Everything we Know About the Meta Quest 3

The highly anticipated Meta Quest 3 headset is expected to be released around October 2023 during the Meta Connect. With Meta’s prior success with the Meta Quest 2, VR enthusiasts are looking forward to seeing what exciting new features are going to be included in it, as it is expected to be a game-changer in the gaming space.

At this stage, there have not been many official statements about the Meta Quest 3, and a lot of the information online is merely speculation. But we’ve compiled data from reliable sources to help our readers understand what this latest offering from Meta might include.

Key Points

The Meta Quest 3 headset is expected to be released in fall 2023, according to announcements by Mark Zuckerberg and Meta CFO David Wehner.
The gaming community highly awaits the headset as it is expected to transform gaming experiences completely.
According to leaks made by hardware analyst Bradley Lynch, the new headset appears to be equipped with cameras to be a “mixed reality” headset, offering both AR and VR capabilities.
In October 2022, Zuckerberg announced in an interview with Stratechary that the headset would cost around $300-$500.
The headset’s leaked features include a thinner design, better 2064 x 2208 pixel-per-eye resolution, and an impressive Snapdragon XR3 upgrade.

What Is Meta Quest 3?

The Meta Quest 3 headset is rumored to be a next-generation mixed-reality headset developed by Meta (formerly known as Facebook). The highly awaited headset is expected to revolutionize the gaming space by incorporating exciting features such as better resolution, 120 Hz refresh rates, and more.

According to several leaks online, the headset is speculated to offer both virtual and augmented reality features. Thus offering tons of flexibility for gamers to try new immersive experiences.

The leaked images of the headset online show that it is going to be much slimmer than the Meta Quest 2. Indicating that Meta may have used the same “pancake” lenses as they’ve used in the Meta Quest Pro. The headset also seems to be equipped with four cameras and is rumored to have depth sensors to allow users to experience mixed reality.

The resolution is expected to be around 2064 x 2208 pixels per eye, which is a significant upgrade from the Meta Quest 2’s 1920 x 1832 resolution. The headset is also expected to include the Snapdragon XR3, which offers an incredible boost in performance.

Is Meta Quest 3 on the verge of Announcement?

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, first announced that there would be a Meta Quest 3 in an interview with Stratechary in October 2022. While discussing the differences between social and work software, Mark mentioned that there would be a Meta Quest 3 and that it would be priced somewhere between $300 -$500.

Meta’s CFO David Wehner also stated during their presentation for quarterly earnings last year that the company aims to release its next consumer-centric Quest headset in late 2023. This led to massive hype for the upcoming headset worldwide.

Hardware Analyst Bradley Lynch had earlier revealed numerous features for the Meta Quest Pro before its launch and has now leaked CAD-rendered designs for the Meta Quest 3, which show how the headset will look different from the Meta Quest 2.

Now, there are two possibilities. Meta may announce the headset at their Meta Connect in the fall, which is more likely, or they could hold a separate event earlier to announce the release of this headset. Either way, the headset is expected to be released later this year.

Meta Quest 3 Main Features Rumored

As of June 2022, Meta Quest 2 has sold over 14.8 million units worldwide. With significant upgrades from the Meta Quest 2, the Meta Quest 3 is expected to be a massive success. Now, let’s explore the rumored exciting features of the Meta Quest 3.

Key Design Updates

Hardware analyst Bradley Lynch released leaked CAD images that provide most of the information known about the upcoming headset’s design.

Several 3D artists, such as Alvin Suen, created 3D models according to the leaked CAD images on Sketchfab. An initial glance at the photos clearly depicts the visual differences on the front of the headset, i.e., three lines that appear to be sticking out of the headset.

Apparently, these cameras will feature RGB sensors and depth sensors to facilitate mixed-reality experiences. Users can use the headset to overlay virtual elements into their physical surroundings. The cameras will also help with better hand tracking.

The 3D renders also showcase a pair of controllers similar to the controllers for Meta Quest Pro. However, it is unlikely that we’d be getting the same controllers as the controllers themselves retail for $300. We may be getting a brand-new controller design, which is very exciting.

Snapdragon processor, huge performance boost, or not?

The Meta Quest 3 is expected to contain the Snapdragon XR3, which is a significant upgrade from Meta Quest 2’s Snapdragon XR2 chipset. The XR3 offers a 2.5x better performance, and the headset is expected to contain 2.4 Teraflops of graphical power. The Adreno 730 GPU will make a tremendous difference in the level of immersion that users will experience.

By processing graphics smoothly, there will be no jerky VR movements that cause users to experience nausea – thus allowing for longer immersive VR experiences. The XR3 system-on-a-chip will double the bandwidth of traditional Wi-Fi6E chips, resulting in quicker internet speeds and improved rendering.

Meta Quest 3 Lenses

The leaked CAD designs make it seem apparent that the Meta Quest 3 is a lot slimmer than the Meta Quest 2. This has caused VR enthusiasts to speculate that the headset will utilize “pancake” lenses, making the headset much less bulky.

