After a wildly successful run with the original Oculus Quest, Facebook's sequel is more powerful and less expensive.
Sony and Microsoft aren't the only two companies launching major new gaming hardware this holiday season. On Wednesday, Facebook revealed the Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality headset.
The new device — a successor to Facebook's most successful VR headset — is more powerful than its predecessor and more affordable: The Quest 2 starts at just $300, which includes two wireless controllers and the headset itself.
Like the original Quest, the Quest 2 doesn't require a PC to power virtual reality. It's a bit like the Nintendo Switch of virtual reality: You can play it unplugged, anywhere, as a standalone device, or you can plug it in to a PC and play more visually dazzling, PC-powered virtual reality games like "Half-Life: Alyx" that require more processing muscle.
So, what's different about the Quest 2 from the original?
It's lighter, more powerful, and has a more capable screen. Most important of all, it's less expensive than the first Quest model: the Quest 2 starts at $300 with 64 GB of built-in storage, and the $400 model comes with 256 GB.
The Quest 2 is also backwards compatible with the first-generation. If you've already got a Quest, your content will automatically come forward with you as part of your user account.
Notably, the Quest 2 is considered the new flagship headset for Facebook. With the launch of the Quest 2 this October, Facebook is sunsetting the Oculus "Rift" line of headsets in favor of the Quest line.
"We're going to focus on standalone VR headsets moving forward," a Facebook blog post reads. "We'll no longer pursue PC-only hardware, with sales of Rift S ending in 2021."
Pre-orders of the Oculus Quest 2 headset are available starting today through the Oculus website, with the full-on launch scheduled for October 13. GameStop, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart are serving as retail partners for the launch.
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