Oculus Quest 3: Everything you need to know

The Oculus Quest 3 is on the way - but not until 2023, if current rumors are to be believed. While Meta is set to release a VR headset sometime this year, the company has confirmed it won't be the successor to the hugely popular Oculus Quest 2.

So if not now then when should we expect to see the Quest 3 and more importantly what can we expect from the next-gen virtual reality headset?

While it's still early days, there are already rumors that give us a rough idea of ​​what to expect from Quest 3, including rumors of an early release date and feature leaks. We round up the latest Oculus Quest 3 rumors here.

Oculus Quest 3 release date rumors

When Oculus unveiled its high-end Project Cambria VR headset at the October 2021 meta keynote, many assumed it would be the successor to the Quest 2. But, as the company confirmed, it's a whole different line aimed at high-end VR gamers, and it's set to be released sometime in 2022.

If so, we probably won't see a successor to the standard Oculus Quest 2 until 2023 - after all, Meta doesn't want the two VR headsets to compete, even if they're designed for different audiences.

This is a timeline backed by Analyst Brad Lynch, who suggests that the updated Meta Quest 3 (as it will be known by then) will be revealed at Metas Connect 2023 event and released soon after. If the company sticks to the same schedule as it has in recent years, that could mean an October 2023 release of the Quest 3.

Of course, that's pretty far off, and Meta might adjust release date schedules later, so it's worth taking that information with a pinch of salt for now.

Oculus Quest 3 price rumors

While it's probably way too early for Meta to raise the price of the upcoming headset - especially if it's not due out before late 2023 - we can estimate the price based on the Quest 2.

You see, the Quest line is Meta's way of getting VR headsets into the hands of as many people as possible. In fact, Meta continues to subsidize the cost of the headset to offer it at such an enticing £299/$299 price point.

It's likely that this trend will continue with the Quest 3, maintaining the attractive entry price point to not only entice existing users to upgrade, but to continue to entice people into the world of virtual reality.

With that in mind, we expect the Quest 3 to cost a similar amount to the £299/$299 Oculus Quest 2, but we'll update this section if we hear otherwise.

Latest Oculus Quest 3 Rumors and Leaks

While it's relatively early days, the Quest 3 has already been the subject of leaks, giving us our first glimpses of the upcoming VR headset.

Improved performance

Powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR 2 platform, the Oculus Quest 2 delivers the stunning standalone performance we're all familiar with.

It's safe to assume that Meta and Qualcomm would continue this relationship with the Quest 3 and the Snapdragon XR3 mobile platform, which should be available by the time the Quest 3 goes into production.

However, VR analyst Brad Lynch suggests that Meta could take a different tack and develop its own chipset for the upcoming headset instead. According to the analyst, the company is reportedly working on a chip with "a focus on a GPU that's better tuned for VR loads" rather than "not relying on a SoC that all smaller XR players will be using."

While that doesn't give us much guidance, it does seem to confirm that the Quest 3 will have better graphics performance, which should result in better, more immersive games and apps available on the standalone platform.

It will also be able to differentiate itself from other VR/AR headset manufacturers using Qualcomm's platform, adding another USP to the headset - especially if there are significant improvements in the performance department.

If Meta manages to follow the trend of companies like Apple and Samsung making their own custom chips for their devices, the Quest 3 could have quite a performance boost.

uOLED displays

Another prediction from analyst Brad Lynch suggests the Quest 3 will offer quite an upgrade in the display department, reportedly ditching the Quest 2's LCD panels for much-improved uOLED technology, an upgraded form of OLED will.

That should result in more vivid images with deeper, more accurate colors for a more immersive, realistic virtual experience on the upcoming headset. OLED has been used in high-end VR headsets in the past, but it's the first time it's been used in a mass-market, entry-level VR headset.

Not much more is known about the display tech, including possible changes in resolution, field of view or lens, but it's exciting nonetheless.

Similar content you might like

By: Oculus Quest 3: Everything you need to know