Is the Gamestop Oculus Quest 2 Worth It? A Deep Dive Review

The Oculus Quest 2 is one of the hottest virtual reality headsets on the market right now. Its stand-alone design means you don’t need a computer to use it, just the headset itself. This makes it accessible and easy to use. Gamestop carries the Oculus Quest 2, but is it worth buying from them? Let’s take a deep dive into the key features and benefits of the Oculus Quest 2, as well as Gamestop’s pricing and bundle options, to find out if this is the right VR system for you.

Table of Contents

Overview of the Oculus Quest 2

The Oculus Quest 2 was released in 2020 by Facebook Technologies, now known as Meta. It’s the successor to the original Oculus Quest, with improved specs all around. Here are some of the key things to know about the Oculus Quest 2:

Stand-alone design – No PC or cables required. The computing power is built into the headset itself. This makes setup quick and easy.
Powerful performance – Features a fast Snapdragon XR2 processor and 6GB of RAM, allowing for crisp graphics and lag-free gameplay. Big upgrade over the original Quest.
High resolution display – Dual LCD screens provide 1832×1920 pixel resolution per eye, adding up to 3764×1920 total resolution. This produces sharp, immersive visuals.
6DOF motion tracking – Headset has 6 degrees of freedom (6DOF) motion tracking. This allows you to look around in any direction and move freely in VR space.
Touch controllers – Intuitive controllers feature buttons, triggers and analog sticks, as well as 6DOF tracking. Lets you interact naturally with the VR environment.
Hand tracking – Built-in cameras allow for controller-free hand tracking. You can navigate menus and interact in VR using just your hands.
Multiplayer & social – Play with friends and interact with others in multiplayer VR games and social experiences.
Access to large VR library – Enjoys access to many of the top VR games and apps in the Oculus Store. Library has hundreds of titles to choose from.

Oculus Quest 2 Hardware & Design

Let’s dig deeper into the physical design and hardware that makes up the Oculus Quest 2, since these factors impact the overall user experience:

Sleek, Fabric-Wrapped Design

The Oculus Quest 2 sports an understated design that is slimmer and lighter than the original. The front of the headset is fabric-wrapped, which gives it a soft, more approachable feel compared to hard plastic. Overall the design looks cleaner and more refined.

The strap is easy to adjust and balances nicely. It fits snugly but not too tight. The eyepiece cavity is spacious enough to accommodate most glasses.

Refresh Rate Options

The Quest 2 display supports both 90Hz and 120Hz refresh rates. 90Hz delivers very smooth, fluid visuals that make graphics look sharp when turning your head quickly in VR. 120Hz pushes it even further with ultra-smooth visuals, though only certain games support it.

IPD (Interpupillary Distance) Adjustment

The Quest 2 allows you to physically adjust the distance between lenses to match your eyes for optimal visual clarity. Just slide the IPD lever at the bottom.

High Resolution Displays

The dual LCD displays have 1832×1920 resolution per eye, which is a 50% boost over the original Quest’s 1440×1600 resolution per eye. Visuals look crisper with reduced screen door effect. Vibrant colors and inky blacks thanks to OLED panels.

Powerful Processor

At the heart of the Quest 2 is a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor, which represents a big upgrade over the Snapdragon 835 in the original. The faster CPU and GPU allow the Quest 2 to handle more complex VR experiences with better graphics and snappier performance.

6GB of RAM

There’s 6GB of RAM in the new Quest 2, up from 4GB in the original. The extra memory means you can have more apps open at once and experience less lag or crashes.

Long Battery Life

The Oculus Quest 2 is powered by a 5,000 mAh lithium ion battery. That’s a bump up from the 4,000 mAh capacity of the original Quest. In general, expect 2-3 hours of battery life for gaming, but lighter use can stretch it longer.

Onboard Speakers & Microphones

Spatial audio speakers are built right into the headset for surround sound. Integrated mics allow chatting with others. Both provide a more immersive experience.

Ergonomic Controllers

The redesigned Oculus Touch controllers are compact but comfortable. Intuitive buttons and analog sticks let you interact naturally in VR. Battery compartments in the bottom make them easy to power up.

Camera Tracking

External cameras track your headset and controller movements as you play, enabling 6DOF motion so you can move freely in VR. The cameras also enable controller-free hand tracking.

