The Meta Quest 2 (formerly known as Oculus Quest 2) is not the most comfortable of virtual reality headsets. The battery also only lasts 2-3 hours, which is enough for most, but for those who want to really dive into virtual reality (or those who just don’t want to charge it as often), the KiwiDesign Single-Point-Charging (SPC) Battery Head Strap for Quest 2 solves both of these issues.
If you’re just looking to increase comfort, the KiwiDesign Upgraded Elite Strap is perfect for that. If you want to significantly extend your playtime too, then read on.
Open And Install
The KiwiDesign Single-Point-Charging (SPC) Battery Head Strap for Quest 2 has three parts:
- The back piece with the sides, battery, and attached USB-C cable.
- The back padding with the top strap.
- A cable clip.
The box has some picture instructions which weren’t too difficult to follow, but they could have been clearer. While a picture can be worth a thousand words, sometimes some clear written instructions can help. What to do with the cable clip wasn’t shown either.
Luckily the installation itself was relatively intuitive and easy. After removing the faceplate, I gently pulled the arms of my old headstrap off and undid the strap connection to the headset itself. Then I clipped the back piece and the back padding together, connected the arms to the Meta Quest 2 headset, and threaded the top strap through the slot in the headset. After that, it was just connecting the cable to the charging port on the headset. It was then just a case of replacing the faceplate and clipping the cable back with the clip.
If threading the top strap through hadn’t taken a few tries, it would’ve been done within five minutes. I probably didn’t need to be as careful with it as I was either; the build quality seems high and the strap is unlikely to break easily.
I Have The Power
The KiwiDesign Single-Point-Charging (SPC) Battery Head Strap for Quest 2 essentially acts as a power bank for the Meta Quest 2, charging the main battery while playing or while turned off. The USB-C connection plugs into the same port that would normally be used for charging the Meta Quest 2.
The battery strap itself can be directly charged via the USB-C port on the back. It has a battery level indicator, which is always a useful feature.
It doesn’t prohibit charging the Meta Quest 2 directly either, as long as you’re using a magnetic connection like the one on the KiwiDesign RGB Vertical Charging Stand. Instead of using the port on the back, it’s possible to use the magnetic connection which charges both the Meta Quest and the battery strap simultaneously. Or you can just pull the battery strap’s USB-C cable out and temporarily exchange it for the regular charger if needed.
The battery has a capacity of 6400mAh. For comparison, the Meta Quest 2 itself has a battery capacity of 3,640 mAh, and the official Elite Strap has a battery capacity of 4,676 mAh. This means that this Battery Head Strap allows for approximately an additional 5 hours of normal usage with your Meta Quest 2, which is quite an improvement. Of course, this does come at a cost.
Plugging In
Perhaps this is stating the obvious, but batteries are heavy. Unsurprisingly, strapping a high-capacity battery to the back of your head does add a significant amount of weight.
While it was quite noticeable at first and the weight was always present, I soon got used to it. It is always worth noting that comfort in VR differs widely from person to person though. In my case, while I certainly appreciate very lightweight headsets such as the DPVR E4, I’ve used a wide variety of them over the past seven or so years, including heavier ones like the Valve Index and Pimax 5K. I may be more used to it than others.
Fortunately, the KiwiDesign Single-Point-Charging (SPC) Battery Head Strap for Quest 2 is well-balanced, which is why that weight isn’t too noticeable. The knob at the back adjusts tightness and the padding on the back is soft but firm, allowing for a reasonably tight fit without discomfort.
One concern I had was the cable from the strap to the Meta Quest 2 headset being in the way. Luckily, while it still hangs low even with the cable strap, I never even noticed it when wearing the headset.
Verdict
The KiwiDesign Single-Point-Charging (SPC) Battery Head Strap for Quest 2 makes using the Meta Quest 2 for hours on end a reality, without the need for a tether. This is great for those social VR games where you can dive in for hours on end or other longer games.
While the added weight is a trade-off, it’s still comfortable overall.
KIWIDESIGN SINGLE-POINT-CHARGING (SPC) BATTERY HEAD STRAP FOR QUEST 2 IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
KiwiDesign has set up a 5% off discount code for our readers: NOOKGAMING – this should apply to all products if you enter it at the checkout.
If you would like to see more hardware and accessories, you may be interested in our review of the ZyberVR Quick-Charge Neck Power Bank With Swappable Battery.
Many thanks go to KiwiDesign for a review unit.
A gamer since the days of Amstrad and DOS and someone who has dabbled in a variety of professions. He enjoys a wide variety of genres, but has been focusing on visual novels and virtual reality in recent years. Head Editor of NookGaming. Follow him and the website on @NookSite.
