There’s no shortage of VR headsets out in the wild nowadays, with a new heavy hitting tech company dropping their own version seemingly every year. It’s perhaps a little surprising then that the big VR release of 2020 is in fact from Oculus, the team that released the Oculus Quest just 18 months prior. They’ve now released the Oculus Quest 2, which is a very quick turnaround for new hardware but it comes with a lower price point and a host of refinements that have rendered the OG Quest pointless. So much so that it’s been discontinued.
Oculus Quest VR headsets have captured the public’s imagination because they’re truly wireless. Additionally, they don’t rely on any other platforms to work, the whole experience is supported through the Oculus app. The device functions completely on its own but if you want to have powered play via a PC then you can of course do that too, opening up more possibilities.
So, how does the Oculus Quest 2 improve on its predecessor if at all, and how does this VR option compare to the other headsets out there? I treated myself to a Quest 2 and will let you know my honest opinions.
Contents
There are two options for Oculus Quest 2, with no difference besides storage. The UK prices for each version are £299/€349 for the 64GB version and £399/€449 for the 256GB version. I went for the bigger version as I hate having to delete and reinstall games and I’m a sucker for playing multiple games.
That being said, 64GB is enough to hold around 20-25 games which should be enough for most places so the starting price point is fantastic, especially as it immediately undercuts the original Quest by £100/€100. Unfortunate for those who may have splashed out on one recently.
I’m not one for caring too much about packaging but the Oculus Quest 2 has a beautifully minimalist packaging. It comes in a gorgeous white and light pink box that is simplistic and elegant looking. You remove the cardboard cover to gain access to the box with the Oculus logo before lifting the lid to your new toy. Its displayed beautifully with everything neatly placed into its designated hold ready to be removed.
Inside the box you get the headset itself, the two touch controllers for each hand, your manual and warranty and of course your USB-C charger and plug for the headset. For those that wear glasses, there’s also a spacer for you to slot in so it’s able to accommodate your glasses so you also get the full effect.
Signing In
One of the key things to note about setting up the Oculus Quest 2 is that you must have an active Facebook account. This has put a lot of people off from buying it as more and more people are becoming reluctant to sign up with them due to various security dramas. If you do not have an active Facebook account, you cannot create an Oculus account, which you need to be able to purchase and download games. Unfortunately, you also cannot make a Facebook account and then deactivate it, as this will remove your ability to access your games; the account must remain active.
From my experience, having the Oculus Quest 2 linked to my Facebook account has been largely unintrusive. It offers you a glimpse of some people’s stories on the web browser but apart from that it’s not in your face and you’re not shoved into theirs either. It doesn’t post anything on your behalf, it just allows you to add friends from your account. Those of you worried about privacy shouldn’t worry too much.
Stepping In
The touch controllers have some handy Nintendo Wii style straps for you to tighten so you don’t go smashing TVs and attacking relatives, so be sure to use them for the more active games and experiences. It’s worth noting that the touch controllers are battery powered which will need to be replaced once they’ve depleted. I’ve played with my Quest 2 for around 20 hours so far and my controllers are both showing 99% so I think they’re going to last a long time.
On the headset itself, you can slide the lenses so you can align them to your eye positions which is super helpful to stop the blurriness happening while you’re using it. Lastly is the headset strap which I’m not a fan of at all. The strap just never really feels secure to me, even when I tighten it as much as possible, the headset feels like it still flops around on my head in games where there’s a lot of movement. It doesn’t necessarily feel like it’s going to fly off but it moves around enough for me to have to adjust it due to blurring inside.
Every time you turn the device on, you will need to establish a “guardian”. Or in laymen’s terms, a safe zone. Since you can play with the headset literally anywhere, the device needs you to consider your surroundings so you can set up an area to know you won’t be attacking anyone or anything nearby. If you’re in a vast open area, you can disable the guardian all together and move around the environment freely which is a great option but one you should only consider if you’re very aware of your surroundings.
Controllers
The touch controllers included with the Quest 2 are the best controllers I’ve used with VR so far. The headset tracks them absolutely perfectly provided there’s sufficient light, with no sliding away or any issues with aiming at all in my experience so far. If you’re in the dark then of course there are going to be problems with finding the controllers but any amount of natural light in the room will be more than fine for the headset to track you perfectly.
One of the most frustrating things about VR is “losing a hand” when you see the controller drift away or moan about whether you’re still in the zone. Thankfully there’s none of that at all here. The device even points you in the direction of the controllers in case you’ve rested them down somewhere so you don’t have to take it off.
Another awesome feature, new to the Quest 2, is the ability to use hand tracking. If you don’t have any charge or want the hassle of controllers then you can use hand gestures to fully control the headset. Its an option that can be enabled at any time and works beautifully. A simple pinch is used to confirm choices and various other gestures are used to move through the pages. It’s a bit niche and the moment and won’t replace the controllers but it’s something that can definitely be useful in the future.
Grand Design
The Oculus Quest 2 has been designed to improve on the original in many ways, from the actual look of the device to the components inside.
In terms of design, firstly, the speakers on the Quest 2 have been slightly adjusted from the first one as many people complained about the positioning of them. The sound didn’t seem to come level with the ears, so it would create this sensation where you’d struggle to hear things in line with where they were adjacent to you on the screen unless you were using headphones.
