The Meta Quest 3 is a new headset launched by Meta, formerly Facebook. This headset will be available globally in the fall of 2023 wherever Meta Quest products are currently supported. The base model of the Quest 3, with 128GB storage, will cost $499.99, but there will be additional storage options for users who require more space.
The Quest 3 is an all-in-one virtual and mixed reality (VR and MR) headset, which means that it operates independently of other hardware, like a PC, and supports both VR and MR experiences. The mixed reality capability allows for a blend of real-world and virtual elements in user experiences.
The headset features a high-resolution display and pancake optics, which are slim optical lenses. The improved display and optics aim to deliver sharper and more detailed visual content. Powering these visuals is a next-generation Snapdragon chipset developed with Qualcomm. This chipset promises to deliver more than twice the graphical performance of the previous Snapdragon GPU in the Quest 2.
Meta’s Reality technology in the Quest 3 is designed to recognize and respond intelligently to physical objects in the user’s space, enabling the user to interact with their environment in intuitive ways. High-fidelity color passthrough, machine learning, and spatial understanding technologies are used to allow simultaneous interaction with both virtual and real-world elements.
The Quest 3 is also designed for comfort and usability. The headset itself has a 40% slimmer optic profile than the Quest 2. The controllers, called Touch Plus controllers, have been redesigned for a more streamlined and ergonomic design. The controllers no longer have outer tracking rings, with the goal of making them feel like a more natural extension of the user’s hands and occupy less space. They feature TruTouch haptics technology, designed to enhance tactile feedback during use. For those who prefer not to use controllers, the Quest 3 supports hand tracking out of the box through a feature called Direct Touch, which allows the use of hands to interact with virtual objects. There is also an option to upgrade to self-tracked Meta Quest Touch Pro Controllers for a premium experience.
Meta Quest 2 Price Drop
At the same time, Meta announced that it will be reducing the price of the Quest 2. Starting from June 4, the 128GB model will cost $299.99, while the 256GB model will be priced at $349.99.
Along with the price cut, Meta is planning a software update that will enhance the GPU and CPU performance of the Quest 2 and Quest Pro. The CPU performance could increase up to 26%, and GPU speeds could see a rise of up to 19% for the Quest 2 and 11% for the Quest Pro. These updates aim to provide smoother gameplay, a more responsive user interface, and richer content. Additionally, Dynamic Resolution Scaling will be enabled on both devices, allowing games and apps to maintain high pixel density without frame drops.
While the newly announced Quest 3 will be the company’s new premium headset, the Quest 2 will continue to serve as an affordable entry point into VR. The Quest Pro, on the other hand, will remain targeted at business users. Both the Quest 2 and Quest Pro will continue to be sold alongside the Quest 3, and will receive ongoing software updates.
