Meta Quest 3 vs Meta Quest 2 – it might be time to upgrade
Here are the key differences between the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 2, including price, availability, specs, design, and games.
With the Meta Quest 3 release date finally being confirmed at the recent Meta Connect 2023 event, many gamers are likely wondering whether it's time to retire their Meta Quest 2 and upgrade. You're able to pre-order the Meta Quest 3 right now, but whether or not it's worth forking out the £479.99 / $499.99 / AU$799.99 it costs is another question altogether.
The Meta Quest 3 brings a whole new level of augmented reality which just isn't available to gamers who plan to continue to sport the Meta Quest 2. Paired with this is a specs boost which allows for much more intensive titles to be played, as well as a thinner headset overall to make for a more comfortable fit.
Meta Quest 3 vs Meta Quest 2: price and availability
The price difference between the two headsets is quite significant and will likely be the major factor in whether or not you choose to upgrade to the Meta Quest 3. You can pick up two different versions of the Meta Quest 3, coming in at different price points. The Meta Quest 3 128GB price is £479.99 / $499.99 / AU$799.99 and the Meta Quest 3 512GB price is £619.99 / $649.99 / AU$1,049.99.
The Meta Quest 2 comes in at £299.99 / $299.99 / AU$509.99 for the 128GB edition and then £349.99 / $349.99 / AU$589.99 for the 256GB edition. This is significantly less than the Meta Quest 3 but still allows you to play a range of games.
PSVR 2 is already losing to the Meta Quest 2 in the VR headset battle
The availability of the Meta Quest 3 is currently unclear as pre-orders have just opened, but seemingly the headset can be picked up at a range of retailers worldwide. It's hard to predict stock issues for a device that isn't out yet, but based on the stock of the previous Meta Quest headsets, it shouldn't be hard to pick up. The Meta Quest 2 can be picked up from most tech retailers and hasn't ever and still isn't facing any stock issues.
Meta Quest 3 vs Meta Quest 2: specs and design
The Meta Quest 3 features some significant upgrades in terms of specifications, including a brand new Gen 2 processor which allows for more intensive games to be played. You also get Dual LCD panels as opposed to the single one featured in the Meta Quest 2, and a much higher resolution per eye, making for truer-to-life imagery.
Paired with this, the Meta Quest 3 also has RGB cameras externally to allow for passthrough and better-augmented reality experiences. This is supported by brand-new depth sensors, which were not featured in the Meta Quest 2, meaning your headset can more accurately track your surroundings.
Meta Quest 3 Specs
- Processor: Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 (4nm)
- Display method: Dual LCD
- Panel resolution: 2064×2208
- Panel refresh rate: 120Hz
- Sensors: Depth sensor
- Cameras: External dual 4-megapixel RGB cameras
- Compatibility: Standalone, can be connected to PC via Meta Link cable or wirelessly through third-party apps
- Audio: Input: In-built microphone Output: Speakers
Meta Quest 2 Specs
- Processor: Snapdragon XR2 Gen 1 (7nm)
- Display method: Single LCD
- Panel resolution: ~1680×1870 (est)
- Panel refresh rate: 120Hz
- Sensors: Standard sensor
- Cameras: 4 external infrared cameras
- Compatibility: Standalone, can be connected to PC via Meta Link cable or wirelessly through third-party apps
- Audio: Input: In-built microphone Output: Speakers
In terms of design, the Meta Quest 3 comes in 40% slimmer than its predecessor which will hopefully make it much lighter. It also features pancake lenses instead of the fresnel ones in the Meta Quest 2, the former is much thinner and will also hopefully contribute to making the headset lighter and in turn, more comfortable.
Meta Quest 3 vs Meta Quest 2: games
So far we know that the Meta Quest 3 will be backwards compatible with the current library of Meta Quest 2 games which are available on the Meta Quest storefront. However, due to the increase in power, there will also be new titles that are only accessible on the newest headset natively.
Both headsets can be tethered to be PC via a Meta Link cable or wirelessly through apps like Virtual Desktop. This gives you access to any VR-ready games that you can access on PC through the likes of Steam or Epic Games, as long as the headset you're using is powerful enough. This will likely mean there'll be a wider library of games you can play on the Meta Quest 3 since it's able to take on more load.
Meta Quest 3 vs Meta Quest 2: verdict
Both headsets are great, and the Meta Quest 3 does make for a significant upgrade but of course, this comes at a cost, literally. Considering this new headset will cost you £479.99 / $499.99 / AU$799.99, it's worth weighing up how important the new features are to you. If you don't plan on playing newer titles or using augmented reality, then it likely isn't worth it.
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