When it comes to virtual reality experiences, you can’t go wrong with either the Valve Index headset or Oculus offerings like the Oculus Quest 2 or the more advanced Oculus Rift S. While the higher cost obviously goes hand in hand with an improved experience, the competition in the market is also heating up on the feature side. In a recent Q&A, Andrew Bosworth, Vice President of Facebook Reality Labs, suggested that the Oculus Quest 2 should get a refresh rate of 120 Hz. This essentially equates the Oculus Quest 2 to the much more expensive valve index.
The reveal came after Bosworth was asked on Instagram if the Oculus Quest 2 would receive a 120 Hz update. Bosworth made no definitive statement. However, his use of the thumbs up emoji suggests that the refresh rate is something the team is actively looking at. As of now, the Oculus Quest 2 runs at a refresh rate of 90 Hz. A November update recently raised it from 72 Hz, so it’s on the way to hitting its maximum hardware specification of 120 Hz.
While 90 Hz doesn’t seem like much, it is quite competent for a standalone headset. Once you step that up to 120 Hz it’s a whole different matter. In general, this corresponds to the Oculus Quest 2’s valve index.
Every little edge
When you consider that the Quest 2 offers 1832 x 1920 resolution per eye, it’s technically higher fidelity than the Index. Of course, the index has other notable features, but it’s three times as expensive as the Oculus solution.
However, the 120 Hz option for Oculus Quest 2 may not be the best idea either. The effects on battery life and the chipset in the headset have yet to be determined. An option to select the refresh rate may be in the works.
Things are slowly heating up in the VR arena. If you’re able to get a similar wireless experience for a lot less money, the valve index may just be in trouble.
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