Oculus Quest is Here
The Oculus Quest is a standalone VR headset. Portable like the Oculus Go, with onboard compute and storage, and powerful enough to be comparable to the PC VR like Oculus Rift S and HTC Vive without requiring a high-end PC. The Oculus Quest comes with 2 touch controllers and the headset has internal position and motion-tracking technology to allow for a truly standalone, untethered VR experience.
The Oculus Quest will be the gold standard for what a VR Headset must be and what others will try to emulate going forward.
The ‘other’ Oculus Products: Oculus Rift and Oculus Go – a Brief History of Oculus products.
Before Oculus became a household name when talking about virtual reality, like any new startup, the company needed money. The startup first hit the ground running in 2012, and quickly got the money to start building their first prototypes. The goal was $250,000. When they including a voucher for either Steam or the Oculus Store with a money pledge, Oculus got their goal within 4 hours. Within 36 hours, the company had raised over $1,000,000. With all of this happening, Mark Zuckerberg took some real notice. In March of 2014, Facebook bought Oculus 2 billion US$.
With Facebook’s partnership with Samsung, the first official Oculus product that was released to the public was the Samsung Gear VR. This is by far one of their weaker releases, although it seems like a necessary release. This product is compatible with most of the Samsung Galaxy phones, making it an easy to use and convenient PC VR headset for the common consumer. You do not need a high-end PC, just a compatible smartphone. Mobile VR was thought to be the future of VR, but that never came to pass in the VR industry.
Not long after the Gear was released, the Oculus Rift was released to the public and started shipping. This product has been the staple of this company, and the golden standard for virtual reality headsets. Featuring two controllers and the capability to run high-end games, this headset can do it all.
With the options of a powerhouse headset for Oculus customers already out, and the Gear VR for common users not wanting to spend too much on a headset, the company then released the Oculus Go. An All-in-One headset that gets the job done. This is free of wires, outside trackers, and anything that could get in your way. This headset is a perfect middle-class headset, and also something to get your feet wet in the VR industry.
That all leads us to what Oculus has done in the last few years preparing for this release. Earlier this year, Oculus finally announced to project to what felt like a billion people. The Oculus Quest is a whole new animal. If the Rift was gold standard, this is platinum. This headset nearly has the same power of the Rift, but the simplicity and the easy set up as the Go. This is the new standard for standalone virtual headsets. This is the future of VR.
Introducing the Oculus Quest: The next step in Standalone VR Headsets
What Can the Oculus Quest Do?
The Oculus Quest is capable of almost anything you will need from a VR headset. With every sensor you will need inside of the headset, built-in speakers, a built-in mic, and touch controllers that are similar to the Oculus touch controllers, this headset is set up to dominate. This will be a top-notch immersive experience.
The Quest will be more powerful than the Go, and less powerful than the Rift. There is a lot that plays into both, and the simple power of each does not determine which is the best headset. The Quest requires no phone, tablet, console, or a gaming PC to operate. This headset is a true standalone headset, and there’s plenty to understand about it before you purchase one. Although the Quest is not as powerful as the Rift, you will still be able to play plenty of Rift games on this headset.
How does the Oculus Quest compare to the Oculus GO?
The Oculus Go was the first standalone headset released by Oculus. It does not have near the power that the Rift has, but that was never the intended use of the headset. The Go is more of a simple game and entertainment system. It is intended to be easy to toss on and watch a quick TV show, that still needs to connect to your VR device, although this is not mobile VR.
The gaming on this setup is very limited. There are still great titles to play, but nothing near the gaming ability of the Rift or the HTC Vive. The Quest is better than the go for one simple reason. The Go is a standalone entertainment system, and the Quest is a standalone entertainment system with the gaming capabilities of a Rift or a Vive. It is what the Go never was able to do, especially now that there are now two motion controllers.
How does the Oculus Quest compare to the Oculus Rift S headset?
