Meta (formerly Facebook) recently announced its upcoming VR headset – the Meta Quest 3. According to Meta, the Quest 3 is its most powerful VR headset yet, featuring higher resolution, better performance, a slimmer profile, and a more comfortable design. It also features Meta Reality technology for a more immersive experience. Meta also announced a price reduction for the Quest 2, lowering its price to $299.99 for the 128GB model. You can learn more details about the Quest 3 VR headset and the future of its predecessor (Quest 2) below.
Meta Quest 3 VR Headset Announced
In a recent announcement, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Meta Quest 3, the company’s upcoming virtual and mixed-reality headset, slated to launch later this year. The new headset boasts several enhancements, including higher resolution, improved performance, groundbreaking Meta Reality technology, and a sleeker, more comfortable design. The global release of Quest 3 is scheduled for the fall, reaching all countries where Meta Quest is currently supported. The base model with 128GB of storage will be priced at $499.99 USD, and an additional storage option will be available for those seeking extra space. Exciting updates and details about Meta Quest 3 are expected to be shared at Meta Connect, scheduled for September 27 this year.
Quest 3 is being hailed as the long-awaited, wire-free, all-in-one headset. Interested individuals can sign up to be the first to receive information about Meta Quest 3.
Meta’s Most Powerful Headset Yet
Quest 3 combines top-of-the-line resolution display and pancake optics to deliver an unparalleled visual experience. To power the increased pixel count, the headset will feature a next-generation Snapdragon chipset developed in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, offering more than double the graphical performance of the previous generation Snapdragon GPU found in Quest 2. This advancement ensures smoother performance and incredibly sharp details in immersive games.
Immersive VR + Breakthrough Meta Reality in a Single Device
The standout feature of Quest 3 lies in its Meta Reality technology, which seamlessly integrates the physical world with the virtual one. This technology goes beyond existing mixed reality capabilities by intelligently recognizing and responding to objects in the user’s physical space, enabling natural and intuitive navigation that was previously unimaginable. The inclusion of high-fidelity color Passthrough, innovative machine learning, and spatial understanding allows users to interact with virtual content while simultaneously engaging with the real world. This opens up limitless possibilities, such as playing virtual board games on a kitchen table (Demeo), decorating living rooms with virtual art (Painting VR), or immersing oneself in completely new experiences that were previously unattainable.
With its affordable price point, Quest 3 aims to make Meta Reality accessible to a broader audience, marking it as the first mass-market offering to deliver cutting-edge virtual and mixed-reality experiences in a single device, thereby setting a new standard for future headsets.
Redesigned for Comfort + Control
Quest 3 boasts a 40% slimmer optic profile compared to its predecessor, Quest 2, resulting in a more sleek and comfortable headset. Furthermore, the Touch Plus controllers have been completely redesigned, featuring a streamlined and ergonomic form factor. Leveraging advancements in tracking technology, the outer tracking rings have been eliminated, providing a more natural extension of the user’s hands and occupying less space. The inclusion of TruTouch haptics, previously introduced in the Touch Pro controllers, enhances the sensory experience, allowing users to feel the action like never before. For an even more premium experience, users can opt to upgrade to the fully self-tracked Meta Quest Touch Pro Controllers. Thanks to the Direct Touch functionality, hand tracking is supported out of the box, enabling users to interact with virtual objects using only their hands.
World’s Best Library of Immersive Content
Compatibility with the extensive catalog of over 500 VR games, apps, and experiences from Quest 2 is a significant advantage of Quest 3. Additionally, exciting new virtual reality and mixed reality titles are in the pipeline for launch, ensuring that Quest 3 will have the world’s best collection of immersive experiences right from its initial release. To catch a glimpse of what’s to come, viewers are encouraged to tune in to the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase, where new games, updates, and a sneak peek of Quest 3’s AAA flagship adventure will be revealed.
Quest 2 Gets New Lower Prices, Plus a Performance Upgrade
Despite the excitement surrounding Quest 3, the company acknowledges the ongoing significance of Quest 2. Since its initial release in 2020, Quest 2 has reshaped the VR landscape, providing an affordable entry point for users to delve into immersive experiences. To further enhance Quest 2, the company has announced a price reduction effective June 4. The 128GB variant will now be available for $299.99 USD, while the 256GB version will be priced at $349.99 USD. This price adjustment aims to make VR even more accessible, allowing more individuals to enjoy the immersive capabilities and vast content library offered by Quest 2.
Furthermore, the company has planned an upcoming software update for both Quest 2 and the forthcoming Quest Pro. This update will significantly improve the GPUs and CPUs of both devices. Quest 2 users can expect up to a 26% increase in CPU performance and up to a 19% increase in GPU speed, while Quest Pro will see an 11% GPU speed increase. These enhancements will result in smoother gameplay, a more responsive user interface, and richer content across both headsets. Additionally, Dynamic Resolution Scaling will be enabled for Quest 2 and Quest Pro, allowing games and applications to take advantage of increased pixel density without compromising frame rates.
While Quest 3 sets a new standard for mixed reality, immersive gaming, and mainstream VR headsets, Quest 2 continues to serve as the most accessible entry point to VR. The Quest Pro model is also optimized for work-related use cases, featuring advanced features such as face and eye tracking to facilitate authentic self-expression during meetings. The company remains committed to selling both Quest 2 and Quest Pro alongside Quest 3 and will continue to provide software updates to enhance the overall Quest experience.
From gaming and fitness applications to professional collaboration tools and beyond, the Meta Quest platform offers diverse experiences to suit various interests and needs. The company is excited to welcome even more individuals into the Meta Quest community and looks forward to pushing the boundaries of virtual and mixed-reality technology in the future.
