With pre-orders starting at $500, the Meta Quest 3 headset boasts full-color video passthrough, a 2064 x 2208 per-eye video resolution, and a second-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset for increased graphical capabilities. It's a clear and compelling upgrade from the Quest 2, especially for those who want to see their real-world surroundings while inhabiting a virtual world. This release may also put a damper on Apple's upcoming Vision Pro headset, which will cost $3,500 and boasts video passthrough as a flagship feature.
The Meta Quest 3 is a bit more compact than its predecessor but weighs 12 grams more. Its controllers get the biggest design overhaul—no more bulky tracking rings—though you'll also notice three black ovals on the front side of the headset. These ovals contain a complex camera array to enable full-color passthrough video. You can see the real world when wearing the Quest 3. This should increase user comfort, though it also enables a host of augmented reality experiences. A game like "Stranger Things" will have monsters popping up in your world, for example, and the Quest 3 can create a massive virtual TV that appears to hover in your room (an idea that most customers seem disinterested in). Meta also says that passthrough video will enable in-person multiplayer games (board games, exercise games, etc), which may encourage families to purchase multiple Quest 3 headsets.
Somewhat ironically, the Quest 3's passthrough video quality is better than that of the Quest Pro. And, thanks to integrated depth sensors, the Quest 3 can automatically map your room. The convenience factor is obvious, but Meta also promises that real-world objects will be utilized in some games (with the prime example being "avoid virtual aliens by hiding behind your couch"). It's a fun idea, but it's also a bit impractical, and implementation depends entirely on game developers.
Every game you enjoy on Quest 2 also works on Quest 3. Some games offer an enhanced graphical experience on the Quest 3 platform, but app developers are responsible for this optimization. The Quest 3 has a 2064 x 2208 per-eye video resolution (up from 1832 x 1920 in the previous model), which should provide increased clarity and crispness, especially when reading text. The second-gen Snapdragon XR2 chipset provides a big boost in processing power, though battery life is still capped at around three hours. Meta also promises reduced video distortion and increased color accuracy.
This headset will draw comparisons to Apple's Vision Pro, which launches next year for $3,500. Both devices aim for a mixed reality experience and advertise full-color video passthrough as a flagship feature. Apple's headset may offer achieve a better video quality, but the Quest 3 already has a huge library of games (and doesn't have an offensive price tag). That said, the Quest 3 and Vision Pro aren't true competitors. If a hardcore Apple nerd can afford the Vision Pro, the Quest 3 won't dissuade them from doing so. And people who can't afford Vision Pro were never going to buy one anyway.
You can pre-order the Quest 3 today for $500 (or $650 for the 512GB model). Orders begin shipping October 10th. If you buy the Quest 3 before January 21st, 2024, you get a copy of "Asgard's Wrath 2" for free. Note that "Asgard's Wrath 2" doesn't launch until December of this year.
Source: Meta