Mark Zuckerberg has announced Meta’s new VR headset, the Meta Quest Pro, bringing a host of new innovative features to the mixed reality experience.
The new Meta Quest Pro is smaller than its predecessor thanks to the pancake lenses folding light over several times but still showing off an improved sharpness in the images. The rear of the device this time houses a curved battery giving the Meta Quest Pro a more ergonomic feel so it will be more comfortable for longer.
The outward-facing cameras are able to capture four times as many pixels and detail as the previous generation, the Meta Quest 2. Inside, the resolution of the LCD displays is also increased and the image quality is improved thanks to local dimming and quantum dot technology giving sharper visuals and more vibrant colours for your experience.
Powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ the Meta Quest Pro provides better heat dissipation than the Quest 2 resulting in an improved performance. Other notable specs include 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and 10 high resolution sensors (five inside and five outside).
The lenses in the Quest Pro are also an upgrade over the previous generation with the new optical stack replacing the Fresnel lenses in the Quest 2. This decreases the depth of the optical module by nearly half.
Meta Quest 2 only allowed you to see the world outside your device in black and white, but the new Quest Pro allows for full colour viewing of your outside environment. This enables you to combine your physical environment with virtual elements in a more realistic way.
Included in the box is the headset, Meta Quest Touch Pro controllers, stylus tips, partial light blockers, and a charging dock. The new Touch Pro controllers now include three built-in sensors in each controller to accurately track their position in 3D space independent of the headset allowing for stable tracking across all of the VR apps you use. The controllers also have a new design and are now also much more ergonomic and balanced and include new haptics as well for an overall improved experience with them.
The Meta Quest Pro will co-exist alongside the Quest 2, with the Quest 2 serving as an entry-level device to multifunctional VR and MR. Meta Quest Pro will also be backwards compatible with the Meta Quest 2 catalogue and expect to see many Quest Pro apps arriving very soon.
The Meta Quest Pro seems to be a big jump forward in all facets of the VR and MR experience but it does come at a cost. Meta Quest Pro will be available at AU$2,449.99. This includes the headset, Meta Quest Touch Pro controllers, stylus tips, partial light blockers, and a charging dock. From today, you can pre-order your Meta Quest Pro on meta.com. With global shipping starting from 25th October.