This time, the speakers are pretty much level with your ears, meaning sound comes through naturally and you won’t struggle to hear anything. The only potential downside for some people will be that they’ve removed one of the 2 headphone jacks in the headset that allowed you to use two single earphones for each ear but for most people that won’t be too big of a deal. For all the other improvements that we will now go into, it’s really not much to trade.
The second design change is just in pure weight. The headset is a full 70 grams lighter than the Quest making longer sessions just feel much more comfortable. Of course, you still end up with those crazy lines on your face when you take it off from time to time but at least it doesn’t feel like you’re carrying a weight on your head making the experience uncomfortable.
Specs
The battery life was a bit of a sticking point for some people on the Quest; Quest 2 rectifies this somewhat. The headset is supposed to last around about 4 hours and take about an hour and a half with USB-C fast charging. In my experience, I’ve had the battery last as little as 3 hours under intense use and as much as 6 hours with limited use, so it does vary depending on how you’re using it but 4 hours seems a good average guess. In terms of charging, I’ve been pleasantly surprised and it usually takes around an hour to get about 80% which is more than enough for a decent play session.
The resolution of the device has also improved from the first Quest to the Quest 2. Pixels per eye now sit at 1832 x 1920, up from 1440×1600 taking it above all other VR headsets apart from the HP Reverb 2. The visuals as such look beautiful and have really impressed me in the games that I’ve tried so far. There’s also a higher refresh rate capacity from the previous generation.
Refresh Refreshment
Quest 2 is now capable of 90hz, making games feel smoother and hopefully reducing any negative effects of being in VR such as motion sickness. I’ve spent many hours in VR so this hasn’t been a problem with me for a while, so just be wary that if you’re new to VR you might still suffer a bit from it until you’ve gained a bit of experience. For comparison, I’ve tried a couple of games on Oculus that are also available on PSVR and the difference is plain to see.
Quest 2 has, of course, had a simple performance boost too. The processor is one such reason, moving up from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 to the XR2, their latest and fastest mobile processor. They’ve also upped the RAM from 4GB to 6GB, making everything feel a bit snappier and more responsive. It’s quite crazy to think how they’ve made all of these upgrades while entering a lower price point.
Games and Experiences
Of course, the reason you’ve bought Oculus Quest 2 is to play games and experience movies and videos (not those kinds,) in Virtual Reality, so what is available? In terms of games, there’s a really good mix of genres straight out of the box that will be good for people of all skill levels, tastes and ages. If you’re after some simple rhythmic family fun, you can never go wrong with the masterpiece that is Beat Saber. If you’re the fitness guru type, there’s FitVR which has training sessions of different intensities to give you the workout you want. There are also action games such as The Walking Dead Saints and Sinners for those of you who like a full RPG free-moving game.
Those are just a few examples and there are around 200 games you can download as of right now. The 200 titles vary in price but the average sits around £15 per game which isn’t bad at all considering the hours of fun you will get with each one. Of course, there’s plenty of free stuff to download too like the brilliant Rec Room and dozens of demos for you to try before you buy. VR can be a bit of a solo experience at times but Oculus even manages to provide a solution for this by allowing you to cast your screen to a linked smartphone or a compatible TV.
Apps and Applets
Also available are lots of media apps for you take advantage of. Amazon Prime VR for example, puts you right in the action of any compatible movies. Right now, there aren’t many but there seem to be new ones added every month so it’s always improving. If Netflix or Amazon Prime doesn’t have a VR option, you’re transported to a cinema room where you can adjust your seat position and screen size and kick back watching your desired movie on the virtual big screen. It sounds a bit niche but it actually transforms the experience somewhat, especially if you’re watching something action packed like the breathtaking (teehee) John Wick.
Youtube VR is by far the best integrated of the media apps. There are thousands of VR videos for you to dive into. These can be anything from being on the ride of a roller coaster, jumping out of a plane or just chilling on stage with your favourite bands. There’s plenty to watch and it feels amazing watching videos from the perspective of those who filmed them.
Quest Complete?
The Oculus Quest 2 improves on its predecessor in every single important way and somehow managed to make it much more affordable. Its brilliant for both newcomers and VR veterans alike, offering a brilliantly stable experience and almost perfect tracking. I’ve been left blown away with my experience so far at how much performance can be within a truly wireless VR headset. I’ve experienced no issues at all so far in my playing time and I can only give Oculus credit for managing to make VR more affordable and accessible for everyone.
Out of the box, there are around 200 games to jump into and enough variety for everyone to get involved. The device is lighter, more comfortable and generally prettier than every other VR headset I’ve used and at no compromise to performance. The only downside being the strap that I just don’t feel comfortable with and so I will definitely be purchasing the optional elite strap accessory at some point.
If I have any personal complaints it’s purely still in the battery life. Despite being improved sometimes you just want to pick up and play but the limited battery sometimes makes that more difficult. Of course, there’s also going to be a backlash about having to use a Facebook account and I can definitely see the reasons for that but from my experience it hasn’t influenced anything at all. Its fully in the background and doesn’t interfere with your social pages at all.
If you’re not obsessed with getting trophies on your PS4/PS5 and you’re looking for a stepping point into VR, it simply doesn’t get any better than Quest 2.