Is the Meta Quest Pro 2 going to be the top VR headset?
Meta, the company behind the Quest 3 virtual reality headset, seems to be planning some new versions. There’s talk of a Meta Quest 3 Lite, which would be a more affordable option compared to the original Quest 3. And then there’s the Meta Quest Pro 2, which would be a newer, more advanced version of the high-end Quest Pro headset.
The first Meta Quest Pro didn’t do so well, as its price got slashed by a third within six months of its release. But now, the Apple Vision Pro has sparked a comeback for top-notch standalone VR gear. This has led to talks about a new Samsung XR headset (made with Google) and probably a Meta Quest Pro 2.
Although there was a rumor about the Meta Quest Pro 2 being delayed due to Meta canceling a related project, there are signs indicating that the device is still coming. Here’s a rundown of all the evidence and what you should know about the Meta Quest Pro 2, including some of our thoughts on the features we hope it will have.
META QUEST PRO 2: PRICE
We don’t know the exact price of the upcoming Meta Quest Pro 2 yet. However, it’s likely to be around the same price as the original, which was $1,499.99 / £1,499.99 / AU$2,449.99 when it launched.
The Meta Quest Pro was originally sold for a high price, but after five months, it got a big discount to $999.99 in the US, £999.99 in the UK, and AU$1729.99 in Australia. This discount was probably to help sell more headsets, not because it actually costs that much to make. So, it’s likely that the Quest Pro 2 will be more expensive than this discounted price.
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Additionally, because the device is meant to rival the Apple Vision Pro, which is priced at $3,500 or about £2,800 / AU$5,350, and it comes with strong features like LG-made OLED panels and potential advanced mixed reality abilities, it’s likely that it will be more expensive than the previous version.
We think it will likely cost around $2,000, £2,000, or AU$3,000. As more details about the hardware are revealed, we’ll have a clearer idea of the price, but we won’t know for sure until Meta announces it officially.
META QUEST PRO 2: RELEASE DATE
Meta hasn’t told us about the Quest Pro 2 yet, not even a hint. Based on their usual timing, we probably won’t see a Pro model until October 2025. That’s because they usually tease it at Meta Connect in September or October of this year, and then release it at the event the next year, just like they did With the initial Quest Pro and Quest 3.
There are reasons why the new product might come out earlier or later. On the latter side, there’s talk of a cheaper version called the Meta Quest 3 Lite. Meta might want to release this cheaper model soon, which could mean delaying the release of the Quest Pro 2 to make space for it.
Meta might want to quickly release a top-of-the-line virtual reality (VR) headset to compete with products like the Apple Vision Pro and the Samsung XR headset. Instead of their usual method of slowly teasing the product before releasing it, they could skip the teasing and launch the headset later this year. Or, they might tease it at an event called Connect 2024 and then release it early in 2025, instead of waiting until late 2025 like they usually do.
This guessing game is based on the idea that Meta might be working on a new version called the Quest Pro 2. Meta has hinted that they might release another Pro model in the future. We’ll need to wait and see their plans unfold.
META QUEST PRO 2: SPECS
LG and Meta are teaming up to put OLED screens in Meta VR headsets. This means the next version of the Meta Quest Pro 2 could have OLED displays. OLED screens are usually expensive, but since the Quest Pro 2 is going to be a fancy model with a high price, it makes sense to include them. This move would make the Quest Pro 2 similar to other fancy XR products like the Apple Vision Pro.
It’s likely that the Meta Quest Pro 2 will have a new and improved Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 chip, which is better than the one in the current Quest Pro. If it comes out later than we think, it might have an even newer Gen 3 chip, but that hasn’t been announced yet.
There haven’t been rumors about any other features, but we expect the device to have full-color mixed reality similar to Meta’s Quest 3 and Quest Pro. Ideally, the passthrough feature would be better quality than both of these devices, especially better than the Quest Pro’s not-so-great mixed reality.
Furthermore, we anticipate that the new device will have specifications at least as good as the previous model. This means that we expect the base version of the Quest Pro 2 to include 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a minimum battery life of two hours.
META QUEST PRO 2: WHAT WE WANT TO SEE
We’ve talked a lot about what we hope to see in the new Meta Quest Pro 2. Instead of eye-tracking, we think it should have four other features. Let’s summarize those points and add a few new ideas for what we’d like to see in the Quest Pro 2.
Improving the mixed-reality passthrough, adding more fun apps, and using 4K OLED screens would make the Meta Quest Pro 2 more like a Vision Pro rival. We really want these features on the Quest Pro 2.
Eye-tracking could be helpful, but Meta (formerly Facebook) needs to show it’s worth the investment. So far, every time they’ve used the technology, it seems more like a fancy showcase than something truly practical. It’s cool, but not very helpful in real life yet.
Let’s put aside the fancy features and design for a moment. Our main hope is that the Quest Pro 2 won’t cost as much as the Apple Vision Pro. The Vision Pro is really good, but $3,500 is just too pricey for a VR headset, considering how often it’ll be used. We’re hoping the Quest Pro 2 will be much more affordable, ideally around $2,000 / £2,000 / AU$3,000. But we’ll have to wait and see what its features are before we know if that’s possible.
Finally, we want the device to be light. It could have a removable battery pack, similar to the one in the HTC Vive XR Elite. This way, if someone wants to work at their desk or relax and watch a VR movie for a long time, they can wear a lighter device (as long as they’re close to a power source). Or, they can attach the battery and use it as a regular standalone VR device. This way, everyone wins!
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