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We’re pitting the newly announced Apple Vision Pro vs Quest 2 to gauge which VR headset is the reigning champ in the gaming arena.
How does this advanced Apple VR headset stack against the Quest 2, and which one takes the crown in VR gaming?
The Apple Vision Pro boasts substantially more processing power than the Meta Quest 2, and the reasons are multifaceted. For starters, the Quest 2 was released in the Fall of 2020, whereas the Vision Pro will debut in early 2024. The considerable price difference between the two VR headsets also plays a role, signaling divergent directions for these two VR headsets.
The Apple Vision Pro is designed to translate cutting-edge technology into practical everyday uses, such as watching a movie in mixed reality or connecting with colleagues, friends, and family. On the other hand, Meta Quest 2 – and Meta’s headsets in general – aim to make virtual reality accessible to a broader audience, even if sacrificing certain features and specifications for a lower price point are needed.
However, raw computational power isn’t the be-all and end-all. Despite Apple’s advantage, many VR games are optimized for Quest 2. When considering the best VR gaming headset between the Apple Vision Pro and Oculus/Meta Quest 2, the availability of VR games is paramount: a smartphone with a million games trumps a supercomputer with none.
Determining the best VR headset for gaming comes down to the range of dedicated VR games, which, in turn, depends on the games library attached to each device.
Given that the Apple VR headset will release in early 2024, its VR games library is still a question mark. Nevertheless, it’s reasonable to anticipate that the Quest 2 VR games library will outstrip the titles available at launch for the Apple VR headset. This assumption stems from the fact that Oculus/Meta Quest 2 is the best-selling VR headset in history, boasting the most extensive range of dedicated VR games.
Moreover, the recently announced Meta Quest 3 will be compatible with all VR games optimized for the Quest 2, which should encourage an even greater number of VR titles to be released on the Oculus store compared to Apple’s VisionOS.
The Apple Vision Pro excels in daily tasks, facilitated by an intuitive interface and enriched by premium mixed reality. For instance, the Vision Pro uses its embedded spatial sensors to capture live 3D memories and can transform into a portable immersive movie theater, fully enclosed in a virtual world or blended with your living room.
If you need more evidence that the Apple Vision Pro isn’t the go-to for gaming, consider that user experiences in the headset are navigated through eye movements and intricate hand gestures, in contrast to the Oculus Quest 2 controllers, well-suited for VR gaming.
Conversely, Oculus Quest 2, despite limitations in the visual fidelity of its VR games, is the current frontrunner when it comes to the most standalone VR games — until Meta Quest 3 hits the market, that is.
The answer is straightforward: for gaming, Quest 2 takes the crown. Its affordable price attracts a large user base, which translates to a vast array of VR games to choose from. While the Apple Vision Pro is an impressive mixed reality headset offering unique features and usability, it isn’t primarily designed with gaming in mind.
In quintessential Apple style, the Vision Pro offers fantastic features that appeal to those seeking a more immersive mixed reality experience for everyday tasks. But with VR gaming, the Oculus Quest 2 is the indisputable victor. As we await the launch of the Meta Quest 3, it remains to be seen if this will be challenged.
Jakob Pii is the Head Writer at VR Expert and currently lives in the UK. He started his career in VR gaming in 2015 and has stayed in XR since, from exposure therapy in VR to 360-degree video documentaries. He is fascinated by how emerging technologies change how we live, play and work.