Extra Specs

Some other specs of note:

Weight – 1.1 pounds, lighter than original Quest
Storage options – 64GB or 256GB models available
Connectivity – Fast 5GHz WiFi 6 support
Audio – Spatial audio speakers, stereo headphone jack
Ports – USB-C charging port, battery slot

So in summary, the Quest 2 delivers noticeable hardware upgrades across the board, from visuals to performance to comfort. Next let’s see how these hardware improvements translate into real world usage.

The Oculus Quest 2 User Experience

The specs are one thing, but what’s it actually like to set up and use the Oculus Quest 2 on a daily basis? Here’s an overview of the user experience:

Easy Setup Right Out of the Box

One of the best aspects of the Quest 2 is how quick and simple it is to get up and running. The whole process takes about 10-15 minutes:

Unbox the headset, controllers, and power cable.
Download the Oculus app on your mobile device or computer.
Follow the step-by-step instructions to set up your account and connect the headset.
Map out your play area using the Guardian system.
Pair your Touch controllers.

That’s it! No external sensors to set up or PC to connect to. You’re ready start using VR in no time.

Intuitive Touch Controllers

The redesigned Oculus Touch controllers feel great in your hands and make interacting in VR very intuitive. All the buttons, triggers, and analog sticks are conveniently located without being crowded. The tracking is highly accurate when gaming.

They’re also more durable than previous models with added grips and rubberized textures. You don’t have to worry about dropping them.

Sharp, Immersive Visuals

Between the high resolution displays, 6DOF tracking, snappy head tracking, and 90/120Hz refresh rates, the Quest 2 delivers crisp, smooth visuals that pull you into virtual worlds.

The LCD panels make colors really pop and produce deep blacks. Images stay clear when you quickly turn your head in VR thanks to low persistence.

Higher resolution compared to the original Quest means you see less of the screen door effect. Overall the visual experience feels very polished.

Snappy Performance

The faster Snapdragon XR2 chip gives the Quest 2 a real performance boost. Even demanding VR games run smoothly with little to no stutter or lag.

Apps and menus load quickly. Switching between apps is snappy. This adds up to very responsive, comfortable VR usage, even during longer sessions.

Spatial Audio & Crisp Mics

Integrated spatial audio speakers produce immersive 360 degree sound in VR that reacts to your head movements. Directional audio cues enhance the experience in games.

The built-in mics pick up your voice clearly for social experiences and multiplayer gaming. Mic quality is much improved over the original Quest.

Roomscale VR with Great Tracking

One of the Quest 2’s strengths is the freedom of movement it provides. The headset and controllers offer 6 degrees of freedom motion tracking.

This means you can physically walk around a room, duck, lean in close to objects, and reach out your hands to interact, while the Quest 2 tracks all your movement accurately. No external sensors required.

The tracking volume is quite generous too. You can play in spaces approximately 10 x 10 feet or more.

Long Lasting Comfort

At just over 1 pound, the Quest 2 is noticeably lighter on your head than its predecessor. The redesigned strap balances the weight nicely.

There’s ample padding on the head strap and facial interface for comfort. The eyepiece cavity fits most glasses.

Overall the Quest 2 is very comfortable for extended VR gaming sessions of an hour or more. The front heaviness some experienced with the original is much improved.

Intuitive Hand Tracking

The Quest 2’s built-in cameras allow you to navigate system menus and interact in certain apps using just your hands – no controllers required.

Hand tracking works accurately right out the box. It’s great for quick interactions when you don’t want to grab controllers. Extra immersive for social, virtual work, and fitness apps.

Easy to Adjust IPD

You can physically adjust the Quest 2 lenses to match your interpupillary distance (IPD) simply by sliding the slider at the bottom. Matching your IPD helps maximize visual clarity.

The adjustable range is approximately 58-68mm, covering most people. This is a big improvement over the fixed 63mm IPD of the original Quest.

Quiet Fan Noise

A small internal fan runs while using the Quest 2 to keep the processor cool. But the fan noise is very quiet, especially compared to the PS4 and other gaming consoles. It fades into the background while playing.

Quick Recharging

The USB-C port allows you to recharge the Quest 2 in around 2-3 hours. You can buy an additional battery pack and keep one charging while using the other for marathon VR sessions.

