Meta Launches $1,500 Quest Pro VR Headset Designed to Work in the Metaverse

Big picture: The new Quest Pro from Meta is a high quality VR/MR headset ideal for professional use. Users can use it to visualize 3D product models, create as many virtual “screens” of a real workspace as needed, communicate effectively and collaborate with remote colleagues, and more. It is also backwards compatible with Quest 2 apps and games.

At Meta Connect 2022 Mark Zuckerberg disclosed Quest Pro’s latest virtual reality headset. It’s a standalone headset, just like the mainstream Quest 2 launched a couple of years ago, which means it doesn’t need to be plugged into a PC or console.

The Meta Quest Pro is the first device to use the all-new Qualcomm processor. 1st Generation Snapdragon XR2+ Platformwhich reportedly delivers 50% higher sustained power and 30% improved thermal performance over the Quest 2 chipset. It also comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

It has five external sensors, offering users a high-resolution color image and thus enabling mixed reality. Five more internal sensors track the user’s gaze and facial expressions, allowing for pitted rendering and making avatars look more natural. Meta claims that images of your face and eyes will remain on the headset and will not be shared with third-party apps.

The Quest Pro also features new and improved display panels. The two LCD screens use local dimming and quantum dot technology, each with a resolution of 1800×1920 and a maximum refresh rate of 90Hz. Meta claims that the new lenses improve sharpness and have less depth, allowing the headset to have a thinner goggle-like profile. However, battery life suffers a lot. Users can only expect one to two hours of use on a single charge instead of two to three hours of Quest 2.

Quest Pro comes with a pair Quest Touch Pro Controllers, each with three built-in sensors to help track their position without the need for line-of-sight with the headset. They also have improved tactile sensations and new features, such as a pressure sensor for the thumb rest, allowing for a natural pinching gesture.

Meta Quest Pro is available today for pre-order at $1499.99and deliveries will begin on October 25th.