Looking to get your hands on arguably the best PC VR headsets out there? Well, you might consider GameStop’s refurbished units for $600.

Used, refurbished units typically sell through GameStop for $700, which includes the full kit and kaboodle: SteamVR tracking base stations, Index motion controllers, cables, and of course the Index headset itself.

Now that package is on sale for $100 off, bringing it way below its $1,000 all-in price when new. All you’ll need left to play a host of SteamVR content, such as the award-winning Half-Life: Alyx, is a VR-ready PC.

Before plonking down those six crisp Benjamins though, you might want to try out Steam’s VR Performance Test first to see if your system has what it takes.

Photo by Road to VR

But the last hurdle to overcome is invariably deciding whether it’s worth that price in 2023, as Index is now nearly four years old. For the long of it, check out our 2023 VR headset buyer’s guide. Here’s the short of it:

If you’re looking for a good all-in alterative to the Index deal, Meta’s Quest 2 is cheap and cheerful at $300. In addition to offering its own native library of standalone content, it also works as a PC VR headset thanks to both a wired and wireless PC connection.

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512GB Quest 3 Gets a Big Price Drop While 128GB Model is Phased Out

You can also pick up a refurbished HP Reverb G2 from NewEgg for $390—another headset that made our list. It’s a good all-around PC VR headset, although controller latency is markedly worse than either Quest 2 or SteamVR-tracked headsets like Index or anything HTC offers.

Wherever you look though, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything new for $600 that matches Index’s still excellent displays, off-ear audio, ergonomic headstrap, and Index controllers.

Here’s a full list of what’s included:

What’s in the Box

  • Headset
  • Integrated Headphones
  • Headset Cable
  • Headset Connection Cable with DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 3.0 Connections
  • Headset Power Supply
  • Regionalized Headset Power Adapter(s)
  • Headset Cradle Adapter (for smaller heads)
  • Headset Face Gasket
  • 2 Controllers, Left and Right
  • 2 Controller Lanyards
  • 2 USB Controller Charging Cables
  • 2 SteamVR 2.0 Base Stations
  • 2 15 ft (4.5 m) Base Station Power Cables
  • 2 Base Station Stands with Mounting Hardware
  • Regionalized Base Station Power Adapter Plug(s)
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Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • So basically what you’re saying is I can get all I need to be prepared for the Bigscreen beyond, sell the headset, and then save up a bit to buy just the Beyond for a steal! Nice!

    • John Grimoldy

      The Index headset is no slouch for video watching. Nice FOV and juuuust enough resolution to not be bothered by pixels.

      • GunnyNinja

        The Oculus Go is pretty good for video watching. The Index is overpriced for any use.

        • John Grimoldy

          It’s nice to not be connected in any way to Facebook. You take your Go, I’ll take my Index. Was worth the upgrade price (to me) already having the Vive infrastructure. Ymmv, and that’s just fine.

          • GunnyNinja

            I’m not interested in FB hate. If they make the best product for the price, I will use it. That was true with the CV1. It has not been true since. The index was a great step up from that. Back when I was young. I currently use a G2, though I struggle with the IPD. You give me those visuals in a comfortable form factor and I will buy it. I don’t care who runs the company.

  • ViRGiN

    Wow, very article worthy!
    Maybe it’s not standalone like Quest 2 or high res like HP G2, but at least it’s more expensive.

    • GunnyNinja

      I usually don’t agree with you, but you are spot on this time.

      • Guest

        At least better than a Brocken clock twice a day!

    • kraeuterbutter

      i own all of the headsets you mentioned:
      the index has better FOV, better display, better colors, better overlap, lower pixel persistence, better sound, better comfort (except of course: the cable), better controllers (thats arguable), better mic
      than the Quest2

      i thought: Quest2 would be more immersive for example in HL:A because of wireless: not at all… the index is here still much more immersive for me

      the G2: has not so good tracking, bad tracking-volume, bad software (much easier with the Index), very bad e2ec, very short controller-runtime, no charging of controllers, lower FoV, lower performance (WMR-overhead), not so good sound than Index

      nevertheless: when going from G2 to Index, the resolution of the index is always a disappointment, i give you that

      but still: asked which headset i would use to play beatsaber or any other rythem-game, or HL:A, …
      i still use the Index over the Quest2 (of course) but also over the G2

      so the index is still a great headset…
      better resolution and
      less glare of cousre would be fine.. that are the biggest downsides of the index

      but ok: fresnel and the size of such headsets: its the past…
      a new headset: it would not be enough to get better resolution and less glare..
      a “Index 2” would also need to be smaler, better E2EC, pancake lenses..
      form-factor comparable to the Pico4 which is a GREAT headset

  • Joe Carroll

    That’s a great deal! Now, if only I could afford the kind of PC I’d need to utilize it to its full potential, lol.

  • david vincent

    A used Quest 2 is just 3-4 times less expensive than that…

    • kraeuterbutter

      and does several things worse also

      • david vincent

        Not 3-4 times worse

        • kraeuterbutter

          Depends
          A Porsche may cost 8 times more as a Dacia and still: does not drive 8 times faster or can carry 8 times more people
          With that argument of yours you can never buy any headset besides 300euro quest and co
          Because no beyond, no quest pro, no varjo areo and no pimax does anything 5 to 10 times better

  • That Guy

    Would someone really want to pay more for superior tracking and not being connected to Fashbook?

    • kraeuterbutter

      no… for that allone? maybe not…

      but i paid more for
      * better sound
      * better mic
      * better display than Quest2
      * adjustable IPD and eye relive (compared to Quest2, single display)
      * better FOV
      * better STereo-Overlap
      * better tracking
      * “cooler” Controllers (if they work)
      * no latency because of missing DP-Link at Quest2/Pico4 when decoding video and Wifi
      * better comfort out of the box than quest2
      * lower display persistence (less motion-sickness, better for eyes)
      * more “power” (directly integrated into steam)

      so: its a bunch of things that the Index does better than the Quest2
      Quest2: its wireless.. ok, give you that (with all the downsides, latency, micro-stutter… when connected over wifi6 with pc)

      glare is bigger with the Index… but is also game-related