Oculus Quest 2 Vs. Valve Index: What Should You Buy?

The Oculus Quest and valve index operate at very different ends of the VR spectrum; at polarized price and performance points, it’s a difficult decision that ultimately depends on the type of virtual reality experience you’re looking for. On the one hand, Quest offers the most accessible and hassle-free virtual reality experience with little setup or hassle. On the other hand, the Valve index offers the top quality VR experience, if you’re willing to work to set it up.

Oculus Quest 2 Vs. Valve index: Access the space none correct

Each headset offers an attractive view of virtual reality. When the Index focuses on delivering a premium experience, Quest perfects a seamless virtual reality experience. The following explains how they face each other.

	Oculus Quest 2	Valve index
Screen resolution	1832 x 1920 per eye	1440 × 1600 per eye
Display type	RGB band fast switching LCD	Complete RGB LCD panels
Memory	6 GB	12 GB
Storage	64 GB / 256 GB	PC internal drive
Audio	Built-in speakers, headphone stand, built-in microphone	Near-field, full-range, in-ear (extra-hearing) headphones, PC-dependent headphone stand, built-in microphone
Ports	USB type C, 3.5 mm audio jack	Display port 1.2, USB 3.0
Wifi connectivity	Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 LE	Yes, via PC
Headphone battery	Built-in rechargeable Li-Ion, 2-3 hours	No battery, connected to PC
Driver battery life	2-3 hours	8 hours
Weight	503 g / 1.1 pounds	809 g / 1.8 lbs
Glasses compatibility	Yes	Yes
IPD adjustment	Manual	Manual
Field of view	89 degrees	130 degrees
Update frequency	120Hz	120Hz

Oculus Quest 2 builds on the already solid foundations laid by the first Quest with a transparent and accessible form factor, making small improvements and changes at the system level instead of reinventing the wheel. That said, their forced integration into Facebook can be frustrating.

On the other hand, the Index has something to prove; Valve’s other hardware forays have almost all failed. Fortunately, the index seems to break the curse. With the best hardware in its class and native Steam support, the index should be the number 1 choice of any PC player of great interest. So let’s break it down further to see what your set is.

Oculus Quest 2 Vs. Valve index: What’s in the box?

Source: Valve

Both headphones are awesome in themselves, but it comes down to what you’re looking for in a virtual reality headset. When it comes to what you get with each headset, the complete index kit is a beast. In addition to the headphones, earphones, and drivers, it also includes a power supply and several video and power cables for connecting the headphones to a PC, as well as a charger for each controller. Apart from the chords and hardware of the actual headphones, it is also included with the index tracking device and a power cord and mounting for it.

The Quest 2, on the other hand, comes with headphones, controllers, a charging cable, and a pair of batteries for the controllers.

Oculus Quest 2 Vs. Valve index: Get the virtual reality experience

When you immerse yourself in virtual reality, the visualization is comprehensive. Each headset offers different advantages in its resolution and field of view. Quest 2, with the advantage of being a year old and some older changes, has a much higher pixel count. In fact, it’s such an improvement that the first one has removed the screen door effect the first Quest struggled with. That said, just because the Index doesn’t have such a high resolution, that doesn’t mean it has any problems. In fact, most players probably won’t notice the difference.

While it has a decidedly higher eye resolution, Quest 2’s field of view isn’t up to par with tobacco. The Index wins with a 130-degree FOV, which gives it a unique edge over the competition. In fact, it is the highest field of view currently available on the market.

Oculus Quest 2 Vs. Valve index: Take control

Source: Nick Sutrich / Android Central

Like the rest of your hardware, the Index drivers are far superior to the rest. While still adhering to the four face buttons, two control knobs and triggers that come standard on almost every VR controller, they also introduce some unique features to increase the immersion and flexibility of the game. This includes touch keyboards and other new methods of interacting with virtual spaces. These drivers are the best on the market, not counting them. The fact that drivers can be charged via USB Type C means that anyone with a PS5, Switch or Android phone should have no trouble finding a way to charge the drivers.

Quest 2 drivers, on the other hand, have a frustratingly higher maintenance and ultimately offer a lower quality experience. Not only do they run on battery, but they just don’t touch the bar (certainly high) set by the index. That doesn’t mean they’re bad. They include all the basics of any standard VR controller, but that’s it. They just don’t have as many exclusive bells and whistles as the Index does.

Oculus Quest 2 Vs. Valve index: Set things up

Source: Nick Sutrich / Android Central

When setting things up, the Oculus Quest 2 takes the cake and the setup takes a couple of minutes. After logging in with a Facebook account (or setting up one), all players have to do is set up the play area and start playing. The brief setup is a godsend for many reasons, the least of which is that Quest 2 is ultimately not very comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. Getting into the game without too much trouble is vital.

Somehow, the Quest is even easier to use with the PC. If you have a USB-3 to USB Type C agreement, you can basically plug in the headphones and play them immediately as long as you have Steam VR installed on your PC. Other than that, the only time the Quest 2 needs a cable is when you charge it.

When setting things up, the Oculus Quest 2 takes the cake and the setup takes a couple of minutes.

On the other hand, the index is almost the opposite: Valve’s support page for the index details a thorough setup. Index owners are supposed to mount a tracker to the wall using power tools and connect various chords to your PC. After all the hardware is in order, the setup is as smooth as butter. In addition, the headphones themselves are comfortable. However, you are still connected to your PC. The cords don’t tie the Oculus Quest, so you can take it to any room in your house or a friend’s; the world is your oyster!

In general, the process of installing and starting the Index is so extensive and profound that I cannot conscientiously recommend it to anyone who wants to jump into virtual reality for the first time, especially to anyone other than a hard PC player. .

Oculus Quest 2 Vs. Valve index: What should you buy?

Source: Nick Sutrich / Android Central

In the end, the choice is practically reduced to games and cost. While the difference between the two is similar to the difference between console and PC gaming, the Index doesn’t have enough advantages over Quest 2 to justify spending the extra money. Of course, the index is ultimately softer and more powerful. However, it also has a very high maintenance and is expensive.

The Index is in a league of its own as a real VR experience, but its high price and inflexible requirements make for an unfortunate cocktail of pitfalls. If you are not a PC player with more money, time and patience than the normal player, it is hard to recommend. Plus, you don’t even need to play one of their biggest games, Half-Life: Alyx. In fact, gamers with a decent gaming PC, a USB Type C cable, and a little patience can even use Quest 2 to experience Valve’s masterpiece.

Oculus Quest 2 brings to the table a masterfully versatile view on VR headsets that is easy to recommend to everyone. The fact that the Quest 2 can be played without strings makes it the easiest experience on the market. Add a number of exclusives and PC capabilities, plus the Quest takes the cake.