Reviews on Oculus Quest 2
Our Verdict
The Oculus Quest 2 offers dramatic improvements to the original Quest experience. Whether you're using it standalone or tethered to a PC, the Quest 2 is simply the best entry point into VR right now. .
For
Superb resolution
Improved graphics
great price
A single AA battery goes a long way
Easy setup and connection sharing
Versus
Mandatory Facebook login
The strap requires a lot of fiddling to sit properly
Oculus has a long and prestigious history with virtual reality as one of the ancestors of the modern wave of headsets and software, and it's no wonder the arrival of the Oculus Quest 2 has seen a rapid resurgence in enthusiasm for virtual reality once again. Interest in virtual reality comes and goes like the tide with each new major release of hardware or software, year after year.
I, too, find my enthusiasm for virtual reality reaching ecstatic heights and plummeting to deep lows as new technology is thrown my way. The first wave of headsets got me hooked, and then I could have without its dizzying wonders for a while. The second wave of headsets, such as the Vive Pro and Rift S didn't impress, then came the
Valve index
and I am more than ever in love with the possibilities of technology.
Quest 2, however, wasn't something I was initially so excited about. Standalone VR felt like a step backwards for someone so swept up in the valve index of $999. Still, it's clearly the highest value proposition and the only option that even comes close to encroaching on the "affordable" tag. It offers a list of specs including the first-gen VR could only dream of at its $299 (£299) price tag.
The Quest 2 sports a 1832 x 1920 resolution per eye, and that's on an LCD, not an OLED like with the original Oculus Quest. This also results in 50% more pixels than the panel of the Original Quest, which helps improve clarity and reduce that pesky screen door effect. In practice, it seems to work a treat too.
As long as you hold the headset at a decent level with your eyes in the center, the image is crisp and clear. The previous model's OLED will definitely offer greater contrast, but improved resolution and clarity for slightly lower black levels. lower is a deal I would do for VR every time.
The improvements between the two go beyond the panel and the resolution as well. The new model features Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2 system-on-chip (SoC), which is a marked improvement over the Snapdragon 835 SoC from before. This also comes with 6GB of RAM, an increase from the 4GB of the original model.
Storage capacity on the larger of the two available models has also been increased to 256GB, up from the previous generation's 128GB maximum capacity, while the less expensive model remains at 64GB. which I tested, but even with much less space, you'll have no problem keeping a half-decent catalog of VR games, experiences, and apps installed.
System files take up 11.31 GB and games can take up less than 1 GB to 3-4 GB. I only use 21.56 GB of the Quest's capacity and have 19 apps installed, most of which are games.
(Image credit: Oculus)
I would say storage size actually matters
less
for regular PC Gamer customers as well, as we're much more likely to take advantage of Quest's PC tethered mode than users looking for an all-in-one standalone device. Oculus Link is what takes this standalone headset to the gentle manners and puts it front and center, even for us PCs.
Oculus Quest 2 vs Oculus Quest specs
Quest 2
Quest
Starting price
$299
$399
Resolution (per eye)
1832x1920
1440x1600
Panel type
Quick-switch LCD
OLED
Refresh rate
72Hz at launch, 90Hz support coming soon
72Hz
SoCs
Snapdragon XR2
Snapdragon 835
RAM
6 GB
4GB
Storage room
64/256 GB
64/128 GB
Battery
2-3 hours (game: ~2h)
2-3 hours (game: ~2h)
Weight
503g
571g
Controllers
2x Oculus controllers
2x Oculus controllers
Before you can pass your PC desktop to the Quest, you have to go through the on-screen configuration. basically inaccessible to others. It all depends on whether you are a Facebook user or not.
For various work reasons, I have a Facebook account, so it wasn't a problem for my setup process. I just needed to log into the Oculus app, which is available on a variety of devices. , sign in, and link my Oculus account to my profile. From there, it was just a matter of following the prompts to set up a new device.
This process will have you take your headset off, remember Wi-Fi passwords, put the headset back on, and then wait for a few updates. once and that's
relatively
quick to complete.
Back in fashion
(Image credit: Future)
It's the perfect time to get started in virtual reality, and
this is why i think
.
If you don't have a Facebook account, you either need to create one or find another headset. There is no alternative at this time if you intend to use this headset. That's sure to put off at least some potential customers, and I agree that the prior linking of Oculus to the Facebook account seems excessive when the flesh of the Oculus app remains completely independent of Facebook functionality.
The only time I've seen my Facebook profile pop up is when I'm trying to retrieve an image capture I took with the headset's built-in feature. Apparently it's only possible to share these snaps on your Facebook timeline, and that's why you won't find any in this review today.
That's the price you have to pay for this headset, and Facebook holds the keys to the platform, so make your peace or spend a little more for another of the best VR headsets. After all, there are many options.
Once you've logged in and the initial setup is complete, you're ready to set up your VR area. That's where the Quest 2's intuitive and rather awesome tracking system comes in.
When setting up your play area - the space you've designated as safe for VR shenanigans - you'll see a live feed of the grayscale world from the Quest 2 exterior cameras. You're free to make your play area as wonky and uneven as you want (unlike Steam VR), and you only need to touch the ground with a controller to set your floor height correctly.