A question that is always going to be asked is how the Oculus Rift S and the Oculus Quest compare. With all of the noise being made about the capabilities of the Quest, people will wonder if the Quest is just a cheaper version of the Rift, and if so, if there is going to be some drop-off. The Rift has been a great VR gaming headset for years inside of anyone’s virtual space.
One thing you need to understand about these two headsets is that one will always be connected to a much more powerful PC, and the other is a standalone device. Isolated and secluded to your head. With that being said, the Rift is going to have a slight upper hand on the gaming side. It is going to be able to process more, and hold larger titles on the headset.
That doesn’t take away from the Quest’s ability to play and run high-end games on a high-end PC. The Quest will be able to run almost all of the same games as the Rift, without a gaming PC. The processing power is very good. We will get into the technology and compare the two later on, but for sacrificing the cords and the wires, the Quest will not only be a reliable entertainment system, but something that you will be able to game on for years to come.
How does the Oculus Quest compare to the HTC Vive?
The conversation has always been HTC Vive headset vs the Oculus Rift headset. While HTC has wanted the conversation to shift to the Vive Focus vs the Rift, that’s not the conversation they’ve gotten. The new conversation has turned into the Oculus Quest vs the HTC Vive. HTC may look at that as loss, but it is simply a testament to how powerful and capable the Quest is. This is a great VR device.
With the Quest being a complete standalone headset, it has the potential for some pretty intense and game-changing updates. With gaming capabilities near the same, and the entertainment on the Quest more immersive, the Quest will slowly but surely edge the Vive out. The Oculus partnership with Facebook does a lot for the social aspect of the VR industry as well. Facebook has already established a great platform for social media, with the ability to connect nearly a billion people.
How does the Oculus Quest compare to the PSVR?
The PSVR is one of the best headsets on the market right now. There is a lot that plays into this. Whether it be the amount of titles, some being exclusive to PlayStation Virtual Reality, or the ability to play larger games with much more to a storyline. With that being said, most other headsets don’t have the ability to play big titles, giving the PSVR a big advantage, especially when consumers do not need a gaming PC to be in a PSVR virtual space.
The Quest has the ability to play large titles as well and has plenty of entertainment value. The PSVR can do all of that and more. The only real advantage I can see where you would want the Quest over the PlayStation VR is if you need to be more mobile and less wires. Other than that the PSVR is going to be the options.
Details about the technology in the Oculus Quest
What processor is in the Oculus Quest?
The Quest is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. The Oculus Quest is not only one of the best wireless headsets on the market, but it’s one of the most powerful computers that is wireless that consumers can buy on the market. The processing power is powered by a Qualcomm chip, the portable HMD is compared to many last generation consoles, and in some tests, is out performing them in terms of CPU and GPU. Developers clearly worked hard on the launch of this AR VR headset.
That’s not just impressive for any headset, but a headset that is a standalone with no outside phone, tablet, or PC powering it. With this kind of breakthrough in all in one headset, the future of gaming and entertainment inside of a virtual reality looks beyond bright.
What GPU is in the Oculus Quest?
The Snapdragon 845 is powering the Quest, and it’s on the newer ends of processors out on the market. With not many people knowing the capabilities of it, I’ve included a graph to prove how powerful and the potential (through updates) this headset can be.
Now this is not to say that you don’t need the new iPhone, or this headset would ever replace that, but it is to say that it has the capabilities to run the same type of actions on and behind the screen. This an AR VR setup inside.
How much storage does the Oculus Quest have?
As of now, the only storage option that Oculus is offering for the Quest is 64 GB. With how versatile this headset is, ranging from watching TV in a virtual living room with your 3 best friends, or casting spell on a forbidden dragon, I’m surprised they haven’t upped the storage for the Quest.
In the future, we are sure they will be releasing more headsets with higher storage options. The base model was thought to be releasing at 128 gigabytes, but that never happened. If Oculus is making money off the games they sell through their store, it would make sense for more storage for those games to be on the headset.
What type of screen does the Oculus Quest Have?
