Today, Oculus Quest 2 users who want to play PC VR games on the headset have plenty of options. Oculus Air Link is built into the headset and supports a 120Hz refresh rate, while the virtual desktop also lets you play PC VR games on the Quest. However, if you don’t have a fast Wi-Fi network or your PC can’t keep up with the network speeds needed for wireless PC VR, an Oculus Link cable is the next best thing. However, you can’t just connect any cables. You need a device that is both long enough to allow you to move freely and fast enough to handle all the streaming data that PC VR needs. Below are our personal favorites, top picks from the Oculus community, and official Oculus link alternatives.
skip the cable completely
Virtual Desktop – Wireless Connector for Oculus Quest 2
Employee selection
Before Air Link, Virtual Desktop gave Oculus Quest power users a way to sideload PC VR games without any cables. Oculus now offers free wireless streaming with a similar level of performance, reducing the uniqueness of paid virtual desktops. But it’s still one of the best Quest 2 Link Cable alternatives in our opinion. Not only does it let you play games, but you can also watch movies in cool virtual environments or use your PC in a headset. It gives you more customizable control over your PC’s settings than Air Link. Many users claim that VD still runs PC VR games better than Air Link in some aspects, such as lag.
Meta Task $20
USB-C, eh?
VOKOO Oculus Link Cable – Oculus Quest 16ft Link Cable
VOKOO makes an excellent Oculus Link cable alternative for PCs that don’t have a USB Type-C port. This 16-foot cable is long enough to cover the entire gaming space, making it easy to play room-scale games without worrying about tugging on the cable.
$22 on Amazon
Oculus Tested and Approved
Anker USB C Cable, Powerline USB 3.0 to USB C Charger Cable (10ft)
On the official Oculus Link support page, the company says it “in-house tested this USB-C to USB-A Anker cable with good results”. It is USB 3.0 5Gbps compliant for fast data transfer and supports 15W fast charging so your Quest 2 remains fully powered under heavy workloads. It’s reliable and popular with Quest 2 users, but if you plan to play more action-intensive PC VR games, you may want a longer cable with a 90-degree USB-C cable end.
Amazon $26
Built for room-scale PC VR
Amavasion Oculus Quest Link Cable – USB 3.1 to USB-C 5Gbps High Speed Data Transfer and Charging Cable
Another 16-foot cable, the Amavasion also has a maximum of 5Gbps and limited charging capacity for extended gaming sessions, but not indefinitely. Compared to the PartyLink cable, it’s rated USB 3.2, but doesn’t take advantage of the higher standard and costs more. That being said, it’s also a thinner cable, and it may feel lighter to drag behind you during your VR adventures.
Amazon $30
Anker Backup
Amazon Basics Charger Cable – Double Braided Nylon USB Type-C to Type-A 3.1 Gen 1 Charger Cable
Oculus’ official Oculus Link backup, the 10-foot Anker cable that sometimes runs out of stock, is the closest alternative you can trust in terms of price, features, and quality. It supports 5 Gbps data transfer and 5V charging. It’s made from double-woven nylon, which should be durable when yanked, and it’s even available in four colors for a little extra personality.
$18 on Amazon
Add 16 feet to any link cable
CableCreation Active USB 3.0 Extension Cable – USB 3.0 Extension Male to Female Cable with Signal Booster Compatible with Oculus Rift Sensors
The maximum length of a USB 3.0 cable is usually 3 meters (or about 9 feet) to keep it fast, but it’s not enough for games where you want to stand and stay away from your PC. This 16-foot extender will maintain power delivery and 5Gbps data speeds. Of course, you’ll need to buy a USB 3.0 to USB-C cable (like Anker’s or Amazon’s) in addition to that, but adding a CableCreation extender will cost you 10 feet less than the official cable.
$16 on Amazon
stay still
VR Cover USB-C Cable for Oculus Quest 2 – Premium USB-C Cable for Meta/Oculus™ Quest 2 – 2m
Like the 5m version, this VR Cover cable is USB-C to USB-C, and the headset is 90 degrees; it’s only capable of 5Gbps, but that should be enough for Oculus Link. It’s also very affordable. What’s the problem?also incredible short Only 6 feet. This cable is designed to play a seated VR experience directly next to your PC, where you won’t be doing much movement other than possibly turning your head. If you can forgo room-scale VR or sports gaming, this is a great cheap option.
VR Cover $9
Make Your Cable Quest Friendly
AFUNTA Expansion Adapter – 90 Degree USB CC Type Male to Female Adapter
Some of the best USB-C cables have straight ends, which aren’t great for headphones that rock side to side. With the adapter attached, your link cable will sit perpendicular to the headset so it’s less likely to bend as you move around. These micro adapters are USB 3.1 compatible and transfer speeds up to 10Gbps, so they won’t have any problems transferring data and power.
$10 on Amazon
What specifications do you need for the Oculus Link cable?
Finding the best Oculus Link cable replacement isn’t easy, as there are a disturbing number of imitation cables, ranging from defective to actually dangerous for your Quest 2. We’ve read horror stories about USB-C headers breaking off inside the Quest 2’s port, leaving it unable to charge. More commonly and less seriously, you’ll find cables that work for a few weeks before they wear out and can no longer properly connect your headset to your PC.
