Oculus Quest
| Oculus Quest | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | Standalone VR |
| Platform | Oculus Platform |
| Creator | Oculus VR |
| Developer | Oculus VR |
| Manufacturer | Oculus VR |
| Announcement Date | September 26, 2018 (OC5) |
| Release Date | May 21, 2019 |
| Price | $399 (64GB), $499 (128GB) |
| Website | https://www.meta.com/quest/ (archived) |
| Versions | 64GB, 128GB |
| Requires | Oculus/Facebook account |
| Predecessor | Oculus Go |
| Successor | Meta Quest 2 |
| System | |
| Operating System | Oculus OS (Android-based) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 |
| CPU | Octa-core Kryo 280 (4× 2.45 GHz + 4× 1.9 GHz) |
| GPU | Adreno 540 |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 64GB or 128GB |
| Memory | 4GB LPDDR4X |
| SD Card Slot | No |
| Display | |
| Display | Dual OLED (PenTile) |
| Subpixel Layout | PenTile Diamond |
| Peak Brightness | ~100 nits |
| Resolution | 1440 × 1600 per eye (2880 × 1600 combined) |
| Pixel Density | ~13.5 PPD |
| Refresh Rate | 72Hz |
| Persistence | Low persistence |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 93° |
| Horizontal FoV | ~93° |
| Vertical FoV | ~93° |
| Average Pixel Density | ~13.5 PPD |
| Peak Pixel Density | ~13.5 PPD |
| Foveated Rendering | Fixed foveated rendering |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Next-generation Fresnel lenses |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | 58-72mm (slider adjustment) |
| Adjustable Diopter | No (glasses spacer included) |
| Passthrough | Yes (grayscale, Guardian safety) |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF inside-out (Oculus Insight) |
| Tracking Frequency | 60Hz (cameras) |
| Base Stations | None required |
| Eye Tracking | No |
| Face Tracking | No |
| Hand Tracking | Yes (added via update, December 2019) |
| Body Tracking | No |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes |
| Positional Tracking | Yes |
| Update Rate | 72Hz |
| Tracking Volume | Room-scale (up to 4000 sq ft) |
| Play Space | Roomscale |
| Latency | <20ms motion-to-photon |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Integrated spatial speakers |
| Microphone | Yes (integrated) |
| 3.5mm Audio Jack | Yes |
| Camera | 4× inside-out tracking cameras |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Ports | USB-C, 3.5mm audio |
| Wired Video | Yes (Oculus Link, added November 2019) |
| Wireless Video | No (at launch) |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Power | Internal battery |
| Battery Capacity | 3648mAh |
| Battery Life | 2-3 hours (gaming), 3+ hours (media) |
| Charge Time | ~2 hours |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | 193mm × 105mm × 222mm |
| Weight | 571g |
| Material | Plastic, fabric |
| Headstrap | Elastic fabric strap |
| Haptics | Controller haptics |
| Color | Black |
| Sensors | 4× tracking cameras, IMU, proximity sensor |
| Input | Touch controllers, hand tracking (post-update) |
| Compliance | FCC, CE |
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The Oculus Quest is the first standalone virtual reality head-mounted display with full 6 degrees of freedom (6DoF) tracking, developed by Oculus VR (now Reality Labs), announced at Oculus Connect 5 on September 26, 2018, and released on May 21, 2019. Priced at $399 for the 64GB model, the Quest revolutionized the VR industry by eliminating the need for either a gaming PC or external tracking sensors—users could simply put on the headset and immediately begin VR experiences anywhere. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, the Quest featured dual OLED displays with 1440 × 1600 resolution per eye, inside-out tracking via the "Oculus Insight" system using four cameras, and included redesigned Touch controllers. The Quest's commercial success proved that standalone VR was viable and desirable, establishing the foundation for the even more successful Quest 2 and Meta's dominance of the consumer VR market.
History and Development
"Project Santa Cruz"
The Quest began as "Project Santa Cruz," first teased at Oculus Connect 3 in October 2016. The project aimed to create a standalone headset with PC-quality tracking—something that didn't exist at the time. Early prototypes evolved significantly before the final product.
