There are only five days left to bag yourself a slice of the affordable VR pie. It’s not a real pie, I mean, it’s not even a virtual one. But, whatever, there are still only five days until Meta hikes the price of the Quest 2 goggles by a frankly bewildering $100. And so, if you want to grab the best VR headset around at a good price, then you’re going to have to move fast.
There’s a good chance that stock of the $299 128GB version of the Quest 2 will run dry before the price goes up on August 1, 2022, because it’s already impossible to pick one up on Amazon or Newegg at the appropriate price. You can still get the 256GB version for its current $399 price at Amazon, however, if you really want the extra storage.
The cheaper 128GB headset is the one PC gamers ought to be coveting, and at its $299 price point it really is a steal, but that’s way harder to justify with a 33% price increase. The 120Hz refresh, decent resolution, and super simple PC setup make it the only VR headset I would ever consider using.
Mine is sat on a hook next to my PC and can be setup and booted into Half-Life: Alyx, fighting headcrabs and Combine in minutes.
Where can I buy the Meta Quest 2 at its old price?
- Amazon – You can still buy the 256GB version at its original $399 price point.
- Gamestop – Free delivery, and in-store stock, of the 128GB Quest 2 at $299.
- Walmart – Have the 128GB version delivered tomorrow for $299.
- B&H Photo – Free expedited next-day shipping on 128GB Quest 2 at $299.
- Meta – Buy the 128GB headset for $299 from Zuckerberg himself.
Meta Quest 2 | 128GB | $299 at Gamestop
There are no deals now that Meta has announced a stiff price increase, but that means right now this $299 base price is as cheap as you’re going to find a brand new Quest 2 headset this year. It’s out of stock at this price on Amazon, right now, which I’d suggest indicates that you’ll need to move quick before the affordable stock runs dry.
Meta Quest 2 | 256GB | $399 at Amazon
When this 256GB version hits its new $500 price there’ll be no reason to go for the higher capacity Quest 2 headset. The base 128GB version has a heap of storage already for untethered VR, but if you’re going to spend most of your time not hooked up to your PC then at $399 it still makes for a worthwhile purchase.
Quest 2 Elite Strap | $49 at Amazon
The Quest 2 is the best VR headset, because of its ease of setup and impressive fidelity for the money. But its original strap is real bad. This Elite strap, however, is a game changer, and makes for a far more comfortable long term experience. I couldn’t get into Half-Life: Alyx without it.
Quite why Meta has chosen to sting prospective VR users with such a massive price hike is baffling. Especially when it delivered a capacity boost for free only a year ago, and when the product has been out for two years.
The official line is that “In order to continue investing in moving the VR industry forward for the long term” it’s charging late-comers another $100 more to gain entry into the industry. Correct me if I’m reading the room wrong, but making affordable VR less accessible seems counterintuitive to moving the VR industry forward for the long term.
With the Quest 2 having been such a success at its more affordable price point, I would suggest that Meta has already made the bulk of its sales over the past two years. The amount of cash it’s going to now make with another $100 tacked onto the sticker price would surely be negligible when it comes to reinvesting that money into the future of VR.
Maybe Meta just wants to bump up the baseline entry price point for VR so when it launches its expensive option later in the year it doesn’t look quite so out of reach. Or push more people to buy a Quest 2 instead of the shiny new Meta thing.
Whatever, if you want the best VR headset right now for a decent price, you don’t have long to make your move.