Review: Meta Quest 2

Headset: Meta Quest 2

Manufacturer: Meta

Price point: Low cost

Our verdict

"An impressive entry-level headset that offers high-quality VR experiences at an affordable price point."

Ben Gibson, Creative Director at ExR Education

About the Meta Quest 2

It's been just over four years since the Meta Quest 2 was released. Back in October 2020, it was known as 'Oculus Quest 2’, but a rebrand in January 2022 saw this change to the name we use today.

The standalone headset is highly recognised in the VR world by novice and expert users alike. Thanks to its entry-level price point (circa £300 at point of writing), the Quest 2 makes a high-resolution display for a wide range of VR games more accessible. But its affordability comes with costs of its own – controllers aren’t rechargeable, and a cable is required to link it to PC games.

You can’t have it all. But as Ben, our Creative Director, explores, you don’t necessarily need it all.

Meta Quest 2 review: Key features 

The second iteration of the Quest’s high-resolution display comes with a 120Hz refresh rate. The visual experience is smooth and responsive, with less motion blur and screen tearing (distortion) than its predecessor. Ben loves how portable the Quest 2 is, thanks to not needing any external sensors or a PC connection for use.

With two intuitive controllers included with the Quest, users are empowered with haptic feedback and tracking. The games library that accompanies the Quest 2 is also deserving of a mention – it's impressive, wide-ranging, and some of the VR experiences support hand tracking, too.

For this Meta Quest 2 review, Ben’s picked out three features he's most impressed with:

1. Lightweight, comfortable design

“Forget bulky goggles. The Meta Quest 2’s headset is light, comfy, and rather a joy to wear. There's a single strap to secure it to your head which gives it a clean, sleek aesthetic.”

2. Wireless nature

“Forget a tangled mess of wires, too. Though you do need a cable to link the headset to a PC (more on that, later), the wireless nature of the Quest brings user ease and makes the overall VR experience smooth. Buttons are positioned on the headset in places that make sense, and it’s simple to tweak the lens spacing to suit your face.”

3. Impressive games library

Whilst we asked Ben to review the headset from a purely medical VR perspective, he couldn’t help getting distracted by the sheer number of games on offer with the Quest 2.

“From Rez Infinite to Tetris Effect, there’s plenty of software accessible within the store (and without a PC). Combine that with the headset’s equally as impressive audio strength, and this Meta Quest 2 review taught me one thing’s for sure: you won’t get bored.”

Putting the Meta Quest 2 into play

At ExR Education, we collaborate with professionals within the NHS and other organisations to produce high-quality medical VR training experiences. As a VR headset at the lower end of the cost spectrum, it’s no surprise the Meta Quest 2 has been the headset of choice for numerous projects. From air ambulance orientation to communication training, the entire collection of our healthcare VR collaborations work on the Meta Quest 2.

What we don't like

These lower, more affordable price points within the VR world usually come with a compromise. Yet in the Quest 2’s case, it could be worse.

Yes, the battery life is relatively short for both the headset and battery-powered controllers. But even the newest version of the headset, the Meta Quest 3, only offers up to three hours of charge. What we can’t ignore about the low battery life, however, is the frustration of un-rechargeable controllers. So, there’s an additional expense and need to remember to stock up on AA batteries to not have your VR experience cut short.

Whilst the headset’s strap is comfy at first, it does begin to irritate you during a longer session. (But then again, every limited battery life has a silver lining.)  There’s also the fact users need to have a Facebook account to use the device. Granted, most of us have one, but it is a minor barrier to getting the Quest 2 up and running.

“My biggest gripe with the VR headset is needing a link cable to play PC games – if that’s what you’re hoping to use it for. Lucky for this Meta Quest 2 review, though, I used the device to immerse myself in various ExR medical VR training experiences. If you’ve got an NHS login, you can, too – for free.”

Is it worth it?

In a word, yes. For just short of £300, you get a lightweight headset that’s straightforward to use, comes with haptic tracking, and provides a high-resolution view. There’s also the option of linking it up to the PC for even more titles and, best of all, it's more affordable than similar quality headsets on the market.

Medical VR experiences on the Meta Quest 2

Via the Meta store, Quest 2 users can access the ExR Education platform. If you’ve not already got an ExR account, it’s quick and simple to set one up and pair it with your headset.

Once you're up and running, you can get your hands on various medical VR experiences, like 360-degree simulations that you can load straight onto the Quest 2. What’s not to love about boosting your knowledge with high-quality CPD from the comfort of, well, anywhere?

Take your medical knowledge to the next level

Get started with VR healthcare training. Find us on the Meta App Store by clicking here, and click here to join our growing ExR Education community.