Final 12 months Meta launched the Quest 3, a $500 VR headset that shares some options of the costlier Quest Professional. Should you’d prefer to discover digital actuality for video games, leisure, and work, there are a number of factors to think about earlier than making a choice between the Quest 3 and Quest Professional.
The working system and app library are just about the identical. So we have to look at the worth, efficiency, picture high quality, consolation, and particular options to find out the greatest VR headset and allow you to determine which is correct in your wants.
In some ways, the Meta Quest 3 is a game-changing VR headset that raises the bar for low-cost standalone options, as you’ll be able to learn in our Meta Quest 3 evaluation. Nonetheless, its design is nearer to that of the Quest 2, whereas Meta launched a number of new ideas within the Quest Professional (learn our Meta Quest Professional evaluation for extra particulars).
Consolation
Consolation is typically neglected in VR since there’s an inclination to think about the headset as expertise, like a pc, pill, or gaming console. In fact, it’s a wearable, so consolation is a crucial think about usability.
It would come as a shock that the Meta Quest 3 is 207 grams lighter than a Quest Professional. Regardless of this truth, the Quest Professional will probably be extra comfy for most individuals.
The perimeters and backside of the Quest Professional are open. Additionally, the battery is in the back of the headset, so the burden is extra evenly distributed.
The Quest 3 has a full gentle defend and battery within the entrance. The slimmer profile and improved comfortable strap ease face stress, and I discovered it comfy for about an hour of gameplay, however my pores and skin did get a bit irritated.
“VR face” is a typical impact of spending an hour or extra sporting a Quest 3. A pink ring within the form of the headset stays for fairly a while after eradicating it. It’s extra noticeable for some individuals than others, and accent headbands typically assist alleviate this drawback. If in case you have delicate pores and skin, the Quest 3 may put noticeable stress in your face after an hour of use.
The Quest Professional’s design leads to the show hovering in entrance of your eyes with out stress in your nostril or cheeks. I can put on it for hours with out discomfort. The draw back is that the burden, balanced as it’s, rests upon your brow. It’s a bony space that may bear extra weight, however some customers discover it uncomfortable.
The Quest Professional’s extra open facial interface helps when figuring out in VR or taking part in intense video games that may trigger sweating and steaminess in a Quest 3. Most individuals think about the Quest Professional to be extra comfy total. With both headset, it takes time to refine the match, so enable every week or so to regulate to the headset you select.
Efficiency
Units designated as the professional mannequin are normally quicker, however that’s not at all times true when evaluating totally different generations. The Quest Professional launched in October 2022, whereas Meta’s Quest 3 arrived a full 12 months later.
In expertise, even a couple of months can convey large modifications. The Qualcomm XR2+ Gen 1 processor powering the Quest Professional was a step up from the Quest 2, however the Quest 3 is considerably quicker with its Qualcomm XR2 Gen 2 chip.
Meta says the Quest 3 has twice the GPU efficiency of the Quest 2. The margin over the Quest Professional isn’t recognized, nevertheless it’s important. Most video games will goal Quest 2 compatibility for one more 12 months or two, however there are a number of already benefiting from the Quest 3’s improved graphics functionality.
The Quest Professional has 50% extra reminiscence, 12GB versus the Quest 3’s 8GB. That would enable higher multitasking and productiveness, however I haven’t observed that in my testing.
Picture high quality
Meta gave the Quest Professional an enormous increase in readability by utilizing pancake optics as a substitute of the older Fresnel lenses of the Quest 2. The Quest 3 advantages from that analysis and in addition makes use of pancake lenses, which get rid of “god ray” artifacts and broaden the candy spot for higher edge-to-edge readability.
The Quest 3 has Meta’s highest-resolution show, with 30% extra pixels and a barely wider discipline of view than the Quest Professional. The Quest 3’s refresh fee can attain 120Hz, whereas the Quest Professional has a most of 90Hz.
Nonetheless, the Quest Professional options mini-LED backlighting for deeper blacks and the next dynamic vary. For visible high quality, it’s a matter of desire. Do you favor a sharper picture or higher dynamic vary? The Quest 3 delivers the previous, whereas the Quest Professional presents the latter.
Combined actuality
One of many headline options of the Quest Professional, a shade mixed-reality view that blends graphics into your bodily atmosphere, caught the eye of the media. Meta’s VR headset supplied a convincing glimpse of what’s going to be attainable in AR glasses of the longer term.
