Does the Oculus Quest 2 come with a Link Cable?
The Link Cable is a five-metre long cable that will allow you to connect your Quest 2 headset to a PC, and utilise the power of your computer to play games that might not run natively on the Quest 2.
This opens up a plethora of games to play on the Quest 2, that would otherwise be unavailable. But have Oculus bestowed this gift upon its customers like a benevolent deity? Or have they decided that the Link Cable is far too good an opportunity to make money? Let's answer the question, does the Oculus Quest 2 come with a Link Cable or not.
Does The Oculus Quest 2 Come With A Link Cable?
A quick look at the Oculus Quest 2 storefront tells you what's included in the box: the Quest 2 headset, two touch controllers, a charging cable, two AA batteries, a power adapter, and a glasses spacer. The Link Cable does not, therefore, come in the package with the Quest 2.
The Link Cable is sold as a separate standalone accessory, available for $79. So, if you do want to make use of this, you are going to have to put your hand in your pocket again. Let's be honest, did we really think a company owned by Facebook (now known as Meta) was going to do anything else?
Alternatively, you could just use a third-party USB cable. You probably want to make sure it's good quality, as this will impact performance. And it needs to be a minimum of 3 metres long. The official Link Cable is a generous 5 metres, to give you plenty of freedom to move around.
In addition to this, there are a couple of other options, if you want to connect your PC and your Quest 2. We'll take a look at those next.
Can I Connect My PC To My Oculus Quest 2 Without A Link Cable?
If parting with nearly 100 bucks for a cable feels a bit rich, the good news is that yes, you do have other options to connect your Oculus Quest 2 and your PC.
The first of these is something called Virtual Desktop. Considerably less expensive than a Link Cable, the Virtual desktop app is optimised to wirelessly connect to your computer. You can then play games, watch movies, and surf the web via your headset.
As well as Virtual Desktop, there is something called Oculus Air Link. Air Link allows you to connect your PC and your Quest 2 wirelessly. Using a secure WiFi network, as long as your Quest 2 and PC app are on v.28 or higher, you can use Air Link. To use Air Link:
- Open the Oculus PC app and go to Settings
- Select the Beta tab, then select the button next to Air Link.
- Next, put on your Quest 2 headset and press the oculus button to open the universal menu.
- Open Settings, then select Experimental Features.
- Find and select the button next to Air Link.
- Read the Air Link Requirements then select Continue.
- Find your PC in the Available PCs list then select Pair.
- Once you've paired your Quest 2 and your PC, you can hit Launch.
In theory, Air Link will perform exactly the same job as the Link Cable, without the hefty price tag. The only question is whether your connection will be as stable over WiFi as compared to a wired link. But it's worth a try before spending all that extra cash, right?