Meta Quest 2’s latest update improves the device’s performance

The Twitter account through which Meta shares news and updates about the Quest 2 Virtual Reality headset with other developers, Oculus Developers, has posted just a few hours ago the details of their latest software update for the device, which comes with a surprising GPU performance improvement.

Full screen

More (virtual) real(ity)!

It’s something entirely unexpected, since it’s not something that is usually achieved through post-launch updates even when each upgrade gives the Quest 2 a variety of tools. Meta’s VR headset is now 7% more powerful than it used to be. In the tweet, they explain that developers should make use of this extra leeway, given that it ups the speed of its graphics processors’ clocks from 490 to 525 MHz total.

This 7% may be directed towards stability of framerate, which is a very important aspect in VR; it could also lead to higher resolutions, more objects on screen, and more and more. Whatever the case, right now it means that if you have one of these headsets you’ll need to take it off and update every single app you have installed to make use of the new power. As is common, Meta itself confirmed that in the next update this won’t be an issue anymore, and the extra 7% performance will be available across the board without needing to manually update each piece of software.

It’s still alarming to know that the Quest 2 continues to have an inferior performance to that of the Pico 4, the main rival to meta in the standalone VR console market, when both basically have the exact same specs. The Snapdragon XR2 processor allows the Pico to reach upwards of 587 MHz, all thanks to a more effective cooling solution to that of the Quest 2, with a fan underneath the main boards. As such, Quest 2 can’t reach that frequency unless it puts its features and functionality at risk. At the very least, fans and users can now enjoy a slightly higher performance at 525 MHz.

Source | Twitter