Meta’s Quest 3 headset is one of the exciting devices to enter the tech market this year. The company is expected to share some details about it in its upcoming Quest Gaming Showcase, but we might have just heard enough about it in a recent report sharing what it is like to use the new Quest 3.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, known to share different tech leaks, recently shared that he was able to try the Quest 3 prototype version, which was described as “far lighter and thinner than the existing Quest 2 from 2020”. In his article, the tech enthusiast noted trying the device’s interface, video pass-through mode, software features, and gaming capability.
My 3D modeler friend Marcus Kane made some nice renders again of the Stinson/Quest 3 CADs that I leaked late last yearhttps://t.co/CacMEOdgRY pic.twitter.com/xHjkeWvBCU
— Brad Lynch (@SadlyItsBradley) January 22, 2023
According to Gurman, there are some visual improvements in the looks of Quest 3, which features “three vertical pill-shaped sensor areas across the front.” The pills are said to be one standard and two color video pass-through cameras alongside a depth sensor, which are big additions compared to the older versions of Quest. Other cameras are also reportedly placed in other areas of Quest 3, including its front lower sides with one tracking camera each. Gurman also added that Quest 3 now has a dedicated control to adjust the IPD without having to take off the headset.
The article highlights Quest 3 as a much more affordable option (rumored between $400 to $500) than the upcoming Apple headset. And knowing Apple, the future device will certainly be first class but might cost a lot. Gurman said Meta wouldn’t be able to match Apple’s tech but stated that Quest 3 “is a night-and-day improvement over the Quest 2,” especially in terms of video pass-through for mixed reality and speed in performance. According to the report, it is even possible to use your phone while wearing the headset.
“Due to the dual RGB color cameras, video pass-through on the Quest 3 presented colors more accurately and offered an almost lifelike rendering of the real world,” Gurman shared. “I was even able to use my phone while wearing the headset, something that often feels impossible on a Quest 2.”
If all of the details within Gurman’s report are to believe (even if the unit tested was just a prototype), Quest 3 is certainly a huge improvement over the current Quest 2 Meta offers today. It is not meant to compete directly with Apple’s future headset offering, but it could be an attractive purchase to the general population of VR fans looking for a more affordable option. This is where Apple will pursue a different path. Like its other products, many expect Apple’s mixed-reality headset to be expensive, which, according to rumors, could cost around $3,000. In this case, Meta and Apple could share the VR market in the future, with the former focusing on the lower end and the former on the higher end.
