Meta Quest 3 Unveiled: Enhanced Display Resolution and Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 Chipset

Meta has unveiled its Quest 3 mixed reality (MR) headset yesterday. The Quest 3 comes with upgrades across the board, and the most notable is the new Qualcomm silicon under the hood-the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, which is claimed to deliver double the processing power of its predecessor.

Let's get into the details.

Meta Quest 3

Enhanced Display and Slimmer Design

The Meta Quest 3 is a remarkable evolution of its predecessor. It boasts a slimmer profile while delivering an immersive experience with updated 2208 x 2064 px displays featuring a 90Hz refresh rate. Users can even experiment with a 120Hz mode for an even smoother visual experience. The headset offers a generous 110° horizontal and 96° vertical field of view.

Pancake Lens Design

One of the standout features of the Quest 3 is its Pancake lens design, which reduces the optical profile by 40% compared to the Quest 2. Despite its enhanced features, the Quest 3 weighs only slightly more at 515 grams, ensuring a comfortable fit.

Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2

Under the hood, the Quest 3 packs a punch with Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset paired with 8GB DRAM, delivering double the graphics processing power of its predecessor. The headset also incorporates two RGB color cameras and a depth projector, promising 10x the resolution compared to the Quest 2. This advanced technology significantly improves passthrough capabilities.

Baked-In Tracking and Low-Latency

The Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip in the Quest 3 impressively incorporates feature detection and 6DoF tracking directly into the headset, reducing power consumption and latency. It allows for smooth and responsive tracking of head movements, hand gestures, and objects within a 3D environment. Qualcomm claims passthrough video with just a 12-millisecond average latency, rivaling Apple's custom R1 chip in the Vision Pro headset.

Immersive Audio and Touch Controls

Meta has integrated 3D spatial audio speakers into the Quest 3, enhancing the overall sensory experience. The headset comes with customizable head straps and Touch Plus controllers equipped with TruTouch haptics. Users can also enjoy hand tracking facilitated by four IR cameras.

Battery and Pricing

Meta claims an average battery life of 2.2 hours for the Quest 3, with a full charge taking 2.3 hours using the included 18W charger. While the new Gen 2 chip promises 2.5x GPU performance, 8x AI performance, and 50% better GPU power efficiency, it's important to note that Meta appears to prioritize performance over battery life.

The Quest 3 maintains a similar battery life compared to its predecessor, with an optional battery strap available to extend usage time. The Quest 3 is available in two models: the 128GB variant priced at $500 and the 512GB model at $650. Pre-orders are open, and sales commence on October 10.

Via

Source