only 200g and have a long 4.5h battery life!
The Real 3D experience is more impressive indeed. And you’re afforded Blu-Ray support here including Blu-Ray 3D.
Stream YouTube, Hulu, Netflix or Amazon Prime videos or even connect your gaming system and immerse yourself from your PS4 to the Nintendo Switch.
You can watch almost any video formats on this remarkable Pro cinema headset.
Second Best Option
GOOVIS Cinego G2
Meet Goovis Ciengo G2, the second best personal theater headset to replace home theater, your smartphone, tablet or TV for an unprecedented 4K cinema-like experience with a long 4.5h battery life!
Being a bit cheaper than the Goovis Pro, you can stream YouTube, Hulu, Netflix or Amazon Prime videos or if you wish, even connect your gaming system and immerse yourself from your PS4 to the Nintendo Switch.
You will find this lightweight, 200g, standalone headset, eye strain-free, easy to setup, and easy to use with universal connectivity, intuitive controls, 3D projection, and adjustable vision range.
Best for Battery Life
Valve Index
Although this VR Headset seems to be tailored more towards gaming, it’s an incredible headset that you may also love for watching movies and videos.
It boasts 7 hours of battery life! The best headset ever considering battery life!
The Valve Index won’t let you feel motion sickness and will be compatible with just about anything you throw at it.
This tethered headset wants you to experience sound as naturally as you can. Sound flowing all around your head as you watch a movie and no headphones are needed to pop into your ears! A pleasing experience!
And less physical contact with your head is going to provide a cooler, more comfortable movie or video-watching experience.
Best Budget Option
Oculus Go
This budget, lightweight, standalone headset boasts some quick and easy setup, so you can get started right away.
It has an amazing built-in audio that provides an immersive experience. You’ll feel like you’re right there on the battlefield of your favorite war movie.
Sure, any VR Headset is likely going to get the job done. But they all have different strengths and weaknesses. Different pros and cons.
Not any one VR Headset will be actual perfection (though some come close!), But you may have certain cons or weaknesses that don’t bother you.
Everybody is different. Many have similar likes and interests, but a VR Headset that works for your friend may not work for you.
We need to explore the most important things for you when it comes to viewing videos through a VR Headset.
We need to explore those things, we need to ask questions, and we need to get precise and detailed answers.
Maybe you plan on using a headset every so often.
Maybe you’re considering this to be your new daily hobby.
Are you a movie buff? A cinephile?
Or do you just enjoy the occasional action-comedy?
Let’s figure out who you are in relation to video-viewing on a VR Headset.
Once we know who you are, then we will know what VR Headset can be the best extension of you.
Get your questions ready.
Here, we’re going to review the 8 best VR Headsets and figure out what the best personal theater headsets are for your taste and budget.
BTW, See also our recent VR related articles:
What is the Best Personal Theater Headset in 2021?
Quick Answer:
Best Standalone Personal Theater Headset
Best Tethered Personal Theater Headset
Comparison Table for the Best Standalone Personal Theater Headsets
Comparison Table for the Best Tethered Personal Theater Headsets
Best Standalone Personal Theater Headsets in 2021
1. Oculus Go
Why not start with the cheapest option? The Oculus Go is just that.
A great quality headset for the lowest price you can find. The 64GB version is about $199 and you can even get a 32GB version for cheaper (ranging from about $150 – $175).
In addition to the Oculus Go being easy on the pockets, it’s also easy on your head.
It’s a lightweight option, weighing just 468 g. It’s only the third lightest of the four Standalone VRs here, but it’s also the third lightest of all the VR Headsets.
The Oculus Go was also designed with breathable fabrics and injection foam molding, so it’s comfortable and ergonomically styled.
This standalone headset boasts some quick and easy setup, so you can get started right away.
The LCD Screen has a resolution of 1280 x 1440.
Where LCD screens don’t have as vivid and real colors or true blacks like OLED’s have, they do present cleaner whites and have a smaller distance between pixels which gives sharper images, and limited screen-door effect.
The resolution pales in comparison to the Oculus Quest, which I’ll review next.
The Go goes with the LCD while the Quest chooses OLED. They both have a 72Hz refresh rate, which ties for the highest among the standalone headsets.
Both Oculus headsets have amazing built-in audio that provide an immersive experience.
You’ll feel like you’re right there on the battlefield of your favorite war movie.
No need for headphones. A 3.5mm headphone jack is there if you prefer it.
And the battery life is said to last 2-2.5 hours for watching videos. Enough for most movies, even including a Judd Apatow flick. Maybe not quite suited for a full Tarantino.
