Quest Pro‘s controllers have “up to” 8-hour battery life, Meta told UploadVR.
Rumors circulated on Twitter and Reddit yesterday claiming the Touch Pro controllers, like the headset, have only a 1-2 hour battery life. This would have seriously hampered Quest Pro’s usability, as while the headset could be used with a portable battery via USB-C, the controllers can only recharge wirelessly by placing them on the included dock or sold-separately portable charger.
Meta doesn’t list the controller battery life on its spec sheet, so we reached out to ask. A representative responded by saying to expect “up to” 8 hours, but cautioned “this can vary based on usage conditions, which content titles are being used”. Typically apps heavily using haptic feedback will drain VR controllers more quickly.
Famed programmer and Meta “Consulting CTO” John Carmack said he used the controllers for four hours yesterday without seeing any battery warnings, and CTO Andrew Bosworth said “I’ve literally never had them run out and I’ve used the headset for pretty long periods over the last few months”.
Unlike other standalone VR headset controllers, Touch Pro controllers are self-tracking. They have three cameras and an onboard chipset, meaning tracking works at any angle regardless of where the headset is facing. They also have “new localized and VCM haptics upgrades” which Meta says provide “a wider and more precise range of feedback” compared to Quest 2’s controllers.
Touch Pro are included in the Quest Pro box, but can also be bought separately for $300 later this year to be used with Quest 2.
