Meta Quest Pro: What you need to know
The successor to the Meta Quest 2 has been unveiled, so what can you expect from this leap forward in virtual reality technology?
The Meta Quest 2, formerly known as the Oculus Quest 2, will finally be receiving a follow-up.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has been teasing a headset codenamed Project Cambria for some time, and it has finally been unveiled.
It's an ambitious device indeed, so here's what you need to know about the Meta Quest Pro.
Meta Quest Pro release date
The Meta Quest Pro is available for pre-order from the Meta website. It will be released on 25 October.
Meta Quest Pro price
We hope you're sitting down.
The Meta Quest Pro will set you back a staggering $2,449.99. For reference, even after a controversial price hike, the Meta Quest 2 costs a paltry $630.
Your Meta Quest Pro purchase will include Meta Quest Touch Pro controllers, stylus tips, partial light blockers and a charging dock.
The days of the Meta Quest offering a mid-range VR experience are long gone. The Meta Quest Pro is set to be a truly premium device with a price tag to match.
Mixed reality
Mixed reality refers to a form of virtual reality in which digital elements are superimposed onto a real-life camera feed.
It is seen as a paradigm-shifting technology for entertainment, social interaction and perhaps most of all, work.
Take a peek at what the Meta Quest Pro is capable of accomplishing in the world of mixed reality in the video below.
The metaverse
The other key concept to understand when it comes to the Meta Quest Pro is the metaverse.
The metaverse is a completely simulated universe Meta is developing, complete with socialising, gaming, industry, shopping and all the other features of modern life.
For now, the metaverse is still in its infancy, but expect to see it pushed more than ever once this highly capable headset is out into the world.
Meta Quest Pro function
In a press release, Meta made it clear it believes the Quest Pro can be a complete game changer in the virtual reality space:
"We believe VR devices will help usher in the next computing platform – becoming as ubiquitous as laptops and tablets are today – and that people will use them in their everyday lives to access the metaverse."
Meta claims the Quest Pro will enable some of the most lifelike avatar technology ever seen. Image: Supplied
In an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared his thought process behind what he believes this next step in virtual reality can offer.
"What would be the ultimate expression of people using technology to feel present with each other? It's not phones, it's not computers.
"How do you get the sensation of actually being present like you're right there with another person? That's to me what virtual and eventually augmented reality are all about."
Given this emphasis on improving social interactions within virtual reality, one of the Quest Pro's major selling points is its advanced avatar functionality.
The Meta Quest Pro features extensive face and eye tracking to create avatars that look and act more like the users behind them.
Meta following through on the promises of its avatars would be a major boon for the Quest Pro and the metaverse.
Meta Quest Pro specs
The Meta Quest is the first device to utilise the Snapdragon XR2+ platform, which will reportedly allow the Quest Pro to run at 50% greater power than the Meta Quest 2.
The Meta Quest Pro comes with 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and 10 high-resolution sensors, with 5 on the inside of the headset and 5 on the outside.
Pictured: Quest Pro's touch controllers. Image: Supplied
Meta has taken the visual appeal up a notch with the Quest Pro. Customers will enjoy LCD displays with quantum dot technology and customised local dimming tech.
Courtesy of patented pancake optics technology, the Quest Pro has 37% more pixels per inch and 10% greater pixels per degree when compared to the Quest 2. Pancake optics allow headsets to pack more pixels into a slimmer package.
New sensor architecture allows the Quest Pro to capture 4 times as many pixels as the Quest 2. The device will launch with a maximum 90Hz refresh rate, but we expect future software updates to bump that number up, just as was the case with the Quest 2.
The Quest Pro's touch controllers feature built-in sensors to track movement completely independently of the headset.
Without having tested the device ourselves, it sure looks like Meta hasn't skimped when it comes to the power of this machine. It should offer a potent mixed reality experience – as you would hope given the price tag.
Meta Quest Pro design
Meta has shaken up the design of the Quest Pro. Image: Supplied
According to Meta, the Quest Pro will feature world-class counter-balanced ergonomics for a superior user experience.
There's no doubt the Quest Pro offers a slimmer design than its predecessor, and the curved battery pack at the rear of the headset should offer a solid level of balance.
The Quest Pro is on the heavier side of the headset spectrum at 722 grams.
The Quest Pro comes with free partial light blockers, with full light blockers coming as an optional accessory.
Best deals on virtual reality headsets
Don't have $2,450 laying around? Here are some more affordable virtual reality options.
Meta Quest 2
The Meta Quest 2 offers a far more affordable and highly enjoyable VR experience. Get it from Amazon now.
Buy now for $629.99
Pimax 5K Plus | $859 $799 (save $60)
This premium virtual reality headset can be yours at a bargain price from Amazon. With 120Hz refresh rate and 200° field of view, it has plenty of functionality to rival the Meta Quest Pro.
View deal
Google Cardboard
The price disparity between Google Cardboard and Meta Quest Pro is downright comical, but with this simple contraption and a compatible smartphone you can enjoy much of what VR has to offer.
Buy now for $11.50