Meta Quest 3 512GB – Breakthrough mixed reality
Meta Quest 3 512GB – Breakthrough mixed reality – Powerful performance
Meta Quest 3 512GB – Breakthrough mixed reality – Powerful performance
Originally bought for Streaming/Travel only to find out none of the apps (I.e Netflix) are native so can’t download series/films due to it all been browser based which is disappointing. Meta should push for native streaming apps rather than relying on the browser.
Expect to buy multiple accessories to make up for the various shortcomings.
Standard Headstrap is awful, to get a good fit you have to have it so tight it’s uncomfortable otherwise the headset feels loose, this results in pressure points and headache if used for too long. So ended up buying a Kiwi Designs Headstrap (with battery, see below)
Battery is awful, constantly needs to be recharged after an hour or so of use. Needs an external power bank, can’t just use it plugged in as the power lead provided is too short. So ended up buying a Syntech link cable with FastCharge port.
If the battery is this bad out the box can’t imagine what it will be like when it starts to degrade.
Dosnt come with a storage case (got one from Syntech) or a lens protector.
Considering how sensitive to damage from sunlight the lens is you would think this would come as standard.
Also in terms of the OS, you end up having to pay for apps to provide functionality which should really just be standard. An example being Skybox to play media.
It’s good but could be better, I suppose Meta wanted to try and keep the price point as low as possible which would explain some of the shortcomings but the battery life is the biggest flaw.
One of the standout features of the Meta Quest 3 is its powerful performance. Compared to the Quest 2, the Quest 3 boasts more than double the graphic processing power, thanks to the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2. This upgrade is immediately noticeable, providing a smoother and more immersive experience. Whether you’re gaming, exploring virtual environments, or using productivity apps, everything feels more responsive and visually stunning.
Speaking of visuals, the Quest 3’s 4K+ Infinite Display is a game-changer. With nearly a 30% increase in resolution from the Quest 2, the clarity and detail in every scene are remarkable. The colors are vibrant, and the sharpness makes the virtual world feel incredibly lifelike. Coupled with the enhanced 3D audio, which offers improved sound clarity, better bass performance, and a 40% louder volume range, the overall sensory experience is incredibly immersive. Whether you’re listening to subtle environmental sounds or dynamic music, the audio quality adds a significant layer of realism to your experience.
Safety and privacy are also well-addressed with the Meta Quest 3. The headset includes privacy features and supervision tools, making it suitable for everyone in the family. It’s reassuring to know that there are measures in place to ensure a safe experience, especially for younger users. The guidance and account features for users aged 10 and up provide peace of mind for parents and guardians.
The Meta Quest 3 is a breakthrough in mixed reality technology. Its powerful performance, stunning visuals, and enhanced audio make it the most impressive Quest headset to date. The integration of virtual elements into your real-world environment is seamless and exciting, turning your home into a new realm of possibilities. Whether you’re new to mixed reality or a seasoned user, the Quest 3 offers an extraordinary experience that is both safe and incredibly immersive.
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Setting up was relatively easy.
Headset is comfortable to wear, even whilst wearing glasses!
Simple UI for navigating with ease.
Full colour pass-through is a game changer; it’s superbly done and is my go to setting over the virtual background option.
Not all apps support mixed-reality, but the ones that I have experienced such do utilise it, it has worked and looks really good.
The 128GB storage is plenty for most people.
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Whilst the controllers are comfortable to use, they aren’t overly suitable for fast movement games like Beat Saber, despite wearing the wrist straps. I would highly recommend getting some controller grips.
The official accessories are stupidly expensive.
The Rift and 2 I hardly ever used, because they was too blurry (could see rings in them, like looking through them kitchen door panes with the rings) so got conned into buying the PSVR 2 dumpster fire, on all the hype of the amazing image only to have the same problem with them.
So when I found out these use pancake lenses, not fernal lenses I buckled and gave them a purchase, reluctantly because I’ve the massively inflated cost compared to the 2’s.
Got to say I’m glad I did, because them pancake lense make a world of difference starts singing “I can see clearly now, the rings have gone ain’t no obstacles standing in my way”.
Honestly, the only thing missing from these, is some nice Amoled/oled/mini-led displays and they would be perfect.
In the short time I’ve owned these, spent more time on these then I have on the Rift S, Quest 2 and PSVR2, in the time since they launched (brought them all on day one of launch).
Only reason I’m not giving these 5 stars, is because that price is just too steep for something without Amoled/oled/mini-led displays.
Hopefully the Quest 4 has them display, paired with pancake lenses and hopefully the new Qualcomm X Elite chips and it would be the perfect headset, even if it cost several hundred.
Definitely recommend these, specially if you can get them on sale.
I love streaming VR videos whilst sitting in a chair and looking all around me as I soar through the sky on the wing of a jet, wingsuit or drone. Watching Amazon Prime videos is like being sat in a cinema. Doubled up with my 360 camera and I can re-visit places I have been. The sound is good, even without earbuds you have a sense of direction.