What this Oculus for sure has going for it over the following Oculus, is that it’s cheaper, lighter, and packs a lot into that little, big screen.
Pros
- Cheapest option & Semi-light option among all headsets
- Only LCD Standalone with least amount of screen door effect
- Amazing built-in audio with option to plug in headphones
Cons
- Low-end resolution
- Don’t get vivid colors of OLED
- Low-end battery life
2. Oculus Quest
Meet the Oculus Quest, the Oculus Go’s big brother.
He doesn’t do everything better, but he does a few things better.
First off, roughly $399 is what’s listed on the price tag so it’s about twice the price.
And the weight of this standalone headset is 571 g. It’s the heaviest of the standalones, and 4th heaviest of all these headsets, getting a little bit on the heavy side in general.
The Oculus Quest starts at a 64GB option but also gives you the 128GB option.
It has the same 72Hz refresh rate as the Go, which is tied for the best of the standalones.
This is important to note because the higher the refresh rate, the less likely you are to experience motion sickness.
And the resolution on this screen… 1440 x 1600. That’s much better than the Go.
Though it doesn’t have the benefits we discussed above pertaining to the LCD, the OLED has its own benefits.
True blacks and the most realistic colors. Your favorite vividly colored movies will have you feeling like you’re standing in the green grasses of Ireland or floating in the deep black of space.
Just like the Go, the built-in audio for the Quest is impeccable.
You don’t need the headphones as the sounds will come from around you and have you whisked away to the setting of your videos.
But again, if you prefer headphones, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack there for you.
With the Quest, the battery life is said to last 2-3 hours for video watching.
That’s enough for almost any movie, including your Tarantinos, your Christopher Nolans, and almost a full viewing of The Irishman.
Pros
- Decent resolution with greater refresh rate among standalones
- OLED gives true blacks and vivid colors
- Amazing built-in audio with option to plug in headphones
Cons
- Heaviest standalone headset
- Don’t get screen door protection LCD would give
- Battery life better than Oculus Go, but still not as good as other options
3. Goovis Cinego G2
Let’s check out the GOOVIS Cinego G2! Along with the GOOVIS Pro, you get an amazing resolution of 1920×1080.
Along with that, an OLED display will give you an ultra-sharp 4K cinema-like experience with deep blacks and the most vivid colors.
This is a micro display that will be the equivalent of watching on an 800-inch wide screen viewed from 20 meters away! Unbelievable!
You can get Real 3D experience with this headset. The GOOVIS G2 will drop you right inside your video of choice. You’ll practically be living it!
And maybe your idea of the best personal theater headset is the one that works great and is lightest on your head.
Well, the GOOVIS G2 and GOOVIS Pro are the lightest headsets, weighing only 200 g. That’s a huge difference that you’ll immediately feel. No wasted face muscles here!
The refresh rate of 60Hz is acceptable and will work well enough, but it is the lowest you’ll find among all the headsets.
With this 2 x 0.71-inch display, you’ll have the option of viewing content at 1080p at 60 fps or 4K at 30fps.
The operation hours are said to last 4.5 hours. Watch anything you want without having to recharge batteries.
And while you watch, this immersive design was done in a way so that it completely rids of screen glare.
And the touchpad function on the controller is simple to use for moving the cursor, scrolling, clicking, whatever.
More expensive than the two choices from Oculus at $735.00, but you can see why with all the great options.
Goovis G2 is my second recommendation for those really looking for an ultimate best personal theater headset!
Pros
- Tied for the lightest headset option
- OLED gives true blacks and vivid colors, and no screen-glare
- Tied for best battery life among standalone headset options
Cons
- More expensive standalone option
- Don’t get screen door protection LCD would give
4. Goovis Pro (Ultimate Best)
You’re going to see a lot of similarities between the Cinego G2 and the Pro under GOOVIS.
Both have 1920×1080 resolution. Both have the ever-impressive 2 x 0.71-inch OLED display.
With its deep blacks and vivid color profile and anti-glare on the screen, you’re going to feel like one of the main characters in your movie that you’re viewing.
You still will have the lower-end 60Hz refresh rate.
Still have that nice and light 200 g weight. Really, take it with you wherever you go. It won’t be so difficult to carry around with you.
The price is listed at about $1,059. More expensive than the G2 for good reasons.
Well, the Real 3D experience is more impressive. More immersive indeed!
And you’re afforded Blu-Ray support here. Including Blu-Ray 3D.
And a lot more video formats are supported now under the GOOVIS Pro. So, there isn’t much that you can’t watch on this fantastic headset.
