Battery life is a major concern for Quest users, especially gamers. The controllers are the key components in this case. You will not want to see the controller power off before you complete your favorite game. The battery life of the Quest 2 controllers cannot be specified in one final word. Some players may use the controllers for longer hours than others, therefore, having different ranges of battery life. The battery could last months if you use them for some hours in a week.
How Long Do The Default Controller Batteries Last?
The Quest 2 Controllers’ batteries last longer than the headset batteries. Depending on your usage, the batteries can last up to 6 months. For average users, 3 months would be much fair but heavy users may use them for barely a month before needing to open the packed batteries. Heavy users (gamers) will need to have a good stock of batteries since the level of power consumption is for longer periods of usage. In summary, we would say that the Quest 2 controllers’ batteries would last up to 2 months on average. Oculus has thought through this and packed extra batteries for you but you will need more batteries eventually.
What Are Other Batteries For Quest 2 Controllers?
Normally, the Oculus Quest 2 controllers use AA batteries. If you have used the default batteries completely, then you might need to settle for alternative batteries. There are rechargeable batteries with a longer life span than normal disposable batteries. These rechargeable ones come in different brands, some of which could be charged up to 2100 times. Since we are discussing battery life, the rechargeable batteries may last up to 3 hours when fully charged.
The rechargeable batteries should be purchased alongside their chargers since it is not advisable to use the charger reserved for the headset. Some of the best rechargeable AA batteries and chargers include:
- Panasonic BK-3HCCA4BA Eneloop pro AA Rechargeable Batteries and Panasonic BQ-CC17SBA Eneloop Advanced Individual Battery Charger.
- Panasonic K-KJ55MCA4BA 3 Hour Quick Charger with 4 AA Eneloop Rechargeable Batteries.
How To Make The Batteries Last Longer
Prevention is better than cure as philosophers suggest and therefore for this case, there are some ways of preventing your Oculus Quest 2 batteries, controllers to be specific from draining too soon. Do the following to make the batteries last longer: Completely power off the Oculus Quest 2 after use/gaming. Alternatively, you can enable the power saving mode on the Oculus Quest 2 settings. Use these steps:
- Go to the main menu by long-pressing the Home button.
- Choose settings from the bottom right of the menu.
- Select Device (in the left navigation menu) and scroll down.
- Choose Power settings.
- Toggle on Auto-Wake Headset off.
- Tune Auto Sleep Headset to 15 seconds.
Using the Oculus app:
- Go to settings.
- Then select More Settings.
- Choose Power settings.
- Toggle on Auto-Wake Headset off.
- Tune Auto Sleep Headset to 15 seconds.
Other ways of ensuring that your batteries last longer are:
- Recharging after every session of play if you are using rechargeable batteries.
- Unplug from the charger once it hits the 100% mark and an orange-green light is indicated.
- Purchase spare batteries to replace whenever there is a need.
The above preventive measure is for both your headset and controllers. Most of the measures are used for the headset but you can use them for your controllers as well.
How Do I Charge My Quest 2 Controllers?
Before taking any step to recharge your controllers, remove the alkaline batteries and ensure that the batteries inside are rechargeable. Not every charger will work with the rechargeable batteries and therefore you need to purchase compatible batteries. Follow these steps to charge your controllers’ batteries:
- Unlock the battery cover for both controllers.
- Remove the rechargeable batteries.
- Place them on their compatible charger.
You may need to buy 2 more batteries to serve you while the others are charging.
The above procedure is for charging your controllers’ batteries. You can use a charging dock to charge your controllers. The charging dock is amazing since you can charge even the headset. The Quest 2 controllers are initially not built as rechargeable devices but you can use Anker Charging Dock which works for Oculus Quest 2 headsets and controllers. Here is how to recharge your controllers:
- Remove the normal batteries from your controllers.
- Put in the special batteries that come with the Anker Charging Dock (the rechargeable batteries have charge contacts on the sides where they should face outwards when put in the controllers).
- Seat the controllers on the Charging Dock in the charging cradles.
- Put the headset also, the Dock can charge all of them simultaneously.
Whenever your controllers are not in use, put them on the charging dock and while they are in use make sure that the alternative batteries are charging in their chargers.
Conclusion
The life span of Quest 2 controllers depends on the type of user you are. Heavy gamers will need a good stock of alkaline and lithium batteries and some rechargeable batteries. We would recommend the Anker Charging Dock since you can charge the headset and controllers simultaneously. Whenever you are purchasing batteries for your controllers, check whether they have their charger since some of them do not share a charger and the headset charger is reserved for the headset only and not advisable for use on the controllers.
