Quite a bit has occurred since we first reviewed the Oculus Quest 2, just below a yr in the past, and we’re not simply referring to the truth that, due to Fb’s identify change, it’s now often known as the Meta Quest 2.
The {hardware} itself stays the identical; the Meta Quest 2 is a wi-fi VR headset that may allow you to dive into the great world of VR with out the necessity for a PC. Need to strap in your headset and mow down the undead (opens in new tab), or take control of a rickety space capsule (opens in new tab)? Supplied you’ve bought an affordable quantity of space, and ample battery life, you may be away in moments.
And if, whereas it’s primarily bought as a stand-alone headset, for those who do resolve you wish to expertise Meta or Steam’s huge library of PC-VR titles, you may wire it to a PC (cable bought individually). Chances are you’ll not even want a wire to try this, due to the Meta Quest 2’s experimental Air-Hyperlink function.
However the Meta Quest 2 is dealing with extra competitors than it was final yr. HTC, for instance, has launched the HTC Vive Move, a headset that, just like the Meta Quest 2, provides a transportable and largely wire-free VR expertise. Sony, after drip-feeding us particulars, has lastly revealed the impressively-specced PlayStation VR2, set for an early 2023 launch.
And Meta? It’s just lately raised the worth of the Meta Quest 2 by $100/£100, which looks as if a baffling resolution in mild of the Quest 2’s present and upcoming competitors. However Meta may not have had a whole lot of choices – the corporate’s VR division lost $10 billion last year (opens in new tab) and has misplaced almost $3 billion in Q1 2022.
So we’ve up to date our evaluate to take these elements into consideration, significantly the headset’s new, increased value. Does the Meta Quest 2 nonetheless reign atop our listing of the best VR headsets, or must you look elsewhere? Learn our revised evaluate to search out out.
Meta Quest 2: Design
- Compact and light-weight
- Comes with two Oculus Contact controllers
- In-built 3D audio
From the second you are taking it out of the field, the Oculus Quest 2 simply screams portability. The headset is 13 x 12 x 9.5 cm (minus versatile strap) and weighs simply over 500 grams. With out the necessity for a PC, it’s a chunk of cake to take it to a buddy’s home or stow it in a cabinet while you’re accomplished. However there’s nothing flimsy concerning the Quest 2; it’s a stable, smooth piece of equipment that, whereas we suggest you are taking care, has survived being knocked off the desk a number of instances.
Key specs
Platforms: Standalone, PC through wired Meta Hyperlink and wi-fi Air Hyperlink (experimental).
Worth: $399.99/£399.99 for 128 GB, $499.99/£499.99 for 256 GB
Decision: 1832 × 1920 per eye
Area of view: 89 levels
Refresh fee: 60, 72, 90 Hz (120 Hz experimental)
Controllers: Contact Controllers (included)
We suspected the strap would work its approach free, missing a correct locking mechanism, however the Quest 2 remained firmly in place and was comfy. That mentioned, we’ve got reservations about its colour as white tends to point out up grime and dust and, after a yr and a half or so of use, our strap has develop into an unappealing off-white.
The 2 Contact Controllers are as solidly constructed because the headset itself, every with a finger set off, a thumb set off, a menu button, an X and Y button, and a thumbstick. The one pitfall relating to VR controllers is you can’t look down on the buttons, however your digits naturally come to relaxation on the Contact’s triggers.
It could take a short while to get used to the thumbsticks. We saved anticipating to search out the thumbstick in the course of the Contact Controller when it’s truly off to the left or proper. Whereas it feels odd at first, you’ll get used to it after a day or so. The thumbsticks are smaller than these discovered in your typical console controller, however we by no means as soon as discovered our fingers slipping off.
Meta may, nevertheless, do higher in the case of the headset’s quantity management. It has built-in 3D audio (with an optionally available headphone socket), however as a way to elevate or decrease the quantity you must attain for the buttons on the backside entrance of the headset. Having the quantity management mounted on both aspect of the headset, nearer to your ears, would have been a extra logical strategy.
