Forget PS5 and Xbox Series X: Why Quest 2 is better
Buying PS5 or Xbox Series X? Neither! Here are three reasons why you'd be better off buying a Quest 2.
The initial new console hype and scarcity are dying down after a wild holiday season. There are still undecided people who want to bring the future of gaming into their living room or experience something completely new but have not yet made a purchase decision. This article is written for these people.
I'll give you three reasons why you'd be better off buying a Quest 2 than a PS5 or Xbox Series X. It's up to you to decide whether these arguments are decisive for you.
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VR really offers a new gaming experience.
The Xbox Series X and PS5 are still at the beginning of their life cycle. Accordingly, there aren't yet a lot of games that justify the purchase of these high-performance machines. And that will take one or two years to change.
The extent to which faster loading times and more computing power can take gaming to the next level remains to be seen. Or whether the new consoles simply offer more of the same, just a bit prettier. If you want to experience something really new, you have to look elsewhere: Virtual Reality is the place to go.
The technology has five years of maturation behind it and has overcome the worst teething troubles with Quest 2 (review): Gone are the days of annoying cables, low resolution, and tinkering with the setup. You no longer need an expensive computer or a fast console for good VR.
The range of VR games is wide. Whether action, adventure, or puzzle games: There is a lot to discover. | Screenshot: MIXED (Song in the Smoke, PC VR version).
With Quest 2, virtual reality is easier than ever, since all the technology is integrated into the case. Put on the VR headset, and off you go: into the game world, which you experience and control with your body. The technology records your head and hand movements down to the millimeter and transfers them into the game. The resulting gaming experience: You become a part of the game instead of just watching it.
VR thus enables new game concepts that would be impossible to implement with a screen and gamepad. VR games are often body-oriented, played with perspective, spatiality, and scale, and thrive on manual interactions - whether with controllers or optical hand tracking, in which your own hands and fingers are transferred one-to-one into virtual reality.
The new VR experience is of course also available with wired VR headsets for the PC. Sony also gives us the upcoming Playstation VR 2 to look forward to.
Quest 2 gets you fit
Virtual reality is dispelling the cliché of couch and seat-based gaming. This is especially true for the mobile and wireless Quest 2. While it's certainly possible to play while sitting down, the experience only becomes truly immersive when you include your body in the game.
Body-based games like Beat Saber, Pistol Whip, and The Thrill of The Fight are very popular, even among professional athletes, and have become a game genre in their own right because they combine movement and fun in a unique way. Thanks to an integrated fitness tracker, you can measure how many calories you burn and set weekly goals that motivate you to keep going.
With Quest, you can play while sitting or standing. Or really burn calories thanks to fitness apps. | Image: Within / Meta
You see, VR gaming is healthy gaming. That alone represents a cultural revolution in the history of this form of entertainment. I've piqued your interest in VR fitness? Then check out our list of the best fitness games for Quest 2.
Quest 2 is cheaper and available
Given ongoing supply shortages and high prices, you may have to wait to purchase the PS5 or Xbox Series X. With Quest 2, you don't have these problems, because the VR headset is in stock and only costs $300. That's hundreds of dollars cheaper than one of the new consoles.
Note: Links to online stores in articles can be so-called affiliate links. If you buy through this link, MIXED receives a commission from the provider. For you the price does not change.
