Should I wait for Meta Quest 3? It's certainly one of the first questions that came to mind when we first heard that it may be heading our way.
And can you blame us? The Meta Quest 3 is tipped to be a bit of a gamechanger, but is it worth holding out for? What options are available now or even tipped to arrive ahead of the 'next-gen' of Quests?
Here's what you should know if you're currently deciding...
How Long Will The Wait For Meta Quest 3 Be?
It looks like you'll be holding out for a while if you do decide to wait for the Meta Quest 3, as it's currently predicted to be heading our way in Q3 2023, according to reputable analyst Brad Lynch.
At the current time, the Meta Quest 3 does not have an official release date and there are other VR headsets that could beat it to the punch.
These include PSVR 2, Apple's AR headset and even the mysterious Project Cambria, which may or may not be the Meta Quest Pro, and Google's Project Iris that is reportedly in development.
The Quest 3 may also have to compete with some of the best smart glasses out there, including some upcoming models from TCL and Oppo, and of course, the Apple Glasses that are also reportedly in development with an apparent release date in a few years time.
But let's take a look at what the current offering is, and if it's worth investing in now.
Read More: Meta Quest 3 Release Date: When Could The Oculus Quest 3 Release?
Is Oculus Quest 2 Worth It?
Oculus Quest 2 has been available for quite some time and has been growing in popularity thanks to a number of factors.
Price
In terms of investment, the Quest 2 is available from $299 / £299, which may seem like a fair chunk of change.
However, when you consider you don't need a PC to run the VR headset, it becomes far more affordable, especially when compared to the Rift S for example and also when put up against the Vive Pro 2 and when compared to the Valve Index, all of which will require one of the best gaming PCs or best gaming laptops in order to run well.
Features
There are also some brilliant accessories available for the Quest 2 which can enhance your gaming experience both from a comfort and gameplay level.
We're expecting to see more of this during the build-up and after the release of Meta Quest 3, and it may be the case that the Quest 3 features an even larger library of accessories than the Quest 2 including new straps, cables, headphones and more.
Games
The Quest 2 also features a continually growing game library, and you'll also find that it can play SteamVR games when connected to a PC or laptop.
There are iconic games like Beat Saber, Horizon Worlds and Skyrim VR to enjoy, but also a number of amazing mods to boot. Speaking of mods, there's also plenty for Blade & Sorcery and Half-Life: Alyx out there which can be enjoyed when the Quest 2 is connected to Steam.
In addition, expect to find plenty of fantastic multiplayer games that can be played either via Steam or through the Oculus store like Real VR Fishing and Population.
There's also a slew of brilliant free games available via the Oculus store and on Steam that can be played on the Quest 2, meaning that sometimes you don't have to spend anything to get a marvellous experience, such as Roblox and DCS World, for instance.
If you're also a fan of games that will make you think, then the Quest 2 also features some brilliant VR puzzle games that can range from simple escape rooms to full-scale investigations.
Read More: Best VR Games: Our Top Must-Play Titles
Moreover, if you're a fan of games from lesser-known devs, then the Oculus Store is also home to some amazing VR indie games, ranging from detailed mech simulators to eight-bit arcade shooters, and a whole lot more besides.
For those wanting something more frightening, the Oculus Store and Steam also have plenty of the best VR horror games available to play, and in VR, the scares are a fair bit more immersive.
You can even sideload games onto your Quest 2 thanks to connecting it to SideQuest which opens you up to an entirely new storefront of games and apps to explore, including letting you play Minecraft on Quest 2 and classics such as Doom and Wolfenstein 3D in VR with specific installers and install some of the best VR mods.
Moreover, you can also share your games library between different users by setting up multiple accounts, so more people can enjoy some great titles.
And there's more to come, including Startenders, Cities VR, GTA San Andreas VR, Lost Ember VR, Peaky Blinders VR, Wands Alliances and Among Us VR, which will definitely be worth looking out for.
click to enlargeShould I Wait For Meta Quest 3?
While deciding whether or not you should wait for the Quest 3 ultimately comes down to your personal preference, we think that right now, you're better off securing the Quest 2.
There are a few reasons behind this, largely focused on how long you'd have to wait vs what enhancements you're waiting for.
Firstly, from recent reports, it looks like Project Cambria may even beat it to the punch. So you may be asking if you should wait for Project Cambria instead, which it may be worth doing, considering the headset is being posited as more of a powerful device that's akin to the HTC Vive Pro 2 and Valve Index.
That being said, the price of both Project Cambria and Meta Quest 3 should be higher than the Oculus Quest 2, especially on release, given the Quest 2 will then be older hardware, and Meta may wish to sell the stock so the Quest 3 takes centre stage.
That means that if you're waiting for it to drop or enter the sales, we could be talking years until you upgrade.
Read More: Should I Wait For PSVR 2?
There's a lot to look forward to, however, as it may be the case that Meta Quest 3 will bring features like expandable storage, Bluetooth support and proper support for full-body tracking.
This could come alongside retaining the ability to play Steam games and be used without a PC, alongside featuring hand tracking, and even working with a PS5 if Sony allows it to.
On the point of full body tracking, a reference to it has been spotted in the Quest 2's SDK, so it may be coming to the current-gen in a future update, and possibly even to future headsets like the Quest 3, which would make it worth the wait.
In addition, rumours have suggested the Quest 3 will utilise uLED panels, a form of OLED display that could offer up some rather good contrast and colour accuracy.
This would be a significant improvement on the Quest 2's LCDs and take the Quest 3 to the next level by way of its resolution and pixel density.
Read More: Will Meta Quest 3 Work With PS5?
Speaking of uLED panels, data miners have managed to find some reference to a Meta headset known as 'Seabright', which according to analyst Brad Lynch, refers to a uLED variant of Project Cambria.
Despite this, the only headset from Meta we've heard rumoured to be using uLED panels for now at least is the Quest 3, which is certainly rather interesting.
On the front of pixel density, the Quest 3 may have some stiff competition if Ross Young's point about the PSVR 2 featuring panels with 800 PPI is true.
It may make sense therefore for the Quest 3 to be a more compact and sleeker-looking headset than the Quest 2 and offer lower weight if the displays can offer a higher resolution but with higher levels of pixel density to fit into a smaller space.
This sleeker design has also been echoed by the likes of Sony who recently unveiled their PSVR 2 headset with a first look at its more modern-looking, orb design that also features adjustable lenses, a cooling fan, and a mechanism to stop the lenses from steaming up.
Read More: PSVR 2 Vs Oculus Quest 2: How do they compare?
It has also been said by analyst Brad Lynch that Meta may be developing their own silicon for the headset which will be more focused on supporting a more graphically-intense VR device. even if Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR3 is available by its anticipated 2023 release date.
A more graphically intense VR gaming experience would certainly be welcome and could certainly take the Quest 3 to the next level. It may be the case that ts power is so great that it could run SteamVR games natively, although this of course remains to be seen.
It may also make sense for the Quest 3 to feature a higher capacity battery as it'll improve battery life and allow you to play for longer before the headset does require charging.
The fact remains that the Oculus Quest 2 is still one of the best VR headsets around, especially since the Rift S has been discontinued alongside the Oculus Go.
It's a popular go-to for those who want to step into the world of VR gaming, and even better, you can often find it on sale too!
READ MORE: Project Cambria: Release Date, Latest News, Leaks, And More