But maybe you've only tried mobile VR and are considering a splurge for a high-end, PC-based headset? We've been using the Rift and Vive since April, and have a few thoughts on which to buy in this end-of-2016 comparison.

The first thing to know is that both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are outstanding; no other VR today comes close. We beg to differ with those who think Sony's PlayStation VR is worthy of equal consideration: We found its motion-controller-tracking to break the core illusion of virtual reality. If technology obfuscates VR's fundamental mind trick, what's the point?

The two questions we do recommend asking: