Need to upgrade from oculus cv1

[Bob1]

Its time to retire the old cv1, its been fun. Im looking at a sale for oculus quest 2 and would appreciate if someone here could help me land on either side of the fence. Buy or not buy. The first thing I wonder about is if the quest 2 would demand much more from my pc than the cv1. I often use the supersampling in oculus trey tool and that is for sure taking a toll on the gpu card. Im thinking the need for supersampling is less with a higher res hmd? My pc runs with rtx2070s and I would need a hmd that doesnt demand more of my system than the cv1. My ipd is not the smallest either. Around 70 mm. Is there a manual ipd slider as in the cv1? Is there another hmd out there that can run better with my gpu card and\or ipd70?
Thanks for answers and help.

 

[Arioch]

Its time to retire the old cv1, its been fun. Im looking at a sale for oculus quest 2 and would appreciate if someone here could help me land on either side of the fence. Buy or not buy. The first thing I wonder about is if the quest 2 would demand much more from my pc than the cv1. I often use the supersampling in oculus trey tool and that is for sure taking a toll on the gpu card. Im thinking the need for supersampling is less with a higher res hmd? My pc runs with rtx2070s and I would need a hmd that doesnt demand more of my system than the cv1. My ipd is not the smallest either. Around 70 mm. Is there a manual ipd slider as in the cv1? Is there another hmd out there that can run better with my gpu card and\or ipd70?
Thanks for answers and help.

I went from the CV1 to the Rift S, and currently on a Quest 2.

The jump in quality from the CV1 to the Q2 is immense

Quest 2 has 3 manual positions for the lenses - the greatest separation is for people with an IPD between 66mm & 70mm.

Performance wise, I was running Horizons on a GTX 1080 without any issues with a game setting of HMDQ 1.25 and most settings at High/Ultra. Even at the default resolution the game is massively clearer than the CV1.

Also to note: the mandatory Facebook linked account thing is being dropped next year, if that’s the sort of thing that bothers you. It looks like we’re going back to the original Oculus account, but rebranded to the new Meta name.

 

[Bob1]

I went from the CV1 to the Rift S, and currently on a Quest 2.

The jump in quality from the CV1 to the Q2 is immense

Quest 2 has 3 manual positions for the lenses - the greatest separation is for people with an IPD between 66mm & 70mm.

Performance wise, I was running Horizons on a GTX 1080 without any issues with a game setting of HMDQ 1.25 and most settings at High/Ultra. Even at the default resolution the game is massively clearer than the CV1.

Also to note: the mandatory Facebook linked account thing is being dropped next year, if that’s the sort of thing that bothers you. It looks like we’re going back to the original Oculus account, but rebranded to the new Meta name.

Hi and thanks for answering. The most important issue I would have with q2 was if it demanded much more of my system than cv1 and from what I read in your answer it does not. Im not a facebook person but if I can just make a basic profile on FB I dont mind. Does the profile need to be verified with the purchase of Q2 or can i just give myself a fake name on FB?
So all I need then is the Q2 with some sort of link cable to use with my pc? Thats it? Q2 and a link cable?

 

[Juniper]

I had a DK2, then a CV1, and now a Quest 2 (since April this year).

Buy it - you will not regret it. The quality is a big step up from the CV1, and the lack of wires is very freeing. You can even connect to your PC wirelessly, and it works perfectly. It also works standalone without any need for a PC... so there's two potential use cases there.

You can buy a link cable, but in all honesty, you will not need it. Airlink works beautifully. Invest that extra money in an Elite strap for it instead.

 

[Arioch]

Hi and thanks for answering. The most important issue I would have with q2 was if it demanded much more of my system than cv1 and from what I read in your answer it does not. Im not a facebook person but if I can just make a basic profile on FB I dont mind. Does the profile need to be verified with the purchase of Q2 or can i just give myself a fake name on FB?
So all I need then is the Q2 with some sort of link cable to use with my pc? Thats it? Q2 and a link cable?

I already had a minimum info profile to link to, with the option of staying with my Oculus account until the (then) required crossover date in 2023 - new Quest buyers will need to link to Facebook though, until it’s changed next year.

