Oculus Rift S and Oculus Quest are new additions to the company’s lineup of VR headsets, which will be available in Spring 2019. Both headsets offer 6 degrees of freedom (6DoF) by using a new tracking system called Oculus Insight. It doesn’t require external hardware to track your movement. Instead, built-in cameras on the headset scan your surroundings all the time and update your position every millisecond. The main difference between Rift S and Quest is one needs to be tethered to PC, and the other is an all-in-one standalone device. Because of this big difference, they aren’t really comparable products. But, since they are planned to be released at the same time, let’s see the details and differences of these headsets here in the same post.
Display
Oculus Rift S has a single LCD with the total resolution of 2560 x 1440 which is the same as Oculus Go except for refresh rate. As compared with the old Rift, it’s slightly better. But old Rift has dual OLED with IPD adjustment. A single LCD can’t have physical adjustment. So, if your eyes aren’t in the common distance, it may be hard to get a perfect view through the headset.
Oculus Quest has a display with better resolution and lower refresh rate than Oculus Rift S. Dual OLED with the resolution of 2880 x 1600 has IPD adjustment to allow you to have a perfect view. Reportedly, both headsets have a less screen-door effect than older models.
| Oculus Rift S | Oculus Quest | Oculus Rift | Oculus Go | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | a little heavier than Rift | about 100g heavier than Rift | 470g (1.04lb) | 468g (1.0lb) |
| Type of Display | Single LCD | Dual OLED | Dual OLED | Single LCD |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 2880 x 1600 | 2160 x 1200 | 2560 x 1440 |
| Refresh Rate | 80Hz | 72Hz | 90Hz | 72Hz |
| Field of View | slightly larger than Rift | about 100 degrees | 110 degrees | 101 degrees |
| IPD Adjustment | N | Y | Y | N |
| Tracking | Oculus Insight (Inside-out) | Oculus Insight (Inside-out) | Constellation (External sensors) | n/a |
| Number of Cameras | 5 | 4 | 2 or 3 external sensors necessary | n/a |
| Price | $399 | $399 | $599 | $199 |
Design
Oculus Rift S has shifted the design from head straps to a headband. Its overall design is similar to PlayStation VR or Windows Mixed Reality headsets. Lenovo helped its design, and the logo is printed on the side of the headset. Unlike other headsets with a headband, Oculus Rift S still has a strap run on the top of your head to keep the headset from slipping down.
Oculus Quest sticks with the design with head straps, which have Velcro adjustment on both sides and the top. The head straps are stiffer than ones of Oculus Go because they are made with rubber and fabric, not only fabric. They are actually similar to ones of the old Rift except for the absence of bulky headphones.
Sound
Both headsets have built-in speakers either headband or head strap brackets. It offers 3D spatial audio. The sound can be heard by people nearby. For a complete immersion or privacy, you also have the option to use a pair of external headphones plugged into a 3.5mm audio jack on the side of headsets.
Processor
Oculus Rift S needs to be tethered to PC for processing. The cord length is 5 meter while the old Rift is 4 meter. The system requirements of old Rift and Rift S are almost the same except for the type of video port.
Oculus Quest is a standalone headset. The processor is built in the headset as well as all other components like display and lenses. The processor, Snapdragon 835 is also used in many smartphones such as Samsung Galaxy S8, Note8, Google Pixel 2, etc. Obviously, it doesn’t provide the same performance as a gaming PC.
Tracking
Both headsets use the new tracking system called Oculus Insight. It no longer requires external sensors. Instead, built-in cameras see your surroundings all the time and update your positional data every millisecond.
Oculus Rift S has 5 built-in cameras, two facing to the front, two on each side, and one on the top of the headset. Oculus Quest has 4 built-in cameras, one in each corner of the front plate.
Controller
Both headsets come with a pair of Touch Controllers. There is no difference between the controllers of Rift S and Quest. But, the controllers are slightly different from the original come with old Rift. They are redesigned for better tracking and more intuitive gameplay. And Oculus Insight keeps tracking the controllers and offers 6DoF as well.
Conclusion
Oculus Rift S is for those who already own or plan to buy a powerful gaming PC. It has a lot of improvements over the old Rift. The new tracking system eliminates external cameras and offers a much easier setup and better tracking. But, it lacks IPD adjustment and still needs to be tethered to a PC.
Oculus Quest has more freedom. All-in-one standalone device doesn’t require any external devices. It lets the tracking environment expand and offers great portability without a hassle of setup. If you want to have VR experience with 6DoF, and don’t want to spend a thousand dollars for a gaming PC, it’s probably the best VR headset to start with.
Related Posts
- Preview of Oculus Rift S – coming soon in Spring 2019 with Oculus Quest
- Oculus Quest overview – Release Date, Price, Specs, etc
| Oculus Rift S | Oculus Quest | Oculus Rift | Oculus Go | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | a little heavier than Rift | about 100g heavier than Rift | 470g (1.04lb) | 468g (1.0lb) |
| Type of Display | Single LCD | Dual OLED | Dual OLED | Single LCD |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 2880 x 1600 | 2160 x 1200 | 2560 x 1440 |
| Refresh Rate | 80Hz | 72Hz | 90Hz | 72Hz |
| Field of View | slightly larger than Rift | about 100 degrees | 110 degrees | 101 degrees |
| IPD Adjustment | N | Y | Y | N |
| Tracking | Oculus Insight (Inside-out) | Oculus Insight (Inside-out) | Constellation (External sensors) | n/a |
| Number of Cameras | 5 | 4 | 2 or 3 external sensors necessary | n/a |
| Price | $399 | $399 | $599 | $199 |