I love this head set and would highly recommend it, but before you do jump in, you have to understand that it isn’t without some issues and whilst headsets like these have been around for a long time, there is still a very long way to go before they become an everyday household gadget.
I can link this to my PC and have my keyboard and mouse viewable in pass-through mode, but my monitor is augmented and like having a huge screen in front of me.and I can have multiple screens. I have tried playing RDR2 on this and whilst it plays well, it struggles with brightness and it is jumpy, but low demand games are great.
It is comfortable to wear, a little cumbersome at first, but you quickly learn to ignore it and forget that it is on your head.
Issues you may encounter:
A lot of reviews have mentioned poor battery life and for good reason. I believe that Meta have done their very best to get the balance of weight and battery life right, but sadly, there are times when you will place a huge demand on the battery. You are powering a computer, hi-res screens, wireless, Bluetooth, sound, motion sensors, cameras, area sensing and cooling fans all within a small headset. On high demand games, you may find this running flat in just a few hours. Even connected to the charger, the demand can outstrip the supply and you still run the battery down.
You can experience motion sickness, dizziness or momentary loss of sense of surroundings. That isn’t a fault of the headset, but something to think of. I haven’t been badly affected, but there have been a few occasions where my brain, inner ears and eyes are not in-synch and my balance wobbled for a moment..though to be honest it was fun!
Whilst you can wear glasses with this, it isn’t great and you may need to find specs with smaller lenses to fit neatly inside. I wear my headset without glasses, but I still struggle to get crisp focus. I need to move it a few mm further from my face than the adjusters allow just to get it right.
There is not a huge range of games or apps for this, but it is improving.
Don’t expect 4k videos to play like you are watching a 4K TV. For me it is like watching a good quality copy of a DVD. When it comes to watching streamed 360 degree videos on the YouTubeVR app, then the quality drops off even more with a lot of artefacts present. This in understandable, to capture a 4k video the camera only frames an area in front of it. To do this in 360, you would need multiple cameras which would be a massive amount of data per frame.
Despite these issues, I am still a massive fan of the MQ3 and I am likely to be the one who follows the upgrade path as it develops.
Firstly the Gen2 XR snapdragon processor feels very snappy, never once did it feel underpowered or have any slowdowns. The Pancake lenses are great and very clear, only negative is I noticed a mild reflection glow type reflection when watching dark content like space movies whenever something bright pans across the screen, its not too distracting and I’ve read the same thing happens with the Vision Pro which is 7x the price.
The displays are very good and surprisingly well saturated, colours look more vivid than my computer screen or Ipad.
Only thing i didn’t like was the passthrough quality which seems much more grainy than in youtube reviews. Its definitely better in good natural lighting, but in artificial lighting in my house its pretty grainy.
The controllers and hand tracking are very impressive
Overall its a great bit of tech for 1/7th price of a Vision Pro with the added benefit that it is also has a huge library of VR games which the vision Pro totally lacks.
As with the Rift, I had got some vouchers from work which made this a relatively inexpensive buy. A friend had let me try his out and I had been blown away. With the old Rift, you had a ‘screen door’ feeling where you could see the outline of the pixels that were making up the image. It wasn’t enough to spoil the experience, but was definitely noticeable. Also with the Rift, the lenses were such that you only ever looked straight ahead.
The Quest is an enormous leap forward in quality. The image is clean and crisp, you are not connected to your PC by a cable so can play anywhere you want to, the movement of the image is silky smooth and the lenses are set up in a way that gives you the ability to move your eyes and see peripherally. The passthrough camera is really handy too, tap the controller twice on the side of your headset and whatever application you are using will be replaced with a view in front of you, handy for re-orienting yourself if you happen to stray outside of your gaming space. Worth noting too that the Quest has a very clever application that scans the room you are in and helps you map out your play area, if you move towards the edges, it will show you a mesh overlaid on whatever you are playing to show where you might be straying close to a wall, door or whatever. Even so, it would take a braver man than me to play in the same room as a large TV, a collection of fine china, a pyramid of champagne glasses – you get my drift.
I am not going to dock any stars, but I do want to point out a few things that are important to know in advance:
– Battery life, when using processor intensive applications, will give you a little over 2 hours use. This isn’t really a problem as you won’t often want to be strapped into the headset for that long. That said, as I do a fair bit of racing in VR which can last longer than the battery, I have dealt with by buying a replacement strap with a battery passthrough from Kiwi Design (highly recommended, and reviewed on here separately). Budget about 60 more if you want a similar upgrade.
– Onboard memory – you can buy the Quest in 128Gb or 512GB versions. Given how cheap solid-state memory is, I balked at the cost uplift for the 512Gb version and bought the 128, and honestly unless you want all your VR apps stored on the headset itself you really don’t need 512Gb. Save some money and buy the lower-storage version.
