Placing the $499 Meta Quest 3 up in opposition to the $3,499 Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional? Am I loopy? Slightly, however we’re not speaking about my private life. Follow me right here, although, as a result of this mismatch will not be as wild as you suppose.
Meta has bought the leap on Apple in making a real Combined Actuality (MR) headset, and whereas there are some massive jumps in specs (as you’d anticipate when evaluating units at two very totally different worth factors), these upgrades could not essentially be price that further three luggage.
So, somewhat than babble on, let’s take a more in-depth take a look at the variations, and assist you decide about whether or not you must seize the cheaper possibility or spend massive.
Meta Quest 3 vs Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional: Specs
| Machine | Meta Quest 3 | Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Beginning Worth | $499 / $649 | $3499 |
| Chipset | Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 | Apple M2 Chip / R1 Chip |
| Storage | 128GB / 512GB | TBD |
| RAM | 8GB | TBD |
| Show | 4K+ Infinite Show (2x LCD shows at 2,064 x 2,208 pixel per eye), as much as 120Hz refresh fee | 4K decision show per eye |
| Lenses | Pancake lens optical stack | Zeiss Optical lens stack |
| Monitoring | 6 cameras, 2 MR sensors, 1 depth projector | 12 cameras, 5 sensors, eye monitoring |
| Battery | Approx. 2.2 hours runtime | Approx. 2 hours runtime |
Meta Quest 3 vs Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional: Design
The Meta Quest 3 takes loads from the Quest 2’s playbook by way of aesthetics and design. Whereas it’s 40% slimmer, it nonetheless sports activities that very same all-white matte plastic physique with a black foam lining and cloth head strap.
The principle distinction you’ll discover is the three sensors on the entrance of the headset, which can set off some with a specific phobiaand provides the headset a barely more unusual look general in comparison with the minimalist look of the Quest 2.
On high of that, the thinner profile offers a extra customizable match than Quest 2 to allow improved consolation for longer intervals of use.
- Meta Quest 3 headset dimensions: 184 x 160 x 98 mm
- Meta Quest 3 headset weight: 515 grams
- Meta Quest 3 controller dimensions: 126 x 67 x 43 mm
- Meta Quest 3 controller weight: 126 grams
In the meantime, the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional reeks of luxurious from each angle — like if a pair of AirPods Max and a MacBook Professional bought a bit freaky. It’s a mixture of premium materials for the scarf, a single piece of 3D curved glass throughout the entrance, and a metallic casing.
Nothing particular has been confirmed concerning the dimensions and weight, however I can solely assume the much more premium supplies on supply right here will make it a chonky boi. On high of that, the battery is a separate piece of package that I assume you’ll must put in your pocket.
This raises some questions round usability, however we will’t actually make a strong judgment with out going correctly hands-on with the machine.
Meta Quest 3 vs Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional: Ports
It is a easy face-off. Whereas the Quest 3 ditches the three.5mm headset jack of the Quest 2, and simply sticks with a USB-C port for charging and information switch, the Imaginative and prescient Professional has no ports in anyway.
As an alternative, it opts for a magnetic connector on the facet to connect that battery pack. Whereas versatility on the Quest 3 has been restricted by the elimination of the audio jack, it’s nonetheless much more connectible to a wealth of units.
Meta Quest 3 vs Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional: Controllers
Impressed by the Quest ProfessionalMeta Quest 3 is ditching the loops on the high of the Quest 2 pads in a model new pair of Ring-free Contact Plus controllers with improved haptics. The remaining stays largely the identical with middle-finger and index-finger triggers in addition to a capacitive joystick, touchpad, and face buttons.
On high of that, with the upgraded sensors and emphasis on MR, you possibly can discover the digital area with simply your arms too, with improved accuracy of hand and finger monitoring.
Apple is taking a distinct method with the Imaginative and prescient Professional — ditching the controller altogether and relying totally on correct hand and finger monitoring to navigate the OS. After all, you possibly can join the likes of a PS5 DualSense controller to play all the finest Apple Arcade video games. However with quite a lot of VR video games reliant on controllers, I’ll be curious to see simply how builders port their titles over to this.
Meta Quest 3 vs Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional: Expertise
In the meanwhile, VisionOS is a bit intangible. We’ve seen loads, and we’ve heard loads. However till we attempt it, we will solely work off of what we all know and what others considered their temporary time with it.
The MR expertise of the Imaginative and prescient Professional is aimed fairly broadly throughout work and residential purposes — centering round a well-known dwelling display that you simply work together with utilizing eye monitoring and pinch gestures which can be picked up utilizing the sensors. A VR/AR combine could be absolutely custom-made to your style with the Digital Crown on the headset, which adjusts the immersion into no matter digital world you see.
In the meantime, Meta Quest 3’s expertise follows a bit in Apple’s footsteps with an MR expertise afforded to it by full-color passthrough cameras, which can permit apps and video games to mix into the atmosphere round you. It is a large improve over the grayscale picture the Quest 2 offers.
This opens up a literal world of latest potentialities for the Quest 3, just like what we noticed with the Quest Professional. You could possibly use the Quest 3 for productiveness duties, utilizing your precise laptop computer whereas augmenting it with further digital shows showing alongside it.
Video games can even be capable of overlay on actuality, with a digital tabletop gaming atmosphere proven within the trailer for Quest 3, letting gamers roll their cube and watch the outcomes of their actions play out on a digital board positioned on their desk because of the depth sensor within the Quest 3.
Outlook
On paper, this ought to be a mismatch. However given it appears seemingly that you would be able to get an identical MR expertise from Meta’s headset at $500 to what Imaginative and prescient Professional is touting for its machine seven occasions the associated fee, I’ve little doubt that Apple is getting a bit nervous proper now.
Positive, there are cutbacks between the 2 — the Imaginative and prescient Professional has a much more luxurious aesthetic and construct, which packs much more processing energy, and extra sensors for correct monitoring. Nevertheless, the Quest 3 affords quite a lot of the identical with much less highly effective elements, a plastic construct, and a vastly cheaper worth.
It’s sufficient to make anybody uncertain about whether or not Apple’s expensive choose is the way in which to go, particularly relating to the truth that Meta has years of app and recreation help underneath its belt. In the meanwhile, the selection appears apparent. However we’ll revisit this as soon as we will go arms on with the Imaginative and prescient Professional.
