Quest 1 vs Quest 2

[Strongit]

Articles are popping up all over now with more information on the gen 2 so I'm going to summarize as best I can.

The HMD:

The screen resolution is roughly 25% higher than the gen 1 providing an overall 50% more pixels at 1832 x 1920 rather than 1440 x 1600. This runs at 72hz at launch with "experimental" 90hz support coming soon. The panel is changing from OLED to fast switch LCD.  Memory is 6 GB instead of 4 across the board and is available in 64 GB and 256 GB capacities, both using the Snapdragon XR2.  The new chipset is twice as powerful as the 835 however the 835 was overclocked in the quest 1 so real world performance remains to be seen.  Battery life on the headset is about the same, between 2 and 3 hours.  Eye focus is one of three positions, 58mm, 63mm and 68mm adjusted with a switch in between the lenses.  The head strap is a slight improvement out of the box but you can also buy one of two extra attachments that make it fit better; one includes a built in battery pack to double battery life.  Changing the strap is extremely simple, just snapping the old one off and snapping on the new one.  3rd party strap solutions may be a very real possibility.  One headphone jack has been removed so current specialized headphones won't work on the new device.  The built in speakers are the same as the 1 but are further back on the headstrap and reportedly provide a deeper sound.  They aren't allowing quest 2 exclusive titles at this time so all new games will still work with the 1.

The controllers:

The controllers are more efficient; 90% battery after a week of heavy use according to one article.  The general consensus is that they last between 2 to 4 times as long with oculus officially saying 4 times longer.  They also changed the battery covers from magnetic to plastic friction fit and added a thumb rest to the design.  This makes the controller larger and, according to some, more uncomfortable.  Controller tracking is better according to oculus but most reviewers are saying they don't notice a difference with one or two mentioning misses in beat saber happening more often.  Oculus originally said the new controllers would be backwards compatible but reviewers are saying they aren't.  I have yet to find official updated information regarding compatibility.

Accessories:

Logitech is going to sell two different specialized headphones for it.  One is a set of earbuds and the other is a full set of over ear headphones and both should work with the quest 1.  Facebook is also selling what they call a fit pack that includes light blockers for the corner of the lenses and two different sized face pads.  VR cover will also be selling face pads although there are no details on them yet.

It appears it's a great headset for first buyers but not worth the upgrade if you already have the gen 1*.  I'm finding more articles as I go and editing in relevant information as I find it.  Let me know if you find anything else and I will add it in including answers to questions if I can find them.

Edit: I clarified below on whether or not to upgrade.  TLDR; Right now there are pros and cons for each generation of the quest.  Your best bet would be to read some of the reviews yourself if you have a gen 1 to find out if any of them are deal breakers or, even better, try to get your hands on a gen 2 either from a friend or an in store demo and try it before pulling the trigger.  Personally I don't think I'll upgrade.  Yet.

[c_graves312]

Not worth the upgrade?

[lensmandave]

c_graves312 said:

Not worth the upgrade?

Yeah, strange conclusion.
Otherwise a very good summary for folk 🙂

[Heaney-555]

Great summary, odd conclusion.

[Strongit]

I guess from the comments I should expand on the conclusion; I'll admit from a technical standpoint it's pretty much a no brainer to upgrade but that's not the whole picture.

After reading a lot of review articles on it there are a few tradeoffs between the models. I don't have the quest 2 yet obviously so the information below is based on conclusions from what I've read and a general consensus among reviewers. 

1. The screen has 50% more pixels which means higher clarity but it's also one big screen instead of two meaning a software solution for IPD adjustment.  Some people are finding issues with clarity if you don't fit the three adjustments exactly or within a couple of millimeters.  The gen 1 has a wider range and sub mm adjustments in between.

2. The head strap has been redesigned to be, let's face it, cheaper while trying to retain some comfort.  Unless you spend the extra to get the pro strap you'll have the same long term comfort issues as the first model making the initial cost savings a moot point.  Gen 1 owners mostly have a much lower cost solution in place for this already although based on pictures of the pro strap it won't be long before we'll start seeing 3d printed adapters to fit it to the gen 1.  One reviewer also mentioned that you need to adjust the pro strap every time you put on the headset; it's not spring loaded like the original.

3. The controllers seem to be a mixed bag.  You get up to 4 times the battery life but also slightly less precise tracking due to the IR LEDs pulsing less often for that power savings.  Some reviewers mention misses are higher in beat saber with the new controllers.  Comfort is subjective with about a 50/50 split on whether they're more or less comfortable than the old models.  Your milage may vary.

I haven't seen any reviewers 100% recommending to upgrade if you have a gen 1 as of yet.  This could change with software updates though.  IPD could be roughly adjusted with the slider then a more fine adjustment added through an in headset interface.  The controller firmware could be updated to provide more of a balance between precision and battery life and if oculus sees a lot of sales for the pro head strap they could just bundle it with the headset going forward.  There's no doubt the gen 2 is more powerful and if developers start making gen 2 exclusives then there is a much better case for upgrading.

TLDR; Right now there are pros and cons for each generation of the quest.  Your best bet would be to read some of the reviews yourself if you have a gen 1 to find out if any of them are deal breakers or, even better, try to get your hands on a gen 2 either from a friend or an in store demo and try it before pulling the trigger.  Personally I don't think I'll upgrade.  Yet.

[Nunyabinez]

Yeah, I have a Quest and ordered a Quest 2 about 5 minutes into the keynote. 

[Anonymous]

Im sure its great and hopefully be a big hit but not enough to warrant the hassle of trying to get rid of my Quest to purchase one. I just do not see the advantage just yet. Maybe in 6 months when all the reports are in i may look again.

[leodams]

Hello Guys,

I like to know if controllers oculus quest 2 are compatible with oculus quest ?

Because, I broken my controllers and is not possible to buy another.

In advance thanks for your answers

[anja.probst.87]

Hi, i have the oculus 1. The biggest problem for me is, that after a short while i get a headache because of the weight or the weight distribution. Is it worth it to invest in an oculus quest2 for solely the solution of this problem? Is it that more comfortable to wear?

Thanks for your response