Everything We've Heard About The Upcoming Cheaper Version Of Quest 3

There’s robust proof that Meta is making ready to launch a less expensive various to Quest 3 to immediately substitute Quest 2.

Here is why we’re nearly sure that is occurring, and every thing we have heard up to now in regards to the upcoming headset, rumored to be referred to as Quest 3 Lite or Quest 3S.

Quest 2 Is On The Approach Out, And Meta Wants A Direct Substitute

Quest 2 launched at $100 decrease than the unique Oculus Quest, so Meta discontinued it instantly. Quest 3 alternatively is $500, so Meta has continued to promote Quest 2.

Since Quest 3 launched Meta has repeatedly lower the worth of Quest 2, first to $250 and in March to simply $200. In April it even lower Quest 2 official accent costs by greater than 50% in comparison with their authentic costs.

In February, the upper storage 256GB mannequin of Quest 2 went out of inventory utterly and was delisted from all retailers, suggesting that manufacturing of at the least that mannequin has ended.

In latest weeks we have additionally seen the announcement of the primary main VR video games coming to Quest 3 however not Quest 2, together with Alien: Rogue Incursion from Survios and Batman: Arkham Shadow from Meta-owned studio Camouflaj.

Meta’s continued cuts to Quest 2’s headset and accent pricing, the disappearance of the 256GB mannequin, and the announcement of a flagship first-party recreation not supporting it strongly recommend the headset is nearing the top of its time available on the market.

Batman: Arkham Shadow Is The Greatest Quest 3 Unique But

Batman: Arkham Shadow is a model new entry within the Arkham collection, coming solely to Quest 3.

However because it stands, if Quest 2 was off the market the entry value for the Meta Quest platform would grow to be $500, the 128GB mannequin of Quest 3. Thus to continue to grow the VR market as quick as doable, Meta must ship a less expensive headset that may run the identical content material as Quest 3.

A Meta Roadmap Leak Confirmed A Cheaper Headset Coming This Yr

Again in March 2023, round ten months earlier than Quest 3 shipped, an inside Meta VR and AR {hardware} roadmap assembly was leaked to The Verge.

In addition to precisely describing particulars about Quest 3, which had not but been introduced on the time, and Quest Professional 2, the leaked assembly revealed Meta additionally deliberate to ship a extra “accessible” headset in 2024.

Meta Reportedly Plans Cheaper Headset For 2024

Quest 3 Lite? Quest Go? Meta plans an affordable “accessible” headset for 2024, in response to a Meta roadmap leaked to The Verge.

Here is how Meta’s VP of VR Mark Rabkin described the headset in that leaked assembly:

“The purpose for this headset could be very easy: pack the most important punch we are able to on the most engaging value level within the VR client market.”

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman Described Its Look & Worth

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has a robust monitor document of reliably reporting Meta and Apple’s {hardware} and software program strikes prematurely. For instance, he reliably reported many particulars of Oculus Quest 2 and Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional earlier than they have been formally revealed and even acknowledged to exist.

A couple of days earlier than Quest 3 launched, Gurman reported Meta’s subsequent headset could be a “blended actuality headset” that “appears to be like so much just like the Quest 3 however makes use of less expensive parts.”

His report claimed Meta is aiming to achieve a value of $300, and was at the least “contemplating” transport the headset with out controllers to as a substitute promote them individually. Word, nonetheless, that in latest months Mark Zuckerberg has praised Contact Plus controllers as a key cause he thinks Quest 3 is superior to Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional.

A Chinese language Analyst Claimed It Makes use of Fresnel Lenses With XR2 Gen 2

Every week after Gurman’s report, a Chinese language analyst who precisely reported particulars of Meta and Pico headsets previously launched his personal claims in regards to the headset.

‘Quest 3 Lite’ Might Hit $200-300 Utilizing Fresnel Lenses

Chinese language analyst claims ‘Quest 3 Lite’ might launch within the first half of 2024 at $200. Learn the claimed specs right here:

The analyst was the primary to report it’ll use the brand new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset from Quest 3 however paired with the previous fresnel lenses from Quest 2 to attain a cheaper price.

He claimed the product could also be named “Quest 3 Lite” and launch at someplace between $200 and $300.

