The Oculus Rift S is not the next big Rift that we’ve all been waiting for, and Oculus themselves have been careful not to advertise it as one. No, the Rift S is… uh. Honestly, the problem is I don’t think anyone is sure what the “S” actually is.
It isn’t an upgrade, nor arguably even a refinement, as many of the improvements have come at the expense of other features. So, let’s review the Oculus Rift S and try to figure out who this VR headset is really for.
I’ll preface this review by saying I upgraded from the original Rift to the Rift S, so I’m writing this from the perspective of someone who made the sacrifice.
Packaging, Comfort & Build
Before we delve deep into the headset itself, let’s stop and quickly chat about the packaging. Unboxing the original Oculus was a pleasure: a massive chunky box, clips holding the headset in place, and lovely foam padding. By comparison, the Rift S box feels cheaper with less padding or feeling of luxury. It isn’t a huge problem, but this is a prime example of how the Rift S can sometimes feel like a step down.
This new iteration has been designed in partnership with Lenovo. The fabric straps of the original Rift have been tossed into the design bin; instead, it looks like the PlayStation VR has been copied almost entirely.
- The Halo Band: A halo band now encircles your head with a large, easy-to-use dial at the rear to tighten the headset.
- Glasses Friendly: The whole front piece moves in and out, which is very handy if you wear glasses.
All in all, I found the Rift S to be much more comfortable than its predecessor. The weight feels more evenly spread around your skull. However, the cushioning is less impressive. The basic foam padding absorbs sweat, becoming a soggy mess during intense gaming sessions, and the cushions are glued in, making them difficult to clean or replace.
A Cheaper Aesthetic?
Speaking of cheap, the whole unit lacks the polish of the original. The Rift CV1 had a lovely fabric finish, whereas the Rift S is made of hard plastic. Even the cable has been redesigned—it’s now 5m long (1m longer than before) and uses a DisplayPort connector instead of HDMI.
Crucial Note on IPD: The physical IPD (interpupillary distance) slider has vanished. The Rift S uses digital IPD adjustment, which has a smaller range. If you have a particularly wide or narrow face, this headset might not work for you.
Inside-Out Tracking: The Future?
Probably the biggest change is that external sensors are gone.
- The Benefit: No more routing cables around your room or using up 3-4 USB ports. You have instant access to room-scale VR.
- The Trade-off: The five cameras embedded in the headset provide good coverage, but tracking glitches occur when hands are too close to your face or behind your back. It struggles with “occlusion” (e.g., holding a two-handed gun where one controller blocks the other).
Another benefit of the new cameras is Passthrough+, which lets you swap to a grey-scale view of your real-world surroundings at the press of a button. It’s perfect for grabbing a drink or checking on your dog without taking the headset off.
A New Screen, A Sharper Image
The 90Hz refresh rate of the original Rift has been abandoned in favor of a slightly lower 80Hz. While this sounds like a downgrade, I surprisingly didn’t notice the difference, though sensitive users might risk VR sickness.
The screen itself has swapped from OLED to a single LCD panel running at 2560 x 1440.
- The Good: A substantial decrease in “God Rays” and the “Screen Door Effect.” The image is sharper, and spotting distant corners in racing games like Project Cars 2 is much easier.
- The Bad: Without OLED, the contrast and colors aren’t as deep or vibrant.
Overall, the resolution bump and lens improvements significantly reduced eye fatigue for me.
Terrible Audio
If the screen was a trade-off, the audio is a pure loss. The original Rift had excellent on-ear headphones. The Rift S replaces these with a new “ambient audio system” that pumps sound out of the headband.
The result is frankly pathetic. Sound is tinny, lacking bass or depth, and leaks audio to everyone else in the room. There is a 3.5mm jack to plug in your own headphones, but fitting them over the chunky halo headband can be a challenge.
Verdict: Who is this for?
The Oculus Rift S is a strange beast. It isn’t a true sequel, nor is it a pure refinement.
- For Original Rift Owners: It is likely not worth the upgrade. The trade-offs (worse audio, lower refresh rate, black levels) balance out the benefits.
- For Newcomers: It was the best mid-range entry point at the time, easier to set up than the original and cheaper than the Valve Index.
If you are looking for VR in 2026, you are likely better off with a Meta Quest 3 or a second-hand Quest 2, both of which offer wireless play and PC connectivity
Also Read : PS5 Media Remote Review – The Ultimate Accessory or a Missed Opportunity?
