Meta Quest 3 |OT| Pancake Gaming

[CKOHLER]

Introducing Quest 3. The latest stand-alone VR headset from Meta (formerly Oculus) with a new, slimmer design thanks to its state-of-the-art pancake lenses that allow the headset to be 40% thinner than before. Along with fully immersive virtual reality games and apps, the Quest 3 also supports full-color, mixed reality passthrough experiences where you see virtual objects in the real world around you. It comes with redesigned controllers that have enhanced haptics and no bulky tracking rings, and the headset has the most powerful processor available in any stand-alone VR headset to date.

• Release Date: August October 10, 2023
• Developer: Meta
• Pricing: $499 (125GB) and $649 (512GB)

• 40% thinner due to pancake lenses.
• Better center of gravity leading to more comfort.
• Weighs 515 grams with the soft strap and facial interface (12 grams more than Quest 2)
• Glasses relief adjustment mechanism built directly into the facial interface.
• Soft strap now has a Y split in the rear to accommodate pony tails.

• Four tracking cameras.
• New center depth sensor can automatically map your space. You can also manually draw your space like before.
• New camera placement allows for Inside-out Body Tracking (IOBT).
• Tracking area now covers more of the torso, sides and behind. Controllers are also better tracked when close to the headset.

• Full color, stereoscopic passthrough.
• Passthrough cameras have 18 pixels/per degree resolution.
• New depth sensor can recognize walls, ceiling, couches, coffee tables, etc.
• Depth data can be used in MR experiences. For example: virtual objects can interact with your tables, walls, etc.
• "Augments" will be persistent digital objects available in your living space coming in 2024. Examples include portals to your favorite games, weather widgets, placing photos and videos on your walls, etc.

• New pancake lenses almost completely eliminate god-rays produced by older fresnel style lenses.
• These new lenses also have little to no chromatic aberration and the sweet spot for clarity greatly expanded.
• Dual LCD panels offer a resolution of 2064x2208 per eye (25 pixels/per degree).
• Screens are capable of up to 120Hz refresh rate. Default to 90Hz.
• Variable IPD (distance between your eyes) adjustment dial. Accommodates between 53mm to 75mm (56mm to 70mm physically).
• Horizontal 110° field of view (up from 96° on Quest 2) and 96° vertically (up from 90° on Quest 2).
• Partnering with Zeni Optical for custom lens inserts (available in the US, UK, Canada and Japan).

• Built-in speakers are 40% louder with more bass than on Quest 2.
• The headphone jack has moved to the right side of the headset.

• Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 Processor (first VR headset to use this new chip).
• Provides 2.6x more GPU performance than on Quest 2.
• Has 33% more CPU power than on Quest 2.
• 8GB RAM (up from 6GB on Quest 2).
• Around 2 hours of battery life per charge. Can be extended with external battery headstraps.
• Headset has charging contacts on the bottom for use with optional wireless charging dock.

• No more tracking rings. Can now be held closer together.
• Uses a combination of IR tracking and always-on hand-tracking.
• Slightly lighter than the Quest 2 controllers.
• Have the same advanced haptics found on the Quest Pro controllers.
• Battery covers now have a release button for easier removal and less accidental detachment.
• New two-stage triggers. Once a user fully pulls the trigger, any additional force can be read as a separate value.
• Quest 3 is compatible with the Quest Pro's self-tracking controllers (sold separately).

