Support NeoGAF

[Eddie-Griffin]

https://www.pocket-lint.com/meta-quest-3-rumours-news-features-specs/

Meta Quest 3 design​

• Aesthetically similar to the Quest 2, soft strap, front-mounted battery
• Full IPD adjustment, charging dock compatible

Well-known leaker and YouTuber, Brad Lynch (SadlyItsBradley), revealed CAD images that give us a very good look at the upcoming Quest 3 headset.

Of course, these designs may not be final, and things could certainly change before the headset launches, but it gives us a pretty solid idea of what to expect.

Its design language and shape don't stray too far from its predecessor, it still comes with a soft strap and the battery is still mounted in the front. Many expected the Quest 3 to come with an Elite-style strap, like the Pico 4, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

What's new, though, is the positioning of the USB-C port and headphone socket, which are now located on the bungs where the strap attaches to the headset.

The Quest 3 will also feature proper IPD adjustment, with a rotatable wheel on the underside of the headset to shift the optics.

It also looks like the Quest 3 will be compatible with the Quest Pro's charging dock, as evidenced by the pogo-pin contacts on the base of the unit.


The leaked renders show a four-camera array with a depth sensor on the front, along with two "canyon" cameras on the sides. It's suspected that this will be used to enable mixed-reality experiences, just like the Quest Pro.

However, unlike the Quest Pro, the Quest 3 will likely not have eye and face tracking- in order to keep costs low.

It's suspected that the Quest 3 will use the exact same pancake lenses as the Quest Pro, representing a significant visual upgrade over the Quest 2. It's also expected that the headset will feature dual displays, though there have been conflicting reports on whether these will be LCD, OLED or Mini LED.

We're expecting to see the next generation of Qualcomm XR chipset on the new headset, too. Some are calling it the XR3 and others are saying it will be called the XR2 Gen 2. Either way, expect boosted performance and likely increased efficiency, too.

https://www.tomsguide.com/news/meta-quest-3-just-leaked-and-its-a-mixed-reality-headset

However, that all changed today when analyst Brad Lynch posted a YouTube(opens in new tab) video showing off potentially the entire device. Nicknamed “Project Stinson” according to Lynch’s sources, the Meta Quest 3 is set to be a mix of the Meta Quest Pro and Meta Quest 2. The headset is likely to launch sometime in 2023, so do not expect it to launch at Meta Connect in October.

The real bombshell of the reveal though, is that it looks like the Meta Quest 3 will be a mixed reality headset rather than a pure VR device. Lynch suggests that this could be down to the rumored Apple VR/AR headset shaping the market, and I am inclined to agree.


Aside from a shift from virtual reality to mixed reality, there are a couple of other changes with the Meta Quest 3 versus the Meta Quest 2.

First, the device is expected to get a couple of upgrades. Lynch says that the Quest 3 should get an upgrade from the current Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 with the XR2 Gen 2, which is rumored to be codenamed “Project Halliday.” Meta recently signed a multi-year agreement to exclusively use Qualcomm chips, so the Quest 3 getting upgraded to the current standard in VR chipsets is not a shock.

The Quest 3 could also get a bump in RAM and storage. Lynch says current rumors indicate that a model of the Quest 3 with 512GB SSD and 12GB RAM could be in the works, but did not indicate if this would be the standard for the base model. At this time it is unclear how many models of the Quest 3 will exist.


Pancake optics will also reportedly make an appearance, a feature that was set to make its debut with the Meta Quest Pro until the PICO 4 beat it to market. This technology allows manufacturers to create thinner, more compact display lenses that ultimately can contribute to increasing resolution or making room for additional cameras. It seems that pancake optics will become the standard for lens design, at least for consumer-grade VR headsets.

On the smaller side of things, the Quest 3 looks set to reintroduce fine-tuning the interpupillary distance (i.e. the distance between lenses). This had disappeared in the Quest 2, which only gave users three broader settings for IPD. While a seemingly small quality of life change, it gives users a more comfortable experience.