The Quest sports an OLED screen. It’s the same screen as the Oculus Rift, and as you would expect it has the same advantages and disadvantages to it. You will be able to see rich and vibrant colors, deep and perfect blacks. The OLED screen has been featured in many headsets and a handful of high end smartphone. This display will make you feel like you can reach out and touch what you are looking at, somewhat like a mixed reality.
Another advantage to OLED is the black screens. When showing blacks, that small part of the screen simply turns off. That makes a slight difference in battery usage from the screen. One of the big disadvantages from having a screen like this, is the rays or the glare when you have higher resolution pictures. Although many people notice it, it never seems to be that big of a deal in real time.
What is the refresh rate of the Oculus Quest display?
The refresh rate of the Oculus Quest is is 72Hz. This is an upgrade from the Oculus Go, which was set at 60Hz, but had an option for 72Hz for the developers that could hit that point on the given headsets limitations.
There are many advantages to a faster refresh rate, but some of the most noticeable is the smoother visuals, the lack of head tracking latency, and less strobing with the constant visual changes. The golden standard is 90Hz which is what the Oculus Rift and the HTV Vive have. Although it’s worth being noted that the jump from 60Hz to 72Hz is much more noticeable than the jump from 72Hz to the golden 90Hz. That will be a true immersive experience.
What is the display resolution of the Oculus Quest?
Each eye has its own screen in the Quest, and the resolution of that is 1,600 x 1,440 and that is a PenTile sub-pixel layout. The Quest has a much higher resolution than the Rift, and a screen door effect that looks nearly obsolete in this version from Oculus. The Quest is much more close to the HTC Vive in regards to display.
The Quest also will have the same hardware-level chromatic aberration correction, that was announced for the Go. With that being in this headset, that reduces the color separation on the edges of the screen. It is in your peripheral vision, but can sometimes be an eye sore when playing high end games and watching movies or television.
How much does the Oculus Quest weigh?
The Quest has the weight locked in at 570 grams. That is only 100 grams more than the Rift, but when you think about what everything this headset has inside, the weight is something to be happy with. The company did note, that they were proud of the weight and how far they came from the original prototypes.
The headset feels a little more front heavy than any other Oculus model. That’s usually not a problem, as with any headset, the more you wear it, your head Will eventually get used to the weight. If you mix a heavy headset and some bad latency, you will be stuck with motion sickness, and luckily this headset eliminates all chances of that.
Is the Oculus Quest comfortable to wear?
The Oculus Quest headset is very comfortable to wear, regardless of head shape or size. This headset has many adjustable straps and ways to put it on your head, making it a seamless fit. The weight can get tiring, but your head will get used to it after a while. With the lens inside being adjustable to your eyes and fitting not only to your head, this makes a versatile fitting system that will be easy to please most people. If you need to, you can reach up and touch the headset to adjust the fitting.
What is the battery life of the Oculus Quest?
The Oculus Quest can run entertainment apps for up to 5 hours, and high-end VR games for nearly 3 hours. The Oculus Go featured a battery life of 3 to 4 hours. The Quest Will be running a much more powerful system, but that doesn’t mean the battery life has to suffer. This is not amazing, and also not horrible. You will be VR gaming for a good amount of time.
The Go was able to charge and run at the same time, but with the Quest being able to run games that require much more movement and much more freedom, that doesn’t seem like it will be a possibility or something that you will want to try out. The battery life on the motion controllers will last you about three hours of gameplay, slightly better than the touch controllers.
Does the Oculus Quest have headphones?
The Oculus Quest doesn’t feature built in headphones, but it has a built-in speakers that are sure to give you 360° sounds. Most people prefer not to play with bulky headphones around their head, and Oculus knows that. The speakers were in the Go, and they were highly respected.
The Quest does have an audio jack for those who want a more noise canceling feel, upping the amount of reality they feel inside of a virtual world. From my experience, the speakers get the job done and more.
Are the Oculus Quest speakers good?
