BUILD YOUR OWN VR HEADSET FOR UNDER 150 DOLLARS
A 3D-printed 6DoF VR headset that runs Beat Saber — full CAD, PCB, firmware and an AliExpress parts list.
VR3D-printing
Built withArduino3D printing
- difficulty
- ●●●●○
- time
- several weekends
- license
- CERN-OHL-S-2.0
- repo
- repo ACTIVE521 stars
●●●●○ · several weekends · CERN-OHL-S-2.0 · 521 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
CNCDan's DIY_VR shows you can build a working PC VR headset yourself for under about 150 dollars of parts, by the creator's own count — 3D-printed, with individually adjustable IPD, a 2880x1440 display at up to 120 Hz, and SteamVR support. It's a properly complete project: STEP CAD for two versions, STL, PCB files, firmware, and a README with an AliExpress BOM. The honest details: out of the box the head tracking is 3DoF; full 6DoF uses the HadesVR driver with PSMoveServiceEx and a PSVR camera tracking a lit ping-pong ball, and the wireless controllers are a separate build. The creator did play Beat Saber on it, but notes IMU drift and tracking dropouts. A several-weekend project rather than a plug-and-play kit, and great bragging rights.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —A complete buildable project: STEP CAD (V1 + V2), STL, PCB files, Arduino firmware, and a README build guide with a BOM
- —The BOM links to inexpensive AliExpress parts (display set, IMU, radio, Pro Micro, lenses)
- —Head tracking runs through the HadesVR SteamVR driver (3DoF); full 6DoF adds PSMoveServiceEX camera tracking of the lit ping-pong ball. Wireless controllers are a separate repo.
- —Licensed CERN-OHL-S-2.0
Parts to buy
10 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
I built my own VR for under 150 dollars!14:52
The creator's full build video.
More builds like this
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Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Watch the build (the full walkthrough)
- 2.Get the CAD + BOM (STEP/STL/PCB/firmware + AliExpress BOM)
- 3.Build the controllers (for full 6DoF)
- 4.Set up the HadesVR driver (Upload and config instructions; PSMoveServiceEx adds 6DoF tracking)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Full 6DoF needs extra setup: the HadesVR driver plus PSMoveServiceEX camera tracking — and the controllers are a separate build
- It's a several-weekend electronics project, not a plug-and-play kit
- Match the lenses and display to the BOM — IPD is adjustable, but optics matter for comfort
Can it really play Beat Saber?
Yes, with caveats — using the companion controllers, the HadesVR driver, PSMoveServiceEx and a PSVR camera, the creator plays Beat Saber, but notes IMU drift and tracking dropouts when the camera loses sight of a light.
Is everything provided?
The headset repo has STEP/STL CAD, PCB files, Arduino firmware and a README build guide with an AliExpress BOM. The controllers are a separate repo.
How cheap is it?
Band $ — the creator built it for under about 150 dollars of AliExpress parts. Prices change, so check the BOM links.
Do I need a PC?
Yes — it's a PC-VR headset that runs through SteamVR via the driver.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
It plays Beat Saber, but only after you build a second repo's worth of controllers and wire up a SteamVR driver. Is a two-part, several-weekend build still worth it when used headsets are cheap?
CNCDan (dmcke5)
Documented a complete DIY VR headset — CAD, PCB, firmware and a cheap AliExpress BOM — and showed it playing Beat Saber with 6DoF tracking via a SteamVR driver.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited
Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.