Instead of the typical large box design with weight shifted forward, pancake lenses allow users to experience even weight distribution, leading to a much more enjoyable experience. The way pancake optics work is that they reduce the required distance between the lens and the display. The low-profile design also mitigates any chances of reflections and distortions within the lens, allowing for a smoother VR experience.

High Resolution LCD Panel

Initially, people assumed the Quest 3 would feature an OLED display, but analyst Bradley Lynch indicated a significant upgrade to the display, replacing it with a high-resolution LCD panel.

This has sparked a lot of interest amongst VR fans, as a better display with a faster processor is everything they have dreamt of in a next-generation headset. The display is rumored to support up to 2064 x 2208 per eye, which is a massive improvement from the Meta Quest 2. With a 120 Hz refresh rate, users are going to have incredible VR experiences.

We experienced 120 Hz on the Quest 2 for a few months; however, the experience was only limited to a few applications. We expect the Quest 3 to offer 120 Hz across the board, allowing for smoother VR experiences.

Depth Sensors and Mixed Reality

One prominent feature that is evident from the leaked images was the fact that the headset had a four-camera array and a depth sensor on the front, allowing users to experience “Mixed Reality.” This specific feature could be the primary factor in the Quest 3’s success due to the lack of easily accessible MR headsets in the market today.

The Microsoft HoloLens 2 and other MR headsets are all very expensive. The HoloLens is currently retailing for around $3000 per headset. This makes these headsets far out of reach from everyday consumers. The primary focus of these headsets is on industrial use cases. Mark Zuckerberg announced in an interview with Stratechary that the Quest 3 would cost around $300-$500

Larger Storage Capacity

Rumors suggest that the headset will support up to 512GB of storage. This is a massive benefit for users since they can store a large number of applications directly on the headset. It is important to note that these are just speculations at this point. Hardware analyst Bradley Lynch, who had previously released surprisingly accurate details about the Meta Quest Pro before its launch, was responsible for these details.

The 512GB storage version might come equipped with a higher RAM capacity, which is why users assume the higher storage version might be a bit more costly than the standard version.

Oculus Quest 3 Release Date

While there have not been any official announcements about the release date yet, all factors indicate that we may be able to see the Oculus Quest 3 in the fall of 2023. VR enthusiasts speculate this might be unveiled during the Meta Connect in October and listed for sale immediately. Users will be able to purchase the Oculus Quest 3 directly from Meta’s stores, which is why it is a good idea to stay tuned to updates on their website.

Oculus Quest 3 Cost Speculation

Ever since the Quest Pro was released for $1500, many VR users were worried that the Quest 3 might also be expensive. Mark Zuckerberg put those worries to rest during his interview with Stratechary last year. Where he stated that since the Quest 3 is meant to be a consumer-level headset, the price will be in the $300 – $500 range.

During the interview, Mark stated that the company priced the Quest Pro higher because it’s a professional-level headset, but consumer-level VR experiences remain important to them. Therefore, they will price the Quest 3 reasonably to make it accessible.

How Will Meta Quest 3 Be Controlled?

In Alvin Suen’s 3D model, he added the Touch Pro controllers as an accessory to the headset. However, while we’re sure they will be compatible, it is very unlikely that the Touch Pro controllers will be added to the Meta Quest 3 package since they are priced at $300.

We may be seeing a redesign of the Quest 2 controllers for the new headset. Another exciting feature that Meta could offer is the use of VR gloves. Recent years have seen several discussions about Meta’s research on haptic feedback gloves. Meta aims for users to experience “feeling” in their interactions within the Metaverse. Thereby enhancing the virtual experience with a new layer of interactivity.

The glove allows users to touch surfaces, grab items, and much more in the virtual world. Although we haven’t seen a consumer-level prototype yet, many VR users hope that the new Quest 3 will release with these gloves. The glove allows cameras to track the movement of fingers and much more.

Oculus Quest 3 initial verdict

In conclusion, the Oculus Quest 3 offers numerous exciting features for its customers. With its predicted mixed reality capabilities, it could easily become one of the market’s most popular consumer-level MR headsets today.

It offers significant improvements over the Quest 2, such as higher resolution, more efficient processing, better weight distribution, and more. Users will also get access to a broader library of applications due to its mixed reality capabilities. We expect to see an increase in storage for the Quest 3, with compatibility up to 512GB. Thus allowing players to store a larger library of applications and games.

The critical factor for the success of the MR headset will be its price point, as other MR headsets in the market are priced significantly higher. We eagerly anticipate the Oculus Quest 3 headset and will promptly report any new updates as soon as they become available.

FAQs

When is the Meta Quest 3 going to be released?

While there is no official launch date, the Meta Quest 3 is predicted to be launched in fall 2023. The Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro were also announced during the Meta Connect and launched right after.

Is the Meta Quest 3 better than the Quest 2?

The Meta Quest 3 offers numerous better features than the Quest 2. These include a sleeker design, mixed reality capabilities, pancake lenses, better 2064 x 2208 pixel-per-eye resolution, larger storage, and an impressive Snapdragon XR3 upgrade.