Meta Quest 3 vs. Quest 2: Unboxing & Review for non-gamers

The Meta Quest 3 comes in two versions – with 128GB and 512GB storage, priced at $499.99 and $649.99 respectively. When opening the box, we are greeted by a sleek, modern-designed headset. Included are the headset itself, a pre-mounted foam face pad, two Touch Plus controllers with pre-mounted wrist straps and AA batteries, an 18W power adapter, and a USB Type-C charging cable for the headset. The Quest 3 presents itself as a compact, well-designed device.

At first glance, the Quest 3 looks a lot like the Quest 2, but Meta claims that the Quest 3 is 40% slimmer. However, this statement does not refer to the face pad, which is thicker on the Quest 3. The weight remains almost unchanged at 459 grams (without strap), but this is compensated by the improved ergonomics. The Quest 3 is less heavy on the forehead and more comfortable to wear – even during long use and active body movements – thanks to the soft, fabric-covered head strap that is easier to adjust.

IPD Adjustment: The Quest 3 offers continuous IPD adjustment from 58mm to 70mm, easily adjusted via a small dial at the bottom of the sight, as opposed to the Quest 2’s limited IPD adjustment with three specific stops.

Face rest depth: Another highlight is adjusting the face rest depth to change the distance between the screen and the face. This is especially useful for people who wear glasses.

Display and optics: The Quest 3 has two LCD displays with a resolution of 2064×2208, which means a 30% higher pixel density than the Quest 2. The new optics with pancake lenses provide consistent edge-to-edge clarity and less lens flare, a significant improvement over the Quest 2’s Fresnel lenses. Additionally, the field of view (FOV) has been expanded to 110 degrees and support for 120Hz has been enabled right out of the box.

Panels: The use of OLED panels instead of LCD in the Quest 3 allows for more vivid color reproduction and deeper black levels, which greatly improves the visual experience.

Processor and RAM: Thanks to the faster processor and 12GB RAM, the Quest 3 is more powerful, which is especially useful in demanding mixed reality applications.

Audio: The Quest 3’s audio system is similar to the Quest 2’s, but offers less distortion and a higher maximum volume. For better noise isolation and spatial audio reproduction, there is a 3.5 mm audio jack for connecting wired earphones or headphones. Using wireless headphones is still problematic because the connection is unstable and often has a delay in relation to the picture.

Battery life: Battery life is about two hours per charge, which is not particularly long, but can be extended by attaching an external USB battery to the belt to avoid the extra weight on the head.

Controllers: The Quest 3’s new Touch Plus controllers are lighter and more ergonomically designed. The elimination of the IR rings results in a lower weight of only 104 grams per controller, which significantly improves handling. The combination of infrared LEDs, cameras on the visor, and AI hand tracking technology provides precise motion detection beyond what the Quest 2 could offer.

Unlike previous models, it is no longer necessary to create a Facebook account to use the Meta Quest 3. However, you will need a meta account that works essentially the same, but without a public page. After charging your Quest 3 for the first time, turn on the device and follow the instructions to connect to the Internet and download any firmware updates.

Pairing the headset requires installing the Meta Quest app on your Apple or Android phone or tablet. After pairing, you probably won’t need the app unless you want to stream the view from the headset to a screen for others.

After that, Quest 3 guides you to make a choice between a stationary or space-scale boundary, which can be changed at any time. If you select the room-scale option, the headset automatically maps the room as you move around in it. You can watch this in real time as small geometric shapes scale your floor, walls, ceiling and furniture. This is a good way to visually determine which parts of your space have not yet been mapped. The headset copes well with reflective and transparent surfaces like sunlit windows, glass tables and even an aquarium.

The Meta Quest 3 offers a self-sufficient gaming platform, but its potential goes far beyond gaming. With the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip, which is up to 50% more powerful than the one in the Quest 2, the Quest 3 delivers robust performance for various applications.

One notable advance is the introduction of passthrough technology. The Quest 3 has two 4MP RGB cameras and a depth sensor in the visor that enable a color passthrough feature. This not only improves mixed reality for gaming, but also for professional applications by providing a clearer and more color-accurate representation of the real environment.

This makes the Meta Quest 3 an exciting tool for virtual meetings, product presentations and other business applications. Their powerful hardware and visual enhancements make them a serious consideration for companies looking to enter the VR/AR world.

The Meta Quest 3 offers a number of improvements over the Quest 2, both in terms of design and technical features. The advanced fitting options, improved optics and more comfortable wearability make it an attractive option for business use and for those who want to explore the possibilities of virtual and mixed reality.

Despite some shortcomings, such as limited battery life and light transmission at the nose bridge, the Quest 3 represents a significant step forward and we at HEGIAS are excited to see the new possibilities this headset opens up for both personal and business use.