5 Best VR Accessories in 2024 (+3 Mind-Blowing Bonus Accessories)
I became hooked on VR this Fall when I bought an Oculus Quest 2. Later I discovered tons of accessories that can really improve the VR experience. I wanted to list my favorites in this blog post.
1) Replacement Face Plate
My Quest 2’s faceplate quickly became a rancid sweat-sponge after playing workout games on the Quest 2. The faceplate that shipped with the Quest 2 was so bad that it got recalled because people were having allergic reactions. I threw mine away (and am glad I did). This is an accessory that you’ll want to replace.
Many companies sell these; I don’t think you need to buy a specific brand. I purchased this generic one from Amazon, and I like it. There’s also a company named VRCover that focuses on VR accessories like this and is worth checking out if you want more options.
2) Grips for Controllers
The quest 2 controllers are fine…
But, when I get sweaty (which happens a lot), I find the controllers become harder to grip. Sometimes I accidentally open the battery case while playing (which the grips prevent). Plus, hand straps are a lot nicer than the wrist straps they give you. I definitely recommend replacing these.
3) Mobile-Friendly Power Bank for Oculus
One of my gripes with the Quest 2 is that you can kill the battery after a couple hours of gameplay. However, you can squeeze an extra 60 minutes of gameplay using this external battery. More if you buy two and swap them out regularly.
That makes a huge difference when you want to do a long gaming session and don’t want to stop to recharge your batteries.
4) Rug (Or Mat)
This may not seem obvious, but I find that playing VR with some type of rug is essential. I even wrote an entire post about the best mats for VR.
Why? Basically big comfortable standing mats make long playing sessions more comfortable and prevent me from accidentally punching my walls in VR. A good mat is necessary.
5) Anker Charging Dock
$100 for a charging dock is a bit pricey. That said, it does objectively look a lot nicer than just a random cord hanging out of your wall and the rechargeable controller batteries are so much better! There’s nothing worse than a controller randomly running out of juice.
6) Oculus Elite Strap (Head Strap With Battery)
I don’t hate the head strap that came with my Oculus Quest 2. That said, a lot of people do. Luckily, these are also easily swappable.
Oculus went ahead and made a premium version of its head strap, complete with a large battery attached to it. It’s a nice upgrade, although it is rather expensive compared to the other items on this list.
Bonus Accessory #1) VR Mind Control by Next-Mind
Now we’re on to the list of things you absolutely don’t need to buy (but it’d be awesome if you did). The first is an accessory created by the company next-mind that literally lets you play VR with your mind. It’s freaking insane! Watch this video to see a demo. I honestly can’t believe this is real (it’s real).
Bonus Accessory #2) OmniDirectional VR Treadmills by Kat Walk C
Another accessory that you absolutely don’t need.
That said, if you’re like me and you love playing workout games in VR, you know that VR is more fun if you can run around without worrying about crashing into stuff. An Omnidirectional VR treadmill by Kat Walk C is one way to accomplish that. And just think about how awesome it would be to sprint in VR while blowing stuff up with your mind.
Bonus Accessory #3) Full Body Tracking by HTC Vive
There are games in VR that would be dramatically more fun if you could kick or otherwise control your legs in VR. Unfortunately, the Quest 2 doesn’t allow you to do this with its two controllers. That said, HTC Vive offers a solution that’s worth checking out if you’re interested in this.