Meta Quest 2 — Advanced All-In-One Virtual Reality Headset — 128 GB

First, a little background. I'm 73 years old. Above average in the activity department, adept mentally, although I am literally the only person I know who can lose something when standing perfectly still. I have four grandchildren. I hold down a full-time job as a writer, and a once-a-year gig teaching Rio Grande Board Games at the annual World Boardgaming Championships (WBC).It was at the most recent WBC that I was introduced to MetaQuest 2 and in particular, its bundled game called Beat Saber. I'd tried much cheaper VR systems, the ones that hold your phone and you have to download apps to run on them. This was an entirely different ball game. This was, I should note, not a function of the WBC. It just so happened that one of the site administrators had brought the system along with him and one evening, invited me to give it a try.The first issue that one should note is that once you put the headset for this system on, you are pretty much detached from the reality around you. This is fine as long as it's just you and the machine, but you can forget about being outside the machine and trying to instruct someone inside the machine about what's going on. As it happened, the man who introduced me to the system basically set it up for me - put it on his own head, clicked the right buttons - and then transferred the headset to me. With a couple of hand prompts and a word or two, Beat Saber, the program that comes with the MetaQuest 2 when you buy it these days, came on line and there I stood, with two controllers, one in each hand, as my eyes beheld on the screen in front of me, a series of square blocks coming at me, each with an arrow, pointing either up, down, right or left. The controllers operate two light sabers, one in each hand, and the object of this game is to swat the approaching blocks in the direction indicated by the arrow on them. There are also occasional large obstacles coming at you, like skinny walls, which appear like three-dimensional line drawings as they approach. You can't swat these aside and the idea is to avoid them. In most cases, this entails just stepping out of their way, either to the right or the left, but dependent on some choices you make in Beat Saber, some of these objects can be wide and impossible to avoid unless you duck as they approach. No way to jump over them.And there's music. At first, you don't pick up on the idea that your swatting activity with the light sabers can occasionally be rhythmic, linked to the beat of the music. . .Beat Saber. Get it? But you'll pick up on that fairly quickly. If you don't dance and would like to, this is a good program that will force-feed you the concept of moving your body in beat with the rhythm of a song. You don't realize you're dancing because as far as you're concerned, you're swatting colored boxes with virtual reality light sabers. A note of caution. People familiar with the system and how it works will delight in recording video of your attempts to play the game; unbeknowst to you, 'cause you're wrapped up in the headset and can't see anything but what the machine is giving you to see. These people recording you will be LOL-ing themselves breathless, as you contort yourself in a relatively confined space, trying to dodge things and swat at the colored boxes.I made the mistake of failing to heed the warning that if I didn't buy one of these systems soon, its price was going to go up. A lot. And it did. But I bought it anyway and am just beginning to tap into the available free apps and exploring the possibility of buying other ones.There's a free Epic Roller Coaster app, which is fairly enjoyable, although oddly enough, both myself and my wife (now at home with our own MetaQuest 2) found ourselves getting a little queasy during the experience. Not sure what that's about. She NEVER goes on real roller coasters and I do it all the time.Also found a walking-on-a-building-skeleton app that had me God knows how many stories high and though not generally afraid of heights (acrophobia), I wasn't all that keen on walking on the available, skinny steel walkways to approach the edge. I'm in my living room, my mind knowing damn full well that I'm not only not as high as the program makes me think I am, but am, in fact, on solid ground. Yet, in an attempt to approach the edge and have a look OVER the edge, I am literally creeping forward, edging my foot out in front of me, making sure of my balance with each step. My mind absolutely refuses to grasp the concept that I am not in any danger.It should be noted that when you play in virtual reality, the mechanism has you define a space where you are going to be, literally drawing a perimeter line. It's not because the machine is worried you might step off the big building you only think you're on, but when you're playing a game like Beat Saber, you want to make sure that your arm movements don't knock over a lamp your Aunt Ethel gave you for Christmas last year, or in moving your legs around, you don't accidentally kick the screen out of your new Smart TV.I haven't been too excited by any of the first-person shooter kind of apps that are available. That kind of activity never lured me to the various systems that were already on the market. But I did notice and have been on the verge of pulling the trigger on some of the other activities, like table tennis, actual tennis and some other sports activities, like baseball. Am also interested in what is, at present, a small selection of board games, like Tsuro and chess (in a variety of different environments). They offer Catan (originally, Settlers of Catan) and though my interest in board games is strong, I never really liked Catan in real-time, so I'm not going to pick it up in VR.I recommend this system highly. The experience of good VR (and you can buy systems better than the basic one that I purchased) is mind-altering. It's something to which your mind has never been previously exposed; an alternate reality with its own set of rules that takes some getting used to. It's more expensive than pot, but unlike pot, it doesn't just let your head create new connections and free it from everyday anxieties, it creates a reality within your brain that is intriguing to watch, hear and interact with.And as my age indicates, fun for all ages.Oh, and one other cautionary note for those of a certain advanced age. The first time I tried the system, at the WBC, my score at Beat Saber was abysmally low. So I tried again. And again. It wasn't my hand movements with the controllers or the side-stepping away from approaching objects that got to me. It was the ducking at things that I had to let go over my head. I made the crouching moves necessary with reckless abandon. Once, again, and again. My upper thighs complained to me all of the next day. The good news is that it makes for good, healthy exercise.