Oculus VR Portfolio Strategy
Oculus positioned Quest within a three-tier strategy:
- Oculus Go: Entry-level standalone (3DoF)
- Oculus Quest: Premium standalone (6DoF)
- Oculus Rift S: PC-tethered (highest fidelity)
Oculus Connect 5 Announcement
At OC5 in September 2018, Oculus revealed Quest alongside Rift S:
- "$399 for a complete VR system"
- Spring 2019 launch window
- Emphasis on accessibility and freedom
- "VR for everyone" messaging
May 2019 Launch
Quest and Rift S launched simultaneously on May 21, 2019:
- Strong initial demand
- Frequent stock shortages
- Exceeded sales expectations
- Validated standalone VR market
Design Philosophy
All-in-One VR
Quest's core promise:
- No PC required
- No external sensors
- No cables (except charging)
- Complete VR system in the box
Accessibility Focus
Designed for mainstream adoption:
- Simple setup process
- Portable for different locations
- Works anywhere with enough space
- Lower barrier to entry than PC VR
"VR for Everyone"
Oculus's marketing emphasized:
- No technical requirements
- Family-friendly experiences
- Living room VR
- Bringing new users to VR
Display Technology
Dual OLED Panels
Two OLED displays:
- Resolution: 1440 × 1600 per eye
- Total: 2880 × 1600
- Panel Type: OLED with PenTile subpixels
- Refresh Rate: 72Hz
OLED Benefits
Advantages over LCD:
- True black levels
- Better contrast ratio
- Good color saturation
- Per-pixel illumination
PenTile Trade-offs
Diamond PenTile arrangement:
- More visible screen door effect
- Lower effective resolution
- But OLED benefits outweighed
Refresh Rate
- 72Hz locked
- Lower than Rift's 90Hz
- Compromise for mobile processing
Optical System
Next-Generation Fresnel Lenses
Improved from Oculus Go:
- Better sweet spot
- Reduced god rays
- Good edge clarity
Field of View
- ~93° total
- Adequate for immersion
- Similar to other 2019 headsets
IPD Adjustment
Hardware slider:
- Range: 58-72mm
- Physical lens movement
- Wide user accommodation
Processing Power
Snapdragon 835
Mobile processor from 2017:
- CPU: Octa-core Kryo 280
- GPU: Adreno 540
- Process: 10nm
- Originally a flagship phone chip
Performance Considerations
Mobile vs. PC trade-offs:
- Lower graphical fidelity than PC VR
- Optimized game ports required
- Battery constraints
- Thermal management
Memory
- RAM: 4GB LPDDR4X
- Storage: 64GB or 128GB
Tracking System
Oculus Insight
Revolutionary inside-out tracking:
- Four wide-angle cameras
- Computer vision algorithms
- Real-time position calculation
- 6DoF tracking
Camera Placement
Four cameras positioned for:
- Wide tracking coverage
- Controller tracking
- Room mapping
- Guardian boundary detection
Room Memory
Advanced features:
- Remember up to 5 different rooms
- Automatic Guardian recall
- Large play space support (up to 4000 sq ft claimed)
- Quick setup in known spaces
Tracking Quality
Generally excellent for standalone:
- Reliable room-scale
- Good controller tracking
- Some dead zones at extremes
- Impressive for the technology
Controllers
Second-Generation Touch
Redesigned from CV1 Touch:
- Tracking ring moved to top (for camera visibility)
- Same button layout
- Comfortable grip
- Haptic feedback
- AA battery power
Controller Tracking
Via headset cameras:
- Line-of-sight tracking
- Works well in most positions
- Some occlusion at body-close positions
- Good enough for most games
Hand Tracking
December 2019 Update
Hand tracking added post-launch:
- No controllers required
- Gesture-based input
- Menu navigation
- Limited game support initially
Significance
Demonstrated Quest's software evolution:
- Major feature via firmware update
- Continued improvement potential
- Platform longevity
Oculus Link
November 2019 Update
PC VR connectivity added:
- USB-C cable to PC
- Access Rift library
- Best of both worlds
- Unexpected feature addition
Impact
Transformed Quest's value:
- Standalone AND PC VR capable
- Eliminated need for separate PC headset
- Major competitive advantage
Guardian System
Safety Boundaries
Room-scale safety:
- Draw play space boundaries
- Visual warnings when approaching
- Passthrough view at boundary
- Essential for room-scale VR
Passthrough
Grayscale camera view:
- See real world through cameras
- Triggered at Guardian boundary
- Safety feature
- Low resolution at the time
Audio System
Integrated Speakers
Built-in audio:
- Positioned near ears
- Open design
- Spatial audio support
- Adequate quality
3.5mm Jack
Headphone option:
- Better audio privacy
- Higher quality possible
Battery and Power
Internal Battery
- Capacity: 3648mAh
- Gaming: 2-3 hours
- Media: 3+ hours
- Charging: ~2 hours via USB-C
Software Platform
Quest Store
Dedicated software library:
- Curated quality games
- Quest-optimized ports
- Exclusive titles
- Growing ecosystem
Notable Launch Titles
- Beat Saber
- Superhot VR
- Robo Recall
- Vader Immortal
App Lab (later)
- Experimental distribution
- Lower barrier for developers
- Early access content
Commercial Success
Market Impact
Quest proved standalone VR viable:
- Strong sales (estimates: several million units)
- Expanded VR market
- Brought new users to VR
- Validated Oculus's strategy
Industry Influence
Shifted industry direction:
- Other manufacturers followed standalone trend
- PC VR growth slowed
- Quest established the standard
Legacy
Quest 2 Foundation
Quest 2 built directly on Quest 1:
- Same architecture, improved specs
- Same store ecosystem
- Continued software support
- Evolution not revolution
Quest Platform
Established "Quest" as primary VR platform:
- Name recognition
- Developer ecosystem
- User expectations
- Market dominance foundation
Technical Specifications Summary
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | Dual OLED, 1440 × 1600 per eye |
| Total Resolution | 2880 × 1600 |
| Refresh Rate | 72Hz |
| FOV | ~93° |
| Processor | Snapdragon 835 |
| Memory | 4GB RAM |
| Storage | 64GB / 128GB |
| Tracking | Oculus Insight (4 cameras) |
| Hand Tracking | Yes (added December 2019) |
| PC VR | Oculus Link (added November 2019) |
| Battery | 2-3 hours gaming |
| Weight | 571g |
| Price | $399 / $499 |