If you are reading this article right now, I believe you are planning to buy a VR for yourself, for your child, or someone else. Well, for whom you are buying doesn’t ring a bell if you can’t select the right one.
I still remember when I gathered the rest of my money for my first VR, Samsung Galaxy VR (SM-R323) in 2016. From then on, I bought a couple of VRs from time to time.
I will make a pretty clear conception here by distinguishing between Gear VR and Oculus Quest on which is worth your money, convenient in every way, i.e., which to buy in 2022.
So, to what extent can you distinguish between Gear VR and Oculus Quest?
Read till the end to wash away all of your misconceptions and buy the best one that suits you.
Check out the easiest way to fix a Blurry VR headset.
What is the difference between Oculus Quest and Gear VR?
There are hardly two or three similarities, but both possess many differences between them. I have included both Oculus Quest 1 and Oculus Quest 2 in this article to let you understand and create a fine line between Gear VR and Oculus Quest.
So, understand the differences between them and have a clear conception.
| Category | Oculus Quest 1 | Oculus Quest 2 | Gear VR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 2880×1600 px (1440×1600 per eye) | 3664×1920 px (1832×1920 per eye) | 2560×1440 px (1280×1440 per eye) |
| Refresh rate | 72 Hz (Possible support for 90 Hz) | 120 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Weight | 503 gm | 571 gm | 345 gm |
| Display | Oculus Quest 1 has an electronic display to present information to the user | Oculus Quest 2 has an electronic display to give information to the user | Depends on the mobile you insert |
| Display Quality | Diamond Pentile OLED Display | LCD RGB Display | Depends on your phone’s display quality |
| Adjustable IPD | Yes | Yes | No |
| RAM | 4 GB | 6 GB | Depends on your phone’s RAM as it has no dedicated storage |
| Storage Capacity | 64 GB, 256 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB | 16 GB, 64 GB |
| Lens Separation Control | Granular 58-70 mm | 3-Stage (58 mm/ 63mm/ 68 mm) | × |
| Chip | Snapdragon 835 | Snapdragon XR2 | Depends on your phone as it has no dedicated chip |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes | No |
| Position Tracking | Yes | Yes | No |
| Track 360° Head Movement | Yes | Yes | No |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes | No |
| Infrared Sensor | Yes | Yes | No |
| Wi-fi | Yes | Yes | No |
| Work with USB Type C | Yes | Yes | No |
| Supports a 3.5 mm Audio Jack | Yes | Yes | No |
| Integrated Audio | Yes | Yes | No |
| Touch Controllers | Yes | Yes | No |
| Stereo Speakers | Yes | Yes | No |
| Supports a Remote Smartphone | Yes | Yes | No |
| Remote control | Yes | Yes | No |
| Price | $241 (64 GB) | $399 (256 GB) | $129.99 |
Also, check out our separate post on how to clean VR headset foam.
Is Gear VR Better than Oculus Quest?
If anyone asks this question ever or pops up in your mind, just research yourself, read this very article, and you’ll get an idea yourself.
We are indeed in the middle of a technological revolution. Almost every day, people keep researching different technology. In 1828, Sir Charles Wheatstone first described stereopsis and was awarded the Royal Medal of the Royal Society in 1840 that led him to construct the stereoscope. This is the very first baby step for the bigger Virtual Reality.
But don’t worry. I’m not teaching you History.
Now there is an ongoing technological cold war among Virtual Reality Companies. iTechArt, Oculus VR, HTC, Microsoft, Unity, Samsung are some of the best VR companies out there. They keep trying to find the flaws out and make the best VRs every day.
We are discussing the comparison of Gear VR and Oculus Quest. Let’s go there again. So, which one is the better? Is it Gear VR or Oculus Quest?
Oculus Quest is a thousand times better than Gear VR. Oculus Quest has a lot of options available and an updated system in it rather than a Gear VR has. I don’t deny the fact that Gear VR is straightforward and user-friendly. But all I am trying to say is apart from the abilities, Gear VR offers is not enough more than Oculus Quest.
For example, in 3DOF, you can look around in a virtual world, but everything is centered around you, and you can’t move within the world. In 6DOF, you can move around and interact with the virtual world you’re in.
Gear VR provides only 3DOF, whereas Oculus Quest provides 6DOF. So, it’s a huge upliftment for Oculus Quest that can’t be compared with $150-$200. How can we overlook this?
Here’s a complete guide on how to Fix VR Black Screen.
Should I buy Gear VR or Oculus Quest?
Gear VR is the pioneer of the mobile VR industry. But in 2022, if you decide to buy a VR, there’s a lot to determine.
Oculus Quest gives a better resolution than Gear VR. And most importantly, there is no way Gear VR can keep up with Oculus Quest. OQ has a bigger FOV than Samsung Gear VR. So, when you use the OQ headset, you have a bigger overstable environment at any time that helps you to immerse yourself in the game more.
As Oculus has a chipset. So, it won’t be the same as the Gear VR in terms of processing power as Gear VR depends on the plugged phone in it.
The Gear VR is lighter than Oculus Quest. But when you insert your phone in it, it would almost be the same as an Oculus Quest. Gear VR is more flexible than Oculus Quest 1. But Oculus Quest 2 has more flexible straps. So, the flexibility issue is solved here. Yet, there is a lot to do with the flexibility of this device.
For a mobile VR headset, 1000+ apps is not that bad. Is it?
When Gear VR offers this much, Oculus offers thousands of apps too. But when you add the cable and use SteamVR you are opening more than a thousand more games and a whole bunch of AAA games.
But remember, for whom you are buying this. If you want to give it to your child, I recommend you to consider his/her age and then your precious decision for which one to buy.
If you have a budget issue, read this portion before you buy the VR.
Gear VR announced there would be no Gear VR in 2019. So, if you’re down to buy a second-hand VR, you can buy a Gear VR for around $65-$70. This much money can be used for a second-hand VR.
Follow our guide on how to Fix VR Headset Not Working.
Conclusion
Majority of us want flexibility and standalone capability at the same time when we buy a VR. So, if you are already a user of any VR, I wouldn’t recommend anything to you. Reading this article will be enough for you.
Even if you are buying for the first time, I recommend going with Oculus Quest if you have the budget, of course, or if you know pushing some more will be enough to buy an Oculus Quest, just go for it. Whatever you choose, it’ll be your best decision after finishing this article and giving your preferred one a final thought.