1. Perfect for Beginners and IntermediatesThe Meta Quest 2 provides an excellent entry point for VR enthusiasts, balancing ease of use with the flexibility needed by beginners and even intermediate users. Its setup process is guided and straightforward, and the range of supported apps and games makes it ideal for both casual users and those who want a bit more depth.2. Price Point: Unbeatable ValueNow starting at around $200, the Meta Quest 2 offers more than most headsets at higher price points. With its impressive range of features and frequent sales, the Quest 2 is an exceptional deal that makes VR accessible to more people without sacrificing consistent product quality. As newer models are released, you can find this already affordable headset at even better prices.3. Competitive Edge Against Other VR HeadsetsCompared to higher-end VR systems, the Meta Quest 2 takes the crown as the best valued headset. While it doesn’t necessarily have the same premium features as higher-end headsets, it stands out in terms of value, versatility, and ease of use. It’s compatible with most VR games and can access a huge library of titles through its own app store or by connecting to a VR-capable PC.4. User-Friendly Interface and SetupThe Meta Quest 2 is designed with a simple, easy-to-navigate interface that helps users jump right into VR with minimal setup. The onboarding process guides you through setup and safety, while frequent software updates enhance usability and add new features. For beginners, this means less technical hassle and more time enjoying VR.5. Excellent Game Library with Exclusive TitlesThe Quest 2 has access to a robust library of games and apps, including some exclusive titles available only on the Meta platform, such as Beat Saber and Vader Immortal. These exclusives, combined with the compatibility of many popular games, make it one of the most versatile VR platforms available today.6. Cross-Buy Options for Oculus and PC VR GamesFor those who own or plan to connect their headset to a VR-ready PC, some titles support cross-buy between the Quest and PC versions. This means if you buy a game on the Meta Quest Store, you can often access it on a VR-ready PC for free. This adds value to your purchases, making it even more cost-effective for users with diverse VR setups.7. High-Quality Screen ResolutionThe Quest 2’s screen offers a resolution of 1832x1920 per eye sharp, bright, and more than adequate for immersive gameplay and multimedia experiences. The crisp display minimizes the “screen door” effect and delivers high-quality visuals that are truly engaging. However, for those with even 20/20 vision and are tech savvy (myself included), nearly everyone won't notice that the eye lenses are built to have these lines to help guide the light into your eyes. This isn't necessarily a problem, but it can decieve me here and there from the game play and reality.8. Portable and Convenient DesignThe Meta Quest 2’s standalone design means you don’t need to connect it to a PC, making it ideal for VR on the go. Weighing just over a pound, it’s lightweight and comfortable to wear for extended periods, so you can take it virtually anywhere for a portable VR experience. You can download games with Wifi before hand and play offline without Wifi if your solo games or simply into that kind of thing.9. Top-Tier Tracking for Head, Hand, and RoomMeta Quest 2’s 6DOF (Degrees of Freedom) tracking lets you move your head and hands naturally in VR, making the experience fluid and immersive. Its room-scale tracking is reliable and smooth, even in smaller spaces, while hand-tracking adds an extra level of interactivity without needing controllers. For reference, that feature is especially perfect when I was too lazy to reach for them 3 ft away watching Youtube, laid back on my couch. LOL10. Built-in 3D Positional AudioWith 3D positional audio speakers, the Quest 2 delivers impressive spatial audio that allows you to hear sounds in VR as though they’re coming from all around you. Since they’re speakers, not headphones, you can stay aware of your surroundings a nice safety feature if you’re in a shared space. They offer settings such as "Spacial Awareness" that shows you if you come close contact to an object or person. You can lightly double tap the side of the physical headset (not a button, its a motion feature) to change modes from gaming straight to your surrounding reality and back with ease.11. Flexible Settings and OptionsWith customizable comfort settings, display adjustments, sound options, spatial awareness settings, notification settings, and more the Quest 2 caters to various user preferences. Whether you’re adjusting brightness, configuring safe play areas, or choosing audio modes, the settings are intuitive and allow for a tailored