Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard a fair bit about virtual reality. But have you run out and bought your very own virtual reality headset yet? No. Not unless you’re a gamer or seriously tech’d-out early adopter.

Here’s the thing though: you likely will own a pair of the geeked-out goggles sooner rather than later. Yes, even you Mom, and you’ll like them. A lot.

For the first time ever, this year’s holiday shopping lists will be packed with requests for VR headsets from kids and adults alike who want to give virtual reality a spin. According to IHS Markit research, within the next two-and-a-half years, regular ole’ people like you and me will snatch up more than 80 million consumer VR headsets.

Why? Trying to explain VR to someone who’s never tried it, is like trying to describe the color red to someone who can’t see it. It’s tough to put into words. The best I can do is this: You strap a headset on and the real world fades away. When you look around, you don't see your office or living room, you see a completely new space that wasn't there before, filled with things that can delight, scare, awe, thrill, educate, entertain, and just plain blow you away.

My teenage daughter might say, “it gives you all the feels,” and it does. Along with the intense immersion into this new virtual world, comes a new level of emotional stimulation. Even with the cheapest VR headsets, you’re likely to have an “oh wow moment,” kind of like the first time you saw a 3D movie.

Buying In

If you’re thinking about trying it out yourself, or getting a VR headset or system for someone as a holiday gift, here are the top options available today.

With something as basic as the $15 Google Cardboard — a kit you fold and form into a pair of VR goggles to slide your smartphone into — you can step into famous museums in London or Washington DC. You can walk around the galleries pondering works by Rembrandt, van Gogh, and Picasso like you’re actually there. It’s so much better than just clicking through a slideshow online, because it puts you in the halls, looking right, left, up, and down, seeing precious art from every angle, rather than just staring at a computer screen.

Total Spend: Google Cardboard ($15) + phone ($200 minimum, works with iOS and Android (older phones work, but the experience isn't great) = $215

A journalist uses a smartphone equipped with a so-called "Google Cardboard" mount to use it as a VR (virtual reality) device for trying out a new offer developed by Google's platform "Google Arts & Culture" and the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, Germany.© Tobias Schwarz, AFP/Getty Images A journalist uses a smartphone equipped with a so-called "Google Cardboard" mount to use it as a VR (virtual reality) device for trying out a new offer developed by Google's platform "Google Arts & Culture" and…
A big step up from there is the Galaxy Gear VR headset that works with newer model Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones. It’s basically magic, kind of like going from a black and white TV to color. It uses Samsung’s big, powerful Galaxy phones exclusively, and has some extra sensors built-in, so the feeling of really “being there” is kicked up a notch. Some of the best Android VR apps like Ocean Rift ($9.99) — where you dive into a sea packed with dolphins, sharks, whales, and countless other ocean oddities, and never have to worry about your oxygen level — are built specifically with the Gear VR in mind. If you already have a newer Galaxy phone, this is a great choice because it’s inexpensive, high-quality, portable, and a really comfortable fit overall.

Total Spend: Galaxy Gear VR ($99) + phone ($400 minimum, cheaper with plan) = $500

PlayStation VR is a perfect way to upgrade from your phone-based virtual reality, especially if you already have a PS4 gaming system. It really is a gamer’s machine at this point: Strap on the high-end headset with motion controllers to track your movements, learn a few basics, and suddenly, you’re in the cockpit of an X-wing, dog-fighting through galaxies far, far away in Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One: X-wing VR Mission ($29.99). Or, you’re Bruce Wayne living through the earliest days of his transformation in Batman: Arkham VR ($19.99). I’m not an avid gamer, and yet it was cool to be surrounded by the finery of Wayne Manor, then descend into the Batcave and slip into the iconic Batsuit.

The experience is amazing, but if you’re not into gaming, the novelty of PSVR wears off quickly. You can still kick back and watch a Netflix movie, but it’s still too early to be a general consumer must-have gadget.

Total Spend: PlayStation VR bundle (with camera and controllers) ($499) + PS4 ($299) = $800

Moving up from PSVR, is the top tier of virtual reality with the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. These systems use a combination of headset sensors, high-tech controllers, and room-scanning cameras to track your position in 3D space, letting you actually walk around your room while staying immersed in the virtual world. This is also where you’ll find the most mind-blowing experiences in virtual reality, like Grand Canyon VR ($4.99), where you slowly paddle your canoe through the canyon at your own pace and take in the sights and sounds around you. I also love Star Chart ($9.99), which is like owning a super-powered telescope that can see every bit of our solar system and constellations up close.

The kind of experiences you can have with these more capable systems are essentially limitless, and some of them will remind you of that feeling you got the first time you used a computer. (Unless you’re too young to remember that…) The one major drawback of the Vive and Rift is that you’ll need a powerful PC computer to run the apps, which boosts the overall price up a great deal if you don’t already have one.

Total Spend: HTC Vive ($799) + computer ($600 roughly) = $1400

Oculus Rift ($599) + Oculus Touch controllers ($199) + computer ($600) = $1400

If you pay attention to this stuff and noticed that I didn’t review Google’s new Daydream View VR, that’s because I haven’t been able to get my hands on it yet. It looks to be similar to the Galaxy Gear VR, but I’ll let you know as soon as I go hands-on.

Here’s the bottomline: Try VR as soon as you can — in a store, at a mall, or at your geeky friend’s house. See what all the fuss is about. But it’s okay if you wait another year or even two, to buy-in. It’s early — and this tech and what you can use it for — is just going to keep getting better.

Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer tech contributor and host of USA TODAY's digital video show TECH NOW. E-mail her at techcomments@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenniferJolly.

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