That’s why we’ve tried to consider the best options for those who can’t afford an official Oculus Link cable. However, if you want to find your own replacement, or see if the USB-C cable you have now will work, here’s what you need to know:
- You need a cable rated USB 3.0 or higher. That should mean it supports both 5 Gbps data transfer and 5V charging. Data transfer speeds are necessary to stream games running on your PC to your headset without lag. Power delivery is necessary because your headset uses more power when running PC VR games, and reliable voltage will keep your battery running longer.
- Most fast-charging USB cables with high power do some data transfer, but you’ll often see 480Mbps figures. Unfortunately, that’s not enough for Oculus Link.
- The other end of the cable must be USB-C to connect to the headset’s charging port. We recommend using headphones at a 90-degree angle, which reduces the chance of head movement putting physical stress on the power cord and damaging the headphone port.
- You need a cable that is at least 10 feet long. Even if you’re only going to sit and play PC VR games, anything shorter than that could cause you to yank on something and damage your PC port — or hurt your neck.
- If you have a favorite 3-foot or 6-foot USB 3.0 to USB-C cable, you can use it with an extension cable and that should do the trick. Extending the cable may cause slightly slower transfer speeds, but if it’s rated high enough it shouldn’t be a problem.
What is the optimal length of the Oculus Link cable?
Oculus’ official cable is 16 feet (or 5 meters), which should give you plenty of room to move around the room. But keep in mind that part of the reason Oculus’ cable is so expensive is that it’s able to stay as fast as a USB-C to USB-C cable at 5 meters when most USB 3.0 cables are at their limit at 10 Data transfer speeds. So a standalone cable longer than this may not be able to transfer data satisfactorily from a powerful PC without some data loss.
That’s why we’ve included extension cables in our list, although you probably don’t want to build a super-long Oculus Link combo cable even if the data transfer is perfect. The longer the cable, the more it will extend across the room and slope down in the middle. This will create a trip hazard for you and anyone else living with you. When this happens, you better want the cable to come out of one of the ports, because either your head or the PC is being jerked down. That’s also why you should always velcro the cable to the headband, as it can save your USB port from disaster.
Decide if you plan to do room-scale VR. If not, you can use a 10-foot cable such as Anker Powerline cable. Otherwise, you can try your luck with a 16-foot cable like the VOKOO cable, or pair a short cable with a CableCreation Active USB 3.0 extension cable for an extra-long setup.
How to use the Oculus Link cable
We hope our Oculus Link cable replacements will meet your needs, but be sure to test the cable as soon as it arrives so you can return it to the task if the cable (or your PC graphics card) doesn’t fit the bill. To use Oculus Link on your Oculus Quest 2, you’ll need to do the following:
- On your PC, visit www.oculus.com/setup and click “Download software” under “Oculus Links.”
- Open the app and click “install now. “
- open your Blindfold Mission 2.
- plug your USB cable into a compatible PC port, then USB-C side Access the Quest 2’s charging port.
- Wear headphones.
- You should see a popup to access the data.choose negative. Selecting Allow will cause the cable to disconnect from time to time as Windows is trying to find the file, which will break Oculus Link.
- Then you will see an option Enable Oculus Link. choose enable.
You should now be able to use Oculus Link. If you can’t connect or you’re experiencing performance issues with your PC games, there may be a problem with your cable or PC.
If you experience random disconnects, make sure to select negative when. . .when Allow access to data A pop-up window appears after connecting the cable.choose allow will result in inconsistent connections. If you have additional questions, our Oculus Link cable troubleshooting guide can help.
Consider switching to wireless
Oculus Link cables, official or unofficial, give you the best, most consistent visual performance. But even ditching the physical cable results in a slight drop in visual quality, so There are far fewer restrictions. You don’t have to worry about pulling cables and damaging something; that’s why many people prefer the Quest 2 over any wired PC VR headset! And you can use Air Link for free indefinitely, so maybe give it a try before paying for the cable.
Air Link lets you wirelessly stream PC games to Oculus Quest 2 over your home Wi-Fi network. It was released in the v28 Quest 2 update in April 2021, and was later upgraded in v29 to support a silky-smooth 120Hz refresh rate.
Fortunately, setting up Oculus Air Link is an easy process. But in order for your games to perform well, you need the right hardware to do the job. Specifically, you need a PC with graphics capabilities to handle hardcore PC VR gaming. If you’re having trouble with this, feel free to check out our list of the best pre-built PCs for Oculus Link, which will tell you what specs you might need and how much it costs.
To go the wireless route, you’ll also need a router that’s up to the task. The best Wi-Fi 6 routers should deliver the performance you need.
With the right computer and a fast router, you’ll be ready to play Quest 2 games wirelessly. You can do it via Air Link for free, or try the Virtual Desktop app for a full PC-in-VR experience! Either way, these tools will make your Quest 2 truly wireless again, even when playing demanding VR games like Half-Life: Alyx.
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