I’ve been lucky to experience the Meta Quest 3 early, and let me tell you:
there's a LOT to unpack. So today, I'll give you my first impressions of the good, the bad,
the specs, and everything in between. Meta recently invited me to London to try out
their 3rd generation consumer headset. And while they covered the trip, they didn't pay for this
video nor did they obligate me to create one. Now, I found aspects I loved
but also disappointments. First, the Quest 3 is claimed as the thinnest,
yet most powerful standalone headset to date. And here's a twist: preorders start now and
it’s available to buy on October 10th, breaking away from Meta's usual longer launch schedule.
And this is awesome: You’ll get Asgard’s Wrath 2 included,
which will be available on December 15th. As for the price? You're looking at
500 US dollars for the 128 gig model, and for those craving more space, there’s a 512
gig version that comes in at 650 dollars. At the event, I found out that the Quest 3
changes the whole approach Meta is taking, which is going to affect the VR industry
big time. I’ll explain later. Let’s talk about the looks first.
It isn’t hard to notice that the Quest 3 design has undergone another transformation.
But this time around I like the changes. The front is remarkably thinner – boasting a 40% slimmer
optic profile than its predecessor, the Quest 2. As you can see, most of the size is made up of
the face foam only. Peel that away, and I was left marveling at the compactness
of the tech contained within. It’s pretty insane how small it is.
Now, at the bottom are the volume controls and - wait for it - an IPD slider.
Finally, Meta delivered a slider again that lets us adjust the lens distance to match
your eyes for an optimal VR view. It has a range between 58 and 71 millimeters.
On the sides, there’s the power key. Notably, the charging port has transitioned to the
strap. The audio jack made a similar move to the strap on the opposite side.
Now, there are cameras and sensors on the front and sides for tracking your movements
with inside-out tracking. Some of these sensors are new, like the dual 4-megapixel RGB color
cameras and a depth sensor. These enhancements promise a more true-to-life representation of
your surroundings, with 10 times more pixels in Passthrough compared to Quest 2. This represents
a significant leap forward in this tech – but hold on, I'll dive deeper into the
mixed reality experience in a bit. Here’s my first disappointment,
I have 5 more… The iconic Oculus logo is replaced by the Meta logo. I get it; branding evolves.
But it’s a nostalgic touch that I’ll miss. The included soft headstrap also has a new design,
featuring a split at its tail-end. This is thoughtful as it caters to diverse hairstyles.
For those with longer hair, like myself, you can easily tie it up in a knot and tuck it in
between. Not only does this ensure comfort, but it might also help balance the headset's weight,
making it more stable on your head. While I didn’t have a precise scale with me,
I did bring my Quest 2 to gauge any perceivable weight difference.
Interestingly, the Quest 3 does NOT feel much lighter.
The front remains quite heavy. However, its slimmer design seems to distribute the weight
more comfortably on the head. While I need more time to draw definitive conclusions,
a 45-minute test with the elite strap felt consistently comfortable. Yes,
we didn’t get to try it with the new soft strap yet, but it appears to be a notable improvement.
Comfort is subjective, though, so I anticipate that some of you might want to experiment with
different straps for the Quest 3. To cater to this, additional accessories like the
Elite Strap and its battery-equipped counterpart will be available. But disappointment number 2:
Sadly, the Quest 2 straps won't be compatible due to the redesign. I can imagine this is
frustrating for those of us who've invested in multiple accessories for the previous model.
But like with Quest 2, there will be other accessories available like a Charging
Dock, a Carrying Case, a silicone facial interface, and active straps
tailored for the Touch Plus controllers. But here's something I like: you can now add
more personality to your headset with these customizable Facial Interfaces & Headstraps.
As of now, you have a choice between this vibrant orange and an… ocean… blue. But
given the pace of the VR community, I'd bet we'll soon see an array of eclectic colors.
Inside the headset, it packs a punch. It's powered by the brand-new Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2,
which means double the processing power than Quest 2, plus it has 8 gigs of RAM and WiFi 6E support.
At last, a true chip upgrade. Qualcomm sent me one to showcase - isn't it a beauty?
Such an upgrade generally translates to faster load times, smoother gameplay, and a
potential visual uplift in games as developers tailor their creations to this new hardware.
Have I noticed a difference out of my initial tests? Yes, I tried an upgraded
version of Red Matter 2 and the visual uplift was HUGE compared to Quest 2. The sharpness
and details were insane. I need to do side by side tests with the Quest Pro later. I’m not
allowed to show in-headset recorded gameplay yet so you have to trust me on this for now.
Now, onto the third disappointment out of five. I can't help but voice my disappointment
at the missing eye and face tracking. This isn't just a superficial feature;
it deeply enriches social exchanges and refines gameplay as seen on other headsets. So I’m sad.
I think it’s a missed opportunity. While the missing features sting,
the display does offer a silver lining. Boasting dual LCDs and pancake lenses,
the Quest 3 delivers a 4K+ "Infinite Display",
at 4128 x 2208 pixels in total. This is 10 times the resolution of the Quest
2 and 4 times the resolution of the Quest Pro. But, in VR, resolution isn't the only metric.
Unlike with TVs or smartphones, where resolution is paramount,
VR visual clarity is also determined by the pixel density and the lens's optical properties.
The Quest 3 has the highest pixel density of any Quest headset at 25 pixels per degree.
Pair that with the improved magnification provided by the new pancake optics, and it's evident, even
from my initial observations, that images appear markedly sharper. The 'sweet spot' feels bigger,
and I was impressed by the edge to edge clarity. The Quest 3's color gamut and contrast ratios are
a notch above the Quest 2, presenting richer and more vivid visuals. But I don’t think
it’s better than that of the Quest Pro. That said, 25 PPD is not the highest of any
VR headset on the market today, but it’s looking pretty great,
especially considering the price point. Altho I do need to spend more time with it.
