Verdict
The Pico 4 Ultra’s great specs and good design make it a standout rival to Meta’s Quest 3. Offering plenty of excellent VR games and regular updates, it’s hard not to love this impressive headset, but without killer exclusives and US availability, it falls a little short of the current king in the market.
- Brilliant performance
- Good library of games
- Pico Connect on PC runs well
- Not readily available in the US
- No killer exclusives over Quest 3
- Some specs are overkill
It's not hard to see that, right now, console, PC, and even mobile phone hardware have stagnated. Just over a decade ago, there were massive leaps from one generation of technology to the next. These days, the difference isn't as impressive; for example, the yearly iPhones or Samsungs that offer little in the way of noticeable upgrades. However, despite how niche the virtual reality market is, it's arguably one of the fastest-changing areas in the wider gaming industry, offering huge changes within a short time span.
Almost five years ago, the Quest 2 came out, and now the Quest 3 is almost two years old and, as the best VR headset on the market, feels like a completely different device from its predecessor. It has a new rival, though: the Pico 4 Ultra. This headset is proof that VR technology can still improve generation after generation, and despite some small grievances, it's a fantastic headset that offers great specs at an equally impressive price point.
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Specs
| CPU | Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Display | 2,160 x 2,160 pixels per eye, pancake lenses |
| Max refresh rate | 90Hz |
| Battery | 5700 mAh (around 2 hours playtime) |
| Field of View | 104-degree horizontal, 103-degree vertical |
| Weight | 580g |
| Storage | 256GB |
The Pico 4 Ultra uses the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, which shouldn't be any surprise considering it's the latest virtual reality-ready chip from Qualcomm. It's an improvement over the Pico 4's XR2 chipset, while also offering more RAM and storage space, plus a better battery. However, what's most impressive is the Wi-Fi 7 capabilities, which means faster downloading speeds and a better connection for PCVR gaming.
Price and availability
The Pico 4 Ultra isn't available in the US unless you're willing to import it. Otherwise, you can also buy it for around $700-800 on eBay. In the UK, the VR headset is readily available and will set you back £530, which is around $707 converted. This is a lot more than the current price of a Pico 4 (£249) and around £60 more than the standard Quest 3.
There's only one model available, so you're not stuck for choice. However, you can opt to buy the Pico Motion Trackers if you're willing to spend extra. While not necessary (which I'll explain soon), they're a fantastic pair of accessories that can enhance your experience in some games and apps.
Design
One thing that the Pico 4 Ultra nails is the weight balance that far too many headsets struggle to get right. While most of the weight, unsurprisingly, sits at the front of the Pico 4 Ultra, it doesn't feel like it's pulling on the front of my head. Instead, it sits proudly on my face, and while I still look silly wearing a giant headset on my skull – something that any VR headset will do – it's at least comfortable.
The fabric facial interface is a disappointing feature, as I had hoped for a silicone one, considering the price. A lot of headsets do this, saving money by making silicone an additional product to buy, but with how sweaty you can get playing even the simplest of VR games, you'll likely want to pay the extra fee before long.
Thankfully, Pico doesn't cut corners when it comes to the pancake lenses, which cause less eye strain and are generally better for standalone use as they're smaller and lighter than the alternative lenses. The comfort difference between Fresnel and pancake lenses is instantly apparent if you jump from an older headset like the Quest 2. The clarity, especially on the peripheral lens, is enough to keep you from vomiting due to motion sickness alone.
The Pico 4 Ultra offers a great continuous interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment that you can tinker with inside the headset. There are no predetermined options like the Quest 2 or a scroll wheel like on the Quest 3. After testing and playing with quite a few VR headsets, a continuous IPD within the software is easily my favorite option, so great job on that, Pico.
Performance
Unsurprisingly, the Pico 4 Ultra is a fantastic bit of hardware in terms of gaming performance. From intense games like Blade and Sorcery: Nomad to simple experiences such as VRChat, the Pico 4 Ultra had no issue running the best VR games on standalone headsets.
Given the similar specs to the Meta Quest 3, which is the market leader right now, that's no surprise. I mostly played Blade & Sorcery because I've played that game so much, it provides an easy point of comparison. I was impressed at how similar it was to the Quest 3 version, which is a huge compliment, considering the money behind Meta's most recent headset.
