First the price went up, and now, following the release of a newer headset from Meta, the very popular Meta Quest 2 has dropped to a new low of $250, making it a much easier buy for the VR-curious.
Released on October 13, 2020, the Meta Quest 2 VR headset launched at a price point of $300 for its 64GB model (later replaced by the 128GB variant) and $400 for the larger 256GB variant. The price of the headset went up an extra 100 bucks rather unexpectedly last year (price increases have been a rather unpleasant trend in gaming as of late). But in a blog update, Meta (formerly known as Facebook) announced that the 128GB Quest 2 is now available for $250, with cheaper refurbished models available as well:
Our 128GB Quest 2 SKU will now cost $249.99 USD, while you can bring home the 256GB Quest 2 SKU for $299.99 USD. Our refurbished units will also drop in price, down to $229.99 USD and $269.99 USD for the refurbished 128GB and 256GB Quest 2 SKUs, respectively.
Quest 2 accessories also got a price cut
Meta is also offering discounts on a variety of accessories:
If you’re looking to get a Quest 2, we highly recommend grabbing the extra battery as it’s no fun when you have to cut your VR session short due to running out of juice.
How does Quest 2 compare to Quest 3?
Though the Quest 2 ranks as the most-used VR headset on Steam (hitting nearly 38% of Steam VR users, with Valve’s own Index headset trailing behind at just over 18%, and all of my Oculus Rift S comrades flying in at just under 10%), you might be thinking about spending the extra cash for a Quest 3. So what are the differences?
Dropping in June of 2023, the Meta Quest 3 has two offerings: a 128GB version for $500 and a 512GB version for $650. So you’re looking at spending around twice as much as you would on a Quest 2.
The Quest 3 offers up a higher resolution of 2064×2208 per eye (Quest 2 sports 1832×1920). Meta estimates that the Quest 3 features double the amount of graphical power via its second-generation Snapdragon 8 processor. Quest 3 also features pancake lenses of similar design to those in the $1,000 Meta Quest Pro.
So if you’re eager to get in on a more modern headset, and are more committed to exploring the realms of virtual reality, the more expensive Quest 3 might just be worth the extra cash. However, if price is a concern or you just want to get a sense of whether or not you want to invest in better VR kit down the road, $250’s an affordable way to jump in.
