Meta has unveiled Quest 3, the sequel to the best selling VR headset to ever exist, priced starting at $499. This headset's standout feature is the capability to quickly switch between with world outside and the virtual one, thus making it less isolating and a more comfortable experience in extended use. This rollout of Meta’s most recent VR headset emerges as a contest with Apple in the realm of virtual reality is on the horizon, with many in the tech sector believing it will be a game changer that bolsters the total market and grants birth to new leaders, similar to the manner in which the iPhone was created by Apple.
Meta unveiled Quest 3, their sequel to the most successful VR headset of all time, on Wednesday.Starting at $499, the device is a $200 increase from its predecessor, yet it comes with a more powerful chip from Qualcomm, improved screens, and a capability called "passthrough", which is expected to be one of the main features of Apple's forthcoming Vision Pro headset.You can start placing your pre-orders on Wednesday, and the headset will be shipping as of October 10.The distinguishing feature of the Quest 3 headset is its ability to quickly show the exterior world, which will reduce the feeling of isolation and thus make it easier to use for extended periods. When having an app open on the Quest 3, one tap on any area of the headset can take you from the virtual realm to "passthrough" mode.Additional upgrades include "pancake lenses", an optic which was initially placed on Meta's $1,499 Quest Pro and which makes the visuals clear and of higher resolution.The introduction of Meta's pristine VR headset arrives as a competition swells between them and Apple in the world of virtual reality. Many in the tech sector are of the opinion that Apple's entrance could expand the total market and birth new triumphs, similar to how the iPhone helped spark the smartphone market.Meta, which was earlier known as Facebook, has the lead at present. Their Quest 2 is the most successful VR headset by far, selling around 10 million units in the course of last year, a slight drop from the pandemic peak, as per an industry estimate. Apple's Vision Pro headset will not be ready for sale until next year and will cost far more than Meta's headsets, beginning at a price tag of $3,499.Despite Meta's current triumph in terms of sales, it is not definite how many Quest 2 owners use it often or sometimes regularly, and the must-have situation or killer app for VR is yet to be discovered. Meta has so far invested $21 billion in their Reality Labs branch, which builds headsets and VR software.
CNBC was recently provided the opportunity to try out the Quest 3 during an hourlong demonstration prior to its launch on Wednesday, which consisted of playing a few games and being walked through the company's hardware. The device is now equipped with a new headband strap and a streamlined look. At 515 grams, it is slightly heavier than its predecessor. Additionally, the speakers have been enhanced to offer a superior quality audio experience. Meta has also modernized the controllers, which now have improved haptic feedback. Plus, the headset is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip, which is Arm-based and its energy consumption akin to a mobile processor instead of a PC processor. The Quest 3 displays boast a resolution of 2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye, higher than the Quest 2's 1,832 x 1,920 resolution per eye. Be that as it may, the battery can last for around two hours and 12 minutes.During the demo, I tested Samba de Amigo, a game from Sega that is comparable to Dance Dance Revolution or Rock Band but with maracas (in reality, the Quest 3 controllers). It was enjoyable and I even broke into a sweat while I was at it. Furthermore, the Quest 3 highlights passthrough, allowing for the cameras outside the device to show real-time video on the displays within the headset, meaning it functions almost like a semi-transparent pair of glasses that can also display computer windows and other graphics. Aside from that, the headset is able to scan the room so as to caution the user when they are close to touching something in their surrounding area. This is a major advantage over its prior version.When the Quest 3 is launched, it will be compared to Apple's Vision Pro headset that is more expensive. Although the latter has the most advanced technologies to enable its own passthrough mode known as "spatial computing", Meta aims to match some of those features in their product at a fraction of the cost. The Quest Pro from Meta is priced at $1,499 and is predominately seen as a gaming device. To that end, the company has set up 500 games and apps, such as Ghostbusters title, an Assassin's Creed game, and a Stranger Things experience that was jointly created with Netflix.
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