The Oculus Quest 2, released at the end of 2020, is designed as a VR to give the player, maximum freedom and an untethered gaming experience. Given the wireless nature of the Quest 2, players need to be aware of the dwindling battery, If you want to play for an extended session, it’s important to know whether you can play the Oculus Quest 2 while charging.
In this light, let's check out what your options are.
What Oculus says about battery and using the Oculus Quest 2 while charging
You can expect the Oculus Quest 2 to run for about 2-3 hours on a single charge. It will last towards the top end of this range for doing something like watching a movie, and towards the lower end of the range for something more power-intensive, like playing a game.
Oculus provides some useful ‘best practice’ advice in order to maximise battery life on your headset. In terms of charging, Oculus recommends using the cable that comes with the headset. As well as being designed specifically for use with the headset, it is also about a metre long.
This would suggest that Oculus have made it an option, should you wish, to charge your headset while playing. Oculus doesn’t state this explicitly on their support page, but they also don’t advise against it. The fact that the Oculus Quest 2 also has an active cooling system, with an internal fan, suggests that reducing the risk of overheating was something they thought about.
However, the standard 1m cable might not be long enough to continue using the Quest 2 while it charges. Given the motion and quick movements you need to make, using the VR headset with a short cable may restrict your movement - or worse.
Oculus also advises against overcharging your headset. So, if you are going to plug in and play, then it recommends you disconnect your device when it reaches 100% charge. Overcharging runs the risk of reducing overall battery life over time.
Read More: How to fix Oculus Quest 2 Slow Charging
Oculus Link
As well as the charging cable that comes with the headset, you have the option of using the Oculus Link cable. This is a whopping 5m long cable that you can plug into your PC, giving you plenty of range of motion.
Crucially, the cable has dual functions. As well as being a fibre-optic cable for high-speed data transfer, it can also power your device. The fact that this is compatible with the Quest 2 makes it very clear that yes, you can play and charge at the same time.
Read More: Oculus Quest 2 Not Loading: How To Fix Oculus Quest 2 Game Stuck On Loading
Elite strap with battery
There is another option to play while charging if you want to play untethered. This is by purchasing the Quest 2 Elite strap with a battery.
As the name suggests, this is an accessory that comes with an in-built battery pack, which will extend your playing time on the Quest 2. You are essentially adding an additional battery pack to your headset, potentially getting as much as double the time in-between charges.
That's it, then. Options for playing with extended battery life, or for playing whilst charging with a cable. Just make sure you don’t overcharge your battery, and you’ll be fine.