The Oculus Quest 2 VR headset only stayed for about a year in the market before being rebranded to the Meta Quest 2 VR headset by Facebook, now known as Metaverse. This leaves us with the question – is the Meta Quest 2 worth it? Is it worth buying? Is it worth gaming with? Is it worth the user experience?
The answer to these questions leaves an impression on prospective buyers and current users.
The Meta Quest 2 VR headset is one of the most popular VR headsets on the market, but is it worth the price?
It is important to know that there are two different versions of the Meta Quest 2, with the difference between them being the amount of storage included. The smaller 128 GB version has a starting price of £399.99 ($495.13), with the price hike in motion, while the bigger 256 GB version goes for £499.99 ($618.91).
The Meta Quest 2 comes with some pre-installed games, which are known as demos and can be played at any time, even if you choose not to purchase games at that moment. On connecting to its VR gaming environment, the Quest 2 offers you options of purchasing games, not having to take off the headset and use your phone, and breaking the fun in the VR environment. This can be done via the built-in store, and payment can be made the same way too.
Its 90Hz refresh rate is another reason to love the Meta Quest 2, as it keeps your gaming experience glitches-free.
Overview of Meta Quest 2
One of the best products from the stables of Meta as a company is the Meta Quest 2. Built and rebranded to replace Oculus Quest 2, Meta Quest 2 is a virtual reality headset —the most advanced all-in-one VR system yet from Meta.
From multiplayer games to unique social experiences to joining up with friends at a live show or instructor-led workout, Meta Quest 2 provides new opportunities to meet and connect with others in VR. It was launched in September 2020 and released in October 2020 and has made its name in the virtual reality gaming market.
The redesign and rebranding of this virtual reality (VR) headset compliments its performance, hitting the market with a refresh rate of 90Hz (which can run up to 120Hz) and an improved visual range of 1832 x 1920 per eye, which is an improvement upon the original.
It also comes with an all-in-one design which means you do not need an external or separate PC for you to use it. It can run multiple games independently. The Oculus Link cable unlocks more power via gaming PC, and its inside-out tracking removes the need for external sensors.
The speakers are built into the sides of the headsets. These speakers are designed to emit 3D sounds, which makes the gaming experience more interesting as it gives you the feeling of an actual gaming character. The controllers have been designed to be larger than the original and sleek enough to simulate real-life hand movements, which is an interesting upgrade from the previous.
Pros of Meta Quest 2
From the overview of Meta Quest 2, it is safe to say the pros of the headset outweigh its cons. Listed below are some of the pros of Meta Quest 2:
Comfortable weight
- Incredible standalone VR
- Optional PC tethering with an accessory cable
- Higher resolution display
- Great price
- Smooth running for games and software
- More powerful hardware
- Expanded social and sharing capabilities
Cons of Meta Quest 2
- Limited battery life of 2-3 hours
- Can still cause motion sickness
- Requires Facebook log-in
- Poor controller ergonomics
- 90Hz refresh rate isn’t available at launch
- No dedicated headphones
- Preset IPD settings
- Link cable and better strap cost extra
Cost/Value Analysis
The Meta Company started the original quest for $299, which was considered reasonable for the quality the Oculus Quest offered. Having launched the Meta Quest 2, Meta increased the cost of the Quest 2 by $100, which sums it up to a $399 starting price. This was scheduled to commence on August 1st.
The Meta Quest 2 will cost $399.99 USD for the 128 GB version, which is a $100 increase from the current $299.99 price tag. The 256 GB version will cost $499.99, up from the current $399.99 cost. The increase in the cost of the Meta Quest 2 also cuts across its accessories, and not just the VR headset.
The price hike is quite drastic and has been seen as a hard hit on lovers of VR gaming. The headset offers not the best but good value for your money, as there are competitors in the business of virtual reality gaming. You cannot help but love the visual resolution of each eye as well as its lightweight design, which is an upgrade from the previous version.
Gameplay Mechanics
The gameplay mechanics are how you set up your VR headset, getting it ready for gaming.
