Meta unlocks higher GPU Boost frequencies for Quest 2
Recently, Meta announced in a blog that it will unlock a higher GPU Boost frequency for Quest 2, allowing VR developers to have more GPU resources available.
To be precise, the GPU frequency of Quest 2 has increased by 7%, from 490MHz to 525MHz. Meta believes that developers can use this frequency increase to make VR applications and games render at a higher resolution. Incidentally, Quest 2’s SoC is Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2, and its GPU is Adreno 650. SoCs that also use this GPU include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, 865+, and 870.
Meta also mentioned that all developers can enjoy this frequency increase immediately without waiting for the system upgrade. In the current V47 system, you only need to let the headset go to sleep and then wake it up, or directly press the power button twice to increase the upper limit of the GPU frequency; in the future V49 system, the increase of GPU frequency will be included, no need to operate again.
In addition, Meta said that this update does not require developers to add any new code to the application, the system will automatically increase the frequency of the GPU. For applications that add foveated rendering, the system will choose to use a higher frequency to render higher image quality instead of increasing the clear range of foveated rendering.
Considering that more all-in-one VR machines will be launched in the new year, plus high-performance headsets like PlayStation VR2, Meta’s frequency increase for Quest 2 is also well understood: to allow some VR games released on multiple platforms to have a better performance on Quest 2.
