Spend less with one of these Oculus Link cable alternatives

Best
Oculus Quest 2 Link cable alternatives
Windows Central
2022

The Oculus/Meta Quest 2 is one of the best VR headsets on the market today thanks to its ability to operate on its own or connected to a PC. In the latter scenario, the Quest and Quest 2 can connect to a PC either wirelessly with Air Link or with a physical Link cable. This essentially turns the headset into an Oculus Rift, giving you access to PC VR games. While the wireless connection is a convenient option, not all Wi-Fi networks and PC modems can handle the high bandwidth requirements to stream VR games. That’s where the Link cable comes in. The official Oculus version is stupid expensive, but luckily there are plenty of Link cable alternatives that should work just as well.

Oculus-approved:
Anker USB-C to USB-A Powerline cable

Staff pick

This 10-foot (3m) cable runs USB-A to USB-C for the Quest 2, meaning you don’t absolutely need a USB-C port on your PC. The 5Gbps transfer rate is enough for the PC to HMD connection, and charging capabilities keep your battery going longer. The cable is hearty enough to stand up to the bending and twisting associated with a solid VR experience.

$26 at Amazon

USB-C to USB-C:
JSAUX Quest Link cable

Editor’s choice

Want to keep things natural with a USB-C to USB-C cable? This JSAUX Link cable measures 10 feet (3m), it has a braided cable, it’s capable of speeds up to 10Gbps, and it can deliver some power to your Quest to keep the battery running longer. If you have a USB-C port on your PC, this is a great choice.

$27 at Amazon

More cable, more movement:
VOKOO Quest Link cable

This VOKOO cable measures 16 feet (4.8m), giving you plenty of room to move around. One end is USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1) to connect to the PC, while the other is USB-C at a 90-degree angle to connect to the Quest 2. It’s built well and it’s fairly affordable.

$33 at Amazon

90-degree adapters:
AFUNTA USB-C adapters

Having your cable jut straight out of the Quest 2 isn’t ideal, but most cables listed here don’t have a 90-degree end. That’s where these affordable USB-C adapters come in. Pop one onto the end of the cable before plugging it into the Quest 2 for much better ergonomics.

$10 at Amazon

Roomscale necessity:
CableCreation active USB extender

I used this 16-foot (4.8m) extension cable first with the Rift to give myself more roomscale freedom, and it should work fine with the Quest 2. One end is male USB-A and the other is female USB-A, so be sure your link cable isn’t USB-C on both ends. If you have a big play area, this might be a requirement.

$17 at Amazon

Choosing the right Oculus Link cable

There are a ton of knock-off cables for the Quest and Quest 2 out there; if you’d like to avoid any potential issues, shell out the extra bucks and go with the official cable available from Oculus. However, there are thousands of people using alternative cables to great effect, and we’ve rounded up some of the best options right here. You want something with USB-C to connect to the Quest, preferably with a 90-degree end for better ergonomics. If you have a standard USB-C cable, you can always grab some angled adapters. Not all USB-C cables will work due to the bandwidth requirements, and you want to stick with at least USB 3.0 or higher. Either the Anker or JSAUX cables we recommended above should work fine based on whether your PC has a USB-C port to work with.

The length you choose depends on whether you want to enjoy roomscale VR. A 10-foot cable is the minimum for a more stationary experience, while 16 feet or more is best if you’re up and moving around. The CableCreation extender cable can help if you need more length.

Be sure to check out our collection of the best PCs for Oculus Quest 2 and Oculus Link to ensure your computer can handle running VR games.