We purchased the Oculus Rift S so that our expert reviewer could thoroughly test and review it. Read on for our full product review.
Oculus Rift S installation, unboxing and tips
The original Rift from Oculus was one of the first major VR headsets when it debuted in 2016. While VR technology has steadily improved since then, the Oculus Rift remains a widely used device. With its aging lifespan, the Rift was definitely due for an update, and the Rift S is Oculus’ answer. While not a massive upgrade over its predecessor, the new S does feature a few improvements that bring the headset into the modern era of VR tech. So, is this the right VR setup for you? Read our review and decide for yourself whether it's the best choice.
Upon unboxing the Rift S, you’ll immediately notice that Oculus has taken pains to simplify the device and make it a bit more user-friendly. While it’s not as simple as something like the Quest, the Rift S now only has two cables to plug in, one DisplayPort and one USB 3.0. Since the Rift S also no longer requires external sensors for tracking, you can avoid that headache altogether. In addition to the headset and cables, you’ll also find a set of the recently updated motion controllers in the box.
Unlike the Rift headset which was designed and built by Oculus, the S was built by Lenovo. While they have a good history of making this kind of technology, the headset is bland in design (similar to Lenovo’s Mirage Solo). It’s nothing that affects performance, but it’s certainly not a sleek and attractive piece of tech you’d expect from a company like Oculus.