Thinking of getting a VR headset or a head tracker for Sim use. Is the cost worth an improved visual effect of looking at the scenery and airport circuit location awareness?
If so what would be the recommendations be as to what brand to purchase.
Your PC spec will define the best solution
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I have had a TrackIR for a very long time now. If your preferred gaming experience is babysitting the autopilot for hours at 30,000 feet, eh. Whatever. But I fly mostly VFR GA lowish level flights. Without TrackIR, I simply wouldn’t play the game. It makes that much of a difference to me. $150 is a drop in the bucket for the amount of enjoyment that head tracking has brought me. (There are cheaper DIYish options, but my experience has been that TrackIR is the simlplest, most reliable, user friendly way to get head tracking.)
I’ve also got VR. (Oculus / Meta Quest 2, soon to get a 3) It is a PHENOMENAL experience, with a PC that can push enough good looking frames. Whether or not it’s a good cost value is entirely subjective. It goes beyond the cost of the VR headset. You need a powerful computer. And ideally some sort of HOTAS or yoke setup. If you have these for MSFS (and other sims) already, then the addition of a VR headset probably isn’t a huge outlay and might become your preffered way to fly.
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No doubt
VR is the solution. 
I primarily fly GA planes VFR and love my TrackIR v5. To me it’s a much more immersive experience than VR because while VR has a little more peripheral vision and stereoscopics, there’s a constant stream of little problems: heavy headset, slower render performance, any stutter causes massive visual and motor-sensory disruption.
For folks who have a VR system that they’re happy with, they’re often very vocal that they like it. 
But for bang-for-your-buck, IMHO a TrackIR is a tiny dollar outlay for 80% of the experience of being able to naturally look around. I resisted the idea for many months but gave in because I wasn’t happy with my attempt at VR (an older system early on, I could do better if I invested a couple thousand more dollars), and I was hooked on the TrackIR!
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Whit head tracking you still look at the cookpit on a screen, whit Vr you are in the cookpit.
Only Vr for me nowadays..
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If you have an hour to troubleshoot before every flight and a 4090 - VR. Else TrackIR.
Personally I have both and honestly don’t use any of them. Too much hassle. For the last year I’ve been flying only airliners (PMDG and Fenix).
My experience mostly echoes Vibstronium’s. I have essentially the most powerful simulator gaming system that can be built right now. (7800X3D, 4090) VR runs pretty well for me. Despite that, I spend more time in 2D with TrackIR.
Flying in VR feel like a THING. I’ve gotta be sitting down to do JUST that with no distractions. So little of my gaming time fits that situation. Often I’m multitasking on another screen or two, or paying half-attention to something on the TV (Like last night. Wisconsin volleyball! Why you gotta disappoint again!). Outta the question with VR. So that’s saved for the occasions when I’m gonna just fly for a few hours and do nothing else.
(This is all caveated with the fact that I game on a 48" 4K OLED about 29 inches from my face, so my 2D experience is pretty impressive as well. If I were flying on a 24" 1080p monitor, I might spend more time in VR. 
)
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Reasons to get TrackIR:
- you primarily fly tubes and spend most of your sim time on the FMC and scanning instruments
- you have various peripherals that can only be operated by sight
- you like to be able to divert attention to other screens, devices at any time
Reasons to get VR:
- you love flying VFR and looking at the world around the plane
- you are in pursuit of total immersion that literally transports you away from your desk
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Note that TrackIR is also great for VFR and looking around at the scenery, including being friendly to taking screenshots and screen recordings of said scenery.
I fly VFR almost exclusively with the TrackIR, and all of my postings on the screenshot threads, both still and video, are done while using it.
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I think most of the comments have captured the major considerations already, but just my thoughts…
Firstly your PC specs will dictate how good your experience with VR may be. I have a 10900k overclocked to 5.3GHz, 32GB ram and a 2080Ti. My experience in VR is ok, but could certainly be better.
What aircraft you like to fly and what hardware peripherals you use may well influence your choice. If you really like tube liners and have already sunk finances into hardware that works best if you can see if TrackIR may be the better option.
I used TrackIR for a good 10 years and found it to be considerably better than just using a screen and hat switch to look around. The quality of the tracking is susceptible to interference from other light sources and I do recall having to reset the view quite often in use.
VR really is a different experience though transporting you into the cockpit within the virtual world. It is perhaps better suited to flying GA aircraft and helicopters where you are more liable to be flying low level and VFR. In fact I would say VR and helicopters really are the best match. You simply cannot replicate the depth perception VR provides on a screen, this is a significant element when it comes to flying helicopters instinctively and well.
VR though is one of those things you really have to try for yourself. Personally I rarely fly outside of VR now as I find it adds so much with regards to immersion.