The Pro has advanced optics which will allow most people who wear eye glasses to use the headset without their lenses!
You can avoid eye fatigue and dizziness which can be a real hassle with some other headsets.
And they really went out of their way to make this headset as ergonomically safe for you, so that you can wear it for hours comfortably.
The Pro isn’t the cheaper option from GOOVIS, but it’s the option with more going for it.
Goovis Pro is my first recommendation for those really looking for an ultimate best personal theater headset!
Pros
- Tied for the lightest headset option
- OLED gives true blacks and vivid colors, and no screen-glare, AND excellent Blu-Ray option (not found in G2)
- Tied for best battery life among standalone options
Cons
- Most expensive of all headsets
- Don’t get screen door protection LCD would give
Best Tethered Personal Theater Headsets in 2020
5. HTC VIVE Cosmos
Now, looking at some tethered VR Headset options, we have the HTC VIVE Cosmos.
Clocking in at 470 g, it’s the lightest tethered headset and the fourth lightest of all the headsets overall.
The tethered headsets tend to be on the heavier side, so this is a nice plus for those of you who don’t want your face weighed down by your headset.
It also displays 1440 x 1700 resolution which beats out the other tethered headsets by a bit.
Among the four tethered headsets we’re reviewing here, two have LCD displays and two have OLED. The Cosmos is one of the two in the LCD category.
You won’t get as deep of blacks and quite as vivid of colors, but you will have cleaner and brighter whites and LCD’s have more subpixels, less space between pixels, and less overall screen-door effect.
The 90Hz refresh rate is better than any of the standalone headsets we’ve looked at and it’s pretty decent among the tethered headsets.
And a field of view of 110 degrees is quite nice. Not the best among the tethered options, but also not the worst.
The Cosmos has a crown fit so the headset slides comfortably right onto your head.
It’s said to fit a wide variety of face shapes and head sizes and can even fit comfortably over glasses! And it has an Eye Comfort Setting so you may adjust the IPD.
And this headset comes with some high-quality audio that comes from the built-in form-fitting headphones that pop right on your ears.
And if you feel the need to escape your virtual reality in a hurry and jump back to regular reality… there is a flip-up design that allows you to do just that in mere seconds.
You will need a compatible PC in order to use this headset, so if you don’t already have one, take into consideration that you will need to purchase one.
But there’s lots to love about the Cosmos. It does cost about $699, so that puts it on the more expensive end of the tethered headsets… but it’s a nice price for a powerful headset such as this one.
Pros
- Lightest among the tethered options
- Great resolution and LCD will eliminate screen door effect
- High-quality built-in audio with form-fitting headphones, and flip-up design to switch from reality to virtual reality quickly
Cons
- Refresh rate is good, but not best among tethered options
- Don’t get true blacks and most vivid colors as you would with OLED
- A bit of a pricier option
6. Sony Playstation VR
And here’s Sony PlayStation’s VR headset for you. It requires a Sony PlayStation, so if you already have one, this may be the obvious choice.
It only costs around $299, so it’s one of the cheapest options among the tethered headsets. It’s even cheaper than most of the standalone options.
The Oculus Go is still cheaper, so if you’re looking for cheapest, it isn’t quite that.
And if you’re buying a PlayStation and the VR, then you’re obviously dropping some coin.
But again, if you already have a PlayStation, this provides you with a nice powerful option that isn’t that expensive at all.
It does weigh 610 g, so it’s the second heaviest headset.
And the resolution is just 960 x 1080. But what it lacks in those areas, it makes up for in others.
The OLED display may be your choice for movie viewing. Fantastic colors and true blacks will lend you a truly amazing and realistic experience.
And a refresh rate of 120Hz is just about the best you can get (you’ll see later the one option that sneaks past this one). But this option is going to be one of the absolute best to keep your stomach steady and motion sickness a worry you never have.
The Field of view is 100 degrees which is pretty great! However, it’s the lowest you’ll find among the tethered headsets.
But it boasts 5 hours of battery life! Watch a Lord of the Rings movie and still have time left over for another Non-Lord-Of-The-Rings movie.
Another plus for PlayStation owners, there will be no getting used to any new hardware of software with this headset. It’s all PlayStation!
So, if you’re already used to PlayStation, then this will be a breeze for you to adjust to. So, you can see, some nice perks for a low, low price.
Pros
- Fairly cheap option despite great power
- One of the best refresh rates and OLED will give you true blacks and most vivid colors
- If you already own a PlayStation, this is the obvious and easy choice
Cons
- Resolution is on the lower end
- Don’t get protection from screen door effect as you would with LCD
- Field of view is decent, but not as good as other tethered options
7. Samsung HMD Odyssey+
And here’s the Samsung HMD Odyssey+, at a slightly cheaper price, about $296.
