What Does The Oculus Link Cable Do

Are you wondering what cablevision to purchase to connect your Oculus Quest to your gaming PC to play Rift games?

The beta for Oculus Link launched today, which lets yous employ your Quest equally a PC VR headset with a USB 3.0 cable. Only USB is a fragmented, not always adhered-to standard, and information technology can be difficult to know which cablevision to buy.

To brand matters worse, the USB cablevision included in the Oculus Quest box will not work with Link.

When Facebook's Oculus Rift launched in 2016 it used USB 3.0 external sensors, and users establish when trying to extend them that it tin exist challenging to find a fully specification-compliant cable.

Facebook is releasing a $79 official custom 5 meter Oculus Link Cable "later this yr". That's the same length as the Rift S cable. Even so, information technology volition initially only be available in "express quantities". Facebook tells us it will "aggrandize availability" in 2020.

The Anker Cable

UPDATE: Unfortunately this cable is now completely out of stock on Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and all other retailers.

Facebook has an official recommendation for what to purchase until the Link Cable is available: the Anker Powerline USB-C to USB 3.0 Cablevision (10ft) with 56k Ohm Pull-upwardly Resistor.

To ensure you lot're buying the correct cable, the model number is AK-A8167011. At the time of posting, information technology's currently $13, just prices can sometimes alter.

Facebook tells usa that this is their "recommended option for the beta", and that information technology tested the cable "with expert results".

However, keep in listen that this cable is simply 3 meters long — two meters less than the Rift South cable. Information technology may be possible to get Link working at 5 meters using USB extension cables. Check back at UploadVR.com next week every bit nosotros'll be reporting our testing results.

It is also worth noting that only some GPUs are supported with Oculus Link at launch, and check out these instructions to become started with Oculus Link on Quest.

David Heaney

Writes virtually VR & AR technology news & industry trends. Ordinarily on VR Download.

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