Meta Quest Link Cable

Overview

The Meta Quest Link Cable is Meta's official USB-C cable for playing PC VR games on a Quest headset. It first went on sale in the US in December 2019 as the Oculus Link cable for $79. Meta now sells it as the Meta Quest Link Cable for $79.99 on the US Meta Store. It connects the headset to a Windows PC running the Meta Horizon Link app. The PC renders the game and sends it to the headset over the cable.

Design and specs

The cable is 5 meters (16 feet) long and uses a fiber-optic core, which Meta says cuts weight and adds flexibility compared with copper. Both ends are USB-C. The headset end has a right-angle connector, and the PC end is straight. The original Oculus spec sheet lists USB 3.2 Gen 1 signaling at 5 Gbps, a 4.6 mm outer diameter, a 20 mm bend radius and a weight of 224 g. The cable carries power as well as data, so it can charge the headset during play if the PC's USB-C port supplies enough current.

Compatibility

Meta lists the cable as compatible with the Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S, Meta Quest Pro and Meta Quest 2. Link needs a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC. Meta's minimum spec is an Intel i5-4590 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X, 8 GB of RAM, one USB port and a supported graphics card. Meta recommends an Intel i7 or AMD Ryzen 7, an Nvidia RTX 20 Series or AMD Radeon RX 6000 Series card, 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and a USB-C port. The Nvidia RTX 2050 is not supported.

Setup and use

Install the Meta Horizon Link app on the PC, make sure the app and the headset software are up to date, then plug the cable into both. Meta's help center says Link works with any high-quality USB cable that carries both data and power, and suggests a length of at least 3 meters. The official cable is not required, but it is long and light. Our guide to playing PC VR games on Meta Quest covers the full setup. Air Link and other wireless PC streaming options drop the cable but depend on your Wi-Fi network.

Who it is for

The cable suits Quest owners with a capable gaming PC who want a wired PC VR connection that does not depend on Wi-Fi quality. If your router is fast and close to your play area, wireless streaming may be enough. Without a Windows PC, the cable has no use.