Meta bets big on mixed reality with Quest Pro

Meta just announced Meta Quest Pro at their annual Connect event and it’s a big change from the regular Quest 2 in many ways. You’ve got all the standard upgrades like increased performance, better controllers and better optics, but its focus is arguably more on mixed reality (MR) than pure virtual reality (VR).

We saw this with the early MR apps available in Meta Quest 2, using the system’s low-resolution black-and-white through cameras to merge the virtual and physical worlds, but Meta Quest Pro takes this to the next level.

This is most evident from the design of the headset itself. Aside from a much thinner HMD (head-up display) than the Quest 2, thanks to the new pancake-shaped optics, you’ll notice the headset has an open peripheral design. In layman’s terms, this means you can see the real world at the edge without the light blockers of a traditional closed VR headset.

It doesn’t make much sense for VR where you don’t want to know about your real environment, but makes a lot of sense for MR.

The ability to see the real world at the edge when using MR applications feels more comfortable and natural, especially when combined with the new Meta pass-through cameras. The upgraded cameras not only bring color to mixed reality, but also have 4 times more pixels than the Quest 2 cameras, which also provides a fairly high resolution, which further helps to blur the lines between the real and virtual worlds.

Lewis Artist / Foundry

I went to the preview event for Meta Quest Pro before its announcement, and I can attest that it’s much more convenient to have the real world on your peripherals when using MR apps – which I could showcase a lot. This meant I could keep track of what was happening around me, which is perfect for use in work scenarios as Meta suggests, and I felt more confident walking around the space than with a traditional VR headset in pass-through.

However, it’s interesting to note that while I tried my hand at six MR demos during the event, there weren’t any demos adapted for VR, further pointing to the Meta’s intentions for the headset.

I have to admit that the mixed reality experience offered by the new Meta headset is impressive, bringing the augmented future closer than ever before. Being able to paint on a virtual canvas and put different brushes on a real table next to me is exciting, and the idea of ​​hanging my virtual works on my wall in the real world is pretty cool too.

Lewis Artist / Foundry

It’s not exactly the thin AR glasses of tomorrow, but it’s a good example of the kind of experience we should expect.

But what about those of us who want to play Beat Saber on our shiny new headset? Meta has confirmed that all Quest 2 content can be used on the Quest Pro. The Meta solution is a pair of side light blockers that magnetically snap into place when you want to feel more immersed, and the good news is they’re included.

Lewis Artist / Foundry

It still doesn’t bring it any closer to Quest 2’s closed VR experience with light still visible from under the headset, but Meta says there will be a $49.99/£49.99 full light blocker designed for total darkness – it’s just a disgrace. which is not included with the headset. The fact that this doesn’t mean that Meta is truly focused on the mixed reality experience, and that those looking for a traditional VR experience should stick with the entry-level Meta Quest 2.

The real question is, are consumers (and developers) ready for the transition to mixed reality, or should Meta first refine the virtual world before trying to mix them up? Time will tell.

The Meta Quest Pro is available for pre-order right now for a steep $1499 / £1499 on the Meta website and retailers including Amazon in the US and Amazon and curry in the UK, the release is set for October 25th. We’ll cover where to buy Meta Quest Pro, in more detail separately if you’re interested.

To learn more about Meta’s first high-end headset, take a look at everything you need to know about the Meta Quest Pro. We also have the first unofficial details on Meta Quest 3 for those looking forward to the next generation of headsets.