Oculus Link will soon convert the Oculus Quest standalone into an optional PC compatible VR mask via a USB cable. What do you need to know about it?
Many VR enthusiasts agree: Oculus Quest is the right way forward. The flexibility of the self-sufficient virtual reality glasses combined with the amazing image quality and tracking is convincing, even if it is said that the Quest has not yet achieved impressive sales figures.
However, many owners of Oculus Quest have long wanted to be able to play VR games, which are currently only available for the Oculus Crack (S). But the Quest lacks performance and data performance. For Facebook developers, the company behind Oculus, the connection between self-sufficient VR and PC-based VR applications seems to have been in place from the start.
At Oculus Connect 2019, Facebook announced Oculus Link. It is a USB cable that connects the Quest to a PC, allowing games like Lone Echo or Asgard’s Wrath to be played on the Oculus Quest in the future.
When is the time finally? What are the specifications of the USB cable? Where can I buy Oculus Link and does a third-party USB cable work? Are there already tests for Oculus Link? In this article, we have compiled all available information and will update new developments in the future.
Oculus Link: Specifications and data of the official USB-C connection
The official Oculus Link connection cable is a five-metre long high-speed fibre optic cable of the USB-C version. According to Oculus, it should be thinner and more flexible than conventional USB-C cables.
Oculus’ own link cable must not interfere with VR games. The cable specifications will be communicated to third party manufacturers.
To make data connection possible, Oculus optimizes its rendering software – even SteamVR applications must be compatible and reproducible with it. In addition, a specially developed compression technology is used for high data throughput.
Oculus Link is not a native connection between the PC and VR glasses (like Oculus Rift), but a streaming function. The tracking data is transmitted via cable to the PC, which performs the calculations and image compression and sends everything back to the Quest as a video source.
Information on the final resolution of the Quest video stream has not yet been published. But the first testers were positively surprised (see below).
Data from the official Oculus Link cable
| Oculus Link (Official) | Data |
|---|---|
| Type | Fiber Optic cable |
| Connections | USB-C |
| Connection | USB 3 |
| Compatibility | USB-C to USB-A |
| length | 5 meters |
What software is compatible?
Most Oculus rift applications ( stores) should be compatible, but not all. It is not yet known which are not on the list. In addition, developers should be able to decide if they support Oculus Link or not.
Oculus Home and Oculus Dash are fully compatible. The SteamVR applications should be able to be used without problems, just like the Viveport software.
In order for PC-VR applications to play correctly on Oculus Quest through Oculus Link, the computer must have the recommended hardware for Oculus Rift glasses.
PC Component Minimum recommended:
- Intel i3-6100 / AMD Ryzen processor 3 1200, FX4350 or higher Intel i5-4590 / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X or higher
- NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 470 or higher NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 480 or higher graphics card
- Memory 8 GB RAM 8 GB RAM or more
- Operating system Windows 10 Windows 10
- USB 1 x USB 3.0 connector 1 x USB 3.0 connector
When does Oculus Link available?
The official Oculus Link cable is already listed in the Oculus store, but will soon be available. The availability has been announced at the end of the year, so you should be able to order the cable in the coming weeks. It will not be available for purchase when the software upgrade starts.
The Oculus link update for Quest, which makes VR glasses compatible with the USB connection to the PC, will be released as a beta in November 2019. Therefore, if you want to enjoy the link technology directly, you may need to purchase a comparable cable from another provider.
Are USB cables from other vendors compatible?
Yes, Oculus announced at the Oculus Connect Developer Conference that other USB-C cables could be used. They only have to be long enough if the goal is Room-Scale-VR, and allow for high data throughput. Sufficient flexibility should also be a criterion for the purchase. Facebook also stated that the official cable specifications would be passed on to other manufacturers.
If the PC does not have a USB-C port, home users can use an adapter or directly a USB-C to USB-A cable. The adapter should not affect the performance of the cable, the factors for the performance of the Oculus-Link are the USB-3 port and the cable itself.
Is Oculus Quest with Link better than Oculus Rift S?
A real answer will come in the form of a detailed practical text. At least on paper, Quest is in the lead thanks to its higher resolution and its black OLED color compared to S-LC Rift flat panel displays.
But Rift S offers a slightly higher frame rate (80 Hz) and three subpixels per pixel, so the image is generally smoother despite the lower resolution.
Ultimately, however, they are technical details. The question about latency refers to the VR experience: Is Oculus Quest as fast on the PC as Rift S and does it feel just as good? Then the purchase decision is easy because Quest offers the best of both worlds.
According to Oculus technical director John Carmack, Rift S is still superior on the PC because VR’s native glasses offer a little less latency, are more comfortable, have five instead of four integrated tracking cameras, and the image doesn’t have to be compressed for transmission.