The Oculus Quest 2 is the perfect VR headset for anyone looking to get started in virtual reality. It’s more affordable than the original Quest, and it features a host of improvements that make it even better suited for newcomers and experienced users alike.
| Type | Standalone |
| Resolution | 1,832 by 1,920 |
| Refresh Rate | 90 Hz |
| Motion Detection | 6DOF |
| Controls | Oculus Touch |
| Hardware Platform | Standalone |
| Software Platform | Oculus |
Oculus has released the Oculus Quest 2, which is a more powerful and lighter version of their original device. For $299 you get all these features with an even sharper screen than before! It’s great that they’re continuing down this path while competitors are raising prices by $100 or higher each year on average.
Design
The new Quest 2 VR headset is slimmer, lighter, and more comfortable to wear than the original. The weight has been reduced from 17 oz on previous models so it’s not too heavy for hours of use! It measures 4″ wide by 7.5″ tall with a 5.6″ wide head strap which makes this device perfect if you want something small or light enough that won’t tire your neck out after long gameplay sessions.
The smooth plastic chassis features an all-white exterior except where four-position tracked cameras are mounted along its edge making them easy spots when cutting video content inside virtual reality worlds
The headset’s left side holds a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack, while its right houses a power button, as well as indicator, LED that shines through two pinhole microphones which are hidden beneath the headband design. There is also a volume rocker available on the bottom with an interesting feature of being able to adjust both sides simultaneously by holding down one central button located next to your earlobe area.
The eye mask is designed with a simple pull-out design that makes it easy to customize your experience. The included separator lifts the headset up just enough so you can wear them comfortably while using glasses, even if those frames are larger than what’s usually recommended for this type of device.
The Quest headset has an adjustable headband that lets you pivot the plastic speakers up and down so they fit comfortably against your ears. The top strap connects at either side with hook-and-loop fasteners, while two back connecting clips allow for adjustments of length during use as well.
You can adjust the headset’s default strap to make it faster and simpler, but this may not provide you with a secure fit. It also shifts if users move their heads quickly or sharply while wearing them. If you’re looking for a more secure fit, the Quest 2 Elite Strap is an affordable $49 accessory that provides extra support and stabilization with its ring-shaped piece of plastic fitting around your head. It also has ratcheting wheel locks so it stays securely in place while running.
- Enjoy high-quality VR games
- Get up to two hours of continuous gameplay on a single charge
- Optimized visuals with sharp display
- Create VR video calling for family and friends
- Battery life is too short
Controllers
The new Oculus Quest 2 controllers are comfortable, natural-feeling motion devices that you can use to interact with virtual worlds in ways similar to how people have been interacting for years. They’re still rounded handles with prominent rings on top for tracking your VR headset wearer’s precise position, and there is no need at all about squeezing two triggers under fingers.
The controller’s design is more ergonomic than before, with an improved grip that places the circular control surface at a comfortable spot for you to rest your thumb when not using any of its analog sticks or face buttons.
The new design is a bit thicker and easier to hold securely, while also being less prone for the battery door slide-off during intense gameplay sessions. It isn’t as drastic of a redesign but there have been some small tweaks made which makes these controllers feel better without changing their layout or functions.
With Quest 2, you can use your bare hands to interact with virtual worlds. The headset also supports hand tracking, originally previewed in beta on last year’s model – which uses cameras for tracking position and orientation so it knows what shape they are making.
The ability to move your hands freely in front of the headset and control an on-screen pointer with just one finger is a great feature. You can pinch together thumb, forefinger, or even use both at once for clicking actions that will let you drag items around.
The hand tracking feature is a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t replace your controllers for most apps. You can navigate using just hands when launching Netflix or YouTube VR however; you’re prompted otherwise if trying to use them within menu systems like gaming menus where precision flying requires more accuracy than anything else.
Hardware
The Oculus Quest has the most affordable Snapdragon 865-based device available in North America. At just $300, this virtual reality headset is capable of delivering an incredible experience that will leave you feeling like your real life isn’t so bad after all.
The new processor affords a notable increase in performance over the original version. It also gets two more gigabytes of RAM, for an amount that’s sure to make any task fly by.
The Oculus Quest 2 has been announced with a storage capacity of 128GB, which is four times that of its predecessor’s 32 GB. It also retains the same price tag for now – unfortunately, there isn’t any way to expand upon this memory level so you’ll have less room if your game library grows larger than expected.
The display on the Quest 2 has been upgraded to show a more detailed and crisp 1,920 by 1,832-pixel picture of each eye. It also keeps at a 72Hz refresh rate like before but with 90 Hz support coming soon you’ll be able totally to enjoy games without any lag.
The battery life on this device is not all that great, so you will have to remember how long it takes for your headset to charge up before going into VR. Oculus has said two or three hours of use per charge which isn’t much different than what we saw with last year’s model.
Perfomance
The Quest 2’s Guardian system is a lot like the one found in its predecessor, letting you draw boundaries around your play space so that it can warn if you’re about to step out of bounds and perhaps bump into something.
The headset’s four cameras constantly scan the area around you to determine where you are while its internal sensors track orientation. The controllers also have motion tracking capabilities, so it’s easy for players to interact with their virtual worlds in new ways.
The difference between the original Quest and its successor is night and day. The higher-resolution display on this newer model makes everything look sharper, with no pixels being too hard to discern even up close.
