While PlayStation inches closer to launching their next generation of VR gaming, it’s Meta who is looking to drive innovation and technology even further again. Today, at their Meta Connect 2022 conference, the house that Mark Zuckerberg built revealed the existence of a new Meta Quest headset, a premium device known as the Meta Quest Pro. I hope you’ve got some money saved because this one is a doozy!
The Oculus Blog shares a host of key details for anyone keen on getting their hands on one of these beautiful new devices, “Over the last year, we’ve shared a few details about Project Cambria, our new all-in-one VR headset that represents a major leap forward for VR hardware. Today, we’re excited to finally show you what we’ve been working on: Say hello to Meta Quest Pro.” The blog continues “Meta Quest Pro is the first entry in our new high-end line of devices, and it’s packed with innovative features like high-res sensors for robust mixed reality experiences, crisp LCD displays for sharp visuals, a completely new and sleeker design, plus eye tracking and Natural Facial Expressions to help your avatar reflect you more naturally in VR.”
Now for the nitty gritty, the technical reasons why someone may want to get their hands on, or their heads in, this new peripheral. Meta believe they’re delivering “Next-Generation Optics” with the Meta Quest Pro the blog saying, “Meta Quest Pro’s entirely new optical stack replaces the Fresnel lenses in Meta Quest 2 with thin pancake optics that fold light several times over, reducing the depth of the optical module by 40% while providing clear and sharp visuals… Meta Quest Pro also has 37% more pixels per inch and 10% greater pixels per degree than Meta Quest 2, making everything from reading text to playing games look better. Additionally, there’s a 25% improvement in full-field visual sharpness in the center view, 50% improvement in the peripheral region, and 1.3X larger color gamut than Meta Quest 2.”
The Meta Quest Pro will include new, “self-tracking controllers”, a gorgeous new, all-black design, increased functionality with Microsoft’s Office suite as well as Xbox Cloud Gaming, and even a range of improvements to its avatars, however, all of this goodness comes at a price. “Meta Quest Pro will be available for purchase on October 25 for $1,499.99 USD, and that includes the headset, Meta Quest Touch Pro controllers, stylus tips, partial light blockers, and a charging dock.” the blog reads. Better start saving those pennies, because you don’t have long to get them together, and the price is a steep one!
Of course the Quest Pro wasn’t the only announcement at the event with the aforementioned Xbox Cloud Gaming support, as well as the reveal that a host of game development studios were being acquired by the platform holder to make future exclusives for the Quest Pro headset.