• $49.99 Color soft straps and facial interface options (blue, orange)
• $69.99 Elite Strap
• $129.99 Elite Strap with Battery (additional 2 hours of play time)
• $129.99 Official Wireless Charging Dock (includes rechargeable batteries for the controllers)
• $69.99 Carry Case (compatible with both Elite straps)
• $39.99 Active Straps for the Touch Plus Controllers
• $49.99 Zenni VR Prescription Lenses

• Both Quest 3 models Include a free copy of the new game, Asgard's Wrath 2.
• The 512GB model includes 6 months of Meta Quest+, a monthly game subscription service.
• All 500+ existing Quest titles are playable on the Quest 3.
• All titles automatically get a 30% resolution increase on Quest 3.
• Many titles will receive specific graphics upgrades for Quest 3.
• Some titles will get updates to take advantage of the Quest 3's mixed reality features.
• Compatible with PCVR via Link cable, Air Link, or Virtual Desktop. Yes, that includes Half-Life Alex.
• Upcoming VR Titles from the Quest Store
• Quest 3 Game Recommendations Thread

Video Reviews



Written Reviews

• Eurogamer
• Upload VR

 

[DongBeetle]

I kinda want Quest Pro for local dimming and pancake lenses although I wonder if I'd be just as happy with this without local dimming?

 

[Mr.Deadshot]

Mine still says October 10th arrival - but it wasn't shipped yet. This will be interesting.

Let's go!

 

[Pizzamigo]

Lol nice release date reference OP. I'm so pumped to get my Quest 3 and jump back into VR (last had a Rift 3 in 2019 briefly). Can't wait to play some of these badass new VR titles and especially without being tethered to a PC.

Here's a 25% off Dungeons of Eternity referral link for anyone planning on getting it:
MOD EDIT: Referral link removed

If anyone needs a dungeon buddy please let me know. Will be down to group up, I need VR buddies!

 

[Ogni-XR21]

Great OT. Mine says October 11th, but hoping it will be here on the 10th.

 

[Primal Sage]

Great work!

 

[Blitz]

Costco is selling the quest3 bundle for $599. Is it a good deal?

$599.99
Meta Quest 3 128GB
Includes Asgard's Wrath 2 game,
Meta Quest 3 Elite Strap,
Meta Quest 3 Carrying Case,
$25 Meta Quest Store Credit

 

[MrKlaw]

quest 3 and elite battery strap preordered. Need to figure out a storage solution as the strap doesn't come with the case I think (like the quest 2 did). Hopefully arrives on the 10th as I'm in the office on the 11th..

 

[CKOHLER]

Costco is selling the quest3 bundle for $599. Is it a good deal?

$599.99
Meta Quest 3 128GB
Includes Asgard's Wrath 2 game,
Meta Quest 3 Elite Strap,
Meta Quest 3 Carrying Case,
$25 Meta Quest Store Credit

Click to shrink...

If you want the Elite Strap and the official carry case, then absolutely. It's basically a $40 savings versus buying them separately and you get $25 store credit on top.

 

[Pizzamigo]

I'm actually more excited about getting my Quest 3 than I was for when I got my PS5 on launch day, which seems about right since I've barely even used my PS5.

I'm going all in too, 512GB model + Elite Strap with battery + Silicon Interface. I plan on not only playing, but doing some workout stuff with it. The more someone can "game-ify" workouts and actually make it fun, the more I get motivated to continue. Shoot, before I sold off my Rift S years ago, Beat Saber on the harder difficulties was a great calorie burner and worked up the sweat.

 

[Deleted member 16908]

Can I use this as a wired headset with SteamVR without having to worry about battery life? Or does the battery still drain while hooked up to a PC?

 

[Primal Sage]

Costco is selling the quest3 bundle for $599. Is it a good deal?

$599.99
Meta Quest 3 128GB
Includes Asgard's Wrath 2 game,
Meta Quest 3 Elite Strap,
Meta Quest 3 Carrying Case,
$25 Meta Quest Store Credit

Click to shrink...

It's a good deal, but you will want to replace the Elite Strap with the Elite Strap With Battery or another battery strap. In order to get a good and balanced fit, you need a strap that has some weight in the back to balance out the headset itself. A perfect fit is something you get when the majority of the weight is concentrated on the top of the strap/top of your head. That can only be acchieved by having weight at both front and back.

When you get a balanced fit, you don't need to tighten the front too much (= higher comfort) and the headset will not droop at the front when you play.

