Oculus Rift S problems? | Before you buy

A selection of potential problems with the Oculus Rift S - things to know before you buy.

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There a few different problems with the Oculus Rift S that are worth knowing before you buy. Some are obvious, some not so much. The main issue is likely to be the fact that Rift S uses DisplayPort rather than HDMI. You might find your computer/laptop doesn't have a DisplayPort output and you CANNOT use an adapter as the bandwidth is different.

"Laptop Setup: Interface Requirements
If you’re planning to use a laptop with Rift S, make sure it’s equipped with a Mini DisplayPort. Rift S has a high display bandwidth requirement and needs to interface directly with the GPU on your PC. Most laptops that fall within min or rec spec have a mini DisplayPort connected to the discrete GPU.

However, some laptops only have an HDMI, Thunderbolt, or USB-C display output, and unfortunately may not support Rift S. Currently (May 2019), there are no HDMI to DisplayPort adapters that support the bandwidth throughput required for Rift S. Thunderbolt and USB-C laptops may not be configured to interface with the discrete in-spec GPU. Again, some laptops in this category can be used with a USB-C to DisplayPort adapter, but we can’t guarantee performance. If you’re looking for a new laptop, we strongly recommend picking an Oculus Ready Certified PC.

We also recommend keeping your laptop plugged into a power source while using Rift S to maintain optimal performance."

There are other minor issues too, but generally this is an awesome headset. See my Oculus Rift S review for the full info.

Note - some modern laptops do support DisplayPort (or DisplayPort Mini or DP capable USB-C connections) so it's worth checking.

Recorded with:

0:00 Hellooo
0:20 The move from HDMI to display port cable
0:50 Official response from Oculus
2:05 IPD settings on the headset
2:54 Microphone stopped working
3:35 Headphone support
5:10 issues with heat

PLEASE NOTE

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Reviewed products:
Products featured may also have been sent for free for review/testing purposes. Often these have to be returned by me, but not always. I endeavour to avoid bias in my videos wherever possible and try to give honest, subjective opinions.

#OculusRiftS #OculusRiftSProblems #BeforeYouBuy #DisplayPort

[TheProvokedPrawn]

As several people have pointed out, the adapter is DisplayPort Mini and not Thunderbolt. I am an idiot, but the point is still relevant :) Hope you liked the rest of the video enough to subscribe.

[youngman]

It's decided... I'm putting googly eyes on my rift S

[marcywantsto]

none of these problems are issues for me. just got the rift S!!

[DTWAIRSOFT]

0:00 Hellooo
0:20 The move from HDMI to display port cable
0:50 Official response from Oculus
2:05 IPD settings on the headset
2:54 Microphone stopped working
3:35 Headphone support
5:10 A cooked prawn

[Vladeeer]

For the mic, on the task bar, R-click on the sound icon -> select "Sounds" and go to the "recordings" tab. Now unplug all physical mics that you can and disable the recording device, and re-enable them. Now try plug and play ( common fix for mic / sound )

[ignacj]

What us your IPD? Software IPD adjustment will move image not lenses, the sweet spot is fixed and might be off for folks on higher and shorter end of IPD.

[krusty]

Had the S for a week now. Lovin' it so far. Only issue noted is a video disturbance every now and then lasting a fraction of a second. Annoying maybe but not really an issue..

[christophermartin]

Very few modern gaming laptops do not have thunderbolt 3 or mini display port interfaces.

[ReLapse]

Just set up my headset and wow!! Crystal clear gaming! 🤯🥳🥳

[Lemegeton]

It was kinda pointless talking about the ipd adjustment without telling us what your ipd is. You say you had no issues but for all we know your ipd is right in that sweet spot.

[zzdoodzz]

The lack of decent headphones is a real hold up from upgrading to the Rift S from the Rift (1st gen). I tried out the Rift S and the fit is nice, the graphics are a slight upgrade (a little crisper), but the sound is a huge step down. Songs on Beat Saber lack bass and just sound very metallic and "tiney". They really missed the boat bigtime by going with the "sound pipes". It would be a no brainer upgrade if they had the normal VR headphones that Rift used and other MFG's use.

[eemeliranta]

Like i've heard many others say, the Rift S isn't as good of an upgrade option, rather, a more convenient version for newcomers

[KzCloud]

thanks for the info i was more curious about the Vr Headset using Displayport over HDMI i like'd the old oculus rift but the fact that this one has no Sensors to place in the room makes me more happy, can't wait to get it a try just wish they would finally add a better Ear piece for it besides low sound speakers and more durable,

[Cosmopavone]

Man hdmi CAN'T support those specs, only DP can, what do you want them to answer to you??

[Branwar]

another issue you might want to consider is the fact that they use proprietary cables, not a issue since they still make them but, as was the case with the rift once they stop making the headset they stop making the cable as well. people are now selling them for around 150$ on ebay and oculus is straight up saying buy the rift s to solve the issue...

[meejmuas]

just bought the rift s, everything is great except for aiming down the sight with gun sights. works sometimes but losing tracking frequently. if you are really into first person shooters, Rift S is not adequate because of the lack of external body sensors

[minarchisttrucker]

Appreciate the video but that's not a thunderbolt port. That's a mini displayport. Thunderbolt is the same as USB type C

[RojasTKD]

I see several people complaining about the audio solution. I'm ok with it as when playing with others we tend to lift/move the headphone away from our ears so we can also hear the other people in the room. So I can see using it with the stock audio solution quite often.

If I want to use my own headphones they've made that quite easy. I'm sure most people have some headphone earbuds they can use. Shure better audio would of been nice, but I can live with this implementation.

[apextopweek]

There are a few videos which are are showing that overall quality of the screen in Rift S is higher but some people say it's much worse by saying "low contrast, worse colors, worse blacks and shading"


Could somebody please .... tell me who is telling the truth?

[jameshicks]

I got the Rift S a week ago. It has been a *major hassle*. I have never had more problems with a device. As I write this, I am downloading the app for the fifth time on a slow connection.
It worked for two days (intermittently) and lat night the app decided I was running windows 8 and wouldn't run. My Pc is "Oculus ready" with windows 1909 build and well within the recommended specifications. I have spent hours and hours checking device drivers, USB troubleshooting, installing a dedicated self powered USB 3.0 card etc etc etc ad nauseum.
This product is NOT ready for the consumer market. You better LOVE fiddling with PCs if you're going to buy this.