VR videos on the Meta Quest 3
The long-awaited Meta Quest 3 will go on sale on October 10 after launching at September's Meta Connect. DeoVR will be immediately compatible with the Meta Quest 3, so you can continue to watch your favorite VR videos without any issues. Best of all, you can expect multiple improvements to the VR viewing experience. Here's everything you need to know about the Meta Quest 3 VR headset.
What do we know about the Meta Quest 3 and VR videos?
We know that the visor is 40% thinner (thanks to the pancake lenses), the GPU is more than 2x as powerful, and there will be dual color cameras and a depth sensor for mixed reality with scene understanding. It's a given that the headset will be lighter and more pleasant to wear - while the ramped-up mixed reality color passthrough technology means DeoVR's AR passthrough video content will look incredible.
Will DeoVR work on the Quest 3?
Yes! DeoVR will work perfectly on the Meta Quest 3. The headset promises to launch with backward compatibility, meaning it will work with all existing apps and games - which includes DeoVR. Simply install the DeoVR app for free to download from the Meta Quest app store, and it will work perfectly on the Quest 3.
Will VR video on DeoVR look better on the Meta Quest 3?
It's almost certainly yes - the pancake lenses will deliver superb quality visuals and will be a notable improvement to the Fresnel lenses of the Quest 2, no more screen door. Meta has promised better displays and resolution, plus twice the graphics performance - which should result in “jaw-dropping VR and breakthrough Meta reality.” Obviously, existing VR videos depend on multiple factors such as the camera used to create the video, the codec used to render the video, the resolution of the video, etc, but all things being equal, the VR video will look much better on the Quest 3 than the Quest 2.
We understand that the resolution is 4,128 by 2,208 pixels (2,064 by 2,208 pixels per eye), which is a huge improvement on the Quest 2's 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye resolution. It will also have a 120Hz refresh rate, as does the current Quest 2. Meta has announced it will be the first headset to feature a next-generation Snapdragon chipset developed in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies.
What is the AV1 codec?
AV1 is a newer video codec with improved compression compared to older video codecs. It allows for higher quality at the same bitrate and filesize, or smaller files at the same quality. The Quest 3 will be the first standalone VR headset that fully supports the AV1 codec. The DeoVR devs are currently checking our download and streaming options to ensure AV1 works immediately with the Quest 3 - we have samples available so you can test and see the quality.
AR Passthrough video on the Quest 3
The Quest 3 has greatly improved mixed reality capabilities. It has stereo color cameras built in, which should help to boost the clarity and reduce distortion compared to what was seen with the Quest Pro, and will be much better than the grainy black and white passthrough on the Quest 2 headset. This means augmented reality elements will blend into the outside world seamlessly.
The headset offers full-color passthrough technology, so viewers will see a detailed color version of physical spaces around them through its external cameras. If you enjoy seeing the world’s most beautiful models in your own room at home with you, then this will make it even more realistic and immersive.
This means DeoVR’s amazing passthrough AR functionality will be even better than ever, with passthrough having 10x more pixels than the Quest 2.
Why should you buy the Quest 3 for VR?
Room Aware Features: Meta confirmed the Quest 3 has a depth sensor that can intelligently understand and respond to objects in your physical space for enhanced interactivity. It has the ability to anchor portals in walls, allowing users to extend their mixed-reality gaming experiences.
Environment Relighting: What's more, Quest 3 will support environment relighting, a feature that will allow users to change the colors and lightness of the real-world environment to match virtual light sources.
Increased Comfort: The Quest 3 has a 40% slimmer optic profile compared to Quest 2, making it a sleeker, more comfortable headset. Meta has also completely redesigned Quest 3’s Touch Plus controllers with a more streamlined and ergonomic form factor. This all means the Quest 3 should be a lot more comfortable to use for extended VR viewing sessions than with the Quest 2. The head strap has been redesigned, and the expected pancake lens will be lighter and more comfortable, with a better sweet spot.
What are the Quest 3 specs?
Full specs for the Meta Quest 3:
- Resolution (per-eye): 2064 x 2208
- Display Type: LCD
- Refresh Rate: 120Hz
- Lens type: Pancake
- Battery Life: 2 to 3 hrs
- Processor: Snapdragon XR2 Gen2
- Weight: 509g
- Storage: 128GB or 512GB
- RAM: 12GB
- Field of View: 97° horizontal, 93° vertical
- IPD Adjust: Hardware-based. Eye relief supported
- Audio: Integrated
- Connectivity: USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
- Depth sensor: Available
- Mixed Reality: Full-RGB cameras for color passthrough
- Tracking: Inside-out
Please note, the above specs are not 100% confirmed yet but are very likely to be due to information leaked online. We will update with the latest information as soon as it is announced officially.
Price:
The Quest 3 will cost €549 in Europe for the 128GB model and €699 for the 512GB model. The basic 128GB model in America will likely cost $499 and £499 for UK users. There will be a model-specific carrying case for €79,99, a charging dock for €149,99, a silicone face interface for €49,99 and there will be a Meta Quest 3 Elite strap with battery for €149,99. Unfortunately for Quest 2 users, previous versions of these items will not be compatible.
