The independent wonder
Oculus Quest 2 was designed to be played alone, anywhere, anytime. No need for a Quest 2 PC connection thanks to a powerful custom mobile processing chipset inside the Quest 2. That processor can recreate virtual worlds in a way that feels real to the person using the headphones. The four cameras on the outside of the Quest 2 viewer can see the world around and map it in 3D space, track its movements in virtual reality and translate them into the virtual world in a way that makes sense. That means you won’t need to connect additional cameras or lightboxes as other VR systems required.
Similarly, the cameras track those Oculus Touch controllers through a group of LEDs placed on the controller ring, allowing for fast and precise movements that make you feel as if you are moving your virtual hands (or weapons) exactly as if you are moving your real hands and arms. Some experiences don’t even require drivers, as those cameras can also track your hands, making virtual interaction seem even more realistic.
The battery inside Oculus Quest 2 is rechargeable via a USB type-C port on the side and lasts 2 to 3 hours per charge. That means you can remove it from the charger and get at least 2 hours of VR gameplay before you have to charge it again. The best Quest 2 battery packs will keep the action going longer; perfect for socializing in virtual reality, where you could get lost for hours at a time.
If you are concerned that the mobile nature of Oculus Quest 2 means that the graphic quality will be affected, don’t be. While games created for Quest and Quest 2 are a bit more visually simplistic than more engaging PC VR games, they’re not likely to take you out of a virtual world simply because the visual quality isn’t maintained. . Even some of the best indie games with stylized and simplified graphics look amazing in VR, and a lot of that is due to the fact that VR headsets like Quest 2 work to trick your brain into thinking you’re really in the world you see .
Add a PC to get more content
While Quest 2 is a pretty ideal virtual reality system on its own, playing SteamVR in a Quest 2, or one of the many Oculus-exclusive virtual reality PC games like Lone Echo or Stormland, opens the doors to even more impressive virtual worlds. As you would probably expect from the pedigree of PC games over the past few decades, virtual reality PC games are often more detailed, can run at higher frame rates without sacrificing detail, and can even have more interactive and immersive worlds.
The best SteamVR games prove it in many different ways, and you will find that many games that you can buy on Quest 2 are cross-purchase compatible, which means that the same game can be played on a PC with enhanced images.
While Oculus originally required a USB cable to connect your Quest 2 to a PC and run in wired mode, the official release of Oculus Air Link means you can now play PC virtual reality games over your home Wi-Fi network, as long as you have a fast connection. router, that’s it. We recommend using one of the best Wi-Fi 6 routers to get the best experience here, as Oculus Quest 2 supports 1200Mbps wireless connections to a Wi-Fi 6 router, enabling a clear and lag-free wireless virtual reality experience.
