Meta Quest 3: Release Date, Features, and Cost: Everything you need to know

Meta Quest 3: Release Date, Features, and Cost: Everything you need to know

Published: 14-12-2022
Updated: 15-06-2023

In this article, you will read all about the upcoming Meta Quest 3 VR headset launch, announcement and release date, its cost and pricing and finally its specifications, functionalities and features.

What is Meta Quest 3?

The Meta Quest 3 is the upcoming VR headset from Meta (former Facebook) and is the successor to the best-selling VR headset in history: Oculus / Meta Quest 2. The new VR headset from Meta is also internally codenamed “Project Stinson”.

Meta Quest 3 Release Date?

The Meta Quest 3 was announced just before Apple unveiled their mixed reality headset: Apple Vision Pro. We can expect the Meta Quest 3 to start shipping as soon as Fall 2023.

Meta Quest 3 Cost and Price?

With the announcement of the Meta Quest 3, the new Meta headset was also revealed to cost $499 for the 128GB version. As of yet, we don’t know how much the upgraded 256GB edition will cost.

Meta Quest 3 design and look?

The new Meta Quest 3 look distinctly like a successor to the iconic Oculus Quest 2. Thus, the Quest 3 is rounder with three noticeable cutouts for tracking sensors. It is also slimmer and lighter enabled by the pancake lens. In fact, the computer-aided design from immersive tech leaker Brad Lynch was spot on for what the Meta Quest 3 ended up looking like.

What features will be on the Meta Quest 3

New Snapdragon processor for Meta Quest 3

Following the recent multi-year partnership between Meta and Qualcomm, Meta Quest 3 will feature the new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, replacing the popular XR2 Gen 1 SoC processor in most VR headsets today. This new processor will be a standalone VR beast, delivering 2.5 times the processing and twice the GPU power as the Quest 2.

Pancake lenses for Meta Quest 3

Since the Oculus Quest 2 in 2020, display technology has come a long way. For the Meta Quest 3, the device will feature pancake lenses, enabling a slimmer and lighter design while also delivering better clarity and higher immersion.

Depth sensor for better mixed reality

The Meta Quest 3 will also follow in the footsteps of new mixed reality headsets and feature a dedicated depth sensor. Such a tracker increases mixed reality performance in 3D mapping the environment around the user, meaning digital objects blend perfectly into the real world.

Meta Quest Touch Plus Controllers

Although third-generation Oculus Touch controllers for the Oculus Quest 2 provide wider space and enhanced haptic feedback. However, the new Meta Quest 3 Touch Plus controllers will not have the pesky tracking ring due to improved tracking from the Quest 3 itself. While internal tracking will be reserved for the more expensive Quest Pro controllers. Luckily, if you have Quest Pro controllers around, the upcoming Meta Quest 3 will be compatible with them.

Finally, the new Touch Plus controllers will have the TruTouch enhanced haptics system featuring three sensors in the triggers, thumb rest and grip to isolate rumbling in your hands.

Meta Store being agnostic to consumers or enterprises

As indicated by the recent Meta Quest Pro being a devkit headset, the Meta Store will see a significant presence of productivity applications and enterprise ecosystem by the time Meta Quest 3 launches. The reasoning is based on the competition. To entice users the Meta Store must diversify as the competing VR platform, SteamVR, boasts the largest consumer VR content library.

Specifications of the Meta Quest 3

Below are what we know or can expect for the specifications of the Meta Quest 3.

 Meta Quest 3
Resolution2064 x 2208 pixels per eye
Display engineSingle LCD
Refresh Rate120Hz
Lenses*Pancake
Field-of-view104º Horizontal (rendered), 97º Horizontal (visible)
IPD Adjustment Range*Automatic IPD
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2
GPUAdreno 740 with 2.4 Teraflops
RAM12GB LPDDR5
Storage128GB / 256GB (No SD Card slot)
ConnectorsUSB-C, WiFi 6E, Quest Link, and Bluetooth 5.3
WeightTBA
Battery Life*3+ hours
TrackingStandalone, 6DoF inside-out with hand tracking from 4 optical internal and external cameras.
Mixed RealityYes, enabled by dedicated LiDAR depth sensor
Controllers6 DoF Optical inside-out tracking
InteractivityController and hand gesture
Audio3D audio from integrated headset speakers and a built-in microphone array
Video PassthroughFull-color stereo video passthrough
MSRP$499
Shipping dateFall 2023

*Estimated

The future of Meta Quest 3

Despite Meta splitting up its augmented and virtual reality departments, the Meta Quest 3 will be a mixed reality headset. We expect VR headsets to pivot into mixed reality.

Similarly, Meta Quest 3 will likely become available in Germany again. Currently, Meta does not sell its VR headsets in Germany. However, we expect this to change as Meta is building its Metaverse in Europe is a strong indicator of this.

All in all, Meta Quest 3 could further boost Mark Zuckerberg’s vision of building the Metaverse and elevate people’s interaction with their friends and family members.

All we can do now is wait for the release in Fall 2023 and experience how Oculus Quest 3 pans out.

Oculus Quest

According to an article by TechCrunch, consumers around the world downloaded the Oculus App 2 million times between 23rd-29th December 2021. 

This growing interest among consumers is social proof for Meta to keep building better hardware and experiences for the audience. 

All we can do now is wait and watch to see how Oculus Quest 3 pans out next year.

Did you like this article?

  • Yes 23
  • No 0
Jakob

Written by Jakob

Jakob Pii is Writer at VR Expert and currently lives in the UK. He started his career in VR gaming in 2015 and has stayed in XR since, from exposure therapy in VR to 360-degree video documentaries. He is fascinated by how emerging technologies change how we live, play and work.

User must be logged in