The Oculus Quest Pro, a new type of head-mounted display from the world’s most popular virtual reality hardware manufacturer, will be released in October as Meta’s next-generation VR headset.
Meta has shared several previews, so we know roughly what to expect, but thanks to an active rumor mill and numerous recent leaks, even more information about the next big thing in VR has emerged.
Meta Quest Pro or Oculus Quest Pro
There are several compelling reasons to believe that Meta’s next-generation VR headset will be dubbed the Meta Quest Pro. Ming-Chi Kuo, the famous Apple analyst who frequently leaks information about the upcoming iPhone and Mac, shared some information about a new version of the Meta Quest in April 2022. Kuo predicted that the Quest 2 Pro, rather than the Quest 3, would be the name of this more advanced VR headset.
It wasn’t clear at the time whether the rumored Quest 2 Pro would be the Project Cambria headset that Meta hinted at or something else. More recently, a pre-release Meta headset was discovered in a hotel room, with the packaging displaying the name “Quest Pro,” almost ensuring that this is the product Meta will announce at Meta Connect.
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Quest Pro photos leaked
Since last year’s Facebook Connect event, Meta has shared teasers of Project Cambria and other advanced VR headsets every few months. The most recent leak goes much further, revealing the sleek Meta Quest Pro, its ringless controllers, and even the product packaging. This is a far cry from the bulky headsets we’ve grown accustomed to. If the Quest Pro head strap is comfortable, which there is no reason to doubt, the new design should allow for extended use.
Apart from the slimmer front screen, the sides appear to be much more open, allowing for a more realistic mixed reality experience. Because that is a productivity priority, it makes sense to build the headset in this manner. There may be concerns about light leaking in and ruining the VR experience, but a removable interface to block ambient light is likely to be included.
The new controllers are also less obtrusive, as they do not have the ring that was required for the original Quest VR headset and the Quest 2. Overall, it appears to be an impressive system. Unfortunately, the leak only showed the contents of the product box, not the Quest Pro in use.
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Oculus Quest Pro specifications
Meta has revealed a few details about the advanced capabilities of its Project Cambria headsets, such as eye and face tracking. In theory, your Meta avatar could react when you do. Face tracking means you’ll be able to see similar reactions and movements of your avatar whether you’re smiling, talking, or looking at someone in VR. This could be possible thanks to the inclusion of many more cameras and sensors in the Quest Pro headset.
Eye tracking also enables a new way to interact with an environment, and the ability to look at a virtual object or control may one day outperform the computer mouse, the reigning king of pointing. Consider being able to look at a text box and start typing without moving the pointer or clicking.
The Quest Pro is also said to have a higher-resolution color passthrough camera, allowing for a much better-mixed reality experience. Improved external cameras will provide a higher resolution, full-color view of what’s going on outside the headset, reducing physical isolation from your immediate surroundings.
VR analyst Brad Lynch claims to have seen the Quest Pro and has shared CAD renders and detailed hardware predictions on Twitter. The CAD renders match the prerelease Quest Pro found in a hotel room recently, implying Lynch received some insider information, as Lynch mentioned in a recent tweet.
According to Lynch, the Quest Pro will be based on a customized version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2, have a generous 12GB of memory, Wi-Fi 6E, and a large 5,000 mAh battery capacity. The improved XR2 is expected to offer significantly improved performance due to increased thermal capacity, which allows for a higher clock rate, as well as improved memory implementation. Qualcomm and Meta recently announced a multi-year collaboration to design new XR chips, and it appears that the Quest Pro will be the first device to benefit from this collaboration.
Lynch predicts that the improved Quest Pro display will have a higher resolution of 2160 x 2160 pixels per eye, Quantum Dot technology for improved color fidelity, and MiniLED backlighting for increased contrast and brightness. Meta has already mentioned improved optics via pancake lenses, which are thinner and have a larger sweet spot of maximum clarity.
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Quest Pro for work or gaming
Meta has stated unequivocally that the Quest Pro is intended for professionals and work life. The Quest Pro is designed to be a work device that can be used like a laptop, with a focus on attending meetings in VR.
Brian Bosworth, Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, recently hosted an Instagram ask me anything and revealed more information about Meta’s next-generation VR headset. Every Meta teaser has emphasized that Cambria is intended to be a productivity device, not just one for content consumption. With so much emphasis on professional use and business meetings, you might think the Quest Pro won’t be suitable for gaming; however, Meta has stated that it will be compatible with Quest 2 games and apps.
The upcoming Meta VR headset is expected to have a sharper and brighter screen, as well as a refresh rate at least as high as the Quest 2’s 120Hz. The Quest Pro will also have a significantly faster processor. All of the features that make a VR headset a better computer for metaverse activities also benefit gaming. That means you should use the same Quest Pro you wear to work for gaming after hours or on your break.
Is Quest Pro meant to replace a laptop?
Unfortunately, the Quest Pro is unlikely to be able to completely replace your laptop. In his ask me anything (AMA), Meta CTO Brian Bosworth explained that long-term comfort when wearing even the best VR headset varies from person to person. Many people are at ease wearing a Quest 2 for several hours a day, even when writing code, which requires a large amount of typing with high accuracy while paging through multiple virtual screens of text.
The Quest Pro should have significant improvements in terms of size, weight, battery life, render quality, and the ability to type in mixed reality on a physical keyboard. This will undoubtedly increase the amount of time you can spend in VR, but it is unlikely to be sufficient to make the Quest Pro a perfect solution for everyone. Even if you buy a Quest Pro, you should keep your laptop so you can take breaks from VR throughout the day.
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Oculus Quest Pro release date and price
Mark Zuckerberg revealed on the Joe Rogan podcast that the Project Cambria headset would be available in October, which coincides with the Meta Connect event on October 11. That means you only have a few weeks to decide whether this is a headset worth purchasing or if you should save your money for what’s coming in 2023.
Meta hasn’t revealed the exact price of the Quest Pro, but after rumors of a $799 price tag circulated, an official statement was made to UploadVR to clear the air. The Project Cambria VR headset was revealed to cost significantly more than $800. Although the final price is unknown, some estimates may help to narrow it down to a reasonably accurate range.
The Quest 2’s bill of materials (BOM) has been estimated to be at least $300, the same as the price of the headset — which means Meta probably made very little money on sales of that product. The price recently increased by $100, presumably to begin recouping some of the huge investment it has made in VR hardware and software.
The Meta Quest Pro’s price will most likely be subsidized as well, and there’s a good chance that Meta hardware will continue to provide the best value for money even if you choose its most expensive VR headset.
According to rumors, the Quest Pro’s BOM is around $800, which could explain the $799 rumor. Given that Meta added $100 to the estimated cost of the Quest 2, it’s reasonable to expect another $200 to be added to the Quest Pro’s cost, bringing it to around $1,000. Other rumors suggest a price of $1,500 or more. It’s safe to assume that this will be an expensive device aimed at VR enthusiasts.
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