Oculus Link Makes The PC-Tethered Rift S Headset Obsolete
A new beta feature called Oculus Link allows standalone Quest users to connect to a PC and play high-end VR games, delivering an experience nearly identical to the Rift S. This new technology effectively renders the Rift S irrelevant by giving the cheaper Quest the same PC-powered capabilities.
A hands-on demo of Oculus Link reveals that the $399 standalone Quest headset delivers a PC VR experience that is incredibly close to the $399 Rift S. By connecting the Quest to a PC via a USB-C 3 cable, users play high-powered games like Stormland with richer textures and more complex environments than the standalone Quest normally allows.
The differences between the two setups are minimal and mainly involve slight reductions in resolution, frame rate, and tracking cameras compared to the Rift S. While latency is slightly higher on Oculus Link and the framerate sits at 72 frames per second rather than 80, the experience remains very solid and actually surpasses the Rift S in display resolution.
This new feature completely cannibalizes the need for anyone to buy a Rift S, as the Quest easily doubles as a fully capable PC VR headset when tethered. Users need a compatible gaming PC and a separate USB-C cable to utilize the feature, but the technology ultimately makes the Quest the definitive choice for both standalone and PC-powered virtual reality.