The Meta Quest 2 is still worth buying, and its price ahead of Memorial Day is ludicrous

Meta Quest 2 on a purple background with a best deal stamp on top of it
(Image credit: Future / Duncan Robertson)

VR has always been prohibitively expensive. Arguably, that’s one of the reasons it’s always failed to capture the mainstream gaming market - people already own expensive “normal” gaming tech, and spending upwards of $500 on a headset to try something that may or may not make people nauseous is a big ask.

The Meta Quest 2 has always been one of the best answers to that though. Although the device has made a career out of being more affordable than the other headsets out there, it’s now at a fairly ludicrous price. Down from its resting price of $249.99, it’s now $199 at Amazon. 

Yes, the Meta Quest 3 is the more obvious choice of device these days, but the Quest 2 is still worth buying in my opinion. We’re only just starting to see Quest 3 games that don’t support the older headset, but there are still hundreds of titles on the Meta Quest store that are playable with 2020’s flagship device. For anyone hesitant to buy one of the best VR headsets until now, or simply hasn’t had the money to, it’s hard to argue with a price this good.

What’s more, Memorial Day Meta Quest deals are coming up, so for this price to be found circa two weeks before the event is lucky. As someone who reviews VR headsets for a living, this is the perfect deal for anyone who’s looking to take their first steps into VR gaming. 

Meta Quest 2  | $199.99 at Amazon
Save $50 -

Meta Quest 2  | $249.99 $199.99 at Amazon
Save $50 - Besides one random day where the price dropped $7 lower than this, we’ve never seen the Quest 2 discounted to under $200. Considering its average price at Amazon is still $248, you’re getting a wild deal here.

Buy it if: 

✅You’ve never owned a VR headset before
✅ The Quest 3 is out of your price range
✅ You have a gaming PC, or if you don’t

Don't buy it if: 

❌ You want mixed-reality
❌ You own a PS5

 Should you buy the Meta Quest 2? 

Meta Quest 2 headset and controllers front-on sat atop a TV stand

(Image credit: Future / Duncan Robertson)

The Quest 3 is superior to the Quest 2, but in our Meta Quest 3 review, I talked about how it feels more like a yearly update to a phone than a full generational successor. I’m sure there are Quest 3 owners out there who would disagree, but besides new lenses, a slightly upgraded display, and far better passthrough cameras, you’re not missing out on an awful lot if you go for a Quest 2. Particularly if you play with one of the best gaming headsets, the Quest 3’s upgraded speakers won’t make that much of a difference to you. 

If you’re new to Meta Quest, or you’ve never really played VR games before, the Quest 2 is the perfect way to dip your toes in the water. There are so many great titles to play on it, and it’ll link to a gaming PC as well. Truth be told, at this price, it’s hard not to recommend the Quest 2. It was by far the most popular VR headset between 2020 and 2023, and for good reason.

So who wouldn’t I recommend this deal to? Well, if you own and play most of your games on a PS5, I’d suggest you save some more money up and wait for Prime Day. We may well see some PSVR 2 deals coming that will give you great value for money. With PC support on the way for that headset, you could be shooting yourself in the foot if you buy a Quest 2 just now. Similarly, anyone who knows they want the best visuals a headset can give them may want to wait for a Quest 3 price cut, since the pancake lenses do make a big difference. 

Nonetheless, this is a great VR deal. If you want to scope out some other headset deals in your area, check out the widget below.


Gearing up for PSVR 2 instead? Take a look at Memorial Day PS5 deals, the best SSDs for PS5, and the best PS5 controllers. 

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Hardware Editor

One of my earliest memories is playing SuperMario64 and wondering why the controller I held had three grips, but I only had two hands. Ever since I've been in love with video games and their technology. After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in Journalism, I contributed to the Scottish Games Network and completed an Editorial Internship at Expert Reviews. Over the last decade, I’ve been managing my own YouTube channel about my love of games too. These days, I'm one of the resident hardware nerds at GamesRadar+, and I take the lead on our coverage of gaming PCs, VR, controllers, gaming chairs, and content creation gear. Now, I better stop myself here before I get talking about my favourite games like HUNT: Showdown, Dishonored, and Towerfall Ascension. Location: UK Remote

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