Meta’s Quest 3 could also be lower than a yr previous, however Meta seems to be engaged on a number of follow-ups. Leaks and rumors level to the existence of a Meta Quest 3 Lite – a less expensive model of the Meta Quest 3 – and a Meta Quest Pro 2 – a follow-up to the high-end Meta Quest Pro.
The unique Meta Quest Pro doesn’t appear to have been all that in style – evidenced by the actual fact its worth was completely reduce by a 3rd lower than six months after its launch – however the Apple Vision Pro appears to have fueled a renaissance of high-end standalone VR {hardware}. This means we’re getting a Samsung XR headset (developed in partnership with Google), and principally seemingly a Meta Quest Pro 2 of some variety.
While one leak prompt the Meta Quest Pro 2 had been delayed – after Meta cancelled a mission that the leak prompt was set to be the following Quest Pro – there’s greater than a bit proof that the gadget is on the best way. Here’s the entire proof, in addition to the whole lot it’s worthwhile to know in regards to the Meta Quest Pro 2 – together with a few of our perception, and the options we’d most wish to see it get.
Meta Quest Pro 2: Price
Because the Meta Quest Pro 2 hasn’t been introduced we don’t know precisely how a lot it’ll price, however we count on it’ll be at the least as expensive as the unique which launched at $1,499.99 / £1,499.99 / AU$2,449.99.
The Meta Quest Pro was permanently discounted to $999.99 / £999.99 / AU$1729.99 5 months after it launched, however we count on this was Meta trying to present the Quest Pro a much-needed gross sales increase fairly than a sign of the headsets precise price. So we count on that is less expensive than Quest Pro 2 shall be.
What’s extra, provided that the gadget is anticipated to be extra of an Apple Vision Pro competitor — which prices $3,500 or round £2,800 / AU$5,350 – with highly effective specs, LG-made OLED panels, and will boast next-gen blended actuality capabilities there’s an excellent probability it might price greater than its predecessor.
As such we’re anticipating it to come back in at nearer $2,000 / £2,000 / AU$3,000. Over time, and as extra leaks in regards to the {hardware} come out, we must always begin to get a greater thought of its worth – although as all the time we gained’t know for sure how a lot it’ll price till Meta says one thing formally.
Meta Quest Pro 2: Release date
Meta hasn’t introduced the Quest Pro 2 but – and even teased it. Given its standard launch schedule this implies the earliest we’re prone to see a Pro mannequin is October 2025; that’s as a result of it could tease the gadget at this yr’s Meta Connect in September/October 2024, after which launch it the next yr’s occasion because it did with the unique Quest Pro and Quest 3.
But there are a number of causes we might see it launch in the end. On the later launch date aspect of issues we have now the rumored Meta Quest 3 Lite – a less expensive model of the Meta Quest 3. Meta could need to push this reasonably priced mannequin out the gate sooner fairly than later, that means that it’d have to take a launch slot that might have been utilized by the Quest Pro 2.
Alternatively, Meta could need to push a high-end mannequin out ASAP in order to not let the Apple Vision Pro and others just like the Samsung XR headset nook the high-end VR market. If that is the case it might forgo its standard tease then launch technique and simply launch the headset later this yr – or tease it at Connect 2024 then launch it in early 2025 fairly than a yr later in late 2025 because it normally would.
This hypothesis all assumes a Meta Quest Pro 2 is even on the best way – although Meta has strongly prompt that one other Pro mannequin would come sooner or later; we’ll simply have to attend and see what’s up its sleeve.
Meta Quest Pro 2: Specs
Based on LG and Meta’s announcement of their official partnership to bring OLED displays to Meta VR headsets sooner or later, it’s seemingly that the Meta Quest Pro 2 would function OLED screens. While these sort of shows are sometimes expensive, the Quest Pro 2 is anticipated to be a high-end mannequin (with a excessive price ticket), and boasting OLED panels would put it on par with different high-end XR merchandise just like the Apple Vision Pro.
It additionally appears seemingly the Meta Quest Pro 2 will boast a Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 chipset – the successor to the Gen 1 utilized by the Quest Pro. If it launches additional sooner or later than we count on it could as an alternative boast a at present unannounced Gen 3 mannequin.
While rumors haven’t teased some other specs, we additionally assume the gadget would function full-color blended actuality like Meta’s Quest 3 and Quest Pro – although ideally the passthrough can be increased high quality than both of those units (or at the least, higher than the Quest Pro’s fairly poor blended actuality).
Beyond this, we predict the gadget would have specs at the least nearly as good as its predecessor. By that we imply we count on the bottom Quest Pro 2 would include 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a two-hour minimal battery life.
Meta Quest Pro 2: What we need to see
We’ve already highlighted in depth what we need to see from the Meta Quest Pro 2 – particularly it should ditch eye-tracking and replace it with four different features. But we’ll recap a few of these factors right here, and make a number of new ones of issues we need to see from the Quest Pro 2.
Vastly higher mixed-reality passthrough, extra leisure apps and, 4K OLED shows would go an extended method to making the Meta Quest Pro 2 really feel much more like a Vision Pro competitor – so we hope to see them on the Quest Pro 2.
Eye-tracking might additionally assist, however Meta actually must show it’s worthwhile. So far each occasion of the tech seems like an costly tech demo for a function that’s neat, however not all that helpful.
Ignoring specs and design for a second, our most essential hope is that the Quest Pro 2 isn’t as prohibitively costly because the Apple Vision Pro. While the Vision Pro is nice, $3,500 is an excessive amount of even for a high-end VR headset when you think about the realities of how and the way typically the gadget shall be used. Ideally the Quest Pro 2 can be at most $2,000 / £2,000 / AU$3,000, although till we all know extra about its specs we gained’t understand how real looking our request is.
Lastly we hope the gadget is gentle, maybe with a detachable battery pack just like the one seen within the HTC Vive XR Elite. This would permit somebody who desires to work at their desk or sit again and watch a movie in VR put on a a lot lighter gadget for the prolonged time frame (supplied their close to an influence supply). Alternatively they will plug the battery in and luxuriate in a typical standalone VR expertise – to us this is able to be a win-win.