Quest 3: US$499.99

Meta announced Quest 3 on 1 June, with autumn shipping planned. The 128GB model starts at US$499.99. Its next-generation Snapdragon chip promises more than twice Quest 2’s graphics performance, according to Meta.

Contemporary coverage notes that the larger storage option and final release date remain undisclosed. The chipset’s precise identity isn’t confirmed in this announcement.

The Touch Plus controllers remove the tracking rings and add TruTouch haptics. Colour passthrough blends virtual objects with the room.

The Verge reports that Quest 2 remains in the range: from 4 June, 128GB costs US$299.99 and 256GB costs US$349.99. Existing Quest 2 games will also work on Quest 3.

Meta’s developer briefing makes the mixed-reality proposal more concrete: two 4MP colour cameras and a depth sensor supply information about the surroundings. Its tenfold passthrough-pixel claim compares camera views with Quest 2, not display resolution.

There’s a software bridge, too. Meta says developers can export hardware-agnostic haptic files from Haptics Studio that will be optimised for Touch Plus without redesigning those effects. It encourages either dedicated mixed-reality experiences or additions to existing VR apps, rather than requiring a wholesale restart.

Taken together, the lower-priced older headset and reusable software suggest a two-track transition: developers can keep serving existing players while testing richer room-aware experiences. Compatibility doesn’t make the devices identical, and more graphics capacity doesn’t by itself establish battery life, comfort or tracking quality.

For buyers, the useful distinction is between an announced upgrade and a finished buying decision. There’s a price for one configuration and a broad shipping window, but not yet a complete specification or independent performance assessment.

Photo: LPS.1, “Meta Platforms Headquarters Menlo Park California” (2022). CC0 1.0. Resized; cropped; responsive crops.