“Whoa! That is [expletive] superb!” I believed once I first strapped on the Oculus Quest 2 (now referred to as Meta Quest 2) in 2020. “First Contact,” a free app designed to introduce newbies into the Quest world, thrusted me into an ‘80s-themed RV the place I received to work together with an expressive robotic, digital floppy disks, dancing LED butterflies, rocket launchers, and dart weapons.
“Is that this paradise?” I questioned, nearly shedding a tear. First Contact, in addition to First Steps (one other get-to-know-the-Quest-2 app), have been my first experiences on the favored VR headset.“ That is only the start!” I believed. “Contemplating how superior these apps are, think about how mind-blowing the video games will probably be?”
Boy was I improper!
Sadly, I struggled to discover a Quest 2 sport that evoked the identical emotions of pleasure, marvel and awe that I skilled with First Contact and First Steps — till I performed I Count on You to Die 2 a yr later. Don’t get me improper; I feel very extremely of the Quest 2. Nonetheless, I’d be mendacity if I mentioned that my curiosity within the VR headset hasn’t waned.
Stick round to seek out out what I really like and hate in regards to the world’s best-selling VR headset.
What I really like in regards to the Quest 2 headset
Let’s deal with the elephant within the room: the Quest 2’s value hike. Sure, the headset launched in 2020 with a $299 price ticket, however I all the time knew this was Meta’s “introductory pricing,” permitting the typical Joe to affix in on the VR enjoyable at an inexpensive value level. It was solely a matter of time earlier than Meta determined to slap its in style headset with a value enhance, however even with its present price ticket, you possibly can’t deny that it presents a whole lot of bang to your buck.
It’s inexpensive
With a beginning value of $399 on Amazon (opens in new tab), the Quest 2 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor, 6GB of DDR4 RAM, 128GB of storage, a modified Android OS, a show decision of 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye, and a refresh price of as much as 120Hz.
There’s additionally a 256GB variant that prices $499, however as I mentioned in Quest 2 128GB vs. 256GB: Which Ought to You Purchase?, you don’t really want that configuration until you’re a streamer and/or content material creator who wants tons of house for gameplay recording and screenshots.
As I hinted earlier, the Quest 2 headset’s beginning value of $400 doesn’t ruffle my feathers. Why? In comparison with different head-mounted shows available on the market, $299 was filth low cost. Meta was taking a loss on each headset bought. Consequently, the $100 enhance isn’t a cash seize per se — it’s Meta placing an finish to the Quest 2’s introductory value interval and slapping a extra becoming price ticket on it. Now that Meta efficiently attracted sufficient buy-in from the lots (the Quest 2 is the best-selling VR headset), the social-media big feels that its aggressive pricing of $299 served its goal.
Few availability points
Do you keep in mind when discovering a PS5 and Xbox Collection X was like attempting to find Large Foot? Once they launched in November 2020, it appeared like everybody needed to get their fingers on the gaming consoles — and there wasn’t sufficient to go round. A worldwide well being disaster and the chip scarcity have been thwarting manufacturing, making it troublesome for Sony and Microsoft to satisfy customers’ demand.
As dad and mom panicked about not with the ability to get little Timmy the gaming {hardware} he requested for in his letter to Santa Claus, they regarded for alternate options. Cue the angelic choir when mothers and dads realized that the Quest 2, priced at solely $299, could be the proper Christmas reward — it’s a VR headset for chrissakes. As a cherry on high, they have been much less prone to get blocked by an infuriating “bought out” error message whereas attempting to take a look at. Win!
As our sister website Android Central reported, the Quest 2 headset has bought 14.8 million headsets to this point; which “meets or beats” the gross sales figures for the Xbox Collection X and Xbox Collection S mixed (11.4 million models bought by This autumn 2021). The VR headset is even nipping on the heels of the PS5’s gross sales efficiency. Nonetheless, it is going to be a chilly day in hell earlier than the Quest 2 eclipses the Nintendo Swap (103.5 million models bought by This autumn 2021). That is simply conjecture, however I imagine the Quest 2 VR headset is rivalling the gaming giants in gross sales partly as a result of it’s merely simpler to safe.
It’s a standalone headset
Wired VR headsets sometimes require, on the very least, a VR-ready laptop computer and motion-tracking peripherals. Consequently, getting began with VR is costlier with a PC-connected headset — and the convoluted setup course of typically turns folks off. Conversely, getting began with the Meta Quest 2 headset is straightforward. So long as you’ve got a cranium, a pair of fingers, Wi-Fi, an unobstructed space of 6.5 x 6.5 ft, you’re good to go. Hell, even when you don’t have a big play house, you should utilize the Quest 2 in Stationary Mode, which helps you to play most video games whereas sitting or standing nonetheless.
Whether or not you’re taking part in The Strolling Lifeless: Saints & Sinners, Superhot, or every other action-packed VR sport, a standalone headset offers you peace of thoughts, permitting you to flail your arms, make big leaps, and dangerous lunging motions with out concern of tripping over wires or yanking your PC off your desk.
You need to use it as a wired headset, too
Many VR avid gamers buy Meta’s $79 16-foot cable (opens in new tab) that lets them join their Quest 2 to their gaming PCs, permitting the headset to faucet into their rig’s extra highly effective parts. Alternatively, you possibly can merely buy a a lot cheaper third-party USB cable on Amazon (like this $17 cable (opens in new tab)). This opens you to an entire new world of PCVR video games that wasn’t in any other case out there to you — it’s like reworking your Quest 2 into the Oculus Rift S (now discontinued).
