The Go is an all-in-one headset, meaning it contains all the necessary components to provide virtual reality experiences and doesn't need to be tethered to an external device to use.

It is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset and a single 5.5-inch LCD display with a resolution of 1280 × 1440 pixels per eye and a refresh rate of 72 or 60 Hz, depending on the application.

The headset and controller utilise non-positional 3-degrees-of-freedom tracking, making it capable of seated or static-standing activities but unsuitable for roomscale applications.

Additional software is provided via the Oculus Store, a digital distribution platform created and maintained by Facebook Technologies.

Facebook Technologies' involvement in creating a portable form factor headset dates back to the company's early days as Oculus VR.

Codenamed "Pacific", the device would be lighter and more powerful than the Samsung Gear VR and aimed at the use cases of gaming, social networking, and watching videos and movies.

It was also reported that the device would be equipped with a mobile Snapdragon chip from Qualcomm, and that Oculus would be partnering with Chinese electronics manufacturer Xiaomi to produce the headset.

The device would carry Oculus's branding worldwide with the exception of China, where a custom version of the headset would be Xiaomi-branded and run some Xiaomi software.

[24] On 3 May 2018, Facebook announced a business-oriented bundle of the Oculus Go with commercial warranty, a worldwide multi-prong charger, and two facial interfaces.

[26] In September 2018, Walmart announced the company would be using Oculus Go headsets to expand its employee VR training program across the U.S.

While new features will no longer be introduced to the headset, the system software will continue to be maintained with fixes and security updates through 2022.

[5] The Go has non-positional 3-degrees-of-freedom tracking, a proximity sensor for detecting when the headset is being worn, and a small controller that functions like a laser pointer in the virtual environment.

[48][3][47][49] The headset is outfitted with a fast-switching 5.5-inch LCD display with a 2560 x 1440 (1280 × 1440 pixels per eye) resolution in an RGB-stripe subpixel arrangement.

However, in November 2019, John Carmack stated the feature wouldn't be released due to a hardware issue Oculus was unable to fix.

[56] Oculus offers accessories and replacement parts through their website, including a carrying case and a fitted facial interface for people with low nose bridges and high or wide cheekbones.

[59][60] The Air is aimed for architecture, engineering, and construction industries as well as interior design and education, and is shipped together with an Oculus Go headset.

[72][73] In his keynote at 2018's Oculus Connect developer conference, John Carmack revealed that the Go's retention rate was as high as the Rift's, something that nobody at the company had predicted.

[74][75] Carmack also noted that the Go had done especially well in Japan despite the device's lacking internationalization support and the company not specifically catering to the Japanese market.