Guardian System for Safety

The Quest 2’s Guardian system lets you map out a safe VR play space. Blue boundaries appear when you are nearing the edge. This prevents bumping into walls or objects.

Overall the user experience is super polished. Simple setup, intuitive controls, visual clarity, snappy response, spatial audio and long battery life all come together to make using Quest 2 an absolute pleasure.

Top Oculus Quest 2 Games & Apps

Let’s look at some of the top-rated games and apps currently available on the Oculus Quest 2:

Beat Saber

This ultra popular rhythm game has you slashing through blocks in time with music using two lightsabers. It’s highly addictive thanks to great beat maps set to popular songs.

Superhot VR

In this unique shooter, time only moves when you do. This adds strategy as you plan your moves to take out red enemies. The Matrix-like bullet time is awesome in VR.

Resident Evil 4 VR

The classic horror shooter has been remastered for VR, letting you experience the game from a whole new perspective. Dual wield weapons and battle terrifying enemies up close.

Population: One

This multiplayer shooter/battle royale pits teams against each other as they glide across the map and engage in firefights. The verticality plays great in VR.

Pistol Whip

Pistol Whip blends music, rhythm action, and shooting as you dispatch enemies to a bumping soundtrack. Feel like John Wick in VR.

The Thrill of the Fight

Love boxing? This fitness-focused game provides an authentic boxing workout as you take on fierce opponents in the virtual ring. You will sweat!

Tetris Effect

One of the best VR experiences to date, this offers an incredible take on Tetris. Psychedelic visuals and thumping EDM soundtrack surround you.

Job Simulator

Goof around in the future where robots have replaced all jobs. Perform comical simulations of office work, auto repair, cooking, and more. Great family fun.

Vacation Simulator

The follow up to Job Simulator takes you on virtual vacations. Relax on the beach, frolic in the forest, splash down slopes – a humorous getaway for all ages.

I Expect You To Die 1 & 2

These popular puzzle/action titles have you attempting James Bond-style missions from the cockpit of a car using VR ingenuity to survive dangerous scenarios.

That’s just a small sample of the many excellent VR games and experiences available for Quest 2. There’s content across genres like shooters, RPGs, adventures, fitness, puzzles, social apps, and more. The Oculus Store provides endless variety.

Can Your PC Run Oculus Quest 2? Minimum & Recommended Specs

The Oculus Quest 2 offers a great stand-alone VR experience right out of the box, no PC needed. However, you can optionally connect your Quest 2 to a gaming PC to access Oculus Rift titles and expand your library even more.

But what PC specs do you need to run the Oculus Quest 2? Here are the minimum and recommended system requirements:

Minimum PC Requirements:

Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 960 / AMD Radeon R9 290 or greater
Alternative Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 470 or greater
CPU: Intel i3-6100 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200, FX4350 or greater
Memory: 8GB+ RAM
Video Output: DisplayPort 1.2 or newer
USB Ports: 1x USB 3.0 port
Operating System: Windows 10

Recommended PC Specs:

Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 480 or greater
CPU: Intel i5-4590 / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X or greater
Memory: 8GB+ RAM
Video Output: DisplayPort 1.2 or newer
USB Ports: 1x USB 3.0 port
Operating System: Windows 10

As long as your PC meets at least the minimum specs, you should be able to connect your Quest 2 and enjoy Oculus Rift games. But aiming for the recommended specs will deliver better performance and visuals. The key things to look for are a capable GPU, fast processor, and sufficient RAM.

One tip – if your PC doesn’t quite meet the recommended graphics card specs, try lowering the Oculus Render Resolution in the settings. This will reduce the load on your GPU. You can also close other apps to dedicate more resources to your VR experience.

Getting Started with Oculus Link

If you have a VR Ready PC, connecting your Oculus Quest 2 is simple. Here are the basic steps:

What You Need

An Oculus Quest 2 headset
A VR Ready gaming PC that meets minimum specs
Oculus Link cable (USB-C to USB 3.0)
Oculus PC software installed on your computer

Steps to Connect

Install Oculus PC software on computer
Plug the Link cable from your Quest 2 headset into a USB 3.0 port on your PC
Accept any prompts on your Quest 2 to allow linking
Open the Oculus PC app on computer
Put on your Quest 2 headset
You should now see your PC desktop in VR!