– The headstrap that the Quest comes with is perfectly functional, but not the most comfortable for longer sessions. As noted above, I have replaced this with one by Kiwi Design which makes the whole thing much more comfortable.
– If you want to play titles from your PC on the rift, check that your motherboard supports the necessary connectivity, otherwise you may have to buy a passthrough cable which will mean you are tethered to your PC (as well as out of pocket for the cable). Mine does, and I happily play Half Life Alyx and other titles downstairs in my conservatory where I have plenty of space.
So that’s all the consumer advice that I have to share. The gaming experience is fabulous. Half Life Alyx is mindblowing, it really feels like you are there although having life-size headcrab zombies shambling towards you is quite unnerving! Assetto Corsa looks amazing, and sitting in the cockpit of your chosen car feels so natural. Microsoft Flight Simulator – well basically you feel like you are flying a real plane.
If you are considering upgrading from an older VR experience, or thinking of taking the plunge for the first time, this is a really impressive offering at a reasonable cost and one I recommend highly. I am happy to answer any questions that you may have about any details I have not covered here.
This headset is a huge upgrade from the quest 2 (Q2) in terms of its visuals and comfort; greater clarity and less eyestrain. The reduction in eyestrain vs the Q2 is a huge feature for me, perhaps this is due to the proper inter-pupillary distance settings it has vs Q2. Text is easily readable and movies/video look really good on the cinema size screen.
A head-strap like the Bobo vr m3 is an essential accessory as the stock one is very uncomfortable and you certainly wouldn’t want to spend 2 hours plus to watch a movie with the stock head-strap but you can with a good replacement one.
A proper head-strap is a game changer for comfort; with one you won’t need to take the headset off because your face can’t take it anymore, you just finish playing when you’re bored or have other things to do (like with normal consoles) , I don’t know why Meta don’t stock decent head-straps as default like Sony and Valve.
FYI I thought the elite head-strap wasn’t much good either, defo not worth 70.
Graphics are what you might expect of mobile gaming; think ps3 rather than ps5. The better chip vs Q2 hasn’t really been put to much use at this point imo with only one Q3 exclusive and some OK graphics updates, hopefully in the future this will change.
Haven’t used MR much yet but I feel it could be quite good. The visual experience of passthrough is not that great imo (grainy) although obviously much better than the rubbish Q2 MR. Visual experience is good enough to do basic tasks like picking up objects and moving around but not typing or reading a monitor. There is not much warping and the latency is very low. Doesn’t produce much eyestrain which is a game changer in usability however.
Summary: actually useful VR/MR headset. The headset is cheaper than a massive TV and more useful. Gaming in VR is epic. Not much eyestrain, great clarity and is actually comfortable to wear with a decent 3rd party head-strap. VR/MR has come a long way indeed.
Mixed Reality Features: The Quest 3 introduces innovative mixed reality features, seamlessly blending the virtual and real worlds. This feature enhances immersion by allowing you to interact with virtual objects in your physical environment, opening up exciting possibilities for gaming and productivity.
Next-Level Performance: Equipped with a powerful processor and upgraded graphics, the Quest 3 delivers a high-performance VR experience. This means stunning visuals and smooth gameplay, even in demanding titles.
Crystal-Clear Resolution: The Quest 3 boasts an impressive resolution, ensuring that you see every detail with exceptional clarity. The high-resolution display enhances the realism of virtual worlds, making your VR experiences truly lifelike.
Wireless Immersion: The Quest 3 offers a completely wireless VR experience, allowing you to move freely without the hassle of tangled cables. This freedom enhances immersion and eliminates distractions.
Comfortable Design: Oculus has meticulously designed the Quest 3 for comfort. Its lightweight build and adjustable straps ensure that you can enjoy VR for extended periods without discomfort or fatigue.
Ergonomic Touch Controllers: The included touch controllers are not only precise but also comfortable to hold. They enhance interaction with virtual environments, making your actions feel natural and intuitive.
Versatility: One of its standout features is its versatility. The Quest 3 can be used as a standalone headset or tethered to a PC for even more graphics-intensive experiences. This flexibility allows you to choose the level of immersion you desire.
Effortless Setup: Setting up the Quest 3 is a breeze, thanks to its user-friendly interface and straightforward instructions. Whether you’re a newcomer or a VR enthusiast, you can be up and running quickly.
In summary, the Oculus Quest 3 is a technological masterpiece that offers a seamless, high-performance VR experience. Its mixed reality features, crystal-clear resolution, wireless design, powerful hardware, versatile functionality, and user-friendly features make it the best choice for anyone seeking a top-tier VR headset. Whether you’re exploring virtual worlds, engaging in intense gaming, or simply enjoying immersive entertainment, the Quest 3 delivers an unmatched level of quality and value in the world of virtual reality.