Compare the best head trackers for flight simulation, including TrackIR 5, Tobii Eye Tracker 5 and OpenTrack, with clear picks for every budget.
For most PC flight simmers, TrackIR 5 is the best all-round head tracker because its responsive six-degree-of-freedom tracking and broad simulator support are dependable. Choose Tobii Eye Tracker 5 for clip-free operation, an OpenTrack-compatible infrared kit for better value, or webcam-based OpenTrack when the budget is close to zero.
Best flight simulator head trackers at a glance
Our default recommendation is TrackIR 5, but the right choice depends on what you are prepared to wear, your simulator support and how much configuration you will tolerate.
| Best for | Tracker | Main advantage | Main compromise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | TrackIR 5 | Reliable 6DoF tracking and broad native support | Requires a reflector or LED clip; Windows software |
| Best clip-free option | Tobii Eye Tracker 5 | Tracks both head and eyes without anything attached to the user | Simulator and display compatibility need checking |
| Best-value infrared tracking | OpenTrack-compatible IR camera and three-point clip | Dedicated 6DoF tracking without the proprietary TrackIR system | Hardware quality and configuration vary between kits |
| Best free option | OpenTrack with an existing webcam | No specialist tracking hardware to buy | Usually more sensitive to lighting, latency and camera quality |
Which head tracker should you buy?
Why is TrackIR 5 the best overall choice?
TrackIR 5 is the safest purchase when dependable tracking and straightforward simulator support matter more than price. It is recognised natively by many Windows flight simulators, including Microsoft Flight Simulator, X-Plane, DCS World, FSX and Prepar3D.
The standard reflective TrackClip is light and needs no power, but it normally sits on a cap or visor. The active TrackClip Pro attaches to a headset and is easier for the camera to distinguish from reflections, although it adds a cable and another headset attachment.
TrackIR also has mature profile controls for response curves, smoothing and dead zones. Our detailed assessment of TrackIR’s strengths and drawbacks covers when its higher cost is justified.
Is Tobii Eye Tracker 5 better than TrackIR?
Tobii Eye Tracker 5 is better for anyone who wants head tracking without wearing a cap, reflector or LED clip. Its sensor mounts below the monitor and combines head movement with gaze tracking in supported simulators.
Eye tracking is not automatically an advantage in a cockpit. A view that follows every glance can feel restless when reading instruments or operating switches, so many simmers reduce eye-tracking sensitivity or disable gaze-driven movement while retaining head tracking.
Tobii support is more title-specific than TrackIR support. Check the exact simulator, operating system and display arrangement before buying; large curved monitors, unusual mounting positions and multi-screen cockpits can fall outside the ideal tracking geometry. Glasses usually work, but strong reflections or certain lens coatings may reduce eye-tracking consistency.
Can OpenTrack replace a dedicated head tracker?
OpenTrack can provide excellent flight simulator head tracking when paired with a suitable infrared camera and three-point LED or reflective clip. It maps the detected head pose to common tracking outputs, but selecting the right input, output protocol and axis curves takes more work than TrackIR.
A normal webcam can also use OpenTrack’s face or neural-network tracking without a physical clip. This is the sensible way to test head tracking before purchasing hardware, though low frame rates, poor exposure and changing room light can introduce lag or jitter. Those weaknesses are particularly obvious during rapid six-o’clock checks in DCS; slow airliner cockpit scanning is more forgiving.
Will these trackers work with every flight simulator?
No head tracker has universal support, although mainstream PC simulators usually support TrackIR directly or can accept tracking through software such as OpenTrack. Tobii integration must be checked separately because a simulator supporting TrackIR does not necessarily support Tobii head and eye input.
- Microsoft Flight Simulator: TrackIR and selected Tobii integrations are supported on PC, while OpenTrack can work through a compatible output method.
- DCS World: 6DoF tracking is especially valuable for checking instruments, maintaining visual contact and looking behind the aircraft.
- X-Plane, FSX and Prepar3D: TrackIR is the simplest route on supported Windows installations; OpenTrack is a configurable alternative.
- Consoles: Do not assume a USB PC tracker will work on Xbox or PlayStation. Device support is controlled by the console platform and simulator, not merely by the tracker having a USB connection.
What features matter in a flight simulator head tracker?
Six-degree-of-freedom tracking, stable camera coverage and sensible software controls matter more than headline camera specifications.
- 6DoF tracking: Yaw, pitch and roll turn the view, while X, Y and Z movement lets you lean sideways, raise your viewpoint or move closer to an instrument. Three-axis tracking is adequate only for basic view panning.
- Tracking volume: The camera must retain all required tracking points when you look towards the edge of its range. A wider response curve cannot fix a clip that has physically disappeared from view.
- Wearable requirements: Reflective clips need no battery, active clips can be easier to isolate, and Tobii or webcam tracking requires no wearable marker.
- Lighting tolerance: Sunlight, reflective glasses, glossy furniture and exposed lamps can create false infrared points. Webcam face tracking instead needs even visible light.
- Recentring controls: Bind centre and pause functions to an accessible yoke, joystick or HOTAS button. Reaching for the keyboard while the view is displaced becomes irritating quickly.
Why does a head tracker jitter or lose position?
Most unstable head tracking comes from poor camera geometry, reflections or competing view inputs rather than a faulty response curve.
- Check the raw camera view. Confirm that the camera sees the face or all three clip points throughout the full head movement.
- Remove false points. Close blinds, move reflective objects and adjust the camera threshold or exposure without making the real tracking points disappear.
- Reposition the camera and clip. Keep the tracker near the monitor centre and angle the clip towards it. Loss of tracking at extreme yaw usually indicates occlusion.
- Disable duplicate view controls. Two tracking programmes, a mouse-look mode or a mapped analogue view axis can fight for control and cause jumps.
- Tune curves last. Add only enough smoothing to remove visible noise, then increase yaw and pitch scaling so the cockpit can be viewed without taking your eyes off the screen.
For the full calibration order, software choices and lighting checks, use our head- and eye-tracking setup guide.
Is head tracking better than VR for flight simulation?
Head tracking is usually better for monitor clarity, long sessions, physical cockpit controls and lower rendering overhead; VR is better for depth perception and immersion. Head tracking also lets you read charts, keyboards and hardware panels without removing a headset.
Do not run desktop head tracking and VR view tracking at the same time. Microsoft Flight Simulator users can compare the practical trade-offs in our MSFS guide to monitor-based tracking versus VR.