It also seems that there may be some compatibility between the Quest Pro and Quest 3 — at least when it comes to accessories. The Quest Pro is rumored to require a charging dock for its controllers, and the CAD renderings that Lynch shows in his video suggest that the Quest 3 will include a similar charging port. This may also indicate that the Pro controllers will be compatible with the Quest 3, though that is purely speculation at this time.

Brad Lynch video



Renders

Well, if these rumored specs are true, and the shape and weight look as improved as they look, then we may be looking at a substantial upgrade to the Quest 2. Seems to be using the Pancake lens of the Quest Pro too.

How well it will do we'll have to find out, but they are going to need to have the software ready for this thing to be as successful as the predecessor. Biggest thing is that it's going to be mixed reality which seems to be what a lot of upcoming headsets are changing/launch as.

 

[Imtjnotu]

 

[Alexios]

May be MR? Lol? Of course it will be doing both VR and AR thus be MR otherwise why try to get all the devs in AR with color passthrough (which all competitors now also have) etc. with the Pro if they're gonna abandon it on the next mainstream consumer kit?

Even Quest 2 is pushed as MR/AR with more and more apps with pass through features/play despite the lack of color/quality on that so any future kit will obviously do that too, better. It's like wondering if they may possibly have hand tracking on Quest 3. Duh!

As for XR2 Gen2, I'd hope they're gonna have enough performance gains to call that an XR3 or whatever indicating a bigger leap than just XR2, again, equivalent to the recently unveiled/launched Snapdragon mobile chipset series with ray tracing and what not.

Anyway, I'm not getting anything new before eye tracking becomes affordable, if this has it and maintains Quest 2 pricing then great, if not that really sucks and doesn't bring much to the table even if it's obviously the better choice than older kits for new users.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

May be MR? Lol?

Pocket Lint "Suspects" it may be MR, so I wasn't sure if they knew something other people didn't.

 

[Haint]

This is going to sell absolutely bonkers if they have quality games lined up for launch. Quest 2 is already near console levels of annual sell through, on nothing but low budget indies by novice developers. If Facebook has actually been funding big budget stuff that's Quest 3 exclusive, the sky's the limit.

 

[Crayon]

Damn no eye tracking. That makes your GPU go so much further.

Also still ships with that jock strap. :/

Quest 2 was still packed for the price tho so I'll have to wait and see what the thing can do.

 

[Fermbiz]

$600 MSRP

 

[BennyBlanco]

Day 1

 

[Rambone]

Day 1 for sure as long as they have all 'versions' of the Quest 3 available to purchase at launch.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Pass, no need for another mobile VR experience when I'm getting high end VR in just another month or so.

I actually don't expect it will be significantly improved over Quest 2

 

[Ozriel]

I actually don't expect it will be significantly improved over Quest 2

It will be a significant upgrade.
the GPU in the XR2 Gen 2 is reportedly up to 2.5x more powerful than the one in the Quest 2. Not to mention the better lenses and most certainly better wireless for PC link

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

It will be a significant upgrade.
the GPU in the XR2 Gen 2 is reportedly up to 2.5x more powerful than the one in the Quest 2. Not to mention the better lenses and most certainly better wireless for PC link

2.5x a mobile chip is still a mobile chip

 

[Spukc]

Damn sony psvr2 will win like this

 

[RoboFu]

2.5x a mobile chip is still a mobile chip

the quest 2 does a good job with content thats created for VR. which are mobile type games.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

the quest 2 does a good job with content thats created for VR. which are mobile type games.

Well, that's what the VR industry has shifted to since Quest took off, sadly.

 

[R6Rider]

That already looks uncomfortable.

 

[RoboFu]

Well, that's what the VR industry has shifted to since Quest took off, sadly.

no dude its always been like that way before the quest .. it all started with the Wii and Kinect actually and that fed into VR.

