What it’s essential to know
- The Meta Quest 3 weighs 515g, or 18.2oz. The Oculus Quest 2 weighs 503g, or 17.7oz.
- The Quest 3 pancake lenses assist the headset sit nearer to your face however do not essentially make it lighter.
- New Quest 3 elements and upgrades just like the optical distance adjuster and new material strap contribute to the small weight acquire.
Up till the Quest 3 launch, we assumed that the MR headset’s new pancake lenses, which have a 40%-slimmer optic profile than the Quest 2 lenses, would routinely make the newer headset lighter and extra comfy. It seems we have been solely half-right.
The Meta Quest 3 weighs 12g greater than the Oculus Quest 2. That is not a serious distinction, and you will find that the Quest 3 feels extra cosy and absolutely supported out of the field. Nevertheless it did immediate us to ask Meta the place the additional weight comes from.
Fortunately, our Meta PR rep gave us some candid solutions. She mentioned that the 2 headsets “can’t be in contrast apples to apples with Quest 2 on weight as a result of the units have completely different elements,” particularly mentioning the brand new mixed-reality depth sensor and “optical distance adjuster.”
To the primary level, Meta added two new RGB cameras and the depth sensor to allow its new mixed-reality experiences. Mixed with the brand new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 and additional RAM, they have been sure so as to add some additional weight to allow enhanced Quest 3 video games.
To the second level, the Quest 3 has a a lot bigger face gasket that allows you to modify how shut or far the pancake lenses sit out of your face, leaving house for glasses if you happen to want it. When you take a look at the Quest 3 from the facet, you possibly can see how the white plastic portion of the headset is skinnier, whereas the silicone portion is definitely a lot wider than earlier than.
In our Quest 3 hands-on, we praised it for its nearer middle of gravity, which makes it “supremely comfy” in comparison with the front-heavy Quest 2, together with its higher venting and house for glasses. It additionally provides a second material strap in order that it straddles the perimeters of your head, supplying you with extra help and making certain that it is much less more likely to slide — however in all probability including to the burden, as effectively.
That is why, although it is barely heavier than its predecessor, the Quest 3 does really feel like a design improve, and we suspect that with out the pancake lenses, it will be considerably heavier because of the entire Quest 3 boosts over the Quest 2.
However, if you happen to’re anticipating one thing tremendous gentle, you are more likely to be upset. It is nonetheless barely greater than a pound sitting in your brow, with the entire elements sitting within the entrance space.
As with the Quest 2, you could need to contemplate shopping for an Elite Strap with a battery pack, which provides you a safer match and counterbalances the burden extra, because of the rear battery. The one draw back, in fact, is that even with the Quest 3 preorder supplying you with some free stuff, it is nonetheless an additional $130 for the strap on prime of the $500 price ticket, which can be too dear for frugal VR followers.
