Meta’s Quest 3 Is Finally Official and It Looks Fantastic
We’ve seen leaks, teases, and even hands-ons, but now Meta's going on the record.
Meta is ready to share more information about its next virtual reality headset. The Quest 3 dramatically improves on the previous Quest 2 with a new design, full support for mixed-reality apps, and updated internals, according to a video posted by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
None of this is necessarily news if you’ve been tracking the leaks or read Bloomberg’s hands-on with the new headset earlier this week, but it’s nice to see it become official and learn what Meta’s charging for the new device. The Quest 3 will launch for $499.99 for the 128GB model with a larger storage size to be announced later.
Quest 3
The Quest 3 and its new controllers look like a Quest 2 from another universe.
As we expected, the Quest 3 cuts a sleeker profile than the Quest 2. It has a “40 percent slimmer optic profile,” according to Meta, which suggests the lenses and displays are able to be closer together and take up less room, similar to the design of the Quest Pro. That means the device should feel both more compact and lighter when you’re wearing it.
Meta isn’t resting on its laurels with the Quest 3’s controllers either. The new Touch Plus controllers carry over the improved haptics of the Quest Pro and the streamlined, tracking ring-free design — don’t expect any kind of self-tracking abilities, though. The Touch Plus controllers do not appear to have the built-in cameras or onboard processing power of the Quest Pro’s controllers.
The Quest 3 is noticeably more compact than the Quest 2.
Three pill-shaped raised cutouts along the front of the Quest 3 hide color passthrough cameras and a depth sensor for mixed-reality experiences or “Meta Reality” as Meta likes to refer to it. The announcement video highlighted the turn-based tabletop roleplaying game Demeo, and there are of course more games and apps in the Quest Store. But I have to imagine part of the hope of the Quest 3 is mainstream popularity will make developing mixed-reality experiences more enticing for developers, who previously only had the audience of the $999 Quest Pro to develop for.
The other advantage? A more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. Meta’s announcement doesn’t get into the details other than to say that there’s “double the GPU processing power,” but past reporting suggests the Quest 3 will use a second-generation Snapdragon XR2, so I’d expect more information on that closer to the Quest 3’s launch in the fall.
Timing is Everything
You know, it sure seems odd for Meta to announce its next big piece of consumer hardware randomly on a Thursday, a few hours before its planned gaming showcase. But when you consider the larger context — Apple’s WWDC keynote on Monday where it’s expected to introduce its own mixed-reality device and platform — it’s clear Meta wants to set the tone.
The company has been doing this longer. As it noted in the Quest 3 announcement, it has the best library of games and apps (over 500 titles), and more importantly, it’s offering mixed reality at a consumer-friendly price. The Quest 3 is still within the realm of home consoles at $499. Meta wants you to know if you’re turned off by a $3,000 Apple headset, you’ve got another option. And the evidence suggests it could be a pretty great one.
The Quest 3 (128GB) will be available in the Fall for $499.99. Expect Meta to share more about storage options, a final release date, and what else the headset can do at the Meta Connect conference on September 27.
