Discover how to use the Meta Quest 3 with F1 24 to race in VR. This guide runs through the process of setting up the Meta Quest 3, recommended settings and how to start racing in F1 24.
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Much like the previous two F1 games, F1 24 is compatible with a selection of VR headsets including the Meta Quest 3 that released during 2023.
EA Sports and Codemasters have included VR support in the previous few F1 games, and F1 24 is no exception. The game will support a range of VR headsets, including the Meta Quest 3, which launched in 2023. View a complete F1 24 VR headset compatibility list.
In this guide, I will discuss how to set up Meta Quest 3 with F1 24. I will cover everything you need to get started racing in VR, as well as recommended settings and PC specifications to ensure the best experience. Finally, I will provide easy-to-follow how-to guides on setting up Meta Quest 3 with F1 24 using both an Air Link and a Link Cable.
F1 24 is the third game in the series to include VR support, and for many sim racers, VR is the preferred method. While a good sim racing setup will give you a good level of immersion, nothing can come close to the immersion that a VR headset offers.
Using a VR headset like the Meta Quest 3 in F1 24 lets you look around your cockpit and perform similar movements that real-world drivers do every lap. Looking towards the apex of a corner can help you better judge your car’s position, and looking to your side as you overtake or defend against other drivers gives you excellent spatial awareness.
For these reasons, I highly recommend trying F1 24 with a VR headset if possible. However, racing in VR isn’t for everyone. Switching to VR can result in slower lap times while you become accustomed to the new experience. Something about feeling like you’re sitting in a cockpit can cause you to drive more cautiously!
Also, VR sickness is a real issue for some. When I first experienced sim racing with a VR headset, I could only complete shorter 20-minute races before taking a break from the VR headset. This was because I felt motion sick. Over plenty of hours in a VR headset, I can say that I can now race for much longer durations without any sickness, and some sim racers may never experience this. However, it is something worth considering.
Before jumping right into F1 24 and racing in VR, there are a few items that you’ll require to get started. These items are all essential to ensure you can use your Quest 3 VR headset with your PC.
In terms of hardware, all you really need is the Quest 3 headset along with a USB-C 3.2 cable such as the Meta Link Cable, although any cable supporting a minimum of 5GB throughput will work.
Then the software that you’ll need is the Oculus PC app and Steam so you can launch F1 24 in VR mode. I’d also recommend making sure your headset is up to date with the latest firmware as updates fix bugs and add compatibility.
One of the most important elements of setting yourself up for VR sim racing in F1 24 with a Quest 3 is ensuring your PC can run in VR. Not all gaming PCs can support VR to a good degree. Running F1 24 in VR on a PC that doesn’t meet the required specs can result in pixelated visuals, screen tearing, and big frame drops.
None of these characteristics are ideal for sim racing, especially in VR, where immersion and realism are the name of the game. You should really look to put together a pretty powerful gaming PC before considering using F1 24 in VR.
Below are the minimum and recommended PC specs for using the Meta Quest 3 with F1 24;
| Component | Minimum specifications | Recommended specifications |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel i5-4590/AMD Ryzen 5 1500X | Intel i7/AMD Ryzen 7 |
| Graphics card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 | Nvidia RTX 20 series/AMD Radeon RX 6000 series |
| Memory | 8 GB+ RAM | 16 GB DDR4 RAM |
| Operating system | Windows 10, Windows 11 | Windows 10, Windows 11 |
| USB ports | 1x USB port | 1x USB-C port |
View our recommended sim racing PC builds for different budgets
The PC specs above cover the minimum required to use a Meta Quest 3 with F1 24. However, even the recommended specifications are a little on the lower side. Running a PC using the recommended specs above will require you to turn down some graphics settings in F1 24.
Ideally, you want to run a pretty new CPU and GPU to get a good experience from F1 24 in VR. The best results will be obtained using an Nvidia RTX 40 series card.
You can play F1 24 in VR mode using a controller. However, to really add to the immersion, you will likely want to be using a racing wheel and pedal set. Adding these to your sim racing setup will provide incredible levels of immersion and make you feel like you’re truly behind the wheel of your favourite Formula 1 car.
We would recommend the Logitech G923 as a fantastic entry-level racing wheel, or the slightly more expensive Fanatec CSL DD if you fancy better performance. Below are a few racing wheels that we would recommend, or you can read our detailed buyer’s guide on the best racing wheels for F1 24 for more recommendations.
| Racing Wheel | Ideal For | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Logitech G923 | Beginner sim racing | £/$350 |
| Fanatec CSL DD | Entry-level direct drive wheel | From €/$349 |
| Fanatec ClubSport DD | High performing wheel | From €/$799 |
Read our guide on the very best racing wheels for F1 24.
Getting up and running with a Meta Quest 3 in F1 24 isn’t too tricky. You need to do a few things to link your PC to your VR headset. Once you launch F1 24, everything should be working, and you should be able to jump into a race session pretty quickly.
Below is a quick overview of how to set up the Quest 3 and launch F1 24 in VR mode. I’ll look at each step in more detail further in this guide.