Now disappointment number 4. There’s one more left and this is a big one. The Quest
3 doesn't inherit the Quest Pro's local dimming tech. This might mean the Pro could have better
contrast levels like deeper blacks. But I need to see it side by side to really know,
which I will do later. If you’re interested in this comparison, let me know in a comment below.
The refresh rate can now do 90hz and a smooth 120hz out of the box. It appears
they’ve ditched the 72hz, which… makes sense 😀 But disappointment number 5. The field of view
feels similar to that of the Quest 2. I know a lot of you wanted this to be wider,
but there’s almost no difference. I’ll measure this more exactly in my
upcoming full review. So make sure to subscribe to not miss anything and joining us beyond reality.
Now, for those that wear glasses, there are now buttons inside the headset that
you can push so you can move the facial interface up and down to fit your glasses.
Time for… runtime… Expect a playtime ranging between 2 to 3 hours, depending on what you do
with it. I speculate that, although the battery capacity is higher, it consumes more due to the
enhanced specs. Thus, I’m guessing the battery life is roughly equivalent to that of the Quest 2,
which isn't extensive. However, many of us tend to use a powerbank strap to prolong playtime anyway.
Now one of the BIGGEST changes of them all is that the Quest 3 now has
high-fidelity, full-color mixed-reality. In case you don’t know what that is. Think
of it like a mix between VR and AR experiences. With Quest 3 on, you can choose to still see your
room through its HD cameras on the front of the headset. Now, digital elements can be seamlessly
overlaid on it, making your real surroundings part of a game. This is called Mixed Reality.
I got to test the magic with different MR games, like this MR mode in Stranger Things and the
upgraded cameras and depth sensor are leaps and bounds better than Quest 2’s low quality black
and white view. Depth perception looks great so far. I’ll compare this MORE later but I
think it surpasses the Quest Pro. Sure, there are STILL imperfections, like warping on the
sides and it’s not 20/20 sharpness, but it's a vast improvement over the Quest 2. And yes,
I can finally read text clearly on my phone while in passthrough, which is awesome, and I love that
in many games, the depth sensor is now being used. So you’ll see virtual things interact with
your real life walls, windows or even furniture. I’m genuinely excited about mixed reality. While
escaping to virtual worlds is captivating, there's something magical about blending it
with the real world. Like Pokemon Go did. This is a good segway to Quest 3 software,
which operates within the same ecosystem as all other Quest devices. This is a plus,
as it grants you access to the existing library of over 500 games and if you come
from an older headset, transitioning your profiles and games will be easy.
With the new headset, however, you might enjoy added perks, like an improved Smart Guardian,
benefiting from the new depth sensor, and a new MR home environment with spatial augments
(I think that’s what it’s called?) They showed us an example where you’ll see a
portal in your space and you can hop into it to launch games and stuff.
Meta is also releasing major software updates like access to 2D screens, so your Quest 3 can be used
as a big TV screen that you can bring anywhere. XBox Cloud Gaming is finally releasing and there
will be 50 new games coming and 50 existing apps will be adding new Mixed Reality features.
For the rest, we’ll have to wait and see what developers do with it.
The Quest 3 offers two methods for interaction: the controllers or hand
tracking. With hand tracking, you can immerse yourself in the virtual world using only your
hands. I didn’t get to test enough so more about this later, but it does seem improved.
The controllers, now named 'Touch Plus', have received a significant
makeover. Although they still rely on batteries, their design has become sleeker,
notably with the absence of the tracking rings seen on earlier Quest controllers.
They feel great, much lighter than any of the previous controllers. They also added new buttons
that you can press in to pop out the battery cover, which is a much better design than before.
While they might resemble the Quest Pro controllers, these aren’t self-tracked.
Then you might wonder, how do they track? They still use infrared LEDs, which, while invisible to
our eyes, are detectable by the headset cameras. However, these lights can sometimes be occluded,
especially when gripping the controllers. To counter this, Meta is now using LED tracking
with continuous hand tracking at the same time, which is new! And based on my initial impressions,
the tracking feels reliable, but I will put it through more rigorous tests later.
Additionally, there's an option to upgrade to the fully self-tracked Quest Pro
Controllers for enhanced tracking, if you want. Now, back to that shift in approach by Meta. It’s
clear that with Quest 3, Meta isn’t aiming just for gaming but for a comprehensive mixed-reality
experience. The Meta Connect keynote echoed a clear focus on MR with new game announcements,
like many MR modes for existing or new games. But that’s not all, they showed key use cases
beyond gaming, like for fitness, entertainment, social and productivity. This headset isn't just
about immersion; I think it's about integration into your daily life.
Here's my read: Meta wants to rival competitors, potentially Apple,
but with focus on affordability. So the Quest 3 has its trade-offs, but they’re trying to
prioritize visuals without breaking the bank. Don't get me wrong, gaming isn't on the back
burner. Excitement's in the air with Asgard’s Wrath II and the anticipated Assassin’s Creed
Nexus VR that should awesome on this headset. What about GTA I hear you say. That’s still a
mystery, but I'm on the hunt for answers at Meta Connect.
Speaking of which, we are there, right now covering the event in-person. So
subscribe if you like the content and follow us on Instagram @casandchary as
we'll be posting about the event LIVE. We’ll also have more time with the Quest
3 in the upcoming weeks, so if you have any remaining questions. Drop it below in
the comments and I’ll consider them while we create the next videos. See you soon!