Today's Facebook Connect event was full of big announcements from the social media giant. However, the biggest reveal was the new Oculus Quest 2. News of the headset's existence has been leaking all over the place for the last few weeks, but today's confirmation included a staggering revelation. Not only is the upgraded headset everything the leaks said it would be, but it also is starting at just $299.
That price reduction is massive. This means scores of new players can hop in at a cheaper cost. Making VR something more people can get into will only make it better. After all, high-quality content won't come if the userbase isn't there. By coming in at under $300, Facebook and Oculus should grow that base by leaps and bounds.
Now, you're probably wondering exactly what you're getting if you haven't kept up with the leaks. This is a more powerful headset with a crisper display. For now, the refresh rate is only 72 hertz, but a later update will bring that number up to 90 hertz. On top of all that, the headset is 10% lighter than the original Quest.
The $299 model comes with 64 GBs of storage, while the $399 model brings a beefy 256 GBs. One hang-up for some people is that the headset will require a Facebook account to use. Soon, that will be a requirement for all Oculus Quest users, but this version will require it out of the gate. Whether or not you're comfortable with having a Facebook account is, of course, up to you.
Maybe best of all, you don't have to wait much longer to pick up a new headset. Oculus Quest 2 will be available on October 13. Pre-orders should go live soon, so keep your eyes out if you want to make sure you get one. With how popular the first Quest was, I wouldn't be surprised if these sold out quickly.