The built-in speakers do a great job at pushing other outside noises out before you hear the sounds in your space. I won’t go as far as to say they are noise canceling, but they make the need for headphones or earbuds near obsolete. The experience with the built-in speakers will be no different for the user if they were to use their own set of headphones. Other than maybe the extra wires or the weight getting in the way and slowing you down. The built in speakers will give you truly an immersive sound inside of your virtual or mixed reality.
Details about the Experience of Using the Oculus Quest
How long can I wear the oculus quest before I get tired?
Depending on what you are doing inside of any headset, it can lead to tiredness or fatigue.
If you’re playing a game on like Beat Saber for hours on end, chances are you were going to get tired pretty quick. Now if you’re sitting at your couch for a few hours exploring different experiences and watching some TV in virtual reality, then chances are you will only be as tired as you would be doing those things in real life.
The reason this is a great question is because it used to not be this way. In many other headsets, new and old, the latency has not been that low. The quest has made it a point to have a great refresh rate while still maintaining low latency. This will significantly reduce motion sickness and getting tired while wearing a headset, or even the feelings of getting tired that go along with motion sickness.
Will I get motion sick wearing the Oculus Quest?
Getting motion sickness while wearing a headset has been a problem since the beginning of virtual reality. As many companies have against this problem throughout the development of their products, it still seems to be an issue that comes up. No matter how good the technology gets, there always seems to be something that will trip someone up enough to become sick inside of the headset. With that being said, here is a list of a few things that will help reduce that feeling.
Lock your eyes while turning and moving around. We do the same thing in real life to reduce dizziness, and it’s proven to work in a headset.
If you reduce the speed of your character while you are in the game, it will mimic the real-life movement that you have. Making your body and mind adjust to the game much faster and more comfortable than usual.
Although many people do not want to hear this, taking a break while wearing a virtual reality headset can be imperative if you are trying to avoid sickness. With how fast time moves in any type of video game, taking a break from the completely immersive experiences can give your mind and eyes a nice and needed break.
This one might seem very simple, but I always find people going back to games that make them sick. Here is my advice to people that keep playing games that make them feel motion sickness or tired. Don’t do it. We all love a good immersive game, but usually never at the expense of how we feel during and after the game. Avoid titles that make you feel anything but great.
Lowering the brightness not only will help you reduce motion sickness, but gives your headset a great chance of a longer battery life. The higher brightness can cause headaches and cause your eyes to get tired too fast, making you feel tired and drowsy.
Eating or drinking something with ginger can actually cause motion sickness to decrease as well. Ginger has been a remedy for motion sickness for as long as anyone can remember. Although it does not work on everyone, the success rate is higher than you would believe. Give it a try and watch the magic happen.
Trying to reduce the movement of your head while you are in The headset, Will more than likely reduce motion sickness and feeling tired. Because motion sickness is directly correspondent with movement, reducing the amount of that will have a major impact.
Will my eyes get tired wearing the Oculus quest?
In the list above, we list some of the things that you can do to reduce getting tired and motion sickness. Getting tired and having motion sickness are usually hand in hand when it comes to virtual reality headsets. The answer is yes. You will have tired eyes if you don’t follow any sort of instruction on how to reduce getting tired inside of the headset. There are many ways to stop that from happening, but if you are not playing for long amounts of time on the fully immersive game, then the chances of you getting extra tired are slim.
Can I play VR Games with other people on the Oculus Quest?
Depending on the game or experience, you can play on your Quest with other people. Oculus has always made it a point to have a virtual reality experience that can include your friends and virtual friends. There are already more than 50 titles set to release with the Oculus Quest. Although it is not confirmed, just a little under half of those games will be multiplayer. Oculus doesn’t rely on only games for the interactive experiences. Because Oculus is owned by Facebook, they have done a great job of integrating social media with a virtual experience. As long as you’re connected through either your Facebook profile, or your Oculus profile, you are going to be able to have chat rooms, hangouts, and many other social opportunities through the Quest.
