Up to yesterday, I had only used the Index in this sim - mostly because I’d seen a lot of complaints by people using Quest 2 and not many (or not any) by those using Index.
On top of that, using the fixed framerate function at 18fps, my VR flying experiences have all been good, in various parts of the World.
Yesterday I decided to try the Quest 2, as I’ve managed to get it considerably more comfy than the Index now (and nowhere near as warm), and Iknow from using them both in IL-2 GB that wireless VR flight simming is so much more fun.
As I’ve read posts by a few people asking about which is better, I thought I’d post my thoughts.
Firstly, both performed very smoothly. I’m pretty sure that the fixed framerate function in SteamVR only applies to the Valve headsets (Index and HTC Vive) so I was a little unsure what my Quest 2 performance would be like. The only tweaks I’ve used for the Quest 2 were in Sidequest, where I selected the higher resolution - not the highest - and the 90Hz option in Oculus settings, I don’t know if it applies to this sim or not.
Using Airlink, there was the occasional very brief pause, usually showing something like the loading screen or similar - but very short and only a couple of times early in the flight.
Using Index I have zero issues - no pauses, stutters or anything else, and use 150% supersampling.
I found quite simply that I preferred neither over the other headset. Both had advantages and disadvantages. The basic low-down was that in the Quest 2 the aircraft and cockpits looked better and in the Index the scenery looked better. This was mainly due to the SDE visible in the Index spoiling the clarity of the cockpit gauges or labels and digits. It’s not unreadable - nothing like - it’s just clearer in the Quest 2, in both analogue and glass cockpits or GPS displays.
I have to say, though, that the trees in particular where pretty awful in the Quest. As a virtual bush pilot and general dirt stripper, this is important to me. When I switched back to the Index, it was a relief to have the better looking trees - even if the sparkly/ glitter bits are a bit immersion suppressing.
So I tested both headsets with exactly the same settings in-sim. Maybe things could be improved, but at those settings, I prefer Index for what I see, but Quest for comfort and cockpits.
It has left me undecided, which I would prefer to use. I think it will be whichever one suits my mood when I start up! Either way, both are great. And both could be better.
edited for the awful spelling mistakes - the letters are wearing off my keyboard!