Just about the same as the PlayStation VR, cheaper than the rest of the tethered options and cheaper than most of the standalones.
You will need a compatible PC with all the requirements, but if your PC already is up to spec, then this is a fantastic cheap option with plenty of power and awesome details!
The 3.5-inch OLED display gives you a resolution of 1440 × 1600.
OLED, of course, is going to make all the colors pop and the realness of the images will transport you right into your setting of choosing.
One downside you can get with OLED is that pesky screen door effect.
However, this headset smartly implemented Anti-Screen Door Effect technology, so you’ll get all the pros of an OLED screen and less of the cons.
Depending on your PC powering the Odyssey, you may have as low as a 60Hz refresh rate, but not to worry, you can also have a 90Hz refresh rate.
That may be something worth looking into beforehand, as that’s a big difference.
The 590 g weight of this headset does put it a bit on the heavier side, but it’s lighter than the PlayStation headset and the last headset we’ll review, the Valve Index.
You’ll also be afforded some premium AKG headphone built right into the headset.
They feature 360-degree surrounding audio to further immerse you onto the battlefields of your favorite war movie or plunge you deep into the water of your marine animal educational shows.
This headset doesn’t include a headphone jack, so be sure the built-in audio is what you want.
And to top it all off, for your comfort, an adjustable headband that’s now 10% lighter with comfortable materials.
With the comfortable and flexible band, you may even forget you’re wearing it.
And if getting lost in total immersion (on a budget) and the feel of really being in a theater are important to you, this may be screaming to you as the best personal theater headset.
Pros
- Fairly cheap option despite great power
- OLED gives you true blacks and vivid colors AND also protects against Screen Door Effect as an LCD would
- Adjustable and comfortable headband along with built-in AKG headphones for premium sound quality
Cons
- Refresh rate is not as good as other tethered options
- You do need to have a compatible PC to go along with this headset
- No option to plug in your own headphones
8. Valve Index
And finally, we reach the Valve Index. Though, this VR Headset seems to be tailored more towards gaming, it’s an incredible headset that you may also love for watching movies and videos.
It is the priciest option among the tethered headsets at about $999 and only cheaper than the GOOVIS Pro.
And at 809 g, it’s by far, the heaviest headset being reviewed here.
That’s something to consider for many, however, maybe you fancy yourself someone with strong facial muscles and aren’t too worried about a few hundred extra grams.
The LCD display gives you a nice resolution of 1440 x 1600. Now, the LCD particular to this headset provides 50% more subpixels than OLED, meaning the sharpness of the images you see will be off the charts.
And the fill-factor is quite impressive, all but completely eradicating the screen door effect.
The refresh rate is 120Hz with full back-compatibility to 90Hz. And here’s where it gets interesting.
There is also an experimental 144Hz refresh rate you can use. The Index won’t let you feel motion sickness and will be compatible with just about anything you throw at it.
This headset boasts 7 hours of battery life! Astonishing!
Wow, you could start your Lord of the Rings marathon and get a full two movies into it! Or you could watch several regular-length movies. Either way, that’s an excellent battery life right there.
Another impressive feat of the Valve Index, is that its custom lenses maximize the field of view, all while not compromising the edge-to-edge clarity. Every spot, edge, and corner stay sharp.
The field of view is said to be an astounding 130 degrees!
And though you may sacrifice a bit of that field of view in order to adjust the IPD to fit your face comfortably, it will still likely be better than any of the competition.
And this headset wants you to experience sound as naturally as you can.
The Index Speakers don’t touch your ears, so that the sound won’t sound like it’s coming from inside your head, but rather, from all around you.
Sound flowing all around your head as you watch a movie, no headphones needed to pop into your ears, this will add to your experience tremendously.
And don’t worry if the audio isn’t perfect for you as it’s setup. You can adjust the speakers to get them to the perfect spot.
And less physical contact with your head is going to provide a cooler, more comfortable experience.
You’re never going to want to take the Valve Index off… if you even remember that you’re wearing it!
Pros
- Great resolution and best refresh rate
- LCD will eliminate screen door effect and give you sharp images
- Best field of view and fantastic built-in audio with adjustable speakers
Cons
- Heaviest headset
- Don’t get the true blacks and most vivid colors you would with OLED
- One of the more expensive options
Best Personal Theater Headset (2021) — Buyers Guide
Lots of great headset options, as you can see.
