HP VR Reverb G2 in 2025: Answers to the Questions Business Buyers Should Ask

If you're evaluating the HP Reverb G2 for a VR arcade, a training center, or a corporate event, you don't need another spec-sheet recap. You need answers that still hold up when the hardware has to be working on a show floor in 48 hours: Is it worth buying in 2025? How do you set it up? And what does cheap actually mean once you factor in the PC, cables, and downtime?

I lead technical deployments for an XR events company. Over the past four years, we've set up 200+ VR stations for clients—trade-show demos, simulators, training pilots—and a large share of that fleet has been Reverb G2s. The deadlines are rarely comfortable. In March 2024, a client called at 4 PM needing six working VR stations for an 8 AM launch event the next morning. That's the lens I'm answering from.

Here are the questions buyers and operations teams ask most often, plus one they don't ask but should:

• Is the HP Reverb G2 still worth buying in 2025?
• How do I set up the HP Reverb G2 headset on a PC?
• Can the HP Reverb G2 work as a VR headset for PS5?
• Do I need a separate gaming headset (like Astro headsets) with the Reverb G2?
• How much should a used HP Reverb G2 cost?
• What fails first, and what spares should I keep in stock?

Is the HP Reverb G2 Still Worth Buying in 2025?

Short answer: yes, but only used and only if you understand what you're buying into. HP discontinued the G2 in 2023, and Microsoft deprecated the entire Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) platform the headset depends on. From the December 2023 announcement:

“Windows Mixed Reality is deprecated and will be removed in a future release of Windows.” — Microsoft

In practice, WMR no longer ships with Windows 11 24H2. That's a real constraint. If your PCs are on Windows 10 or Windows 11 23H2 and earlier, the Reverb G2 still runs fine. If you're buying for a fleet of machines you can't control, or you expect long-term consumer-level support, this isn't the headset for you.

But don't let that erase what the hardware does well. The Reverb G2 serves up 2160×2160 pixels per eye at 90Hz with Valve-designed off-ear speakers, and it connects over DisplayPort—meaning no compressed video, no Wi-Fi hiccups, and no headset battery to manage mid-event. Seeing one running next to a standalone headset that depends on wireless PC streaming finally made me understand why our simulator and training clients prefer a cable: a predictable pipeline beats convenience when the demo has to start on time.

So yes: as a wired PC VR workhorse for seated and stationary content, a used Reverb G2 at the right price is still one of the better value buys out there. As a premium new purchase in 2025? No. More on pricing below.

How Do I Set Up the HP Reverb G2 Headset on a PC?

Plan for about 15–20 minutes per machine the first time. Here's the sequence that works:

1. Confirm the OS version. Windows 10 or Windows 11 23H2 and earlier: fine. Windows 11 24H2: WMR isn't there, and the G2 won't work.
2. Connect the headset to a USB 3.0 port and to a DisplayPort directly on your graphics card. Don't use the ports on the motherboard.
3. Install the Windows Mixed Reality app. It will walk you through controller pairing and room setup.
4. Install SteamVR, then install “Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR” from Steam.
5. Let the firmware updates finish. Both the headset and controllers will almost certainly prompt you for one during the first setup.

The one thing that trips people up: not every USB 3.0 port on a given PC delivers enough power to the G2. If the display drops out or the headset goes into standby during setup, move the USB connector to another port. HP later revised the cable to solve exactly this class of problem, so if you're buying used, ask which cable revision is included.

Can the HP Reverb G2 Work as a VR Headset for PS5?

No—and I'll say it clearly because we get this question from clients at least once a quarter. The Reverb G2 is a PC peripheral. It takes video over DisplayPort and expects the Windows Mixed Reality / SteamVR software stack. A PS5 has no way to feed those signals. A capture card won't bridge it, either; console games don't render for a PC VR headset.

If you're actually shopping for a VR headset for PS5, that's Sony's own PS VR2. It's a solid headset, but it lives in the PlayStation ecosystem—that's the trade-off. The HP Reverb G2 only makes sense when you already have a capable Windows PC and your content runs through SteamVR. Buy for the platform you already own, not the platform you're planning to maybe own someday.

Do I Need a Separate Gaming Headset (Like Astro Headsets) With the Reverb G2?

The G2's built-in speakers are the same off-ear style Valve uses on the Index. They're good enough for the majority of business demos I've deployed: dialogue is clear, spatial cues work, and—importantly—staff can still hear what's happening in the room.

So do you need a gaming headset like the Astro A40 or A50 on top of that? Rarely. I'd add one in only two situations: the venue is loud (convention floors, arcades) and isolation matters, or the content is bass-heavy enough that off-ear speakers feel thin, like certain racing or music experiences.

Also consider hygiene: if different people wear the same station all day, you're now cleaning headphone pads too. Face gaskets are already a chore. Audio can wait until a station proves it needs it—a $100–300 per-station headset spend adds up fast across six or twelve units. Start with the built-in audio, measure, then buy.

How Much Should a Used HP Reverb G2 Cost?

As of early 2025, a complete, working kit—headset, two motion controllers, original cable, and face gasket—has been landing around $200–$300 based on marketplace listings I've checked. Prices for discontinued hardware drift, so verify against current listings before you commit.

A complete kit is the baseline. The “as-is, no cable” listing at $120 is the one that tempts people, because the math seems easy. The problem is what the listing doesn't say: no controllers, worn speaker grilles, a non-revised cable that may drop signal on certain motherboards, or a missing face gasket that undermines hygiene. When we compared the true cost of cheap incomplete units against complete ones side by side, the conclusion was consistent: the “bargain” unit almost always caught up in parts and time.

Don't forget the PC behind it. The Reverb G2 wants at least a GTX 1080 / RTX 2060-class GPU, a solid USB 3.0 controller, and a Windows version you can control. A $250 used headset on a $400 PC is a $650 station. Compare station totals, not headset stickers, when making the decision.

What Fails First on a Reverb G2—and What Spares Should I Stock?

Cable, face gasket, controller. In that order. The cable takes the most abuse at the connector where it enters the headset—public demo attendees stand up, forget the wire, and step or yank. The face gasket absorbs sweat and makeup from every user and degrades faster than people expect. Controllers fail less often, but when they do, they're the most expensive part to replace.

We carry spares as standard practice now: one spare cable in every event kit, plus a complete spare headset for any deployment over five units. That rule came from a 2023 event where a cable died 40 minutes before a client's product demo—and we had no spare on site. Waiting out the replacement took us from “no problem” to “the demo will start late.”

The spare cable is insurance that annoys procurement, but it's cheaper than any explanation you'd give a client while 40 people wait for a demo that isn't starting. If you're buying multiple units, ask the seller to confirm cable revision, controller condition, and gasket condition before you pay. And if you're deploying them, test every single unit the day before the event—not the morning of.