The Wall Road Journal Corroborated These Specs

In November, The Wall Road Journal reported that Meta plans to convey a less expensive model of Quest 3 to China through a take care of Tencent.

The take care of Tencent had beforehand been reported by Chinese language information outlet 36Kr and The Wall Road Journal itself, although in these earlier reviews the headset was reported to be Quest 2.

Meta Will Reportedly Deliver Quest 3 Lite To China Through Tencent

Meta will reportedly convey ‘Quest 3 Lite’ to China through a take care of Tencent.

The Wall Road Journal’s November report described this cheaper model of Quest 3 as utilizing cheaper lenses than Quest 3 however a extra highly effective GPU than Quest 2, seemingly agreeing with the claims of the Chinese language analyst.

Will It Help Colour Blended Actuality?

Given the reviews up to now, it appears clear that this cheaper headset will use the identical XR2 Gen 2 chipset as Quest 3 paired with the fresnel lenses. However what’s much less clear is whether or not or not it’ll have Quest 3 model shade passthrough.

By together with the XR2 Gen 2 chipset, Meta will allow the cheaper Quest 3 to run the identical VR content material on the similar high quality stage as the principle Quest 3. From a developer perspective, there could be no distinction. But when the cheaper Quest 3 did not have comparable blended actuality capabilities, builders must deal with it very in another way if integrating blended actuality capabilities.

Might Meta Quest 3 Lite Help Colour Blended Actuality?

Meta’s subsequent headset must assist shade passthrough blended actuality, and hints recommend it’ll.

Supporting the concept that the cheaper Quest 3 should embody blended actuality, in January a Meta engineering director appeared to immediately trace in any respect future Quest headsets supporting blended actuality. Director of Engineering for XR Tech Paul Furgale mentioned “after Quest 3, I’m satisfied that Passthrough and MR will likely be a regular function on all future headsets.”

Whereas the twin 4-megapixel shade cameras on Quest 3 might have some particular properties similar to a world shutter, it is unlikely they’re any important expense. The true value in passthrough is having a chip that may effectively course of these 8 million pixels per body effectively, and the XR2 Gen 2 handles that.

Again in October, Quest firmware dataminer Samulia found a brand new headset codenamed Panther. Samulia beforehand found a lot of Quest Professional’s specs a yr earlier than it launched, in addition to Quest 3’s decision and 3D room meshing capabilities.

The reference to Panther was in a debug function for “simulating” it on Quest 3 (which was codenamed Eureka). Making use of this setting, in response to the debug log textual content, prevents the depth projector getting used. This strongly suggests Meta is testing attaining the room setup capabilities the depth projector presently permits with out it.

Many individuals consider that Quest 3’s depth projector is a necessary a part of how its passthrough works, however this is not true. In actuality, it is solely used for producing the 3D scene mesh at room setup. The realtime depth map used for reprojecting the passthrough, and uncovered by the brand new Depth API to assist dynamic occlusion, is generated by a pc imaginative and prescient software program algorithm that compares the views from the 2 frontal greyscale monitoring cameras.

And in concept, the depth projector should not be essential to even generate the 3D scene mesh in any respect. Estimating depth with out hardware-level depth sensing is an space of speedy enchancment within the subject of pc imaginative and prescient immediately, and the truth that Quest 3 is already doing this means the identical estimate could possibly be used to populate the scene mesh. Although it could probably be much less correct than Quest 3 and require you to get nearer to every wall by strolling close to it, Meta might even see these tradeoffs as acceptable for a markedly lower-cost machine.

Abstract (TL;DR)

Placing the proof all collectively, it is probably Quest 2 manufacturing has ended and Meta is presently clearing out inventory to arrange for the launch of a equally priced direct alternative.

This alternative – whether or not referred to as Quest 3 Lite, Quest 3S, or one thing else totally – will seemingly use the identical Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset as Quest 3 so it may possibly run the identical content material, but additionally use the previous fresnel lenses from Quest 2 to attain a value someplace round $300.

It could additionally assist shade blended actuality, however probably with a slower and fewer correct room setup course of.

In impact, this headset will likely be a less expensive Quest 3 with a bulkier design and inferior lens readability. A decrease high quality however not essentially completely different machine. It can let extra folks take pleasure in Quest 3 VR graphics – and probably vastly develop the room-aware blended actuality market too.