The Pico 4 is the latest VR headset from the ByteDance-owned company, and its closest rival is the Meta Quest 2. Here's how the two headsets compare.
The Pico 4 is the latest VR headset from Pico, but how does it stack up against the Meta Quest 2? Pico is a Chinese company best-known for its standalone VR headsets. However, it gained more popularity when it was acquired by ByteDance, the same company that owns TikTok. Meta's foray into VR is no different. In 2014, when Meta was still Facebook, the company acquired popular VR headset maker Oculus.
Meta is preparing to launch a new headset which is reportedly called the Meta Quest Pro. Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that the VR headset will be unveiled in October, and while he didn't mention the exact date, it is likely to be launched at the Meta Connect event scheduled for Oct. 11. The upcoming device will be a mixed reality headset with sensors for eye tracking and face tracking.
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The Pico 4 and Meta Quest 2 are both standalone VR headsets but are quite different with respect to design. Pico has used a slim design which is reminiscent of skiing glasses. It is 163mm wide, 310mm long, and weighs 586g. In contrast, the Quest 2 is 224mm wide, 450mm long, and weighs 503g. Both headsets have their batteries at the back for better weight distribution. The Pico 4 is sold in white with matching controllers that are powered by AA batteries. The Quest 2 is also available in white with wireless controllers powered by AA batteries.
The two VR headsets use LCD panels for their displays, but that's pretty much where the similarities end in terms of optics. The Pico 4 has two 2.56-inch screens with a resolution of 2,160 x 2,160 per eye. They can also switch between 72Hz and 90Hz refresh rates. On the other hand, the Quest 2 has a single display that provides a resolution of 1,832 x 1,920 pixels per eye. It can switch between 60Hz, 72Hz, and 90Hz refresh rates. The Pico 4 uses Pancake optical lenses which is why it's slimmer in comparison to the Quest 2 which uses Fresnel lenses. Pico's headset also has a wider 105-degree field of view in comparison to the Quest's 89-degree FOV. The Pico 4 and Quest 2 have 6DoF for spatial positioning. Pico also sells motion trackers with 3DoF positioning that can be attached to the user's legs to track movement.
In addition, the two VR headsets have a pass-through mode – this way users can see their surroundings even while using the headsets. Meta and Pico's headsets are powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2 chipset, and the 7nm octa-core processor is paired with 8GB of RAM on the Pico 4 and 6GB of RAM on the Quest 2. Both devices can be purchased in 128GB and 256GB storage variants. Both have built-in speakers with spatial audio, but only the Meta Quest 2 has a 3.5mm headphone jack. There is also Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5, but it is important to note that the Quest 2 doesn't officially support Bluetooth headphones even though there is a way to get them to work.
There is a 5,300mAh battery inside the Pico 4 with support for 20W fast charging via a USB-C port. The Quest 2 has a much smaller 3,640mah battery and also charges via USB-C. However, while Meta doesn't state the charging speed, the headset comes with a 10W USB-C power adapter which will charge the device from empty to full in 2.5 hours. The Pico 4 starts at €429 (~$416) for the 128GB version and goes up to €499 (~$484) for the 256GB version. In contrast, the Quest 2 is priced at €449/$399 for the 128GB version and €549/$499 for the 256GB version. The Pico 4 is cheaper than the Quest 2 in Europe and offers better specs too, but unfortunately, it isn't available in the U.S.
Habeeb has years of experience covering consumer technology and has written for multiple publications. As a Senior Writer at Screen Rant, he enjoys writing about wearables, smartphones, tablets, and Chromebooks. Several of his articles include guides and comparisons that help users get the best out of their devices or choose the one that bests suits them. When he's not writing, he's catching up on the latest TV shows. He considers The Crown as peak drama and Castlevania as one of the best game-to-screen adaptations. And on days when there is nothing to watch (is that even possible?), he sneaks in a few hours of games on his PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.