Patrick Hearn · May 31, 2024 (Updated) · 5 min read The Meta Quest 2 is a great standalone VR headset, but its battery life isn’t the greatest. You can expect between two to three hours of battery on a full charge depending on what you’re doing. It also takes around 2.5 hours for Quest 2 to reach a full charge.
For many people, two hours is more than enough time for virtual reality experiences. After that, they’ll want to take the headset off and take a break – but for hardcore gamers, you can do things to extend the Meta Quest 2’s battery life.
How to Improve the Oculus Quest 2 Battery Life
Don’t waste time charging when your gaming sessions are too much fun to stop. Here’s how to extend the life of the Quest 2 so you can experience all the best VR games.
Power Down When Not In Use
Don’t just throw the Quest 2 into rest mode when you finish a play session. Shut down completely. Just press the and hold the power button until the indicator light on the headset turns off and you hear the power down chime.
If you want to place the Quest 2 into rest mode for a short break, shut down any games and applications running in the background. Many applications use much more power than you might expect, and turning them off allows you to keep playing for longer.
Use the Official Charger
While the Quest 2 can work with any USB-C cable, the included charger and charging cable were designed to be the optimal charging solution for the device. Meta recommends using that cable over others to ensure maximum battery life and performance. You should avoid using third-party chargers from untrusted sources that might damage the rechargeable battery.
Unplug the Quest 2 When Finishing Charging
When the Quest 2 is fully charged, you should unplug the cable from the charging port. Leaving it plugged in can reduce the maximum capacity of the internal battery over time, resulting in lessened performance and poorer battery life.
Invest In Additional Batteries
Consider purchasing the Oculus Quest 2 Elite Strap with a battery to ensure extended play periods. It gives roughly three additional hours of battery life but replaces the standard head strap with a more comfortable one that acts as a counterweight to help with weight distribution.
The Elite Strap also includes a battery level monitoring feature to know exactly how much charge remains on both the internal and the Elite Strap batteries. In addition, the pack includes a carrying case you can purchase on Amazon for about $130. You can also purchase additional battery packs and extra batteries that you can swap out to keep going that much longer.
Use Oculus Link Cable
One of the great features of the Quest 2 is that, even though it’s a standalone headset, it can be connected to your PC to play other types of games that aren’t available standalone. Through Oculus Link, you can even enhance experiences (like modding Beat Saber with custom songs.)
While it isn’t recommended that you play while plugged in, the Oculus Link is the exception. It doesn’t provide enough power to compensate for the drain on the battery. Still, it will slow it down significantly and net you several more hours of continuous playtime before the internal battery dies.
Adjust Oculus Quest 2 Power Settings
The Quest 2 has several built-in settings you can adjust to prolong its battery life. For example, you can disable the auto-wake feature to ensure the Quest 2 never comes on without you powering it up, and you can change the auto-sleep timer to as short as possible to preserve battery life.
Turn Off Wi-Fi
Many Quest games don’t need Wi-Fi while you’re playing – only for downloading updates. So while you obviously can’t turn off Wi-Fi in the middle of a multiplayer game like Gun Raiders or Population One, you don’t have to keep it going if you’re just trying to burn a few calories in Thrill of the Fight.
While disabling Wi-Fi won’t save tremendous power, it can stretch your headset’s battery just a little further than it might go otherwise. If you prefer single-player, offline gameplay, then keeping your Wi-Fi turned off also prevents interruptions in the form of messages.
Contact Oculus Support
If your battery just isn’t performing as it should, there’s a chance it might be faulty. Contact Oculus Support and report the problem. Most Oculus Quest 2 devices have a one-year warranty, during which time you can get a replacement battery if yours doesn’t work correctly.
The main selling point of the Quest 2 is that you can engage with some of the best VR experiences without a high-end gaming PC to power them. This sets it apart from the Rift, PSVR, and other headsets on the market – but you also have to deal with battery life and charging times. The good news is that with just a few tweaks (and a spare battery or two), you can double or triple your battery life and keep living your fantasy life in Township Tale.
