Meta has announced that the annual Meta Connect 2023 conference will kick off on 27 September, when it’s expected to reveal more information about its new Meta Quest 3 VR headset.
We already know quite a bit about the Meta Quest 3. The new headset will cost £499 and will be fully backwards compatible with your existing library of Meta Quest 2 games. It will offer twice the processing power, better resolution, a 40 per cent thinner profile, improved controllers and full-colour mixed reality passthrough.
The latter feature lets you view your playing area through the headset’s cameras and depth sensors, so virtual objects and scenes can effectively be overlaid on to the real world around you. Apple’s newly announced Vision Pro headset uses a similar technology.
Ahead of the Meta Quest 3 launching later this year, the Meta Quest 2 is getting a £100 price cut (was £399, now £299, Amazon.co.uk).
We rate the current Meta Quest 2 as the best VR headset you can buy. “It’s not the most technically advanced virtual reality headset out there, but the first genuinely user-friendly one. You don’t need an expensive gaming PC to plug it into (though you’ve got the option), and there are no snaking cables to trip over.”
Meta Quest 3 release date
Speaking at the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the Meta Quest 3 would launch in autumn, and that more details would be revealed at the company’s Meta Connect conference on 27 September.
We expect that pre-orders for the Meta Quest 3 will open on 27 September.
Meta Quest 3 price
The Meta Quest 3 will start at £499 for the 128GB version. That’s £100 more than the Meta Quest 2, though the current VR headset is set to drop in price to £299 in response to the new hardware’s upcoming launch.
Meta Quest 3 specs and features
Details about the exact specifications of the Meta Quest 3 will be revealed at Meta Connect 2023 on 27 September but here’s what we know so far about the headset’s capabilities.
- Storage: There’ll be a 128GB base option, with higher storage options expected
- Processor: “Next-generation Qualcomm chipset” with double the graphics performance
- Resolution and refresh rate: Zuckerberg promised “highest resolution display yet”, so expect an improvement over the Meta Quest 2’s 1920 x 1832 displays and at least a 120Hz refresh rate
- Mixed reality: Full colour passthrough with 10x more pixels, powered by dual 4MP RGB cameras
- Controllers: Improved Touch Plus controllers with haptic feedback
- Hand tracking: Like the Meta Quest 2, you’ll be able to use your actual hands to interact with virtual objects
Best VR headsets to pick up now
If you don’t fancy waiting around for the Meta Quest 3, here’s a selection of the best virtual-reality and mixed-reality headsets you can jump into today.
Meta Quest 2: Was £399.99, now £299.99, Amazon.co.uk
The Meta Quest 2 currently has £100 off. It’s an impressive piece of technology, and the most user-friendly we’ve tested, immediately immersing you in a believable 3D space. Sensors and cameras embedded in the headset can track your physical location in the room and translate your movements at 1:1 scale in the game world.
“When you take a step forward in real life, you take a step forward in the virtual world, cementing the illusion that you exist within the virtual space,” our writer explained in their review. “If you want a VR experience without the fuss, there’s no better entry point than the Meta Quest 2. The fact you still have the option to plug it into a gaming PC for high-end VR gaming is a real bonus.”
Meta Quest Pro: £999, Currys.co.uk
This is Meta’s most premium headset and its first mixed-reality device. It features 10 virtual-reality and mixed-reality sensors spread out throughout the headset, enabling you to see your surroundings and overlay content while your headset is on, with AR images superimposed onto your environment. It is expensive, but Meta reduced the price of the headset by £500 in March due to dwindling sales.
HTC Vive XR elite: £1,299, Amazon.co.uk
HTC Vive is another manufacturer who has launched a new mixed-reality headset this year. The HTC Vive XR Elite is a VR and AR headset that is lighter than the Meta Quest Pro. It features 3,840 x 1,920 2K resolution on each eye and has built-in hands-tracking, passthrough and a 90Hz refresh rate. You can still hook it up to a computer as well. The device was unveiled at CES 2023, and is available to pre-order now.
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Don’t care for a mixed-reality device? We have a guide to the best VR headsets