I think the few point and click adventure games are beyond awesome. I think the normal games in 3d like MOSS is fantastic. But that Wii / Kinect train of thought is too great. And games like beat saber fuels that.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

no dude its always been like that way before the quest .. it all started with the Wii and Kinect actually and that fed into VR.

I think the few point and click adventure games are beyond awesome. I think the normal games in 3d like MOSS is fantastic. But that Wii / Kinect train of thought is too great. And games like beat saber fuels that.

PSVR had a great few years for bigger experiences, and obviously Half Life Alyx as well with Valve.

Luckily I think we will start shifting into high end experiences again, but obviously Quest 2 and 3 will continue the mobile game experiences.

 

[Majukun]

2.5x a mobile chip is still a mobile chip

will also play pc vr anyway

 

[Ozriel]

2.5x a mobile chip is still a mobile chip

two things can be true at the same time. It could be a mobile chip and still be a significant upgrade over the Quest 2’s chipset.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

two things can be true at the same time. It could be a mobile chip and still be a significant upgrade over the Quest 2’s chipset.

It depends. Because generational leaps in visuals typically require 6-8x leaps.

That's what we are used to from console generations.

A 2.5x actually won't be very significant in terms of visual difference

 

[Crayon]

will also play pc vr anyway

That's true. The bigger issue is not having active foveated rendering. Whatever is doing the graphics could do a lot more if it had that. Also sucks to have a it playing off a pc but still belting an all in one to your face anyway. Idk why they are being stubborn about the battery inside the main unit. Make is a seperate piece and put it on the back of the head so it can at least mitigate the bad strap with balance.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

Well, that's what the VR industry has shifted to since Quest took off, sadly.

Someone forgot Samsung was the biggest VR headset from the Quest, VR was always mainly mobile in the mainstream.

I'm not sure if that's really going to change since most games people play are mobile, and mobile ports on VR is like playing their favorite mobile games.

 

[poppabk]

Other than the lenses, I'm not seeing a whole lot to persuade me to upgrade from Quest 2. The hardware is powerful enough to power games like Beat Saber and everything else I am using my PC.

 

[reinking]

OLED and decent price and I might bite for media functionality. I’m not paying $600 for a mobile VR experience (as it is being described in this thread).

 

[poppabk]

That's true. The bigger issue is not having active foveated rendering. Whatever is doing the graphics could do a lot more if it had that. Also sucks to have a it playing off a pc but still belting an all in one to your face anyway. Idk why are being stubborn about the battery inside the main unit. Make is a seperate piece and put it on the back of the head so it can at least mitigate the bad strap with balance.

For Quest Pro active foveated rendering only gave 10% or so boost. Not nothing but not essential either. And the quest 2 is apparently lighter than the PSVR2 according to another thread although I still dont understand how that could be possible.

 

[Crayon]

For Quest Pro active foveated rendering only gave 10% or so boost. Not nothing but not essential either. And the quest 2 is apparently lighter than the PSVR2 according to another thread although I still dont understand how that could be possible.

I actually don't know how either of those can be possible. I suppose the weight of the cord could be included. A 15ft cord might be.... idk actually. Maybe 150 grams?

 

[CrustyBritches]

Day 1 for me. Really hoping they have color pass through with accurate perspective.

 

[BlackProdigy]

Pancake lenses make it worth the upgrade

 

[DenchDeckard]

Day one for me.

 

[Germuso]

Just make games which dont look like mobile ones.

 

[Alexios]

most certainly better wireless for PC link

How is that gonna be better, Meta don't care much at all for PC a while now to invest in that and Quest 2 already uses Wi-Fi 6 so, are they going proprietary wireless or just bump from Wi-Fi 6 to 6E for minor gains (and a higher resolution than Quest 2 meaning you probably have analogous issues)?

 

[Come On Tars]

So excited for a new headset. Pancake lenses, oled panel, eye tracking, bigger fov. That's the dream

 

[mckmas8808]

$600 MSRP

I say $500.