The more someone can "game-ify" workouts and actually make it fun, the more I get motivated to continue.

Click to shrink...

You will absolutely love Pistol Whip. It is exactly that - a very gamified workout.

 

[Primal Sage]

Can I use this as a wired headset with SteamVR without having to worry about battery life? Or does the battery still drain while hooked up to a PC?

Click to shrink...

It still drains, but so slow that at a full charge you will realistically never empty the battery before you stop playing.

 

[RafikiX]

Lol nice release date reference OP. I'm so pumped to get my Quest 3 and jump back into VR (last had a Rift 3 in 2019 briefly). Can't wait to play some of these badass new VR titles and especially without being tethered to a PC.

Here's a 25% off Dungeons of Eternity referral link for anyone planning on getting it:
https://www.oculus.com/appreferrals...tion=4&utm_parent=frl&utm_medium=app_referral

If anyone needs a dungeon buddy please let me know. Will be down to group up, I need VR buddies! Also, if anyone has a Walkabout Mini Golf referral link feel free to DM me.

Click to shrink...

I used your code many thanks
Can't wait for my quest3 but I'll try on the 2 first.

 

[Deleted member 16908]

It still drains, but so slow that at a full charge you will realistically never empty the battery before you stop playing.

Click to shrink...

How do you know?

 

[MrKlaw]

do we know if Virtual Desktop or other PC connection options will allow for MR? eg having a flat game streamed with your surroundings visible rather than just in a virtual environment like they have now?

 

[Pizzamigo]

Can I use this as a wired headset with SteamVR without having to worry about battery life? Or does the battery still drain while hooked up to a PC?

Click to shrink...

I believe this is largely dependent on your PC and motherboard. I was curious about this myself and looked around online, a lot of people with Quest 2 were still getting close to normal battery drain, others said it would drain anywhere between 5-20% battery an hour (much much better). Some purchased USB-C PCIe cards and had good success, some didn't. It ranges wildly, and that was with Quest 2, so your mileage may vary.

You will absolutely love Pistol Whip. It is exactly that - a very gamified workout.

Click to shrink...

I've heard that said a few times but hadn't looked into it. Will def be looking into it now though. (if you have a referral code for it lemme know)

 

[CKOHLER]

do we know if Virtual Desktop or other PC connection options will allow for MR? eg having a flat game streamed with your surroundings visible rather than just in a virtual environment like they have now?

Click to shrink...

Yes, Virtual Desktop does this. One of the environments is called "passthrough". It lets you display your PC screen on top of your passthrough view.

 

[Primal Sage]

How do you know?

Click to shrink...

Well, that's how it was for me with Quest 2 and the official cable at least so I'd imagine it would be the same with Quest 3. But as Pizzamigo says, it can depend on your Motherboard.

I've heard that said a few times but hadn't looked into it. Will def be looking into it now though. (if you have a referral code for it lemme know)

Click to shrink...

I'd love to but I'm European. We can't use the game discount referral system. Sadly.

Edit: oh wait. Looks like they added it. Give this a go. Pistol Whip referral link. Don't know if it works between regions, but try it out.

Get 25% off Pistol Whip | Meta Quest

www.oculus.com

 

[manustany]

Half-Life Alex 🙀

Can't wait to hear impressions next week!

 

[adit365]

The color passthrough are main reson to upgrade. Hope to afford at later time. Still rock on my Quest 2

 

[StudioTan]

I wish there was a place near me to test out the headset. I want to see if the clarity is improved and also the new pass through which I'm very excited about.

 

[ManuZero]

I'm so happy they went back to two separate screens and actual adjustable IPD. That's the main reason I didn't get a Quest 2. In combination with the new lenses this should be a huge upgrade from my Quest 1 experience.

 

[Cyanity]

I'm actually more excited about getting my Quest 3 than I was for when I got my PS5 on launch day, which seems about right since I've barely even used my PS5.