experience.12. Battery LongevityFrom a 100% charge the Meta Quest 2 offers about 2-3 hours of playtime per charge, ideal for typical VR sessions. Extended battery packs are also available for those who want even longer gameplay sessions, so you can game longer without the interruption of recharging. Kiwi, a company on Amazon that has some of the best options for comfort, flexibilty, and overall the best accessories for the Meta Quest 2. For reference I bought the 'KIWI design Comfort Head Strap' which absolutely feels like a bunch of clouds floating on your head!13. Streaming, Recording, and Casting FeaturesQuest 2 makes it easy to stream, record, and cast your VR experiences. The built-in software smooths out the camera view, ensuring recordings look stable and polished rather than shaky. This is a perfect feature for content creators or for showing off VR to friends and family on other devices. Using the 'Meta Quest Link' software on your desktop/laptop, you can stream, record, and cast your gameplay by connecting to your Wifi straight to your PC after a short process or by connecting your Meta Quest 2 to your computer directly. More on this in the next section, 11.14. Seamless PC ConnectionThe Meta Quest 2 can connect to a VR-ready PC using Oculus Link (a compatible USB-C cable) or wirelessly through Air Link, expanding the game library to include PC VR titles. This makes it a hybrid headset capable of running both standalone and PC-powered VR games, which adds tremendous value for everyone.15. One of the Most Optimized HeadsetsQuest 2’s software ecosystem is optimized for stability and smoothness. Known for fewer bugs and crashes than many other VR headsets, it supports almost all VR games available today, giving players one of the most consistent and polished VR experiences on the market.16. Wide Array of AccessoriesMeta and many other companies (I personally recommend 'Kiwi') offers a wide range of accessories for the Quest 2, from lightweight spacers for glasses to various comfort and battery-enhancing attachments. The glasses spacer in particular ensures that users who wear glasses can play comfortably.17. Improved Comfort with Optional Head Strap UpgradesThe base headset is lightweight and fairly comfortable, but Meta also offers an Elite Strap and an Elite Strap with Battery Pack. These add-ons provide enhanced support, better weight distribution, and even longer battery life, making the headset more comfortable for extended gaming sessions.18. Perfect for All AgesThe Quest 2’s intuitive design, affordability, and versatility make it an ideal gift for users of all ages. It’s suitable for everything from educational apps and games for kids to fitness programs and immersive storytelling experiences for adults. As a gift, it’s a hit across age groups and interests.19. Family and Multi-User SupportThe Meta Quest 2 allows for multiple user profiles, so family members or friends can each have their own personalized experience. This is perfect for households with multiple users, as each person can save their progress, adjust settings to their liking, and keep their app libraries separate.20. Strong Developer and Community SupportThe Meta Quest 2 thrives on a robust developer community and continuous software updates, which keep the platform fresh and responsive to user needs. Meta’s App Lab brings unique, indie-developed content, while community-created mods and customizations let users personalize their experience. Frequent updates also bring new features and performance improvements, ensuring that the Quest 2 remains a stable, secure, and evolving VR platform offering users a dynamic experience well beyond their initial purchase.In Summary: I could keep going on to 30 reasons why I believe this is best VR headset on the market, but for practicallity of this review I'll keep it simple. All I wanted to do was one-up the best review on this platform, Amazon, by sharing my experience of finally owning one of these headsets for well over a year now. The Meta Quest 2 sets the standard as an entry-level VR headset with features that satisfy both beginners and more experienced users. From an unbeatable price and portable design to its versatile tracking, audio, and PC compatibility, this headset delivers on value and quality. Frequent software updates, cross-buy game options, and a broad accessory ecosystem enhance its usability, while intuitive settings and multi-user support make it perfect for families. The Quest 2’s immersive 3D audio, high-resolution visuals, and wide-ranging content library make VR accessible, exciting, and adaptable for anyone. After a year of ownership, I can confidently say that it’s the best choice for VR enthusiasts, and with its ongoing updates, it will likely stay that way for years to come.