Review: Is the Sonicgrace Cooling Fan for the Oculus Any Good?
Perhaps one of my biggest gripes about the Oculus Quest 2 is how quickly the lenses fog up. I can only play for about 20 minutes before I can’t see. Can the Sonicgrace cooling fan keep the Oculus cool enough to play for longer?
This isn’t to mention the sheer amount of sweat that pours from my face while playing. Even with the silicone cover, I still make a mess of myself after a 20-minute round of Fruit Ninja.
What is the Sonicgrace Cooling Fan for the Oculus?
The Sonicgrace cooling fan for the Oculus Quest 2 is one of many products to help battle the heat generated by the VR device. By attaching the cooling unit to the Oculus, it blows cool air into the eyepiece.
This airflow reduces the onset of fog while also reducing the amount of sweat that will come pouring off your face. You’ll still work up a bit of a sweat depending on the game, but you should still experience far less while the fan is active.
This small unit uses USB-C to charge its battery and has four speed settings for personal comfort.
The Sonicgrace cooling fan and accessories can be found on Amazon for about $32.99 and it is easy to assemble and use.
What to Expect from this Oculus Cooling Fan
Easy to Assemble
The Sonicgrace cooling fan kit comes with its own face cover plastic insert and cushion. Essentially, you replace the face cover of the Oculus Quest 2 with this one as it has open ports for the fan to blow into the eyepiece. And it’s relatively simple to connect.
The only thing you have to worry about is making sure the top strap of the Oculus is fed properly through the mid-section of the face cover before attaching. Afterward, the actual cooling unit can be added and removed quite easily.
However, I haven’t removed the cooling fan from my Oculus since I installed it. I simply use the same charging cable for the cooling fan as I do the Oculus.
Fits Comfortably on the Oculus
One of the first things you’ll notice about the Sonicgrace unit is that the face pad is much larger than the original one on the Oculus. Not to mention that there really isn’t a noticeable difference in weight.
It all fits together quite nicely, and aside from the cool air blowing in, I haven’t noticed much of a difference in how the Oculus fits.
The cooling fan itself is relatively light, meaning that you won’t be bogged down by additional weight while playing your favorite games.
Face Pad Grips Better
Speaking of the face pad, I find the one included with the Sonicgrace grips my face better than the original Oculus silicone cover. It has a textured surface that is more comfortable to wear, overall.
And yes, I sweat so much while playing the Oculus that a silicone pad or protection sleeve is vital for a variety of reasons.
In any case, I was quite pleased with the comfort of the padding as the Oculus doesn’t slide around and I don’t have to peel it off my face when I’m done playing.
Enough Spacing to Wear My Glasses!
I stopped wearing glasses with the Oculus for a while because they would fog up so quickly. I wouldn’t be able to play very long without wiping it down every 30 seconds. Without using the “glasses spacer” from Meta, I can wear my glasses with the Sonicgrace unit with just under half an inch to spare.
I can’t tell you how much of a massive difference this alone has made to my gameplay. I still think the Oculus should have a built-in focus adjustment, but that’s just me.
Regardless, you can wear glasses quite easily with the Sonicgrace cooling fan without the Oculus spacer.
Haven’t Had a Fogging Problem Since
Normally, I could play roughly 20 minutes of either Premium Bowling or Fruit Ninja before the fogging was so bad that I couldn’t see what I was playing. After adding the Soncigrace cooling fan, that is no longer a problem.
I’ll be done playing after 30 minutes or so without a single lens getting fogged up in the slightest.
This is a hell of a lot easier than trying anti-fog sprays, soapy water, or other “hacks” for combatting fog. I’d rather just fork over the 30 bucks and be done with it.
Battery Has a Limited Lifespan
I need to point out how the battery life of this cooling unit isn’t all that extravagant. It runs for about two hours or so before having to be charged again. Given the size of the unit, though, it’s not like I expected a massive battery.
Because it is such a small unit with a limited lifespan, it charges relatively quickly compared to the Oculus itself. So, it’s really not that much of a bother to plug it in after every other use.
But if you’re planning on really grinding out the gameplay for a couple of hours straight, you might want a battery pack with a port to charge the unit.
Silicone Nose Gaurd Comes Off Too Easily
The Sonicgrace comes with two silicone nose covers for the face plate. These come off quite easily if you’re not paying attention. It’s perhaps why they included two in each box.
It doesn’t take but a moment to reattach the nose cover, but it is pretty sensitive when putting on or removing the Oculus.
I’m half-tempted to Gorilla Glue mine in so it stops coming off.
Would I Recommend the Sonicgrace Cooling Fan for the Oculus?
So, is the Sonicgrace external cooling fan worth it for the Oculus? Although I was a bit skeptical at first, considering it’s a device from a company that seems more random than legit, I was quite impressed with how well it worked.
The cushion bracket clicked right into place and feels like a decently-made product, as opposed to that cheap plastic you often get from low-cost companies in China. This one actually felt and operated like a proper product from a good brand.
Over the past two months, I’ve picked up three of these units thus far and have tested them on three separate Oculus devices. So far, the only real complaint I’ve heard from others is about the battery life.
Then again, this is coming from someone who is virtually glued to his Oculus (no pun intended).
Although there are cheaper alternatives for a cooling fan for the Oculus, the Sonicgrace unit feels as though the price is reasonable for what you get. Remember, this includes the face plate, the cushion, the cooling unit itself, two silicone nose guards, and a USB-C charging cable.
That’s perhaps its best selling point, really; the unit doesn’t feel like a cheap knock-off of something else. It has a good feel and works very well as an anti-fog device.
Not to mention that I don’t need a towel to wipe off my face anymore. Well, at least not as much. I still play pretty hard to work up a sweat.
Cooling Fans are Amazing!
Not everyone has to deal with fogging up their lenses, especially if they don’t wear glasses. But for those of us who do, a cooling fan for the Oculus is an amazing device.
I’m no longer restricted to just 20 minutes of gameplay without fogging up or sweating out my device.
Have you tried other cooling fans for the Oculus? If so, which one has worked best for you?
- Extra Life 2024: Starting My 11th Year of Participation - February 6, 2024
- Review: Is the Sonicgrace Cooling Fan for the Oculus Any Good? - January 11, 2024
- Review: Is Premium Bowling Worth Buying for the Oculus? - February 10, 2023