In different phrases, you’re not restricted to the video games that run natively on the Quest 2 (like Beat Saber). With a appropriate cable, you possibly can take pleasure in among the greatest AAA video games from SteamVR’s library, together with Half-Life: Alyx, Hitman 3 and Skyrim. Woot!
There are such a lot of free video games and apps
From Fitness center Class VR and Echo VR to Rec Room and Altspace, the Meta Quest Retailer is teeming with free apps that may preserve you entertained for hours.
Reality be advised, you should purchase a Quest 2 VR headset proper now, not buy a single sport, and nonetheless take pleasure in your self with the caliber of free video games out there within the app retailer. I’ll even go so far as saying that a whole lot of the free video games out there on the Meta Quest 2 are higher than the premium ones. Rec Room, for instance, includes a cornucopia of enjoyable video games, together with Laser Tag, Drunken Bar Battle, Dodgeball, Boxing, and extra. And also you don’t need to pay a cent!
What I hate in regards to the Quest 2 headset
I’ve had the Quest 2 for 2 years, so I’ve a fairly good thought of how the headset might be improved. In line with the grapevine, Meta is engaged on the Quest 3, so I hope the social media big addresses the next points that plague the VR headset for its next-generation system.
Its battery life may very well be higher
I can solely squeeze out three hours from my Quest 2 headset on a great day. Sure, I get pissed off once I see the low-power warning flashing earlier than my eyes whereas I’m in the midst of an intense gaming session, however on the similar time, it’s a blessing in disguise. After spending greater than two hours with the Quest 2 headset, I do begin to really feel eye pressure, and on uncommon events, complications.
As a lot as I’d like to preserve taking part in for longer durations of time, it advantages my well being to place the headset down after taking part in for a number of hours nonstop. Plus, contemplating the highly effective parts stuffed contained in the standalone headset constructed for immersive gaming, a three-hour runtime isn’t half dangerous. Nonetheless, I perceive that others could also be turned off by such a brief battery life, so I believed I’d add this as a Quest 2 con.
The out-of-the-box design sucks
Initially, I want Meta supplied a black variant of the Quest 2. An all-white physique has by no means been my type. Secondly, the headset’s straps are white cloth bands that acquire filth like a celeb tabloid. Including insult to damage, the straps on my headset are starting to deteriorate — they should be changed. One other side of the headset that’s simply sullied is the froth facial interface, which collects sweat and different gross components out of your brow and face.
The Quest 2 does include a silicon cowl that may be positioned over the froth, however that’s a nightmare, too, as a result of it causes the headset to slide up and down your face, particularly when you’re sweaty and taking part in a high-movement sport.
To fight this concern, Meta launched the Elite Strap (opens in new tab), an adjunct with a snap-in connection that options an adjustable match wheel that fastens the headset completely to your head. I’ve an Oculus Quest 2 headset with an Elite Stap, and let me let you know, it suits like a dream!
I’m uninterested in the Quest 2’s lenses fogging up
Anybody who’s ever performed VR exercise video games like FitXR and Supernatural is aware of that the Quest 2 fogs up like a automobile window on a chilly day. Your physique is exerting all of this power and producing warmth whereas the headset stays cool, which suggests the Quest 2 lenses will inevitably grow to be Cloudy with a Probability of Meatballs, sadly.
Consequently, I will need to have a microfiber fabric helpful to wipe the lenses every so often, and it will get annoying as hell. A method customers rectify this concern is by permitting the Quest 2 to warmth up first earlier than utilizing it. Some go so far as warming it up with a blow dryer earlier than strapping it on!
The Meta Quest Retailer has a mediocre catalog of video games
A lot of the Meta Quest Retailer app video games are mid. They’re forgettable, unremarkable and mediocre. There are exceptions, after all. As I discussed on the outset, I Count on You to Die 2 is an unimaginable sport that immerses you into the shady world of espionage; I discover myself replaying it typically. One other top-notch sport is Superhot. Whereas there are many good video games, there must be extra nice video games — titles which you can’t wait to return dwelling and play.
I additionally seen that there are many gaming niches that the Meta Quest Retailer surprisingly doesn’t fulfill. For instance, apart from Bogo (a free mini sport), I used to be shocked to seek out out that there aren’t any pet simulators. I’d additionally like to see extra excessive sports activities video games like browsing, whitewater rafting, snowboarding, cliff diving, however all I can discover on the Meta Quest Retailer is mountain climbing (i.e., The Climb), freediving (i.e., Freediver: Triton Down), and Rush (wingsuit flying). I’m certain there are extra, however not sufficient to fulfill my thirst for adrenaline-pumping journey in VR.
Backside line
Would I nonetheless advocate the Quest 2 VR? Heck sure! Try our greatest Quest 2 video games record, and belief me, you’ll have a blast with Meta’s best-selling headset. And who is aware of? Whereas scrolling by the Meta Quest Retailer’s app catalog, it’s possible you’ll discover a diamond within the tough that we’ve ignored.
The Meta Quest Retailer has loads of social VR apps that slap, together with Altspace, Rec Room, and VRChat. All of those apps are free and you’ll take pleasure in VR replications of assorted real-life social features, together with karaoke night time, clubbing, comedy occasions, and extra. You may mingle with full strangers or invite one other Quest 2 VR headset person to affix you within the metaverse.
