Meta Quest 2 Vs Meta Quest 3 [Before You Buy Guide]

What’s the difference between the Meta Quest 2 Vs the Meta Quest 3? As an owner of the Meta Quest 2, I wanted to find out. 

Will it be worth upgrading to the Meta Quest 3 on release? Will it have better Games? Better Resolution? 

Let’s see…

In this post, I’ll pit the two standalone VR headsets against each other to find out what the key differences are.

MENU (Meta Quest 2 Vs 3)
1. What is a Meta Quest Anyway?
2. Meta Quest 2 Vs Meta Quest 3: Specs (Higher Resolution)
3. Meta Quest 3 Design & Form Factor
4. Can We Expect New and Better VR Games on the Meta Quest 3?
5. Meta Quest 3 Release Date (Coming Soon!) & Price
6. Meta Quest 2 Vs New Meta Quest 3: My Final Thoughts…

Caveat: This post is based on my personal experience. It may contain speculation, personal opinion and human error. Please confirm in-store for current information. Please consult the User Manual for your device before playing VR. This post is not advice.

The Meta Quest 3 hasn’t been released yet so details are subject to change.

What is a Meta Quest Anyway?

The Meta Quest is a standalone virtual reality headset developed by Meta (formerly known as Facebook) that allows you to dive into an immersive digital world.

Be it gaming, media, or even social networking, you can do it all.

Imagine fighting off zombies or going on adventurous quests, or sitting on a beach listening to waves crashing off the shore.

It’s also got built-in sensors to track your movement and Controllers for your hands.

And the best part? You don’t need to connect it to a computer, meaning you’re not tethered by cables, thus giving you full freedom of movement.

First came the Meta (aka Oculus) Quest 1, then the Quest 2, and then came the Quest Pro, and now coming soon, we’ll have the Quest 3; the latest and greatest version of the Meta Quest VR headset.

Here’s a video showing what it looks like inside of a Meta Quest headset (footage of Golf+ on my Quest 2):

Meta Quest 2 Vs Meta Quest 3: Specs (Higher Resolution)

The Meta Quest 3 is a highly anticipated next-generation standalone VR headset, poised to offer significant improvements over its predecessor, the Quest 2.

According to Meta, the Quest 3 will deliver enhanced immersion aided by the “next-gen” Snapdragon chipset.

They say that the new Snapdragon chipset will deliver twice the graphical performance of the Snapdragon that’s inside the Quest 2.

It’s reasonable to expect that with superior resolution, crisp details, and vivid graphics, it’ll be able to create a more realistic virtual environment and an all-around better experience.

In fact, Meta hails the Quest 3 as their “Most Powerful Headset Yet”.

It will also utilise Meta Reality (Mixed Reality), letting you merge the real physical world with a virtual one.

-Meaning, you’ll be able to play games in the virtual world while still being able to see your living room.

Here’s a table showing the Meta Quest 2 Vs the Meta Quest 3 based on Meta’s announcements and internet speculation:

Headset	Resolution	Processor	Storage Size	Battery Life	Weight	Price
Meta Quest 2	1832x1920 per eye, 92-degree field of view	Qualcomm Snapdragon® XR2™ processor	128GB or 256GB	2-3 hour battery life	503g in weight	$299 or $349.99
Meta Quest 3	*2064x2208 per eye – 30% higher resolution than the Quest 2	**Qualcomm Snapdragon® XR2™ Gen 2 processor – twice the GPU processing power	128GB (other storage options may be available on release)	Unknown battery life	Unknown weight – there are speculations that it will be slightly heavier than the Quest 2	$499

* Based on internet speculation that Best Buy listed the Meta Quest 3 with eye resolution information, although I have not been able to verify personally

** According to Wiki

These improvements should establish the Meta Quest 3 as a powerhouse VR device, better than the Quest 2 in almost every way.

Meta Quest 2 Vs Quest 3: Design and Form Factor

Just by looking at the new Meta Quest 3, it’s easy to see that it looks a lot more comfortable than the Quest 2.

And according to Meta, the Quest 3 is designed for comfort and control.

Meta also says that the Meta Quest 3 has a 40% slimmer optic profile compared to the Quest 2.

The Touch Plus Controllers are more streamlined and ergonomic, but there will also be hand tracking out of the box, which will let you interact with virtual objects without the need for Controllers at all.

The Meta Quest 3 is designed to fit all head sizes and will have adjustable straps and padding.

In my view, the exterior looks impressive; I like the sleek finish and minimalist, modern aesthetic.

Meta Quest 2 and Quest 3: New VR Games?

This is an important topic for me; Games! 

What games will the Meta Quest 3 have?

Sure, there’ll be cutting-edge technology, unparalleled immersive possibilities, and vibrant graphics. But what are we gonna be playing?

As a long-term user of the Quest 2, honestly, it’s disappointing that there haven’t been more high-calibre games.

-And it doesn’t help that I’ve never really gotten over VR Nausea because that has narrowed my options.

I hope to see some amazing titles lined up and released on the Meta Quest 3.

Games that utilise advances in AI alongside the Meta Quest 3’s potential, to really push the boundaries of VR.

According to Meta, the Quest 3 will be backwards compatible with the Quest 2, and will be able to play its catalogue of over 500 VR games.

There are also a number of “AAA” games on the horizon.

To keep up to date with new Meta Quest games, you can check out Meta’s official YouTube channel, here.

Meta Quest 3 Release Date (Coming Soon!) & Price

It is anticipated that the Meta Quest 3 will be released in the Fall of 2023. -Sometime before Christmas 2023.

As for the price, Meta’s website states that the Meta Quest 3 will start from $499.99 US or £499.99 UK.

Meta Quest 2 Vs New Meta Quest 3: Final Thoughts…

I hope to revisit and update this post when the Meta Quest 3 is finally released.

I do hope the Quest 3 is launched with some decent titles because, at that price point, it’s gonna take something special to encourage me to upgrade my Meta Quest 2.

What are your thoughts on the Meta Quest 3? Are you planning to upgrade?

Let me know in the comments below.

For more Meta Quest guides and reviews, check out this section of the site!

Thank you for reading!

Spot an error? Just let me know in the comments below and I’ll fix it.

Keep Reading? My Meta Quest Posts:

– Meta Quest Pro Vs. Meta Quest 2
– Quest 2 Questions and Answers
– The Thrill of the Fight Meta Quest 2 Review
– Golf+ Meta Quest 2 Review
– Seated Workouts (Feat. Beat Saber, Les Mills Bodycombat, and The Thrill of the Fight)
– Beat Saber Rock Mixtape Review

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Images sourced from Meta
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