More affordable headset options have helped VR make inroads into the mainstream market, and the Oculus Quest is especially proving popular, thanks to some recent announcements. So popular, in fact, that it's backordered until February 18 or later for new orders when buying direct from Oculus.
The folks at UploadVR spotted the new ship dates at Oculus—the 64GB model ($399) is now listed to ship February 20 on the checkout page, and the 128GB model ($499) ships February 18. Previously, new Quest purchases were backordered until early February.
If you're interested in the Quest, it's worth pinging Amazon from time to time. Stock seems to change. Right now, for example, Amazon says the 64GB model will be in stock February 6 and it is accepting orders, while the 128GB model is just gone for the moment. Elsewhere, the Quest is simply sold out, including at Best Buy and Newegg.
The Quest is the best VR headset for most people who are looking to make the leap into VR. It's a standalone kit, meaning you don't have to dangle wires to a moderately powerful PC or jam a smartphone into the visor—all of the necessary hardware is contained inside the headset itself.
It offers excellent performance for the money, and wireless freedom is a boon (dangling wires and the fear of tripping over them can detract from total immersion). By the numbers, the OLED display checks in at 2880x1600 (compared to 2560x1440 for the Rift S, and 2160x1200 for the original Rift). That's enough to reduce the screen-door effect to only being noticeable if you squint your eyeballs.
While we like the Quest as it originally debuted, Oculus is introducing some key upgrades that make it even more enticing. For example, hand tracking support has found its way to the Quest in experimental form and will arrive in earnest next year, and the Oculus Link enables plugging the headset into a PC to play Rift games (if you're willing to forego wireless freedom).
All of this is undoubtedly contributing to the hot demand for the Quest, and by extension, giving VR the boost it needs for mass adoption. I'm sure the imminent launch of Half-Life: Alyx, a VR-only game, is driving sales as well. These additions are all positives for VR as a whole, even if it means a temporary shortage of hardware.