 

[Torrent of Pork]

Do you still need a Zuckbook account to play the damned thing?

 

[DenchDeckard]

This will replace my rift s and I'll just get the link cable.

 

[cyberheater]

I have Quest 1 & 2. This doesn't look to be much of an upgrade.

 

[Crayon]

So nice the pancake lenses. The main unit is really sleek.

 

[Ozriel]

It depends. Because generational leaps in visuals typically require 6-8x leaps.

That's what we are used to from console generations.

A 2.5x actually won't be very significant in terms of visual difference

Funny you speak about console generations. Ironically, the PS5 GPU is around 2.5x better than the PS4 Pro GPU.

2.5x is VERY significant. You’ll see very visible differences between Quest 2 and Quest 3 enhanced games.

 

[kiphalfton]

This is going to sell absolutely bonkers if they have quality games lined up for launch. Quest 2 is already near console levels of annual sell through, on nothing but low budget indies by novice developers. If Facebook has actually been funding big budget stuff that's Quest 3 exclusive, the sky's the limit.

Expectations:
GTA San Andreas VR (completely remade from the ground up)

Reality:
GTA San Andreas VR (using Definitive Edition as base)

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Funny you speak about console generations. Ironically, the PS5 GPU is around 2.5x better than the PS4 Pro GPU.

2.5x is VERY significant. You’ll see very visible differences between Quest 2 and Quest 3 enhanced games.

You’re comparing a mid gen refresh to a full gen leap? And no, it was more than 2.5x taking into account architecture

Quest 3 stand-alone will look like shit next to PSVR2

 

[ZehDon]

Mixed Reality is a giant question mark for me. Could be good, could be pointless. I wonder what they're cooking up...

 

[Ozriel]

You’re comparing a mid gen refresh to a full gen leap? And no, it was more than 2.5x taking into account architecture

Quest 3 stand-alone will look like shit next to PSVR2

Actually quite cringeworthy that you’re pushing this conversation into ‘PSVR2 vs Quest 3’. These headsets do different things and are aimed at different demographics and different markets.

PSVR 2 will have much better visuals than Quest 3. That does without saying. But that’s not what this thread is about. Quest 3 will be a significant upgrade over Quest 2. For Quest owners, that’s what matters.

 

[Goalus]

You’re comparing a mid gen refresh to a full gen leap? And no, it was more than 2.5x taking into account architecture

Quest 3 stand-alone will look like shit next to PSVR2

And PSVR2 needs a cable and an external processing box which is an automatic dealbreaker.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

I say $500.

It's going to be lower than that, Quest to went from $350 to $400 for margins, by the time Quest 3 is out, it will probably be no more than $450.

Quest 3 stand-alone will look like shit next to PSVR2

But will be a substantial upgrade, have BC, people can move their software and games over, and it will be more accessible and wireless.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

But will be a substantial upgrade, have BC, people can move their software and games over, and it will be more accessible and wireless.

If you’re using it as a standalone experience only, I don’t think it’s that substantial

A 2.5x power leap isn’t very large

 

[Killer8]

Strap garbage again. Everything needs to adopt the PSVR sliding approach for comfort.

 

[DenchDeckard]

I want more info on this. So is it confirmed 2.5 x power increase over Quest 2?

That should be decent then I can also hook up to my PC with a link cable....sweeeet!

 

[poppabk]

Strap garbage again. Everything needs to adopt the PSVR sliding approach for comfort.

There will be plenty of aftermarket solutions of all types. Those basic straps are indeed garbage though.

 

[poppabk]

So excited for a new headset. Pancake lenses, oled panel, eye tracking, bigger fov. That's the dream

Good chance we get pancake lenses and bigger FOV. Reasonable chance of eye tracking. The OLED seems a longshot, for some reason they have been reluctant to use OLED and I don't think it is even the cost as even the Quest Pro is some type of local dimming LCD.
Also hoping for color high res pass thru.