Personally, I would go the VR route if you have a decent PC and are not heavily reliant on seeing your hardware. If not do get some form of head tracking as it is still a good improvement over just a screen.
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Great advise everyone.
I have a G2 and Track\IR; {13600/4080} my thoughts…
As much as “nothing compares” to the VR experience, MSFS is a “tough nut to crack” , taking a LOT of time/patience and graphical compromises to get running “well” in VR.
Since I bought my LG OLED 4K 120hrz G-sync TV, I rarely put the headset on anymore {some short VFR sighseeing stuff occasionally}.
For the majority of my “flights”, ultra settings @ 4k clarity {with TrackIr} beats sweaty headset strapped to my head.
VR is Amazing, but for ease of use, you will never regret picking up a TrackIr or Tobi eye tracker. -Both compatible with many games-
I guess If you have a 15 inch monitor, than maybe a headtracker will not be very immersive.
:-0
What brand of VR headset… well that’s a WHOLE new topic of expensive options.
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I fly with a TrackIR, but I never fly “tubes”. Your other two points apply equally well to flying GA aircraft VFR and I’ll agree with you on them. I want to be able to see my desktop cockpit hardware, my paper charts, my paper flight plan, my E6B, my watch… VR doesn’t work for me.
Thanks for the advice guys. Current PC is an I7 13700 with a 4070 graphics so assuming this is sufficient to run a reasonable frame rate with VR. Have a HOTAS so assuming I will not have to use a keyboard for control inputs when wearing a headset.
Do fly IFR with an A320 but have no interest in the section of flight after the climb out.
VFR has been a mixture of light aircraft with conventional instruments.
Certainly I do find circuit flying an issue as find you do need to keep changing the view to keep visual awareness in the pattern particularly in the down wind leg.
I had a Track IR for years with the clip that you attach to your headset. I recently broke just when the Tobii Eye Tracker was on sale. The cost of replacement was only slightly less than the Tobii so I got the Eye Tracker. It is great for GA sight seeing and tubeliners (after takeoff, don’t like the head movement on takeoff or landing). Since I am often at the computer while other stuff is going on I don’t think I would like VR. My 14 year old grandson, however, uses my computer for his Oculus 3 programs and loves it. I think a matter of what you want and the power of your computer setup. BTW, if cost is no concern, you can always up the computer power to do whatever you decide.
I think the Trackir or Tobii is what you need.
A 4070 is maybe a bit weak for VR with high or ultra settings.
I’ve used Trackir for years and I was pleased. I tried VR and I was “hooked” but I had to switch from a 3080 to a 4090. I enjoy handflying GA and very low.
Procedures, check lists are not my thing.
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It’s all going to depend on how powerful is your system, how much cash you’re willing/able to spend and your type of flying. Here is my experience if it helps.
I tried a TrackIR and was okay with it although I never really got it set up to my satisfaction whilst VFR flying, which is what I do most. In particular I could never get the angles set up so I could turn my head enough and still see the screen in front of me.
So I bought a Pico 4, my rig is just about powerful enough (Ryzen7-5800X plus RTX4070) and after much playing around with settings got it to as good as it’s going to get and am very happy with it. I use various VR addons to cover things like maps and a Knobster (expensive!) as using the mouse to manipulate knobs is, to me, very awkward.
But I started flying airliners and found that the Pico just wasn’t clear enough to operate the cockpit properly so reverted to 2D - you don’t look out of the window much anyway in tubes!
However this thread has given me an idea - I was thinking of giving the TrackIR to my young friend who has just been given his own PC and MSFS for Christmas, but I’m wondering how the TrackIR would manage in the A320/B737.
So next project is plug the TrackIR in again, update it as required and give it a try.
Edit. As an afterthought, you could use multiple screens, “wrapped around” if you’ve got the room. Unfortunately I haven’t.
Lots of great advice and input, but don’t discount TrackHat Sensor, which was recently evaluated in PC Pilot magazine. It seems to work much like TrackIR, but no hat required - your head motion is picked up by infrared sensors mounted to the top of your monitor. I am seriously looking at getting one, as it is a lot less expensive (about CDN$175) than a VR headset and you still get to use the quality monitor you purchased.
Without having read the thread: VR is (IMO) well worth it and in a different league to a headtracker.
I finally made the jump into VR earlier this year & would definitely recommend this over anything else, you are actually injected into the digital world, not just looking at it. There is no comparison. I did head tracking for a long time & it’s ok but nothing like VR.
I am running a 1070ti card 32gb ram & an AMD processor, using a HP reverb G2 V1, I am after many tweaks & settings able to run a steady 30fps, there are trade offs but in VR you can get away with many lower settings visually.
Make the jump to VR if you can, it’s well worth it! I was a fence sitter too for far too long!
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