Oculus Quest 2: Setup and efficiency
- Performs effectively with no stutter
- Wonderful movement monitoring
- Requires a Meta account and smartphone/pill for setup
Unpacking and charging the Meta Quest 2 is easy – it takes simply over two hours to cost from empty utilizing the included USB-C cable and wall charger. It was that to set the headset itself up, you wanted a Fb account, even for those who had exactly zero curiosity in ever utilizing Fb. Nonetheless, Meta has accomplished away with this requirement; you may, as an alternative, create a Meta account which provides you far more management over the information you do or don’t share.
You do nonetheless must run the Meta app on an iOS, Android smartphone, or pill (not a PC) to finish setup. The Meta Quest 2 has Wi-Fi in-built, however you’re nonetheless required to pair it together with your telephone. We initially encountered difficulties as a result of the Oculus app saved crashing on the primary telephone we tried. We have been capable of run the app on an outdated iPad and we had higher luck with a special model of smartphone, however it wasn’t an excellent introduction to the system.
Thankfully, when you clear that hurdle, the rest of the Meta Quest 2’s setup is far more intuitive. You’re guided via organising the Contact Controllers, tweaking visible readability by altering the space between the lenses, and organising a guardian boundary for unobstructed play. The latter wants resetting for those who change rooms, however it warns you for those who begin straying. When you put on glasses there’s an extra insert that goes between the headset physique and the froth eyepiece.
The marginally fiddly setup is value tolerating for this headset’s wonderful standalone efficiency. It sports activities a Snapdragon XR2 chip and 6 GB of reminiscence, a serious step up from the primary Quest, and we have been completely impressed with the Meta native video games and apps we tried.
Beat Saber, a rhythm sport that may be greater than a bit frenetic, labored flawlessly and its 4 cameras have been capable of observe our controller actions even once we dialed up the issue. You’ll be able to, must you so want, use the headset’s hand-tracking function with some apps however, whereas it’s novel, it’s not a patch on utilizing the controllers, and pinching to activate an on-screen object feels unnaturally clunky.
The Quest 2 doesn’t fake to be 4K, however, on native apps the graphics are sharp and there’s not a touch of stutter or slowdown. The shortage of a trailing wire makes it simpler to show round with out getting tangled and the headset handles quick turns admirably. We did certainly get between two and three hours of battery life out of it, which was about once we felt like we wished to offer our eyes a relaxation. Nonetheless, for those who’ve purchased an extended cable, you may cost the Quest 2 whereas sporting it.
Tethered to a PC, both through an Meta Hyperlink appropriate cable (ideally linked to a USB 3.0 port) or the experimental wi-fi Air Hyperlink function, the Quest 2 acts as a PCVR headset. On this case, your PC will probably be doing a lot of the heavy lifting so that you’ll must test your machine can run no matter sport or utility you take note of.
As a PCVR headset, the Quest 2 carried out effectively, though when enjoying wirelessly we did detect a tiny trace of lag whereas enjoying Beat Saber. This went away once we used a cable, which additionally meant we bought an excellent six hours or so of play out of it because the PC was charging the headset.
Meta Quest 2: Software program and video games
- Tons of of Meta native titles
- Vary of experiences in addition to video games
- Can play SteamVR and different PCVR titles
There are a whole lot of Meta Quest 1 and a pair of native titles (each of which may be performed on the Quest 2). These vary from video games, corresponding to Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife via to experiences like Apollo 11, which recreates the moon touchdown, and apps like VR Chat. A handful of latest video games are launched every month, together with some excessive profile titles and there’s additionally the AppLab, the Meta Quest 2 equal of Steam Early Entry which helps you to play, at your individual danger, titles which haven’t gone via Meta’s approval course of
The Quest 2 model of Resident Evil 4, for instance, is the best strategy to expertise Capcom’s survival horror shooter. It’s harrowing sufficient to barricade a small home in opposition to offended villagers, experiencing the identical in VR takes issues to a complete new degree.
