The Oculus Quest 2 is the best VR headset that Oculus has made so far. Lightweight, comfortable, and powerful enough to run impressively detailed virtual reality experiences. And, depending on your perspective on raw power versus portability and comfort, it might just be the best VR headset ever, too.
Not long ago, if you wanted to enjoy virtual reality (VR), you needed an expensive helmet and an even more expensive PC. The Oculus Quest changed that by combining everything into a headset that downloaded games over Wi-Fi and ran them on a smartphone-type processor.
Oculus Quest 2 Review
The Quest 2 does the same thing, but better. It looks nicer, weighs less, is faster and has a higher resolution. The two redesigned controllers each take an AA battery that lasts weeks, and the 90Hz screen makes everything look even more real.
Built-in head tracking works without external sensors, and the device warns you if you step out of the play area you’ve defined. You can adjust for the distance between your eyes (IPL)) and use a spacer to accommodate glasses – if they’re not too big.
We tried some of the hundreds of games available when testing the Quest 2. but it also supports YouTubeVR. so you can view all kinds of virtual tours. If you have a gaming PC. You can also play Steam games via Oculus Link.
The basic Quest 2 costs $100 less than the original and comes with 64GB of storage. That may be enough, but there’s also a 256GB version for $100 more. We had trouble getting a comfortable fit using the new fabric head strap, but you can replace this with a solid Elite Strap for $49, or $119 with a carrying case and battery pack.
The latter extends the Quest 2’s two to three-hour battery life. You probably won’t want to use VR for longer than that, but it can be limiting when taking turns. The casting feature, which streams your view to a TV for others to see. is still in beta and didn’t work for us.
Be aware that you need a Facebook account to use the Quest 2. The courts may end up ruling this unlawful, but if you have to set up or link to an account to play, check your privacy settings.
Price and availability
Oculus Quest 2 comes in two variants: a model with 64GB of storage, priced at £299 / $299 / AU$479, and a 256GB version for £399 / $399 / AU$639. Pre-orders are open now through the Oculus website, with general retail availability opening up on October 13, 2020.
That’s a significant saving over the price that the original entry-level Oculus Quest model opened sales at. It’s not cheap, but considering it’s a contained experience that doesn’t require a PC, console or even an additional screen in order to work with it, it represents great value.
Oculus Quest 2 vs. Oculus Quest
| Device | Oculus Quest 2 | Oculus Quest | Valve Index | HTC Vive Cosmos | HP Reverb G2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $299 | $399 | $999 | $699 | $599 |
| Pixels per eye | 1832 x 1920 | 1440 x 1600 | 1440 x 1600 | 1440 x 1700 | 2160 x 2160 |
| Screen refresh rate | 72Hz at launch, 90Hz to come | 72Hz | 80Hz to 144Hz | 90Hz | 90Hz |
| Weight | 503 grams | 571 grams | 809 grams | 645 grams | 550 grams |
| Tracking | Internal cameras | Internal cameras | External SteamVR towers | Internal cameras (SteamVR with upgrade) | Internal cameras |
| Battery capacity | Two to three hours | Two to three hours | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| RAM | 6GB | 4GB | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Storage | 64GB or 256GB | 64GB or 128GB | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Color | White | Black | Black | Turquoise | Black |
| Facebook required? | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Controller charging | AA batteries (2) | AA batteries (2) | Rechargeable | AA batteries (4) | AA batteries (4) |