You will need to install the app on your phone by taking the following steps:
- Download and install the Meta Quest app on your phone.
- Tap Continue with Facebook.
- Enter your email and password and tap login
- Tap Continue as (Your Name).
- Tap Continue as New Oculus User.
- Tap Allow only while using the app.
- Tap Continue.
- Choose a username to use with your Quest, and tap Continue.
- Tap Continue.
- Select your preferred privacy options and tap Continue.
- Choose a PIN and tap the check mark.
- Enter a credit card to use for future game purchases and tap Save, or tap Skip to do this later.
- Tap Quest 2.
Your app is now set up; now you can move on to setting up your headset:
- Place the Quest 2 headset over your eyes.
- Pull the strap over your head and secure it around the back of your head.
- To ensure a good fit, undo the front Velcro strap and either pull it down. If the strap is too loose, or you pull down on the back of the band if it’s not big enough for your head, then reconnect the Velcro.
- If the image you see through the headset is blurry, take it off, take hold of the grey plastic that surrounds one of the lenses, and gently push it toward or away from the other lens.
- If you remove the headset, put it back on and pick up the touch controllers.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to sign in to your Facebook or Oculus account, and your Quest 2 will be ready to use.
Now that your headset is set up, now you can move on to setting up your guardian boundary. This is where you mark your safe area for gaming. Simply take the steps listed below:
- Find an area in your house with sufficient space to play your games.
- Put on your Quest 2 and pick up the controllers.
- Look down and confirm that the virtual grid is at floor level, and select Confirm if it is.
- Using your right controller, pull the trigger and draw a safe area on your floor.
- When you’re happy with the safe area, select Confirm.
- As long as you remain in this area, your headset will display the virtual world of the Quest 2 interface or whatever game you’re playing.
The games are played using the controllers connected to the headset. At this point, you are ready to play VR games. Here are a few extra tips to help you enjoy VR games:
- Press the Oculus button on your right controller to bring up the toolbar.
- Select the store icon (the shopping bag).
- Locate a free game or one you want to buy, and select it.
- Either select Get for a free game or the price button for a premium game, and download it.
- Wait for the game to download and install, then select Start.
- You’re in the game.
Graphics and Visuals
Graphics
The Meta Quest 2 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 SoC, a derivative of the Snapdragon 865 designed for VR and augmented reality devices. It includes 6 GB of LPDDR4X RAM — an extra 2 GB over the first-generation model. The Quest 2 runs an Android-based operating system. To conduct the first-time setup, a smartphone running the Meta Quest app must be used.
Visuals
The dual OLED displays of the first-generation Quest were replaced by a singular, fast-switch LCD panel with a single-eye resolution of 1832×1920 and a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz (an increase from 1440×1600 per eye at 72 Hz).
At launch, the display’s refresh rate was clocked at 72 Hz via software, with 90 Hz, which can be increased to 120 Hz. This provides a glitch-free gaming experience for VR players. It also comes with a pass-through feature that enables you to see your physical environment through the lens.
Multiplayer Features
Additionally, the Meta Quest 2 headset comes with a multiplayer feature that enables you to play with others in the same game. This increases the desire to play and makes the game competitive. Here is how you set up the multilayer on Meta Quest 2:
- Press the Oculus button on your right controller to open the universal menu.
- Select the People icon.
- Move your cursor over a friend’s card.
- Select Party.
- Once your friend is at the party, select Choose App.
- Locate the Watch or play with your party section, and select a game or app to play together.
- The game will launch, and your friends will join you.
Final Thoughts
The Meta Quest 2 derives some of its features from the original. These features were rebranded to meet up the rising demand from VR gamers. The graphics have been on the receiving end of criticism as to why the advert videos do not tally with the actual user experience.
Considering its pros and cons, the Meta Quest 2 will have to undergo an upgrade on graphics, visuals, and ease of access, even though its overall design makes it lightweight as opposed to Meta Quest.
As a VR headset, the Meta Quest 2 offers good value for your money. However, since we can’t say for sure if there will be a Meta Quest 3, we can only anticipate a better version of Meta Quest 2.