It’s not all about just watching movies and videos. It may have to do with your personal preferences when it comes to movie-viewing and cinema-like experience.
There’s a lot to consider, but when we go over all these details, it makes it clearer. It makes it a lot easier for you to choose what’s the best personal theater headset for you.
You know yourself best, and you know what’s most important for yourself. We need to take that into consideration.
We need to ask the questions that you need answered. We need to pinpoint the evidence that is most specific to your situation.
What are you planning on watching?
How often do you plan on watching?
Is this a supplement to movie viewing in the theater or is this going to be your main avenue to view movies?
Whatever your situation is, we’re going to get the right answer for you.
You likely came in with a lot of questions. If we haven’t answered them already, then we will be answering some frequently asked questions.
These questions will hopefully either be questions you have, or they will go about the right direction in order to answer your questions.
Either way, we’ll drop all the pertinent information that we can, so you have everything you need.
And then you can buy the right headset. So, let’s look at some questions and answers… shall we?
What’s the best personal theater headset if I plan on using it occasionally?
This is very common. You still plan on going to the movies, but want to watch movies on your headset as well?
Or you think you’ll just be watching the occasional videos here and there.
I say choose the Oculus Go. It gets the job done and it’s the cheapest option. Don’t overspend if this isn’t an everyday activity for you.
What’s the best personal theater headset for every day use?
And here, the exact opposite. You may want this to replace your movie and video viewing completely.
Regardless, everyday viewing, means you want the absolute best, and price is of no worry to you.
Choose the GOOVIS Pro. It does it all, and it does it all extremely well.
What’s the best theater headset if I want continuous viewing?
The headset that boasts the best battery life (about 7 h) is the Valve Index, so I’d choose that.
The second one would be either Goovis Pro or Goovis Cinego G2 with 4.5 h battery life!
What’s the best personal movie-watching headset if I want continuous viewing but I prefer a standalone headset?
The best battery life among the standalone headsets belongs to the GOOVIS G2 and the GOOVIS Pro with 4.5 h battery life.
What’s the best personal theater headset if I’m most concerned with greatest field of view?
The Valve Index has the best field of view by far.
Even with IPD adjustments to fit your head better, you may sacrifice field of view, but it will still surpass the competition.
What’s the best value for a personal theater headset?
Here, I have three answers for three different scenarios.
- If you already have a great PC meeting the requirements to host a tethered headset, then choose the inexpensive and impressive Samsung HMD Odyssey+.
- If you already have a PlayStation, simple, go with the inexpensive and impressive Sony PlayStation VR.
- If you have neither of those, choose the Oculus Quest. It’s not too pricey, it’s got plenty of great features… and it’s a standalone!
What’s the top theater headset if I don’t want it weighing on my head so much?
You could choose either the GOOVIS G2 or the GOOVIS Pro, as they are both, by far, the lightest options at 200g.
What’s the best personal theater headset if I want to avoid motion sickness at all costs?
I’d choose the Valve Index here which defaults to having the best refresh rate along with the Sony PlayStation VR, but has an experimental mode that’s an even better refresh rate.
What’s the best option if I intend to be taking it with me while traveling?
If it’s domestic flights or car, train, bus rides… consider the Oculus Go.
It’s called the Go for a reason. The battery life is on the lower end, but if it can get you through your travel-time, then it’s a fantastic pick as it’s the cheapest option.
If you’re flying internationally, or perhaps the battery life of the Oculus Go just doesn’t cut it… then either the GOOVIS G2 or GOOVIS Pro are great option with longer 4.5h battery life.
What would be the best choice for me, if I want a powerful tethered theater headset that isn’t heavy?
Of all the powerful tethered headsets, the HTC VIVE Cosmos is definitely the lightest.
Best Personal Theater Headset — Conclusions
So many movies to watch. So many headsets to consider.
All the above headsets have their good qualities. Each one can bring different things to you. Some will enhance the details that are most important to you.
You now have all the information you will need to go out and make your decision on what’s the best personal theater headset for some immersive cinema-like experience.
There are some obvious great choices for viewing movies and videos. But we obviously need to take all specific cases into consideration.
You know your own prerequisites that you possess and you know your own budget.
Maybe after reviewing some of these options you can decide whether you will make adjustments to your budget or not.
Maybe after reading some of the details you have changed your mind on what’s most important to you when making this decision.
No matter the case, your VR video viewing is in good hands. Your own. And you get to make the decision best for yourself.
Hopefully, my reviews of the 8 best personal theater headsets in the market, together with the Buyers Guide and FAQ section will help you make an informed buying decision!