I’ve got a basic Link cable (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01M5GMZ6X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1) which I use for seated games - using the wireless AirLink it drains the HMD battery such that I get about 2.5 hours play before it needs recharging. Linked play uses about 7% battery per hour.

Q2 is inside-out tracking so you won’t need the CV1 sensors - I used a 3 sensor setup and I haven’t noticed any difference in tracking quality in all the VR games I play.

 

[[VR] optimal_909]

Recently I've seen posts that the Reverb G2 is available at discount, and it downscales beautifully - at same resolution I recall it being easier on the hardware while looking better than a Rift S according to MRTV (YT channel). There is practically no SDE which goes a long way, and inside-out tracking means no lighthouses and associated cables.

 

[Juniper]

Recently I've seen posts that the Reverb G2 is available at discount, and it downscales beautifully - at same resolution I recall it being easier on the hardware while looking better than a Rift S according to MRTV (YT channel). There is practically no SDE which goes a long way, and inside-out tracking means no lighthouses and associated cables.

They have a Black Friday deal on with a £50 discount on the headset only. It's still nearly £500, plus you need to get controllers for it too.

I'm not dissing the G2, I think it's a fantastic piece of kit and I agree with everything you say, but the Quest 2 is better value by a long way IMO.

 

[Bob1]

They have a Black Friday deal on with a £50 discount on the headset only. It's still nearly £500, plus you need to get controllers for it too.

I'm not dissing the G2, I think it's a fantastic piece of kit and I agree with everything you say, but the Quest 2 is better value by a long way IMO.

Yes I would prefer the G2 but with the Q2 sales im looking at it is almost half the price. I can get a Q2 128g for just under 400 and I have a feeling the G2 would demand more from my system i7 7700k rtx2070super 32gig ram.

 

[Juniper]

I’ve got a basic Link cable (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01M5GMZ6X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1) which I use for seated games - using the wireless AirLink it drains the HMD battery such that I get about 2.5 hours play before it needs recharging. Linked play uses about 7% battery per hour.

That's because your PC is charging the Quest 2 while it's being used. Others have achieved similar results by buying a battery pack for the Q2 (for ~£50), and attaching it to the Elite strap. It's next on my shopping list.

 

[Juniper]

Yes I would prefer the G2 but with the Q2 sales im looking at it is almost half the price. I can get a Q2 128g for just under 400 and I have a feeling the G2 would demand more from my system i7 7700k rtx2070super 32gig ram.

I was in the exact same position as you in April. New graphics card is out of the question at the moment (have a 1080Ti and it'll have to do) due to the global situation, and I was eyeing the G2 with avarice.

But the Q2 was there, it was relatively cheap, it was self-contained & readily available, I was already on Facebook so I didn't mind the requirement so much, and I plumped for that.

Best purchase I made this year.

(I also bought a cheap link cable, and I've used it precisely once, until I tried Airlink. Now I don't even know where the cable is... in a drawer or cupboard somewhere I imagine)

 

[Bantha]

I upgraded from the CV1 straight to the Quest2, and connect using the cable link.
My system is i7-7700k, SSD, 16gb RAM, 1080Ti.

Whilst I’m sure the draw on my system is higher, I haven’t noticed this, and I am happily playing Odyssey with no drop in frame rates, even on foot in settlements. Settings are High.

PROS

• Graphics are a HUGE step up from the CV1. Like going from a 576i scart lead to Full HD. Much, much better.
• Text is perfectly legible, and the thrill of VR is intensified with much improved clarity of everything you look at.
• No more screen door effect. It’s gone.
• Less god rays.
• Portability. The option to play stand-alone games is a nice touch. I am surprised at how much I use this. Some games will need buying again to play stand-alone if you want that option (eg Super Hot VR) but others can be downloaded for free if you already own them for PC (eg Apollo Creed Boxing).