I'm going all in too, 512GB model + Elite Strap with battery + Silicon Interface. I plan on not only playing, but doing some workout stuff with it. The more someone can "game-ify" workouts and actually make it fun, the more I get motivated to continue. Shoot, before I sold off my Rift S years ago, Beat Saber on the harder difficulties was a great calorie burner and worked up the sweat.

Click to shrink...

Give Synth Riders a chance if you're looking for a workout rhythm game. I'm fitter than I've ever been in my life mostly because of it.

 

[Turin Turambar]

I have lots of referral links for new Quest players, I will put them in case they are useful to someone:

Mod edit: links removed

 

[DoradoWinston]

Anyone else in Canada get their Amazon delivery moved to the 17th :(


Also about time someone opened the OT lol

 

[Primal Sage]

Lol nice release date reference OP. I'm so pumped to get my Quest 3 and jump back into VR (last had a Rift 3 in 2019 briefly). Can't wait to play some of these badass new VR titles and especially without being tethered to a PC.

Here's a 25% off Dungeons of Eternity referral link for anyone planning on getting it:

Get 25% off Dungeons Of Eternity | Meta Quest

www.oculus.com

If anyone needs a dungeon buddy please let me know. Will be down to group up, I need VR buddies!

Click to shrink...

Oh damn, your referral code worked for me. Which region are you in?

 

[Real]

For anyone looking for a good Battery Strap + Dock - I recommend waiting for BoboVR's M3 setup. I've had the M2 battery strap + dock for two years and can't recommend it enough. Extends battery life a ton and adds an incredible counterweight for folks like me that play Thrill of the Fight, Hyper Dash, and games that require constant head movement at a lower price point than Meta can even think of. Better quality too.

 

[1-D_FE]

CKOHLER

At Connect, they specifically mentioned the GPU was 2.6X times faster. Which makes sense if you see some of the crazy updates some of the older games are getting. The CPU only gets a 33% boost, but they claim it wasn't much of an issue anyways.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6RKMXQbtWk&t=348s

 

[Alvis]

Wait so the Quest 3 has worse tracking on the upper part of the body? That kinda sucks :(

EDIT: Well looking at it better I guess the shoulder area still has better tracking on the quest 3 and that's what actually matters

 

[Klyka]

For someone who only ever owned and used a Rift (which I haven't used in like 3 years or so) it really is pretty awesome to see how thin these headsets have become

 

[1-D_FE]

A more detailed review from someone who's used it for 10 hours. Interesting that he doesn't think counter-weights are going to offer much benefit this time around (since the weight is already close to your face). MR looked really good in that video. And he was very impressed by that. It also seemed like there was a lot of light in the room. So it might be YMMV depending on how poorly your space is lit.


View: https://youtu.be/dQC7EXbTl4A

 

[Alvis]

Are there any reviews centred around PCVR yet?

 

[HexedHavoc]

If anyone wants to save 25% on some great games, here is a heap of links in one easy location:

Mod edit: Referral link removed

 

[Primal Sage]

Are there any reviews centred around PCVR yet?

Click to shrink...

There won't be any real reviews until Tuesday. That's when the embargo lifts.

 

[Mr.Deadshot]

If anyone wants to save 25% on some great games, here is a heap of links in one easy location:

Mod edit: Referral link removed

Click to shrink...

How often/long do these work? I want to get my headset first but I am going to buy a few games for it anyway and I might just do it right now if these codes expire.

 

[Dermee]

How often/long do these work? I want to get my headset first but I am going to buy a few games for it anyway and I might just do it right now if these codes expire.

Click to shrink...

When you click the link for the coupon, it says it will expire in 7 days. I don't know if you can reclick it to get another 7 days at that point.

