finally there is something word on a true successor to the most popular VR gaming headset. Tech YouTuber Brad Lynch posted some CAD renders of the highly anticipated follow-up to Meta’s Quest 2 VR headset, which we’re betting will be called the Quest 3.
We’ve already heard quite a bit about the Quest Pro headset, which is expected to be aimed at professional use and mixed reality applications. However, the Quest 3 news means that Meta isn’t ready to give up its position as the top choice for casual consumers. Here’s everything we know about the rumored Quest 3 headset so far.
WHAT WILL QUEST 3 BE LIKE?
Lynch released a series of renders showing us interior and exterior details of what appears to be the next version of the Quest headset. These schematics give us a good idea of what Quest 3 could look like, and it doesn’t look like Meta has changed much. We should take these renders with a grain of salt, but Lynch previously leaked schematics of the Quest Pro headset, which appear to be accurate compared to an engineering sample of the nascent headset left behind in a hotel room.
If these renders are accurate, it looks like Meta stuck to the same successful formula, which isn’t a bad thing considering the success of Quest 2.
WILL QUEST 3 HAVE FACE AND EYE TRACKING?
Going off the charts, there don’t seem to be any internal cameras that can be adapted to face and eye tracking. Lynch said in his YouTube video that these capabilities would mean more cameras and higher costs, which clashes with the idea of being a consumer-grade VR headset.
Eye and face tracking would really add another level of immersion to the VR experience, but you really can’t be mad at Meta for trying to keep the Quest 3 affordable. Yes That is the case. It also appears that Meta is more interested in making the Quest 3 a mixed reality headset, as the renders show what looks like a pass-through camera and depth sensor.
WHAT ARE THE SPECIFICATIONS OF QUEST 3?
Considering this recent leak focused on renders, there is still very little information on which chips the Quest 3 will run. Lynch says in his video that a source claims that the Quest 3 will use the currently unannounced Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset.
An earlier data mine from Lynch also showed a potential resolution of 2064 x 2208 pixels per eye for Quest 3. If that’s correct, that would be a considerable improvement over Quest 2’s 1920 x 1832 pixels per eye resolution. they also show Meta going with pancake lenses for the Quest 3, which should translate to a slimmer, lighter headset.
HOW MUCH WILL QUEST 3 COST?
The price of the Quest 3 will be a deciding factor for the rumored headset. We expect Meta to keep the price of the Quest 3 more or less the same as its predecessor because that’s a big part of the reason why the Quest 2 was so successful. Its affordable price made it more accessible, even if Meta recently raised the price.
It’s also worth considering that the Quest Pro headset is expected to command a premium price. The higher-end headset is meant to be more feature-rich, and with the full package that includes the Quest Pro headset, its drivers, and a charging pad it could start at $1,500.
WHEN WILL QUEST 3 BE RELEASED?
Meta likely won’t announce Quest 3 at its next Connect event in October. That event appears to be reserved for the announcement of the Quest Pro headset. After all, this is really the first bit of information we’ve heard about the Quest 3.
Meta is more likely to announce the Quest 3 in 2023, possibly alongside the other VR/AR headsets it may be working on. For now, at least we have the Quest Pro to look forward to.
