Oculus Quest 2 isn’t perfect, then – but it’s as close to perfect as VR has come so far and well worth your time, money, and energy if you’ve been looking for an excuse to swap reality for virtual reality. Oculus Quest 2: price and availability But there are some significant changes that would make an upgrade well worth it if you currently already have the original Quest and you’re considering the Quest 2. The new model offers a more responsive experience overall, thanks to improved RAM and chip specs. It also has a higher resolution display, which is a whole 50% sharper than its predecessor. Combined, these upgrades make the Oculus Quest 2 experience even more seamless and immersive. It’s not just about cost, however – the Quest 3 offers significantly better graphics, more power, and vastly improved mixed-reality capabilities. By paying extra you will get a better gadget, but is the added cost worth it? Note though that there's a change to the Interpupillary distance (IPD, the gap between your pupils) slider on the Quest 2. Previously, you could make fine adjustments with a slider on the underside of the original Quest. Now you have to physically shift the goggles themselves over three pre-set distances, 58mm, 63mm, and 68mm. While most won't notice any difference (the three settings cover the most common IPD ranges), it's a shame that more delicate control has been lost. And while VR is often accused of being a solitary affair, Oculus has made strong efforts to make using Quest 2 in a group accessible. Like the original Quest, you can use the Google Chromecast screen sharing function within the Quest 2’s menu to allow someone not wearing the headset to watch what you’re up to on a second display like a smartphone or TV. Some games even actively encourage it, with one player taking charge of a role in the real world, while another navigates the VR world presented in the headset. Oculus Quest 2: Software and apps

The Oculus Quest 2 VR headset is the second version of the Quest headset range. It’s similar to the original Oculus Quest in that it’s a battery-powered, standalone headset that allows you to freely roam around your physical and digital play spaces without fear of tripping over a wire. The Quest 2 does all of this while still offering the same 2-3 hour battery life as the first Quest, depending on the application you’re using. That may not sound like much, but longer play sessions than that are unlikely to be comfortable anyway.Meta Quest: *Parents:* Important guidance and safety warnings for children's use here. Meta accounts for ages 10+ on Meta Quest 2 and 3; all other Meta Quest headsets for ages 13+. Certain apps, games and experiences may be suitable for a more mature audience. Meta quest features, functionality and content notice: Features, functionality and content are subject to change or withdrawal at any time, may not be available in all areas or languages or may be restricted; may require enabled software or service activation, and additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. There are hundreds of separately-sold Oculus Quest games– and some free ones too – available to play with the headset, including everything from shooters to puzzle games, fitness titles to meditation apps, there truly is something for everyone, even if levels of quality – and comfort – can vary depending on what you're watching and playing. An integrated 10,000mAh battery giving up to three hours of gameplay or 10 hours of entertainment, combined with a comfort-driven design, lets you explore deeper and further for longer, every time you step into VR. A microphone is built in too, again clear enough for communicating in multiplayer games and doing some voice searches in the various UI elements of apps that support it. Speech recognition is surprisingly accurate, too. Oculus Quest 2: using it The Oculus Quest 2 is worn on the head, quite a bit like a scuba mask. Where a scuba mask’s window would be, you’ve instead got a padded cavity that houses a pair of goggle-like lenses that sit in front of a screen, giving you stereoscopic 3D visuals. Paired with motion sensors and accelerometers in the headset, you can move your head and see the motions reflected in real-time on the digital screen in front of you as if you were looking out and moving around in the real world.

But Quest 2 goes beyond games, of course. VR can be educational – there are applications talking you through historical moments, such as a touching look at the life of Anne Frank, and one letting you visit the Chernobyl disaster zone. Using the headset’s external cameras, you’ll be shown a grayscale view of your surrounding environment on screen, in real-time. You’ll then use the controllers like a spray paint can, painting around the edges of your room to show the headset the safe play space you can freely walk about in without bumping into, say, your TV or sofa. The first Oculus Quest made use of dual 1440 x 1600 resolution OLED displays (one for each eye), but the Quest 2 opts for a single LCD panel, split so as to display an 1832 x 1920 pixel resolution per eye. That’s about 50 percent sharper than the original, and while we’d usually prefer the richness of an OLED display, we hardly missed it here. LCD also opens up an improved refresh rate of 90Hz to developers, compared to the original Quest’s 72Hz - with an experimental feature bumping it up to 120Hz. Where supported, it will be a notably smoother experience. The higher price for the Oculus Quest 2 does come with one new benefit though, you'll get a copy of one of the best Oculus Quest 2 games for free: Beat Saber. Buy a new Quest 2 before the end of 2022 and you'll be eligible to get a copy of the game at no charge. What's more, where the Quest 2 is concerned developers now have the option to make their games run at 90Hz and even 120Hz (this is important for increased comfort and even more realism while playing), and the headset itself is noticeably lighter than before, with double the battery life in the controllers.

Oculus Quest 2 offers small changes that make big differences

Oculus Quest 2 has access to some of the best virtual reality games that have been made. The range of inventive ideas on display is delightful, and with events like the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase becoming a yearly event we're seeing a healthy cadence of big titles appearing on the system. It’s a wondrous experience losing yourself in the Quest 2, letting you really live within and feel connected to the games that you play. But the crucial question is… can you stomach it? The Oculus Quest 2 rings the death knell for Oculus’s tethered, PC-only headsets, such as the Oculus Rift and Oculus Rift S. It has confirmed to TechRadar that, going forward, its headsets will offer a combination of mobile and PC tethered play, rather than being solely PC-tethered hardware. Virtual reality can be seen as an ‘empathy’ platform, letting you experience not only other worlds, but other lives and cultures. There are great apps from National Geographic and other organizations that let you visit locations around the world for a spot of virtual tourism, while also opening up the very real dangers of climate change. With fitness studios and meditation spots also available in app form, if you can visit it in the real world, there’s a good chance there’s a VR alternative being developed, or already in existence.

With the greater power of a PC at hand, the Quest is capable of taking advantage of some really impressive adventures, such as the god-stomping Asgard’s Wrath and mind-blowing Lone Echo 2. These are high-end VR adventures with graphical fidelity leagues ahead of the majority of Quest 2’s mobile apps and should be taken advantage of if possible. With a bit of tinkering, you can get the Quest 2 to play VR apps from other stores too, such as Steam VR’s highlight Half Life: Alyx. Quest 2 requires your Facebook account to log in, so it’s easy to meet up with your friends in VR or discover communities around the world. Helpfully, you can choose to explore as yourself or by a new name, just by creating a unique VR profile.META QUEST IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE https://www.oculus.com/quest-2/removable-facial-interface-alert.