The Meta Quest 3 is worth buying if you’re looking for the most advanced standalone VR headset available today, offering significantly improved graphics, comfort, and mixed reality capabilities compared to its predecessor. At $499.99 for the base model, it delivers exceptional value for both VR enthusiasts and newcomers despite the $200 price increase over the Quest 2.
Virtual reality has become increasingly accessible, and Meta’s Quest line (formerly known as Oculus) has consistently led the charge in consumer-friendly VR. The Quest 3 continues this tradition while pushing important boundaries in resolution, processing power, and mixed reality features that make it a compelling upgrade even for existing Quest 2 owners.
In this blog post, we will explore the Quest 3’s groundbreaking features, compare it directly with its predecessor, and help you decide if this next-generation VR headset deserves a place in your tech collection. Let’s start by examining the impressive technical specifications that power this cutting-edge device.
Related post: Meta Quest 3 Review.
| Chipset | Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 |
| Resolution | 2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye |
| Storage | 128GB |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Battery life | 2.2 hours (rated) |
| Size | 7.2 x 6.2 x 3.8 inches |
| Weight | 1.1 pounds |
Now that we’ve gone through the specs of the device, why don’t we check out some of the Quest 3’s impressive features?
The Meta Quest 3 features dual 2064 x 2208 LCD eye displays with a 30% higher pixel density than the Quest 2. This 30% boost leads to a much enhanced visual experience for Quest 3 players. Textural elements like in-game HUDs, menus, and virtual browsers are the best examples.
Furthermore, more technically hard games, such as Mircosoft Flight Simulator, will make you feel as if you’re in the cockpit of an F12 fighter plane. You will, however, need to link it to your PC so that it can handle much of the heavy lifting, but you will still enjoy the experience.
In addition to a smaller display, the Quest 3 has uniform edge clarity and less lens glare. It also has a broader 120-degree field of view for improved immersion, resulting in less tunnel vision compared to the Quest 2’s 90-degree field of view.
It also supports a 120Hz refresh rate at launch, which means that fast-paced games like “Beat Sabre” will have far greater frame rates. The view was crystal clear in every game I tried, helped along by the Quest 3’s fish-eye lenses and its improved resolution.
What distinguishes the Meta Quest 3 and all of its predecessors from other VR headsets on the market is its ability to play games without the need for a PC or console, such as the PSVR 2. This is due to Meta’s expert optimisation processes and the strong chips included in their headsets, and the Quest 3 is no exception.
Meta claims that the new Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 CPU that powers the Meta Quest 3 has twice the graphics processing capacity of the Quest 2. Furthermore, you get 8GB of RAM instead of the Quest 2’s 6GB.
I don’t have any benchmark testing to back up Meta’s claim, but in practice, I found the headset to be incredibly responsive. When I was playing Samba de Amigo, Pistol Whip, or First Encounters, a mixed reality game, The Quest 3 never slowed down for me. This also happened while I was downloading apps in the background.
All of that power, however, comes with a small catch. Unless developers provide an optimisation upgrade, most older games and games released at launch will be unable to take advantage of the greater resources and capabilities of the Quest 3.
Although the graphics are still not ultra-realistic, they are unquestionably better than those in some of the previous Meta Quest 2 titles. The Quest 2 graphics gave me the impression of being in an outdated arcade game, but the NFL Pro Era app functioned flawlessly.
Related post: Will the Meta Quest 3 be backwards compatible?
Though it may sound harsh given how excellent the headset itself is, the new “Touch Plus” controllers are the greatest feature of the Meta Quest 3. The most noticeable modification that Meta has made to these controllers is the elimination of the heavy infrared rings that were included on earlier Quest controllers. Meta made the correct decision in terms of ergonomics with this update.
The redesigned controllers seem less top-heavy and unbalanced in the hands and are lighter now that the “rings” are gone. They feel almost perfect now. But once the “rings” were taken off, how has the tracking accuracy changed? To put it briefly, they are no longer required.
According to Meta, the AI hand-tracking technology on the new “Touch Plus” controllers for the Quest 3 is more accurate than the IR rings that were previously in use. The controllers use a combination of infrared LEDs from the cameras on the visor itself.
The Quest 3 and Quest 2 have “about the same” battery life, according to Meta. While 2.2 hours is the average battery life rating, actual usage and device settings may impact that number.
It took me an hour and fifty-seven minutes to deplete the Quest’s battery to zero. I played a few Quest 3 and Quest 2 games and watched approximately 30 minutes of District 9 on the Pluto TV app. After it dies, the Quest 3 may be charged in around two hours.
With 8GB of RAM, the Meta Quest 3 headset has more RAM than the Quest 2’s (6GB), but less than the Quest Pro’s (12GB). There are also two storage options for the Quest 3: 128GB ($499) and 512GB ($649).
You won’t discover many differences between the Quest 3 and the Quest 2 at first glance, and that’s intentional as Meta is a strong proponent of the maxim “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Meta hasn’t made many improvements to the design of the Meta Quest 3, aside from the extremely evident 3-camera punch out on the face of the Quest 3. But the increased weight of the Quest 3 was one of the main things I noticed. Compared to the Quest 2 and Quest Pro models, the Quest 3 seems noticeably heavier.