The Oculus Quest headset is very similar in size and weight to the Oculus Rift. It has more sensors packed into it than the Oculus Go, which is required for the first-person world tracking and orientation – which contributes to the additional weight over the Oculus Go. However, the innovative strap system and the material used for the shell, make the Oculus Quest one of the most comfortable head-mounted displays to wear for long periods of time.
Does the Oculus Quest get hot on your face?
The Quest won’t be getting hot on your face. Feeling in an increase in temperature due to a VR headset heating up is quite disruptive and can become uncomfortable. While it is currently impossible to prevent a consumer electronic devices to heat up at all when being used, proper design and heat dissipation techniques can be employed to minimize or mast the effects of heat.
The most notable impact of a device heating up can be observed when it is under extreme workloads. Similar to a smartphone that heats up in your hand or a laptop that can turn into a lap-warmer, and VR headset can – if not designed properly – heat up your face and curse discomfort.
The Oculus Quest attempts to minimize the impact of device warming by ensuring the components that actually come in contact with the user are poor conductors of heat. The mesh-covered foam around the eyepiece, and the cloth straps not only increase the comfort from a material standpoint, but these materials also are poor conductors of heat/cold and are also very good at wicking away sweat – which can very quickly negatively impact quality and length of a VR Experience.
As VR experiences become more immersive and allow for greater physical exertion, it is becoming even more important that the HMD minimize heat, potentially dissipating heat generated by the wearing and the device, and also minimize the accumulation and reside of sweat from the wearer.
Will I sweat when I wear the oculus quest?
Unless you are playing a rigorous game, the Quest headset itself will never make you sweat. Asking if you will sweat while using the oculus quest is a loaded question that will be answered differently depending on who you ask.
If you ask the creators of knock-out league, they will say, “Hopefully you will sweat, and sweat a lot when while playing Knockout League on the Oculus Quest!”
The same can be said for many other VR titles that are designed to get the user moving – whether by interactive gameplay, sports simulation, or experiences that simulate a full-on exercise class with an instructor.
But, when you are using VR to experience a Zen Garden, or explore the outer reaches of the galaxy to marvel at the beauty that can only be experienced through an immersive simulation, overheating to the point of sweating is the last thing anyone would say is additive to the experience.
Fortunately, and for each person, the experience is somewhat subjective, we have not noticed the Oculus Quest heating up to the point of producing enough heat, or trapping heat generated by the wearer, to result in a sweaty face or an uncomfortably warm experience. The cloth-covered foam and fabric straps have proven to be just the right amount of snug and breathability to ensure the headset stays on, but doesn’t cause unnecessary overheating.
Oculus Quest Controllers
The Oculus Quest controllers look very similar to the Oculus Rift controllers, but the technology inside is quite different between the two.
Because the Oculus Quest is a standalone device, that doesn’t require external computers or sensors to operate, the controller tracking needs to be captured by something other than the sensors used for the Oculus Rift.
Are the Oculus Quest Controllers accurate?
With Insight, the companies name for their 6 Degrees of Freedom tracking (6DoF), the controller tracking is the best it has ever been for a complete standalone headset. With that being said, there is going to be some work to be done for it to be as accurate and perfect as the Rift or the Vive. There are 4 sensors on the front of the headset for controller tracking, but that is limited.
For example, if you are playing a game and you stretch your arms out too wide to a point where they are almost behind you or directly horizontal with you, chances are that it won’t be tracked. Once you get used to where the controllers can and cannot go, it should not be that hard of an adjustment. Not too many games have movements that far out anyway, so this is only a minor problem. The 6DoF (6 degrees of freedom) is a great tracking system with much more upside than downside.
Content Available on the Oculus Quest
Most Important question: Is Beat Saber be on the Oculus Quest?
Earlier this year, when asked if Beat Saber would be on the Oculus Quest, the official Twitter account responded to the question with “😏😏😏”. We will let you take that however you will, but we are nearly certain that it will be featured as one of the headlining titles on the Quest. Although there are many other great games out there, Beat Saber has emerged as the usual number one fan favorite.