 

[HexedHavoc]

no harm in waiting until you're ready to purchase, the links dont expire i believe :)

 

[Primal Sage]

Listering to the latest UploadVR podcast with their Quest 3 impressions and analysis from their tech guy who is also a Quest developer. There was something which wasn't mentioned in the actual keynote but was in the developer deep dives afterwards at Connect. In December, Meta is going to add arm tracking to the SDK. This is actually huge.

There are preferences when it comes to what is represented infront of you in a VR game. Floating hands or hands + arms. Personally, I have always preferred the hands because although it is an artificial thing, my brain just fills in the arms for me. Would arms be even more immersive? Yes, and it absolutely is…. When it works. The trouble has always been, that the headset knows where your head is (and which way it's looking) and where your hands are. But it has no way of knowing for sure where your arms, and crucially, your elbows are because it doesn't know what way your torso is facing. It makes guesstimations and sometimes they are hilariously wrong which breaks immersion. Others just hate the floating hands because that is too far from reality.

With the december update to the SDK, Meta is giving devs a tool to solve that divide by actually fixing the issues with rendered arms. Like they introduces software-based hand/finger tracking, they are doing the same for arm-tracking. That means no more janky arm movement in VR games which take advantage of the new SDK. This is very, very exciting. Potentially, since the tracking must know how big your arms are, a game might plausible automatically make VR arms that have the same proportions (and maybe even skin colour) as your own by default without you having to choose between presets in a menu.

An AI-based equivalent (won't be as precise as arm-tracking) is also coming for leg tracking but there is no date on that part yet. AI-based, because unlike the arm tracking, the cameras won't be able to see your actual legs most of the time.

 

[Primal Sage]

CKOHLER And hey, thanks for using my OP title suggestion :-)

Damn, the coming week is going to be bittersweet for me. I'm going to Italy for one week. Leaving on the same day the Quest 3 launches. So I'll be getting mine a week later than everyone else. Oh well, at least I know I won't be bored when returning to the hotel in the evenings! Catching up on Quest 3 impressions :-)

 

[Minsc]

CKOHLER And hey, thanks for using my OP title suggestion :-)

Damn, the coming week is going to be bittersweet for me. I'm going to Italy for one week. Leaving on the same day the Quest 3 launches. So I'll be getting mine a week later than everyone else. Oh well, at least I know I won't be bored when returning to the hotel in the evenings! Catching up on Quest 3 impressions :-)

Click to shrink...

You can count on me for some too, I don't have tons of time on weeknights, but I will come from the perspective of someone who's had a lot of hours and finished multiple games on the PSVR2, but no real PCVR impressions to compare it to. But don't worry, it would take a lot for this to leave bad impressions on me. Almost all the things people disliked about the PSVR2 didn't really bother me (no real comfort troubles, no issues with tracking, loved the immersion of it all despite some issues of the lens etc), so unless the device is a total failure where you can't see anything but compression artifacts and banding and nothing works right, I expect to have plenty of great, positive impressions.

 

[1-D_FE]

Listering to the latest UploadVR podcast with their Quest 3 impressions and analysis from their tech guy who is also a Quest developer. There was something which wasn't mentioned in the actual keynote but was in the developer deep dives afterwards at Connect. In December, Meta is going to add arm tracking to the SDK. This is actually huge.

There are preferences when it comes to what is represented infront of you in a VR game. Floating hands or hands + arms. Personally, I have always preferred the hands because although it is an artificial thing, my brain just fills in the arms for me. Would arms be even more immersive? Yes, and it absolutely is…. When it works. The trouble has always been, that the headset knows where your head is (and which way it's looking) and where your hands are. But it has no way of knowing for sure where your arms, and crucially, your elbows are because it doesn't know what way your torso is facing. It makes guesstimations and sometimes they are hilariously wrong which breaks immersion. Others just hate the floating hands because that is too far from reality.