Step one is to connect your Quest 3 to your PC. This can be done either using Air Link or a hardwired Link Cable. I’d recommend using the Link Cable for better performance and longer play sessions.
Open the Oculus PC app and log in using your Meta account. Leave this app running while connecting your headset.
ith your headset connected via USB, you can put on the Quest 3 and connect to your PC. Do this by pressing the “Meta” button on the right controller. From the settings menu, select “System” then select “Quest Link”. This will let you choose your PC to finish the connection.
The last step is to start F1 24 using Steam and select launch in VR mode.
There are a few ways of connecting the Quest 3 headset to your PC to play games such as F1 24. You can hardwire yourself to your PC via a Link Cable, or you can connect wirelessly via Air Link.
Both methods have advantages, and both can be used with F1 24. However, I would highly recommend choosing to use a Link Cable. The pros really outweigh the cons when it comes to being connected by a cable when sim racing.
A Link Cable connection lets you hardwire your headset to your PC. The main reasons for choosing this option are that you won’t run out of battery like you would if you were using your Quest 3 wirelessly as the cable charges the headset simultaneously whilst racing.
You can also access more consistent performance due to the wire transferring the data. There is no reliance on your wireless network which can vary the streaming performance if it isn’t lightning fast.
The obvious downside of using a cable with a VR headset normally is that there is a cable in your way as you are moving about. However, when sim racing, you don’t spend much time moving about like you would with other VR games. You can simply run the cable down your back and it will be out of the way while your steering.
The cost of the cable adds to the initial set-up fee. An official Meta Link Cable can cost up to £/$90, which is pretty expensive. However, any USB-C 3.2 cable that transfers data at over 5GB will work perfectly fine.
If you don’t want to purchase a Link Cable or fancy racing wirelessly, you can do this with Air Link. This is the term for streaming from your PC to your headset wirelessly. This method removes the cable, letting you move your head completely freely.
There are a few big downsides to this connection method. The first is that the performance you experience may be of a lower quality than if you used a cable. Essentially, you’ll be streaming the gameplay from your PC to your headset. If your Wi-Fi isn’t incredibly fast, this can cause dips in quality, and the wireless connection will add a small bit of latency to your gameplay.
Next, you have to worry about battery life. You will only get a couple of hours of gameplay out of the battery at best. If you are constantly running an intensive game, this can be even lower. You’ll then be forced to stop playing and charge the headset for a few hours.
As mentioned above, using the Link Cable is definitely my recommendation. From my experience with the Quest 2 and Quest 3, the Link Cable definitely provides a better experience with increased visual fidelity and longer play sessions.
Below is a complete step-by-step guide on how to set up your Quest 3 using a Link Cable.
You can use Air Play with F1 24, although there are a few more steps in the setup as you have to connect your headset to your PC wirelessly. Below is a run-through of all steps you need to complete to set up Air Play and start racing in F1 24.
Connect your Meta Quest 3 via Air Link
If you follow the instructions above for either the Air Link or Link Cable connection method, you will have done everything you need to use Steam VR. You will then simply need to launch F1 24 or whichever game you wish to play from Steam, and make sure you select the VR mode when prompted in Steam.
There are some settings that you get access to with the Quest 3. Changing these can affect your gaming experience, much like changing the graphics settings in F1 24 can do.
The refresh rate adjusts how often the image can refresh. Generally, you will want this set to the highest setting to maximise your FPS. Opt for 120Hz if you can, although if you are using Air Link this setting will be restricted.
You can manually adjust the resolution in the settings and this can affect how crisp your image looks. The Quest 3 has a maximum resolution of 2064 x 2208 pixels per eye. However, you can increase the maximum resolution up past this.
Increasing this setting won’t make the image appear any sharper as you will already be using the maximum resolution. However, it can sometimes make details appear smoother due to the way that each lens renders the image.
The bitrate is an important setting, especially if using Air Link. I would recommend keeping it set to automatic to let the headset adjust this. However, if you are using Air Link, you may want to play about with the setting to find the best bitrate that allows for a consistent image quality.
The Meta Quest 3 will be one of the most commonly used VR headsets for F1 24 due to its popularity and affordability. Setting it up shouldn’t be too tricky, and using the easy-to-follow guides above should make it even simpler to get up and running in F1 24 quickly.
Here is a link to purchase the Meta Quest 3 on Amazon.
You can use the links below to shop for your favourite sim racing products, or for any products that we may have recommended. These links are affiliate links, and will earn us a small commission, with no additional cost for you.
The Link Cable will almost always provide a better experience than using the Meta Quest 3 with F1 24 via Air Link. This is because the cable provides a constant connection independent of your wireless signal.
Rich is the founder, F1 car setup creator and content writer for SimRacingSetups. With over a decade of experience as a graphic designer, marketing director, competitive sim racer and avid motorsport fan, Rich founded SimRacingSetup.com to share his passion and knowledge of sim racing and Formula 1 with other sim racers. Regularly writes for sim racing website SimRaceReviews.com
View all articles written by Rich
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