The latest software update for the Oculus Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro is here, and it brings some serious performance upgrades to both of Meta’s VR headsets.
Meta teased this update following the announcement of Meta Quest 3 where a press release revealed that Quest Pro and Quest 2 will see their CPU speeds increase by up to 26% each. In addition, the GPU of the Quest 2, according to Meta, will improve by up to 19%, while the GPU of the Quest Pro will improve by 11%.
These hardware upgrades are achieved through software updates as the new Meta update allows the CPU and GPU of each headset to run at higher clock speeds. Previously both headsets ran on underclocked systems – read: maximum performance was restricted – to prevent the headsets from getting too hot and causing player discomfort. Clearly, Meta decided that it was a little conservative in its underclocked approach, so now it releases a little more power.
On top of its faster processing, Meta announced that the Quest Pro gets a boost in eye tracking accuracy. While the update post doesn’t go into much detail we can’t help but feel that this is Meta’s first move to help the Quest Pro catch up to Apple’s newly unveiled Vision Pro headset – which is threatening to usurp in Meta’s place at the top of the best VR headsets list.
One innovation that Apple’s headset has is that it uses eye tracking to navigate more accurately with hand tracking. Instead of awkwardly pointing at an app you have to look at it and then pinch your fingers.
The Quest Pro’s improved eye-tracking accuracy could allow Meta to implement a similar system to Apple’s Vision Pro — and help make eye-tracking technology even more useful.
Smaller changes
Beyond these performance improvements, the Meta Quest v55 update brings some minor software improvements.
Now when using Direct Touch hand tracking, you can tap swipe notifications away or tap them like buttons you can with other menu items. If it doesn’t make interacting with your headset feel enough like using a smartphone, Meta also said that the full Messenger app will now be launched on the Quest platform – allowing you to call and message anything of your contacts through the app, not only. the people who use VR.
Two new virtual environments are also available. Futurescape – shown at the 2023 Meta Quest Gaming Showcase – combines futurism with nature, while the Great Sand Sea is a vast desert world that is an exclusive space for people who preordered Asgard’s Wrath 2. To To change your current environment in any of these options you must go to your Quest headset Settings and find the Personalization menu. You should see the option to change your environment in either of these new spaces or the previously released virtual houses.
Check out our interview with one of the developers to find out how Asgard’s Wrath 2 will bring the best of Oculus Quest 2.
