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This morning I got out of bed, rode my exercise bike, made coffee, did a few other workouts, and then headed down a hill, which I followed with a mega boxing match and a cooldown where squares were cut up into sick beats . All without hallucinogens! This was made possible by my best friend – no, my soul mate – the Oculus Quest 2, the new boy king of virtual reality. Oculus makes a line of VR headsets that are completely wireless, completely self-contained, and completely affordable. This makes it possible for the first time to experience VR without getting closer than 1,000 US dollars. The Quest 1 (my ex) setup was beautiful, but the Quest 2 ensures that VR is no longer just for hardcore gamers.
If you’ve been trying to get your hands on the Quest 2 over the holidays, you may have a bad taste in your mouth as it sold out and doomed for the scalpers, but a new year, new administration, and a new one Age to escape reality is just around the corner. Everyone, and I mean everyone, can get something of value out of this headset that is currently in stock.
The virtual world looks more exciting than the real one these days.
Allie Holloway
It’s a huge leap forward for accessible VR.
Before the first Quest came out, wireless VR headsets either ran over phones or desktop computers with massive camera systems, or stayed wired in some other way, which was painful. Oculus revolutionized this by making a headset with high quality graphics, no wires and no built-in cameras. I was in love with her. That is, until the second iteration. Now, not only is the headset completely self-contained – meaning you don’t need an extremely expensive gaming PC, long set-up and camera calibration times, or cables – it’s also lighter and smaller, with better graphics and better rendering. And that’s even $ 100 cheaper. With the Quest 2, Oculus is also playing around with the new hand tracking technology, which is working better than expected. For example, in a game called Waltz of the Wizard, I could put the middle finger on the skull that leads you and guess what, that bastard got angry and reacted. It’s a small thing, but small things make VR an immersive way to play.
Shop for $ 299 on amazon.com
The controllers are comfortable and seldom lose track.
Allie Holloway
There is a gaming experience for every mood.
Oculus Quest 2 is primarily about games. It supports the great gameplay and combats the movement and motion tracking of systems that are five times as expensive. And while it may not have access to all VR titles out of the box, the streamlined library has more than enough of titles like Superhot, Beatsaber, and Tetris Effect. It’s really amazing how many different types of games you can experience on Quest 2 – shooters, rhythm games, more experiential materials, puzzle games, 3D sculpting and painting exercises, online chat games, and even things as simple as poker. Some of the best are the multiplayer titles to play with friends, a small consolation in times of social distancing. And a particular favorite game of mine is Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, where one player wears the headset and tries to spread a bomb while the other players who can’t see the bomb go to a manual to find out. It’s tense. Everyone will scream. But it’s a bloody blast.
The headset itself is lighter and smaller than the original Quest.
Allie Holloway
And gaming is only half of that.
Even if you’re not a huge gamer nerd like me, the Quest 2 is an absolutely amazing addition to a home workout setup. It has calorie burning, heart rate increasing apps like Supernatural and Fit XR with an integrated fitness ring and calorie tracker. At first I was skeptical. I think games are good for training to a point and never being able to replace an intense, established routine. However, given the variety of skills and intensities covered by Quest 2, this is not the case.
The video streaming from the headset is stunning too. Many VR newbies can enjoy VR tours or other media. And there are tons of streaming services like Netflix so you can just put on the headset, sit on the couch and watch your shows on a giant screen in a cozy Oculus living room. For the first time, VR goes beyond a technical niche product. If you have the slightest VR glitch, do yourself a favor and get this masterpiece.
Shop for $ 299 on amazon.com
Photography and prop styling by Allie Holloway and Timothy Mulcare
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