Should You Buy an Oculus Quest 2 or Wait for the Quest 3?

The Oculus Quest 2, now dubbed the Meta Quest 2, is one of the best VR headsets on the market. However, with a new version coming out sometime in 2023, is it still worth it to buy one?

Meta hasn’t released much information about the Quest 3 yet, but it’ll likely be here before long. The Quest 2, by contrast, has been out for a few years now, in which time it’s proved its value time and time again. Let’s take a closer look at whether it’s worth it to buy an old headset now or wait for a new one to come out.

How the Oculus Quest 2 Holds Up Today

We named the Oculus Quest 2 as one of the best VR headsets for PC gaming in 2021. Since then, new competitors and even alternatives from Meta have emerged, so how does it hold up today?

Even though it’s a few years old at this point, the Quest 2 remains in front of the pack. While it doesn’t boast the highest resolution or widest field of view (FOV), it packs a punch for its price tag. It’s also one of the few headsets that don’t require a PC or console to run, making it an even better value.

The Quest 2 should run even better now than it used to, thanks to a recent software update that overclocks its GPU. After the update, the headset’s graphics card runs at 525 MHz, up from 490 MHz, giving you better frame rates without sacrificing resolution.

What We Know About the Quest 3

So what about the Meta Quest 3? We still don’t have any information about a specific release date or specs, but we know it’s coming out before too long. In an October 2022 interview, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the Quest 3 would cost between $300 and $500 and come out sometime after 2022.

Given the Quest 2’s age, a 2023 release date for the Quest 3 is likely. As for what you can expect from it from a technical standpoint, you can look to competitors, leaks and the high-end Meta Quest Pro.

Earlier leaks suggest the Quest 3 will have pancake lenses, which offer more resolution in a thinner package. The Quest Pro features them, so they’ll likely appear in the Quest 3, too, but probably without the Pro’s expensive eye-tracking technology.

You can also expect a newer, beefier chip than the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 you’ll find in the Oculus Quest 2. What that chip will be is still uncertain, and it could use something that’s not publicly available yet. Whatever the specifics, you can expect higher resolutions and framerates than the Quest 2 but not as much as the Pro.

Is the Oculus Quest 2 Still Worth It?

Given what we know about the Quest 3, is an Oculus Quest 2 still a reasonable purchase? It depends on how eager you are to get into VR. 

If you don’t have a VR headset and want to explore the technology as soon as possible, the Quest 2 is still an excellent choice. It’ll still provide competitive performance for a while, especially thanks to its latest update, and it’s affordable. Its age and the upcoming Quest 3 mean you may be able to find used or discounted models to jump into VR without breaking the bank.

However, if you don’t mind paying a little bit more or aren’t as excited about VR technology, it may be better to wait for the Quest 3. You won’t have to wait too long, and you’ll get better performance.

Find the Right VR Headset for You

The Oculus Quest 2 was game-changing when it came out, and it’s still a great pick. The upcoming Quest 3 promises to build on that legacy. Whichever you end up going with, you’ll get a sound deal, so review what’s important to you, consider your options, and you’ll find the best headset for your needs.