Whereas it’s attention-grabbing for demonstrations, few video games and apps provided a compelling purpose to make use of blended actuality. It’s enjoyable to play a digital board recreation in your desk, however typically the expertise is best in VR the place your folks have faces, even when they appear cartoonish.
AR could be a function that works greatest as glasses if you’re transferring round and searching for pc help in every day life. VR is supposed to be immersive so you’ll be able to lose your self in one other world.
For folks and pet house owners, nevertheless, there’s a very good purpose to remain conscious of your atmosphere. Combined actuality video games permit you to see what’s occurring in the actual world so you’ll be able to keep away from stepping on a cat or crashing into somebody strolling via your play house.
Whether or not or not you’ve a powerful curiosity in blended actuality, the Quest 3 will outperform the Quest Professional on this space. The Quest 3 additionally features a depth sensor to routinely map your room, whereas marking out a protected play space on the Quest Professional is a handbook course of.
Controllers and dock
The Quest Professional nonetheless has some unique options lacking from the Quest 3. Eye-tracking and face-tracking are solely attainable with {hardware} constructed into the costlier Meta headset.
The Quest Professional comes with a handy charging dock to prime up the battery the second you set it apart. Plugging in a cable isn’t an enormous trouble, and the dock additionally concurrently costs the controllers.
The Quest 3 makes use of AA batteries, so there could possibly be occasions when your controllers die and also you’re out of batteries. The Quest 3 controllers look just like the Contact Professional controllers of the Quest Professional, however lack their precision monitoring. The Quest 3’s cameras should see the controllers to trace them, whereas the Contact Professional controllers are self-tracking.
Meta does promote a Quest 3 dock with rechargeable batteries for the Contact Plus controllers, nevertheless it provides $130 to the worth.
Value
There are execs and cons for each headsets, however the Quest 3 is a more moderen system with higher picture high quality and superior efficiency at a lower cost. For $500, it’s laborious to go incorrect with a 128GB Meta Quest 3.
Nonetheless, the Quest Professional wins on consolation and ease of use. It comes with twice as a lot storage and 50% extra reminiscence. Professionals may select the Quest Professional for these causes alone. Add in eye-tracking and face-tracking for VR chats and conferences and you’ll see the place it could possibly be price the additional price.
The Meta Quest Professional at the moment sells for $1,000 with 256GB of storage. The Quest 3 is $500 with 128GB of storage. The 512GB mannequin prices $650 and has double the storage of the Quest Professional.
Which is best for you?
For most individuals, the Quest 3 is a straightforward, automated selection. In order for you a low-cost VR headset for gaming, health, 360 films, and customarily exploring digital and blended actuality, it’s an thrilling new headset with an enormous library and an extended future forward of it. Meta will hold promoting the Quest 2, now at $250, for these on a good funds.
The Quest Professional is nice for individuals with delicate pores and skin who need to keep away from irritation from the stress of the system on their face. Should you’re going to pop into VR all through the day and may’t wait an hour for the consequences of VR face to fade, Meta’s premium headset largely solves that drawback.
Should you plan to make use of a VR headset for work and will probably be going out and in regularly, the dock and rechargeable controllers hold batteries full and able to go at a second’s discover with the Quest Professional. For digital conferences, the Quest Professional can animate the face and eyes of your avatar for a extra pure look and nonverbal communication.
In the end, if the Quest Professional prices an excessive amount of, the Quest 3 will work effectively for most individuals. Should you can afford both, take a second to think about the way you’ll use the system earlier than making a choice. There’s a purpose Meta will promote each.
Incessantly requested questions
Is Quest 3 higher than Imaginative and prescient Professional?
Like with many different product comparisons, the reply to this query largely is determined by your wants, preferences, and funds when it comes shopping for certainly one of these headsets. To make the proper resolution for your self, it will be useful to see a complete comparability of the 2 headsets’ options. Fortunately, we now have simply the information for that. Should you’re pondering of shopping for a Quest 3 or a Imaginative and prescient Professional, take a look at our Meta Quest 3 versus Imaginative and prescient Professional comparability information.
Does Meta Quest Professional have eye monitoring?
Sure, the Meta Quest Professional has eye monitoring. If you wish to be taught extra about different options the Quest Professional has, check out our evaluation of the Quest Professional.
Which video games ought to I check out with my Meta Quest 3?
Some video games you may get pleasure from taking part in in your Meta Quest 3 embrace: Asgard’s Wrath II and The Strolling Lifeless: Saints & Sinners. In order for you extra particulars on these video games, otherwise you simply want extra options for video games to play, take a look at our checklist of the most effective video games on Meta Quest 3.
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