Meta reveals the new Quest 3 VR headset with a $499.99 price tag

Meta Quest 3 VR Headset
(Image credit: Meta)

Meta has revealed that the Quest 3 is to be their newest VR headset and we'll know more about the plans for it in September. 

The announcement came via an Instagram post from their co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg. Meta has also revealed that the 128GB model of the next generation of VR headset will cost $499.99 and there will be additional storage options for those that want extra space. 

You can check out the specs - that we know of - below but more information and the plans for the Quest 3 VR headset will be shared on September 27 at Meta's Connect event. What we do know currently is that unsurprisingly, the new model is slimmer, delivers stronger performance and higher performance. 

If this wasn't good news enough, the price of the Meta Quest 2 is being reduced to $299.99. The Quest 2 is sits atop our best VR headsets rankings at the moment due largely to how affordable and accessible it is, and that price drop only makes things better.

Related: Best space VR games

The main takeaways from Meta's new announcement, other than the Quest 3 is going to be their new major VR headset, is that the new model will have a 40% slimmer optic profile, compared to the Quest 2. The outer tracking rings have been dropped to take up less space and to feel more natural. It will also use next-generation Snapdragon chipset to power extra pixels and deliver twice the graphical performance of the Quest 2. 

More good news is that the Quest 3 will be compatible with the Quest 2's 500 plus library of VR games and experiences. Meta also claim that this is due to be a supercharged all-in-one headset with no wires required. 

If you already own the current generation of Meta Quest VR headset then there's also some good news as a software update is coming to the Quest 2 that will see a dramatic performance increase. Up-to 26% CPU performance increase and an up-to 19% GPU speed increase for the Quest 2 and 11% for the Pro model. That means smoother gameplay, more responsive UI and greater pixel density without dropping frames. 

If you can't wait for September and virtual reality is your thing then it could be worth your time to check out our guides to the latest VR headset deals and best free VR experiences

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Alexander Cox
E-commerce Staff Writer

STAFF WRITER, E-commerce — Alex joined Space.com in June 2021 as staff writer covering space news, games, tech, toys and deals. Based in London, U.K. Graduating in June 2020, Alex studied Sports Journalism in the North East of England at Sunderland University. During his studies and since his graduation, Alex has been featured in local newspapers and online publications covering a range of sports from university rugby to Premier League soccer. In addition to a background in sports and journalism, Alex has a life-long love of Star Wars which started with watching the prequel trilogy and collecting toy lightsabers, he also grew up spending most Saturday evenings watching Doctor Who. 

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