With the december update to the SDK, Meta is giving devs a tool to solve that divide by actually fixing the issues with rendered arms. Like they introduces software-based hand/finger tracking, they are doing the same for arm-tracking. That means no more janky arm movement in VR games which take advantage of the new SDK. This is very, very exciting. Potentially, since the tracking must know how big your arms are, a game might plausible automatically make VR arms that have the same proportions (and maybe even skin colour) as your own by default without you having to choose between presets in a menu.

An AI-based equivalent (won't be as precise as arm-tracking) is also coming for leg tracking but there is no date on that part yet. AI-based, because unlike the arm tracking, the cameras won't be able to see your actual legs most of the time.

Click to shrink...

View: https://youtu.be/H5cMJ3NSxto

Pretty sure I posted this in one of the Quest threads and it didn't get any replies. But, yeah, it looks amazing. Not a fan of the AI legs, but the rest is going to be stellar.

 

[Brot]

I'm looking forward to getting mine on Tuesday. I hope PCVR and SteamVR is good and ready to go from day 1.

 

[Primal Sage]

View: https://youtu.be/H5cMJ3NSxto

Pretty sure I posted this in one of the Quest threads and it didn't get any replies. But, yeah, it looks amazing. Not a fan of the AI legs, but the rest is going to be stellar.

Click to shrink...

Oh dang! Sorry, missed that one.


In other news, this is pretty cool. Mixed reality update to Synth Riders.


View: https://x.com/synthridersvr/status/1709991844137123954?s=20

 

[1-D_FE]

Oh dang! Sorry, missed that one.

Click to shrink...

No problems.

Honestly, I almost said F it and created an actual thread for it (I almost never create threads). Cause, I mean, that video is so awesome. And it has incredible potential for all the different ways it can improve VR. That might have been the coolest thing Meta showed at the whole conference.

 

[Mr.Deadshot]

Thanks for everyone posting referral links.
If you don't find one for a game you want, look into the Quest Store reviews. They get postet there a lot as well.

I realized there is a Steam like refund policy in place for Europe, so no harm in getting everything I want for launch today. If anything goes south I have 14 days to refund anyway. This ain't the fuckin' PSN ...

I went with:
- Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game
- Hellsweeper VR
- Beat Saber: Mike Shinoda Pack
- Dungeons of Eternity
- Resident Evil 4
- Eye of the Temple


I hope I get mine at Tuesday because I am so PUMPED. New hardware releases are always exciting and the upgrade from Quest 1 will certainly be very meaningful. I never owned a Quest 2.

 

[smart patrol]

Curious to see how this reviews. The heavy focus on passthrough and being 2x what I paid for the Quest 2 is kind of a tough sell for me at the moment.

 

[CKOHLER]

At Connect, they specifically mentioned the GPU was 2.6X times faster. Which makes sense if you see some of the crazy updates some of the older games are getting. The CPU only gets a 33% boost, but they claim it wasn't much of an issue anyways.

Click to shrink...

Thanks! I've updated the OP.

 

[Wollan]

Pancake lenses are the real deal and likely the largest upgrade here.
Personally (as a Quest Pro owner) I really dig the charging dock as well as it greatly reduces friction, and moreso now when the latest OS allows patches to be automatically installed when in standby on the charging dock (prior it only allowed the download of patches but not the install part).

 

[StudioTan]

Curious to see how this reviews. The heavy focus on passthrough and being 2x what I paid for the Quest 2 is kind of a tough sell for me at the moment.

Click to shrink...

Well obviously they're going to promote the biggest defining difference between this and the Quest 2, which is the new passthrough. The VR experience is going to be even better with the new lenses and more than twice the power, but that's a harder thing to advertise and it's not going to swing many people who aren't already interested in VR.

Personally I'm very excited for the mixed reality stuff if for nothing more than the workout apps. Not having to worry about accidentally punching my furniture or stepping on my dog is going to be so much better. Often times I'm working out in the basement and the ceilings are barely over 7 feet so I frequently end up hitting the ceiling during the workouts if I swing too hard in Beat Saber lol.