Given the Meta Quest 3's leading status, it's no surprise that most VR games are optimized for that headset. Fortunately, all the games I tried also run fantastically on the Pico 4 Ultra, giving you great performance whether you're playing action games or enjoying some of the best easy games VR can offer.
Admittedly, I do think the 12GB of RAM is overkill. The Meta Quest 3, for example, gets a performance boost out of the chipset and the existing RAM with the third-party Quest Games Optimizer app, and as far as I'm concerned, that makes most experiences better, so an additional 4GB is quite a lot. You're practically paying for the hope that a game can push the Pico 4 Ultra to its limits, which, considering VR's niche appeal, I don't see happening anytime soon.
What added to my overall experience are the Pico Motion Trackers. These will set you back around £79 for the pair in the UK, or however much someone asks for on eBay in the US, and they attach to your ankles, giving you the ability to use your legs in VR games. Why Meta isn't offering something like this is beyond me, as when it works, it offers the most immersive VR experience I've had yet. Admittedly, the feature didn't work well with Blade & Sorcery: Nomad, but Blade & Sorcery on PCVR had no issues picking up the trackers, making the experience a lot more fun.
Games
Game availability is, unfortunately, where the Pico 4 Ultra falls flat compared to its competitors, especially its main rival in the Quest 3 and the budget-friendly 3S. While Meta is boasting exclusives like Batman: Arkham Shadow and Asgard's Wrath 2, the Pico 4 Ultra doesn't have any killer apps. Sure, there are quite a few games available on both the Meta family and Pico's latest flagship, but there are more titles overall on Meta Quest 3.
However, that's not to say that Pico's library is lackluster. In fact, I think Pico 4 Ultra's library of titles is pretty amazing, all things considered, and there's a huge selection of must-play VR games on there. There's Pistol Whip, Red Matter, Blade and Sorcery: Nomad, After the Fall, and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners duology, just to name a few hits.
If you don't care about exclusives on Meta's VR headset, it's safe to say that the Pico 4 Ultra's content is pretty good. I wouldn't say it's anything magnificent, but it's certainly got plenty on offer, especially if you've got a gaming PC where you can seamlessly connect your headset to the Pico Connect app and play any SteamVR titles. But, if you're solely on standalone, I think the Quest 3 might just make this a big negative for potential Pico buyers.
Should you buy the Pico 4 Ultra?
The Pico 4 Ultra is an excellent headset that exists in a purgatory. It offers better specs than its big-name rival, has equally impressive performance, and offers a great assortment of games to play. It also runs brilliantly when playing PCVR games through the Pico Connect app, if you happen to own a gaming PC.
However, it's also more expensive than Meta's flagship, offering specs that (for now) are overkill. It doesn't have any killer exclusives that will make standalone gamers choose it over the market leader, and when it comes to the basic question of whether to pick the Pico 4 Ultra or Meta Quest 3, I'd probably point to the latter.
All that being said, though, the Pico 4 Ultra is still an absolutely great choice for a VR headset, and I wouldn't blame you for picking it. It's also not widely available in the US at the time of writing, which may be frustrating for many.
Buy this headset if…
- You're hoping to use the Motion Trackers
- You want the best performance on the market
- You're okay with missing out on Quest 3 exclusives
Avoid this headset if…
- You want the best VR headset
- You want as many VR games, including exclusives, as possible
- You're in the US
Alternatives
If we haven't sold you on the Pico 4 Ultra, check out our suggestions for some VR alternatives below.
Meta Quest 3
It shouldn't be any surprise that the main alternative to the Pico 4 Ultra is the Meta Quest 3. Sharing many similar specs, as well as Meta's library of killer exclusives and games made for the standalone headset, the Meta Quest 3 is my favorite VR headset right now – and if you're not looking to push your headset to its limits, it's my clear choice as a Pico alternative.
Meta Quest 3S
Alternatively, if the Pico 4 Ultra and the Meta Quest 3 are out of your price range, the Meta Quest 3S is a brilliant budget-friendly option. Fresnel lenses aside, it has the same brilliant chipset and performance improvements that the Quest 3 offers, just with some minor downgrades to fit a lower budget.
There you have it, our Pico 4 Ultra review. For more great tech while you're here, be sure to check out our guides to the best handheld consoles and the best gaming tablets. Or, if you're looking for something a little more old school, see our list of the best retro handhelds.