Can I watch Netflix on the Oculus Quest?
The Oculus Quest will not only be a great standalone virtual reality gaming system, but it will be everything you will need it to be when it comes to entertainment. The Quest will be everything the Oculus Go was, but better. It will feature many entertainment apps, with Netflix and Hulu leading the pack.
This does not mean that all of the titles will be in virtual reality inside the apps, but the settings and the landscape around the show you are watching will be. There will be movies and shows always being made to experience in VR, and those shows will be coming to you in other apps. So far, those experiences are limited.
Can I hang out with friends on the Oculus Quest?
Facebook and Oculus have done a fantastic job of integrating their social media platform with their virtual reality headsets and apps. Facebook has a unique opportunity to mix the world of Facebook with the world of a virtual and mixed realities. They have already had a strong start. With publicizing how powerful their virtual media can be, they could make this bigger than it already is.
With Oculus Hangouts and many other ways to hang out in virtual reality through Facebook and the Oculus app, they could make headsets a one-stop place for any gaming, social or entertainment needs. If Oculus finds a way to make all of that possible to their already loyal group of users, we could see something of a monopoly take over with the potential they have.
What games are available on the Oculus Quest? (Announced and confirmed so far)
Stormland
Stormland will be a great test for the Oculus Quest in every way. This is a free world game where you are always pushing the boundaries. Not only in the game, but in your headset as well. This game will be one of the top games for the Quest this coming spring.
Superhot
Superhot is one of the best VR games, and one that is carrying the gold standard around at all times. This game will be extremely fun for anyone that puts the headset on. Its easy to get a hang of but hard to master. This is the type of game that gets you completely wrapped in a virtual reality.
Dead and Buried VR
Although this is categorized as a virtual paintball game, there is so much more to it than that. In this game you will once again test the limits of the Quest, and you will be pleasantly be surprised to see and feel the capabilities of this game.
Space Junkies
This is a fast paced space shooter game that is always franticly moving. The graphics and the feel in this game are second to none. Playing this game with the freedom of no wires and cords on the Quest will keep this title very interesting.
Robo Recall
Robo Recall has needed a standalone gaming headset since it first released. In this game as you fight off the masses of alien robots, you will need the ability to spin and fire quickly. The Quest will be a perfect fit for this game.
The Unspoken
This game has been on the Oculus Rift for some time now, and this mystical and magic fighting game will be hitting the Quest in the spring. The controllers are so key in this game, even more so than most other games. With the same 6DoF controllers from the Rift being in the Quest, this game should have the same type of game play.
Covert
This game is a co-op game that is perfect for two people. One person has either a phone or a tablet, and the other is wearing the headset. Together you are working to find a thief that is hiding somewhere inside of this false reality.
Moss
Quil, the most curious mouse that you will ever come across, is going to be perfect inside of your Oculus Quest. The freedom that this headset gives you will be well utilized with Moss. This is a free movement world and another game that Oculus is going to thrive with on the Oculus Quest.
Vader Immortal: Episode 1
This game will be the first of many Star Wars inspired VR titles. Disney has done a great job of getting their AR VR teams included in this next launch. The trailer alone has everyone ready to spend all of their money on this game. Anything Star Wars usually gets plenty of attention and love, and this game will be no different. It will also be an Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift exclusive.
The Climb
This game has the details unlike any other. If you avoid looking down, this game can be relaxing and thrilling all at the same time. With many different difficulties to play on and many different landscapes for you to climb on, you can truly experience climbing. With the constant moving of the arms and turning and jumping onto different objects, the Quest is perfect.
Face Your Fears
This game is often played for about 10 minutes by the common VR headset owner, and then put down. If you want something that isn’t common, and pushes your norms of comfortable, this game is made for you. This will take common fears, and ramp them up to a point of near insanity. The personal touch in this game will leave will leave you speechless.