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
While most tethered headsets require the use of one or two external sensors to track movement of the headset and controllers in 3D space, the Oculus Quest 2 is a standalone unit capable of tracking controller movement, hand and headset without any other kit, just like its predecessor Not much changed with the Quest 2, but there was already a lot to like about the follow-up to the Quest.
One of those cool (and relatively new) features inherited from the Quest is hand tracking. The Quest 2 not only tracks the included Oculus Touch twin controllers, which are a decent iteration of the controllers once included with the original Rift , but also your mitts. You have a limited range of control (travel and pinch), but it allows for quick and easy setup every time you put the helmet on, which is often a hindrance for those of us who don't have the luxury of a permanent space for VR.
I've been hesitant to rely on tracking solutions without external sensors in the past, simply because it wasn't quite up to par with the base stations first included with the Vive, its later iterations, and Valve Index.
Still, the Oculus Quest 2's tracking is surprisingly accurate, even when I've been most dexterous (read: waving wildly). Even base stations aren't a foolproof solution, especially not the ones included with the Rift stock, and upside-down tracking on the Quest 2 manages to track exceptionally well, and without fear of falling out of sight with the sensors.
It's quite liberating, in all honesty. I can go from playing on my PC to playing in VR in minutes, including the time spent taking the Quest 2 out of the box.
(Image credit: Oculus)
Which gets you into games faster. And there's a wide range of games available for the Quest, some optimized for the Quest 2 and some not, at least not yet. Updates are coming for some titles that do not yet support the new headset.
The standalone experience is admittedly still hampered by low-power silicon, and there's no getting around that. the battery to provide a half-decent run. That's about two hours of battery life for gaming, and a bit more for less intensive apps, such as YouTube VR or Netflix. The controllers also last exceptionally long, and despite testing of this helmet for a few weeks, I have yet to run them flat on a
Single
AA battery. Impressive.
Low-rent rendering is noticeable in games such as Arizona Sunshine, which I've played enough times on tethered kit to notice the significant difference in graphics quality between versions. The Quest 2 has a little more power, and Arizona Sunshine is one of those games updated to make good use of it, but it still leaves you with that '90s arcade quality that you don't get as often with headsets harnessing the power of discrete graphics.
That's not to say the experience is feature-poor by comparison. Don't tell anyone, but graphics aren't everything, especially not in VR. experience that really matters. The Quest 2 offers a lot of each, and will soon offer more once content starts supporting its panel's native 90Hz refresh rate, at the moment it's limited to 72Hz.
Virtual reality
(Image credit: Valve)
Best VR Headset
: which kit to choose?
Best graphics card
: you need serious GPU power for VR
Best gaming laptop
: do not attach yourself to your desk in VR
Same goes for 90Hz on Oculus Link, which isn't supported yet but is coming. Fingers crossed that's coming soon too.
Star Wars: Squadrons
claims a faster refresh rate.
And that leads us to understand why I think the Quest 2 is a great fit for PC VR despite its standalone credentials. Oculus Link only requires a single USB Type-C cable connecting your headset to the PC and lets you stream your favorite compatible games , including those from the Oculus app and SteamVR compatible games.
Half-Life: Alyx
, we arrive.
I explored the maze of broken, zombie-infested buildings that litter the City 17 border through Oculus Link on the Quest 2, and it was a relatively painless experience. The Oculus controllers map nearly perfectly enough for the game, and it was only in loading screens that I experienced slow performance. The Index may be the ideal Half-Life: Alyx machine, but the game doesn't feel any worse for wear on the less expensive Quest 2.
And that's why I really consider the Quest 2 an entry into VR. It's been the bane of VR adoption for a while, and standalone headsets have done a lot to boost sales. leveraging the ability to turn your standalone VR headset into a great connected device to get the most out of your PC is a masterstroke and adds tremendous value to the package.
The $89 Link cable.
(Image credit: Future)
It's not quite a faultless headset, I'll admit. The strap reminds me of the original Vive's in that it puts way too much pressure on your face or doesn't feel not secure on your head, and it's $49 for the more stable Quest 2 Elite strap. At least it's a lightweight helmet at 503g. uses most of the time. It's great at 5 yards long, and it works great, but it's $89.
Facebook recommended me an alternative which was
only $18
, however, a decent Type-A to Type-C cable. So don't be afraid to try something cheaper. I've run Squadrons just fine on a heavy-duty USB Type-C to Type-A cable. generic brand wear.
The Oculus Quest 2 packs so much into a compact, easy-to-use, and affordable package that it's hard to argue with flaws or the fact that much of the ideal kit is an optional extra - Facebook login excluded, you can definitely argue that one. There were a few compromises on the Quest 2 package, but they seem well thought out and leave the door open for further upgrades once you've tried VR. And that's a great device to recommend for people to try VR - it opens the door to many games that would otherwise be difficult, expensive or hard to experience at home.
Simply put: the Oculus Quest 2 is currently the best entry-level VR headset.
The verdict
90
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Oculus Quest 2
The Oculus Quest 2 offers dramatic improvements to the original Quest experience. Whether you use it standalone or tethered to a PC, the Quest 2 is simply the best entry point into virtual reality right now. .
Jacob Ridley
There is no 'Silicon Valley' where Jacob grew up, but part of his home country is known as 'The Valleys' and therefore can easily be mistaken for a place happening in the world of technology. From there he graduated to smash things professionally and then write about it for money in the city of Bath, UK.
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