Then there’s Vader Immortal which, whereas it doesn’t have you ever enjoying because the notorious Sith Lord, is a enjoyable foray into the Star Wars universe. The Strolling Lifeless: Saints & Sinners is one other stand-out title; dispatching zombies then realizing how badly you’ve let your self get outnumbered is sort of one thing. And Beat Saber, whereas it’s not billed as such, is a good musical work-out.
Even when science fiction and horror depart you chilly, you’ll discover loads of Quest outings to catch your eye. How about climbing a skyscraper, courtesy of The Climb 2? The recently-released Interkosmos 2000 is a good space-based outing that places you accountable for a semi-realistic spacecraft, on a mission to rescue the ISS. And, whereas it takes some time to get used to all the varied buttons and dials, it efficiently sells the phantasm of being in space, just some tools failures from a lonely demise.
There are additionally social apps and, apart from simply chatting in VR, you may watch (paid) films with different folks and share your gameplay. Though we dabbled in a few of these, none of them saved us engaged as soon as the preliminary novelty wore off.
On high of that, by connecting your headset to your PC you may select from Steam’s library of over 5,000 VR or VR supported video games in addition to every other Oculus appropriate titles – Fallout 4 VR, Skyrim VR, and Half Life: Alyx, Star Wars Squadrons – are all wonderful and that’s simply the tip of the iceberg. There is a bit more messing round concerned in enjoying PCVR titles, launching Steam VR, and so forth, so given the selection of enjoying the Quest model of The Strolling Lifeless: Saints & Sinners or its barely prettier PC incarnation, we’d select the previous.
Oculus Quest 2: Worth
- Affordable worth for cash
- Accessible with 128 GB or 256 GB storage
At $399 for the bottom 128 GB mannequin (we’ve not come even near filling that), the Meta Quest 2 is cheap worth for cash and nonetheless cheaper than the competitors. Nonetheless, the current $100/£100 value improve means it’s not fairly the steal it as soon as was.
The HTC Vive Flow, for a similar value because the 256GB Meta Quest 2, is much more moveable than the latter, although it’s geared in direction of experiences, not video games. Then there’s the wired PlayStation VR2 which, launching early subsequent yr, should offer true 4K VR gaming (opens in new tab). If Sony can match the unique PSVR’s $349 price ticket, and also you’ve bought a PlayStation 5, it may effectively be value ready for.
Additionally, the official Oculus Hyperlink cable, used to attach the headset to a PC, is especially dear contemplating what it does. It’s 5 meters lengthy, which is an affordable size, however prices $79.99. The Oculus web site means that this Anker cable (opens in new tab) is an appropriate, less expensive substitute and we’ve had completely no issues with it.
Do you have to purchase the Meta Quest 2?
When you’re searching for standalone VR gaming, otherwise you’re a newcomer to the world of digital actuality, you should purchase the Meta Quest 2. Having the ability to play PCVR video games is a bonus however it’s the Quest 2’s standalone help that makes it shine.
There’s no approach spherical the worth rise, although purchasers get Beat Saber free until the tip of the yr however until you’re planning on filling it with films, the cheaper 128GB Meta Quest 2 must be sufficient for many.
If Meta Quest 2 isn’t for you…
When you don’t thoughts being tethered to a PC, the HP G2 Reverb additionally provides good worth for cash. Priced at $599, its decision is a bit increased than the Oculus Quest 2 and HP additionally tends to low cost it now and again. As of proper now, there’s a weekly particular making it $499. You’ll be able to take a look at our HP Reverb G2 review right here.
Or in order for you a top-end headset and have a top-end PC to match, there’s the HTC Vive Professional 2. It’s dear at £1,299/$1,299 however this high-resolution headset sports activities a large area of view, nice sound and, when you’ve set it up appropriately, wonderful monitoring. You’ll be able to learn our HTC Vive Pro 2 review right here.
As for the PlayStation VR2? As promising and highly effective because it sounds, Sony has remained tight-lipped as as to whether it’ll help authentic PSVR titles. If it doesn’t, early adopters may discover themselves with a meagre number of video games to play. We’d maintain off on buying until we all know for positive.