CONS

• FOV is not as wide, although the caveat here is I use the supplied spacers and glasses, but even without it doesn’t feel quite as good.
• It’s much more of a faff when you start a session. With the CV1 and its 3 sensors I was just ready to game, just turn on and go. With the Quest2 at start up I have to press a few more buttons to connect to the PC, I often have to redraw the guardian area (I would say 1 in 3 times I have to do this). It takes longer to get it ready, and this annoys me.
• Tracking isn’t as good, it’s just not. This doesn’t matter so much for ED, but for other games (eg Skyrim when I reach over my shoulder to grab an arrow), it can let you down.
• It’s not as comfortable. Even with the elite strap you feel it more. The CV1 is easier to wear for longer sessions.

SUMMARY

• It’s certainly not perfect but the graphics improvements alone make the upgrade worthwhile.
• So upgrade, you won’t look back.

 

[Juniper]

• It’s much more of a faff when you start a session. With the CV1 and its 3 sensors I was just ready to game, just turn on and go. With the Quest2 at start up I have to press a few more buttons to connect to the PC, I often have to redraw the guardian area (I would say 1 in 3 times I have to do this). It takes longer to get it ready, and this annoys me.

I haven't noticed this phenomenon, but nearly everything I play is seated (although I'm probably going to dip into Skyrim VR quite soon once I decide on a mod pack) so I tend to just turn the Guardian off in the settings. I think the V34 update fixes a lot of things though... only got it at the weekend so I need to test it more.

• Tracking isn’t as good, it’s just not. This doesn’t matter so much for ED, but for other games (eg Skyrim when I reach over my shoulder to grab an arrow), it can let you down.

One thing to note is that it needs a well lit room for the cameras to 'see' the controllers effectively. It isn't as accurate as headsets that have external sensors, but considering it's all self-contained it's still pretty good IMO. The key is to make sure the room is well lit like I said.

• It’s not as comfortable. Even with the elite strap you feel it more. The CV1 is easier to wear for longer sessions.

Well, this I disagree with entirely. One of my issues with the CV1 was the weight (and the cables) and I've found with the Q2 and Elite strap it's much more comfortable to wear for extended periods. I don't wear glasses though, and I also use a different (from stock) rubberised face thingy that makes it quite easy to use for multiple hours. It didn't cost very much.

All I'm saying is, there are lots of options out there if the stock things don't suit you.

 

[Bantha]

One thing to note is that it needs a well lit room for the cameras

Good point! And something I forget to note in my post. You definitely need quite a bright play area, full lights on, and not the dim, LED lit room that I prefer.

Well, this I disagree with entirely. One of my issues with the CV1 was the weight (and the cables) and I've found with the Q2 and Elite strap it's much more comfortable to wear for extended periods

That’s a fair enough comment, comfort is subjective.
You say Tomato and I say, er, Tomato

 

[Bob1]

Thanks for answering guys. Only 1 more thing. Im looking at a sale for Q2 128g and I see there is Q2 250g. The bigger cost more but is it only memory I would pay for here and is it the same headset otherwise?

 

[Bantha]

Thanks for answering guys. Only 1 more thing. Im looking at a sale for Q2 128g and I see there is Q2 250g. The bigger cost more but is it only memory I would pay for here and is it the same headset otherwise?

Yes, you’re paying for extra storage on the headset itself. Otherwise it’s exactly the same headset.

If you only play PC games you don’t need the extra storage.

If you want stand-alone games, stored on your headset, then it’s up to you whether the additional storage capacity is worth it or not.

I went for the 128gb and it is more than enough for my needs. YMMV

 

[Juniper]

Thanks for answering guys. Only 1 more thing. Im looking at a sale for Q2 128g and I see there is Q2 250g. The bigger cost more but is it only memory I would pay for here and is it the same headset otherwise?

It's possibly worth stretching to the 256GB version if you can do it, since you can't upgrade after the fact. The headsets are identical otherwise.

Reason I'm saying it is that Oculus/Meta/Facebook are starting to release quite a few "premium" games on the Q2 - I think one of the recent ones uses up 90GB on your headset. You lose about 30GB anyway for the system, so that's pretty tight (it's also why they dropped the 64GB version entirely).

It all depends on what you want to use the headset for - and of course - this is just storage on your headset. If you're predominantly playing a Steam library on your PC, it doesn't matter.

