Virtual reality has never been more accessible, and the recent release of the Meta Quest 3 has only broadened the options for gaming headsets. But along with its new features and capabilities, the Quest 3 comes with a much larger price tag—it retails for $500, or double the recently discounted price of the Meta Quest 2.
Despite no longer offering the newest technology or setup, the Meta Quest 2 is still a major player in the VR market. If you’re wondering if the machine is still worth purchasing in 2024, my answer is a qualified (but enthusiastic) yes.
Don’t write off the Meta Quest 2 just yet
The Meta Quest 2 was a huge step forward for Meta’s VR department. Previously, the product line was known as the Oculus Quest, and that standalone headset promised great VR but fell short in a lot of ways (more on that below). After a rebranding and some technological advancements, the Meta Quest 2 was born, finally delivering on a lot of what the Oculus Quest promised.
With the Meta Quest 2, the company brought what is still one of the most accessible and functional VR headsets to the market. Sure, it’s three years old at this point, but the tech involved is largely still more than adequate enough to deliver solid performance in games like Beat Saber and even Valve’s Half-life Alyx. Further, because the headset supports both standalone and PC-linked gameplay, you have access to more games than you’ll probably ever play.
It’s also relatively comfortable, and I say that as someone who has spent hundreds of hours with the Quest 2, the original Quest, HTC’s Vive, the Valve Index, and more. Despite the “better tech” in some of those other headsets, the Quest 2 has continued to be my go-to VR headset. It’s lightweight, offers access to a ton of games and apps, and has some of the most comforable and functional controllers on the market.
How the Quest 2 improved Meta’s VR vision
The Quest 2 really was a huge improvement over the original Quest, which suffered from spotty tracking depending on how active you were during your games and app usage. During my time with the Quest, I experienced a lot of issues with battery life, which wasn’t surprising from a device offering untethered VR. Fortunately, the Quest 2 addressed that by making the hardware more reliable and improving battery life, even giving you the option to purchase additional battery packs if needed. If you don’t want to deal with a battery at all, the PC link cable lets you play VR games while connected directly to a PC.
The Quest also suffered from a lack of content. That wasn’t entirely its fault, as developers only truly began embracing VR with the launch of the Quest 2. Even still, many of the VR experiences on the original Quest just weren’t as fleshed out as those available on the second generation of the VR headset.
If the Quest always felt like a cheaper, somewhat compromised alternative to pricier VR headsets, the Quest 2 offered a great price with less of a hardware gap between it and its more expensive competitors. Three years on, it may not offer the best resolution or most powerful hardware (particularly compared to the Quest 3), but it does a good job of hiding its budget-friendly nature behind reliable, well-optimized software that delivers immersive content, whether you’re accessing it wirelessly or via the PC link cable.
The Quest 2 just got cheaper
If all of that wasn’t enough, though, Meta recently dropped the price of the Quest 2, making it an even more affordable VR entry point. Now you can get yourself a 128 GB Quest 2 for $249. This is a huge opportunity for those that want to check out VR without breaking the bank, especially considering the price of the headset had jumped to $400 at one point in 2022. (If 128GB isn’t enough storage, you can also spend $50 more for the 256GB version, which now retails for $299.99 after the New Year’s price cut. There’s also the fact that Meta has pledged to support the Quest 2 in the coming years, making it a solid investment if you don’t want to splurge on the Quest 3.
Here’s a look at exactly what that $250 or $300 will get you:
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Fast-Switch LCD Display; 1832 x 1920 resolution per eye; 60, 72, and 90 Hz refresh rate supported
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128GB/256GB storage options
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Upgraded touch controllers with thumb rests
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6DOF (six degrees of freedom) for realistic head and body tracking without external sensors
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3D positional audio + 3.5mm audio port
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Glasses compatible
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Optional PC link cord for playing PC VR games
You can pick up a Meta Quest 2 from Amazon or Best Buy, depending on your storage needs:
Even the Quest 3 has a ways to go
So why choose an older headset over the new and improved Quest 3? Well, if spending about half as much isn’t enough to convince you, then it’s also important to note that the Quest 2 has continued to improve over the past three years. The software that it runs is fantastic, and while the Quest 3 offers newer tech and hardware, the software side is still catching up to the smoothness and reliability of the Quest 2. In the near-term, that means the Quest 2 is easier to pick up and use. If you don’t mind being a little behind the times, it remains a great option for entry-level VR gaming.
