Oculus Rift S
| Company type | Product |
|---|---|
| Industry | Virtual reality hardware |
| Predecessor | Oculus Rift CV1 |
| Founded | May 2019 |
| Defunct | April 2021 |
| Fate | Discontinued |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Palmer Luckey (Oculus VR co-founder), Brendan Iribe (former Oculus CEO), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook CEO) |
| Products | Virtual reality headset |
| Owner | Facebook, Inc. (parent company of Oculus VR) |
| Parent | Oculus VR (a division of Facebook, Inc.) |
Oculus Rift S is a discontinued virtual reality headset created through a collaboration between Lenovo and Oculus VR. Launched in May 2019 as the follow-up to the original Oculus Rift CV1, it introduced an "inside-out" positional tracking system with integrated cameras, a display with enhanced resolution, and a redesigned "halo" style head strap.
Reception of the Rift S was mixed; reviewers highlighted the improved comfort and simplified setup enabled by the halo strap and inside-out tracking, though many regarded it as only a modest improvement over the CV1. Criticisms included a reduced refresh rate and absence of a physical mechanism for adjusting inter pupillary distance (IPD).
The product was officially discontinued in April 2021.
Development
In June 2015, Oculus VR co-founder Palmer Luckey announced intentions for a Rift successor that would feature higher resolution screens and inside-out tracking technology to support room-scale VR experiences, aiming for release within two to three years following the original Rift debut.
By October 2018, Oculus co-founder and former CEO Brendan Iribe left the company due to strategic disagreements regarding Oculus' future direction. While Iribe focused on delivering a premium, comfortable VR experience, leadership under parent company Facebook, Inc. prioritized reducing entry barriers to appeal to a broader audience. CEO Mark Zuckerberg underscored Oculus' ambition to expand VR usage to one billion people. Before Iribe’s departure, he had been managing development of the second-generation Rift, which was ultimately canceled shortly before he exited.
Display
The Rift S utilized a single fast-switch LCD panel offering a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels and an 80 Hz refresh rate, slightly below the CV1's 90 Hz. It featured "next generation" lens technology derived from Oculus Go, which substantially minimized god rays. The headset provided a 115º field of view, an increase from the original Rift CV1’s 110º. Due to its single-screen configuration, IPD adjustment was handled through software rather than mechanical means present in previous models.
Audio
Audio output on the Rift S came from integrated speakers located above the ears, differing from the CV1’s earphones attached to the strap.
Oculus Insight
The device employed the "Oculus Insight" inside-out tracking system, which relied on five embedded cameras (two front-facing, two on the sides, and one upward-facing) to monitor infrared diodes on controllers alongside accelerometer data, removing the need for external sensors. The inclusion of a fifth camera enhanced compatibility with existing Oculus Rift applications. Safety features like Passthrough+ activated monochrome camera views when users approached boundary limits, using "Asynchronous SpaceWarp" technology to maintain smooth visuals with minimal depth distortion.
Halo headband
The Rift S incorporated a halo-style headband engineered for superior weight distribution, improved light blocking, and increased comfort relative to the Rift CV1. Developed jointly with Lenovo, this design benefited from Lenovo’s VR/AR expertise and insights gathered from their Lenovo Legion gaming community. A rear dial allows forward and backward adjustment of the headset, while an overhead strap secures a tight fit. Additionally, a release button located beneath the right side facilitates quick removal for eye-distance calibration. Although lacking physical inter-pupillary distance (IPD) adjustment hardware, IPD settings can be modified through software controls.
Controllers
The Oculus Rift S employs the second-generation Oculus Touch controllers, identical to those used with the Oculus Quest. While these controllers maintain a similar design to the original Rift’s, they incorporate tracking rings positioned on top, enabling inside-out tracking through integrated cameras rather than relying on external sensors.
On April 12, 2019, Oculus co-founder Nate Mitchell revealed that some "easter egg" inscriptions intended solely for prototype units were inadvertently printed on tens of thousands of Oculus Quest and Rift S Touch controllers. Retail versions feature messages such as 'This Space For Rent' and 'The Masons Were Here,' whereas certain developer kits included phrases like 'Big Brother is Watching' and 'Hi iFixit! We See You!'
Software
The Rift S supports all current and forthcoming software compatible with Oculus Rift. Additionally, the Oculus store facilitates cross-buy functionality for titles available both on Oculus Quest and PC platforms.
Release
Announced at GDC 2019 on March 20, the Oculus Rift S began shipping on May 21, priced at US$399—the same as the original CV1. On September 16, 2020, Facebook declared the discontinuation of the Rift S to focus on the Oculus Quest 2, with sales concluding in spring 2021. In December 2020, the Rift S was offered at a reduced price of US$300.
Manufacturing ended in April 2021, with Facebook confirming no further stock replenishment. By June of that year, the Rift S was removed from the Oculus website and ceased to be available for purchase.
Reception
Critical response to the Rift S was mixed. The Verge highlighted its Insight tracking technology as comparable to earlier camera-based systems and praised the improved comfort provided by the halo-style head strap. However, it criticized several downgrades such as replacing built-in headphones with directional speakers, the elimination of hardware IPD adjustment, and only a modest resolution enhancement over the CV1.
TechRadar described the Rift S as a modest update featuring refined tracking but limited hardware advancements alongside regressions like directional speakers, a tighter fit, absence of hardware IPD adjustment, and a lower refresh rate. The review noted potential nausea issues possibly linked to these factors or software optimization challenges. It concluded that existing Oculus owners had little motivation to upgrade, with the future of Oculus VR largely dependent on the more adaptable Oculus Quest platform.
Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey expressed criticism regarding the lack of hardware IPD adjustment, asserting that software-based correction is insufficient and estimating that approximately 30% of users would experience discomfort with the Rift S. By contrast, the original CV1 offered a broader IPD range that comfortably accommodated around 90% of users.