 

[Arioch]

I’ve got the no-longer-available 64GB model and I’ve got quite a few standalone games installed on it - as mentioned above there is the new Medal Of Honor game that would just fit on my headset if I got rid of everything else, though the biggest game I’ve got is Resident Evil 4 at just under 8GB. What the future may bring, who knows?

Regarding comfort - I almost bought a replacement strap when buying the HMD because I’d read a lot of bad reviews of the default elastic, but I’m glad I didn’t as I find it perfectly comfortable. Headshape is always a factor, but I’d recommend giving it a try first.

 

[Juniper]

Regarding comfort - I almost bought a replacement strap when buying the HMD because I’d read a lot of bad reviews of the default elastic, but I’m glad I didn’t as I find it perfectly comfortable. Headshape is always a factor, but I’d recommend giving it a try first.

Agreed, it's worth trying the default strap to begin with, as the Elite strap is not cheap. I did, for me & my weird head shape, the headset was flopping about all over the show, so I tried a cheaper knockoff of the official Elite strap which was equally terrible, so ended up returning it and just biting the bullet and getting the proper thing.

One of the good (or bad) things about the Q2 is that because it's such a popular headset, there are a lot of 3rd party extras you can get for it on Amazon which don't cost the earth. Clearly they can vary in quality (e.g. the strap... if you don't get on with the default my advice is to just not mess about and get the Elite one) but I've got some good things that way. Such as lens protectors, rubberised face thingies, straps for the controllers, etc.

 

[[VR] optimal_909]

They have a Black Friday deal on with a £50 discount on the headset only. It's still nearly £500, plus you need to get controllers for it too.

I'm not dissing the G2, I think it's a fantastic piece of kit and I agree with everything you say, but the Quest 2 is better value by a long way IMO.

I think I've seen posts it being discounted in U.S. and EU - at Amazon Spain as low as €400 which is not much more expensive, especially considering that Q2 needs extra bits to it (cable and/or the headstrap).
Some quality issues aside it is really great even for the price, I just it will remain solid for years to come as I think it will make even the next two gens of GPUs a run for their money.

Yes I would prefer the G2 but with the Q2 sales im looking at it is almost half the price. I can get a Q2 128g for just under 400 and I have a feeling the G2 would demand more from my system i7 7700k rtx2070super 32gig ram.

Odd to see such a price premium in UK, elsewhere the difference is lower. The so-called V1 headset is being discounted that misses some features of the V2 that is being launched now. Anyway, I also have a 7700k, up on the GPU (3080) and down in RAM. When I got it I still had a 1080ti, and in MS Flight Sim it was borderline unplayable, but less demanding games (essentially anything) were OK.

Anyway, yeah, it is probably doesn't worth twice as much.

 

[Arioch]

Agreed, it's worth trying the default strap to begin with, as the Elite strap is not cheap. I did, for me & my weird head shape, the headset was flopping about all over the show, so I tried a cheaper knockoff of the official Elite strap which was equally terrible, so ended up returning it and just biting the bullet and getting the proper thing.

One of the good (or bad) things about the Q2 is that because it's such a popular headset, there are a lot of 3rd party extras you can get for it on Amazon which don't cost the earth. Clearly they can vary in quality (e.g. the strap... if you don't get on with the default my advice is to just not mess about and get the Elite one) but I've got some good things that way. Such as lens protectors, rubberised face thingies, straps for the controllers, etc.

Like you say, there’s plenty of good stuff on Amazon and the user reviews generally give a good idea of what they’re like. Speaking of Amazon…

Odd to see such a price premium in UK, elsewhere the difference is lower.

The 128GB Quest 2 is listed as £299.99 there, the same price as the old 64GB model.
———
Looking into next year (possibly) - the leaked images of the Quest Pro (or whatever it’ll be called) look something like a smaller HMD with the elite head strap, and perhaps the battery moved to the rear of the head to help with weight distribution. Different lenses as well, so I’ll be interested to see how that improves the sweetspot and clarity - I’m really into using my Q2 as a virtual cinema now.