The setup process takes just a few minutes. Your Quest 2 will now give you access to the entire Rift game and app library on top of its own stand-alone catalog. Just tap into hundreds of exciting new titles.

The freedom to enjoy both stand-alone and PC-powered VR with one headset makes the Oculus Quest 2 very versatile. Just note PC VR requires a tethered headset.

How Does the Oculus Quest 2 Compare to the Valve Index and HTC Vive?

The Oculus Quest 2 is in a very different class from PC-powered headsets like the Valve Index and HTC Vive. Let’s compare the key differences:

Valve Index

Tethered to PC, not a stand-alone headset
Higher 120Hz or 144Hz refresh rates
Wider 130° field of view
High resolution dual LCD displays
SteamVR and Steam games access
Knuckles controllers with extra functionality
Full body tracking capability
Much more expensive ($999 just for headset)

Pros – More powerful specs and capabilities for PC VR gaming. Wider FOV and buttery smooth 144Hz framerate. Natural finger tracking on Knuckles controllers.

Cons – Requires a gaming PC and setup of external base stations. More cumbersome. Much pricier than Quest 2.

HTC Vive & Vive Pro

Both require a PC and external sensors
OLED displays with deep blacks
90Hz or 120Hz refresh rates
SteamVR and Steam games access
Vive controllers or Valve Knuckles controllers
Upgrade kits for better video and audio
More expensive than Quest 2

Pros – Premium VR experience on PC. OLED displays with great colors. Support for add-ons and upgrades. Compatible with tons of Steam games.

Cons – Costly when factoring full setup. Still tethered. Lower resolution than Quest 2 and Index. Screens prone to mura effect.

Oculus Quest 2

Fully stand-alone and portable
Easy setup with no PC/wires needed
Flagship-level Snapdragon XR2 processor
High resolution dual LCD displays
6DOF tracking on headset and controllers
Hand tracking capability
Much more affordable ($299 starting price)

Pros – Untethered freedom. Quick and simple setup. Sharp visuals and snappy performance. Hand tracking. Large content library. High value.

Cons – Hardware limited compared to PC-powered headsets. Smaller game library than PCVR headsets.

In Summary

The Valve Index and HTC Vive deliver a top-tier PC VR experience with capabilities not possible on the Quest 2. But they are far costlier and require an expensive gaming PC and setup of external base stations.

Discover the perfect complement to your virtual communication needs with Yealink headsets: A complete guide to choosing the right one for you, just as the Quest 2 revolutionizes stand-alone virtual reality experiences, showcasing impressive visuals and performance comparable to PC headsets at an unbeatable price, albeit with certain limitations when compared to dedicated PCVR headsets.

The Quest 2 can optionally connect to a PC for access to Rift games. So it provides flexibility in one headset. But when using Oculus Link, it is still tethered.

So the Quest 2 strikes an excellent balance of quality, features and affordability in an untethered form factor. For many users, it will provide the ideal entry point into VR gaming. But PC enthusiasts may still prefer the Index or Vive. It comes down to your budget and preferences for stand-alone vs PC VR.

FAQs

Does Oculus Quest 2 require a PC?

No, one of the best features of Quest 2 is its completely stand-alone design. No PC required! All the processing power is built into the headset itself.

Does it need any external sensors?

Nope, there are no external cameras or sensors to set up like some VR headsets. The Quest 2 tracks your movement through 4 ultra wide-angle cameras that are built right into the headset. It uses inside-out tracking.

How good are the graphics on Oculus Quest 2?

Visuals are powered by a high-end Snapdragon XR2 processor and high resolution LCD displays. Graphics are on par with many PC VR headsets and look quite crisp and realistic, especially for stand-alone. Huge leap over Quest 1.

What accessories do you need for Quest 2?

The only thing required in the box is the headset with built-in controllers. Optional useful accessories include an Elite Headstrap, Carrying Case, Fit Pack, external battery and Link Cable.

Does Oculus Quest 2 support SteamVR?

If you connect Quest 2 to a VR Ready PC with an Oculus Link cable, you can access SteamVR games through Oculus Link. But native support only for Oculus Quest store.

How is Oculus Quest 2 for glasses wearers?

The Quest 2 fits over most glasses pretty comfortably. But you can purchase a Fit Pack for additional cushioning and light blockers if needed. Prescription lens inserts are also popular.