Facebook just announced the $399 Oculus Quest, a new virtual reality headset that doesn't require a PC
- Facebook's Oculus Quest headset, a new standalone virtual reality system that doesn't require a PC to run, will launch in Spring 2019 for $399.
- Mark Zuckerberg announced the Oculus Quest during the Oculus Connect 5 keynote and said it completes the first generation of Oculus products.
- Oculus Quest will be compatible with some Oculus Rift software and comes with built-in audio and two controllers, and will offer full positional tracking.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stage on Thursday and announced a new virtual reality system, the Oculus Quest, that will launch in Spring 2019 with a $399 price tag.
The stand-alone device, which evolved from Facebook's "Santa Cruz" prototype headset, will be compatible with existing Oculus software and looks to improve the portability and range of motion tracking for VR experiences.
Like the Oculus Go, the Oculus Quest doesn't require a computer, cell phone, or external tracking senors. But the key difference is that, unlike the Oculus Go, the Oculus Quest offers full positional tracking, utilizing what's called "inside-out tracking" to understand where a player is standing, crouching, or leaning. While the Oculus Go can track the rotation of your head, it lacks full positional tracking, which can increase the likelihood of motion sickness - full positional tracking decreases the chances of that.
Another difference? The Quest will feature two handheld controllers like the Oculus Rift, both of which can be tracked in real-time by the headset's sensors. Zuckerberg said the Quest completes the first generation of Oculus products, offering an option between the entry-level Oculus Go and the Oculus Rift, which is run by a computer for superior graphics.
The Oculus Quest matches the 1600x1440 per eye display resolution of the Oculus Go, has built-in audio and 64GB of storage.