While Meta hasn’t made a lot of substantial changes to the design of the Meta Quest 3, Meta has made a lot of quality-of-life improvements to make the Quest 3 an overall better device, and there are a good number of them.
The soft cotton head strap has been updated to be easier to tighten and to keep your head firmly in position without applying excessive pressure, even during prolonged gaming sessions. However, if you want to replace the cotton strap with a more durable hard plastic alternative, you should go for the elite strap, which will set you back an additional $70.
The Quest 3 also has continuous IPD adjustments ranging in size from 58mm to 70mm. This is readily controlled via a little rotary dial at the bottom of the visor. You can also change the level of the facial interface in Quest 3. This means you can now control how far away the screen is from your face, which is very useful for folks who wear glasses.
However, because of the sharply curved facial interface, there is more light streaming in from the nose bridge, which might be disturbing for a player when a beam of light streams through while gaming. The facial interface is also forced on your temples and cheeks, which may be fairly painful for most gamers, especially when compared to the PSVR 2’s visor’s facial interface.
Finally, the Meta Quest 3’s facial interface is lined with foam padding, which makes it quite pleasant to wear but also means that it will absorb more sweat when gaming. Because the padding isn’t detachable, your only option is to live with it or buy the silicone interface, which is simpler to clean but costs an additional $30. Overall, I applaud Meta’s excellent quality-of-life upgrades to Quest 3, but I believe they could have done a lot better with the overall design.
The Quest 3 actually has the vast majority of the greatest VR games ever made available, including Walkabout Golf, Vader Immortal, Superhot, Beat Sabre, and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners. Every game we tried worked flawlessly.
Having never played table tennis previously, we enjoyed Eleven Table Tennis. The controllers performed admirably in the test; they are exactly as lightweight and user-friendly as we’ve become accustomed to. A word of caution, though: we wouldn’t argue that the Meta Quest 3 has completely eliminated motion sickness, and there won’t be a VR headset that does.
A few times when I was sprinting around playing the entertaining Jurassic World Aftermath tie-in to the movies, my stomach did turn. You can adjust your movement settings in most games, though, so that should help you get beyond that.
The Quest 3’s operating system might also use some improvement because it can occasionally be a little tricky and annoying. However, when you’re playing a game, everything functions flawlessly. Furthermore, when additional games are added to the headset and its value increases, we would expect that the OS will be adjusted and enhanced over time.
At Launch, the Meta Quest 3 cost about $499 on Amazon and other retailers. This version comes with 128GB of space. However, you can also pick up the 512GB version, but that one costs $649, and so far, these prices have remained steady. This usually comes down from Meta as they don’t drop the prices of their headsets until a new model is launched, hence why the Quest 2 is now $299 when it launched at $399.
With its enhanced design, increased power, better graphics, 120Hz display, and support for older games, the Meat Quest 3 is unquestionably the superior device in this scenario. Simply put, the Meta Quest 3 is a superior gadget.
The cost of the headsets, however, is one area where they diverge significantly. The price of the 128GB Meta Quest 3 is $499. Conversely, the Quest 2 has seen a notable decrease in price. The good news is that Meta appears to sincerely intend to keep the Quest 2 in their selection of VR headsets.
Considering that the Quest 2 is currently priced at $299 and that software updates are continually being provided to improve speed, it won’t be a bad idea to get one. Though that day is approaching, it doesn’t seem like Meta will put it aside for the Quest 3 anytime soon.
However, if you want a headset that lets you flip between virtual reality and the real world, the Meta Quest 3 seems to be the best option. The Quest 3 headset may not seem like a great value at $499 when it initially launches, but if developers make games and apps that take advantage of its mixed reality features, it may wind up being the best VR device for most consumers.
All things considered, stand-alone VR experiences have advanced significantly with the Quest 3 and PSVR 2. Each headgear offers unique benefits over its predecessor. With its controller-free input, cross-compatibility, and social networking, the Quest 3 is incredibly versatile, allowing you to blend gaming with other activities.
In response, Sony released the PSVR 2, which features finger-tracking Sense controllers, an excellent industrial design, enhanced comfort, and the best audio immersion on the market to provide the most natural input experiences. There are priority-based trade-offs between the two headsets; one headset cannot unambiguously win every category.
Really, it all boils down to personal preference. Quest 3 is more suited for VR fans seeking cross-platform adaptability, while the PSVR 2 is more likely to satisfy die-hard PlayStation fans who have a strong attachment to Sony’s environment.
In addition to being a ground-breaking mixed-reality headset, the Meta Quest 3 is a much superior Quest 2 substitute. It is an advance over the original Quest 2—it is easier to use, lighter, thinner, and more comfortable to wear. There’s also a noticeable increase in the display resolution. Unfortunately, there aren’t many opportunities to use the mixed reality headgear that we were promised, despite the Quest 3’s really outstanding full-colour video passthrough.
The Quest 3 is the VR headset that I would choose to purchase myself or suggest to someone else. There is no question about that. I neglected to mention that, even with its stand-alone design, you can use the optional Link cable or Air Bridge adapter to connect it to a PC and play almost all of the top VR games. This alone is a reason to choose the Quest 3 over PC VR headsets or the PSVR 2.
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