Loads 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, because of Fb’s title change, it’s now generally known as the Meta Quest 2.
The {hardware} itself stays the identical; the Meta Quest 2 is a wi-fi VR headset that can allow you to dive into the great world of VR with out the necessity for a PC. Wish to strap in your headset and mow down the undead (opens in new tab), or take management of a rickety house capsule (opens in new tab)? Supplied you’ve received an inexpensive quantity of house, and enough battery life, you might be away in moments.
And if, whereas it’s primarily bought as a stand-alone headset, in the event you do determine you need to expertise Meta or Steam’s huge library of PC-VR titles, you possibly can wire it to a PC (cable bought individually). Chances are you’ll not even want a wire to try this, because of the Meta Quest 2’s experimental Air-Hyperlink characteristic.
However the Meta Quest 2 is going through extra competitors than it was final yr. HTC, for instance, has launched the HTC Vive Circulate, a headset that, just like the Meta Quest 2, gives a conveyable 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 lately raised the value of the Meta Quest 2 by $100/£100, which looks like a baffling resolution in gentle of the Quest 2’s present and upcoming competitors. However Meta won’t have had lots of choices – the corporate’s VR division misplaced $10 billion final yr (opens in new tab) and has misplaced practically $3 billion in Q1 2022.
So we’ve up to date our evaluate to take these components into consideration, notably the headset’s new, increased value. Does the Meta Quest 2 nonetheless reign atop our record of the finest VR headsets, or must you look elsewhere? Learn our revised evaluate to seek out out.
Meta Quest 2: Design
- Compact and light-weight
- Comes with two Oculus Contact controllers
- Inbuilt 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 strong, glossy piece of package 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
Subject 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 unfastened, missing a correct locking mechanism, however the Quest 2 remained firmly in place and was comfy. That stated, we’ve reservations about its colour as white tends to indicate up grime and mud and, after a yr and a half or so of use, our strap has change 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 could’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 seek 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 might, nonetheless, do higher in terms of the headset’s quantity management. It has built-in 3D audio (with an optionally available headphone socket), however to be able to increase or decrease the amount it’s important to attain for the buttons on the backside entrance of the headset. Having the amount management mounted on both facet of the headset, nearer to your ears, would have been a extra logical method.
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 straightforward – it takes simply over two hours to cost from empty utilizing the included USB-C cable and wall charger. It was once that to set the headset itself up, you wanted a Fb account, even in the event you had exactly zero curiosity in ever utilizing Fb. Nonetheless, Meta has accomplished away with this requirement; you possibly can, as an alternative, create a Meta account which provides you rather 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 inbuilt, however you’re nonetheless required to pair it together with your cellphone. We initially encountered difficulties as a result of the Oculus app saved crashing on the primary cellphone we tried. We have been in a position to run the app on an outdated iPad and we had higher luck with a distinct model of smartphone, nevertheless it wasn’t a superb introduction to the machine.
Luckily, when you clear that hurdle, the rest of the Meta Quest 2’s setup is rather more intuitive. You’re guided by means of 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 in the event you change rooms, nevertheless it warns you in the event you 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 price tolerating for this headset’s glorious 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 of frenetic, labored flawlessly and its 4 cameras have been in a position to monitor our controller actions even once we dialed up the issue. You possibly can, must you so want, use the headset’s hand-tracking characteristic 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 dearth 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 needed to present our eyes a relaxation. Nonetheless, in the event you’ve purchased an extended cable, you possibly can cost the Quest 2 whereas carrying it.
Tethered to a PC, both through an Meta Hyperlink suitable cable (ideally linked to a USB 3.0 port) or the experimental wi-fi Air Hyperlink characteristic, the Quest 2 acts as a PCVR headset. On this case, your PC will likely be doing many of the heavy lifting so that you’ll must examine your machine can run no matter sport or software 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 received a superb six hours or so of play out of it because the PC was charging the headset.
Meta Quest 2: Software program and video games
- A whole lot of Meta native titles
- Vary of experiences in addition to video games
- Can play SteamVR and different PCVR titles
There are lots of of Meta Quest 1 and a pair of native titles (each of which might be performed on the Quest 2). These vary from video games, resembling Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife by means of 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 by means of Meta’s approval course of
The Quest 2 model of Resident Evil 4, for instance, is the best approach 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 an entire new stage.
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 go away 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 in control of 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 house, only a few gear failures from a lonely demise.
There are additionally social apps and, apart from simply chatting in VR, you possibly can watch (paid) motion pictures with different individuals 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 possibly can select from Steam’s library of over 5,000 VR or VR supported video games in addition to another Oculus suitable titles – Fallout 4 VR, Skyrim VR, and Half Life: Alyx, Star Wars Squadrons – are all glorious 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
- Cheap 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 affordable worth for cash and nonetheless cheaper than the competitors. Nonetheless, the latest $100/£100 value improve means it’s not fairly the steal it as soon as was.
The HTC Vive Circulate, for a similar value because the 256GB Meta Quest 2, is much more moveable than the latter, although it’s geared in the direction of experiences, not video games. Then there’s the wired PlayStation VR2 which, launching early subsequent yr, ought to supply true 4K VR gaming (opens in new tab). If Sony can match the unique PSVR’s $349 price ticket, and also you’ve received a PlayStation 5, it might effectively be price 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 inexpensive 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 in search of 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 nevertheless it’s the Quest 2’s standalone assist that makes it shine.
There’s no approach spherical the value rise, although purchasers get Beat Saber free until the tip of the yr however until you’re planning on filling it with motion pictures, the cheaper 128GB Meta Quest 2 ought to 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 gives good worth for cash. Priced at $599, its decision is a bit of increased than the Oculus Quest 2 and HP additionally tends to low cost it from time to time. As of proper now, there’s a weekly particular making it $499. You possibly can try our HP Reverb G2 evaluate 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 subject of view, nice sound and, when you’ve set it up appropriately, glorious monitoring. You possibly can learn our HTC Vive Professional 2 evaluate 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 assist authentic PSVR titles. If it doesn’t, early adopters might discover themselves with a meagre collection of video games to play. We’d maintain off on buying until we all know for positive.
