Latest news with #Quest3
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Tom's Guide
5 Meta Quest 3 accessories to upgrade your VR setup — starting from just $19
As much as I enjoy using my Meta Quest 3, it's far from perfect. Any VR user will know that the Quest 3 and Quest 3S aren't exactly the most comfortable headsets, nor do they have the longest battery life. But a few add-ons can sort that out. I've been using Meta's VR headset to try out a bunch of its unique features lately, including setting up 3 virtual monitors through a Windows PC and learning how to draw using its mixed-reality capabilities. Oh, and satisfyingly beating up some thugs in Batman: Arkham Shadow. But I wouldn't have nearly enjoyed any of that as much if I didn't have the VR accessories to give the Quest 3 (or Quest 3S) the upgrades it deserves. From head straps with battery packs that offer hours of extra playtime while giving your head miles more comfort, to cables that give you lag-free access to PC VR, these aren't just handy add-ons — many are downright essential. Whether you're looking to give your Quest 3 or Quest 3S new life or are just about to grab the best VR headsets you can get today (I highly recommend it), I've rounded up the VR accessories that you won't want to miss — and some even come with a discount. Seeing as the Quest 3 was $649, it's a great time to grab the best VR headset for $499. It's an excellent choice, and the fact it's more affordable is a definite win. It also comes with the fantastic Batman: Arkham Shadow and 3-month subscription to Quest+ at no extra cost, which we think is exceptional value. The Meta Quest 3S is the best entry-level VR headset you can get. It comes packed with the same performance as its pricier sibling with the only real difference being it uses the same fresnel lenses as the Meta Quest 2, which means lower resolution. Otherwise, if you're looking to get into VR, grab this excellent bundle deal. Now, onto the the accessories that will make using your Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S shine. Want to go beyond Meta's offering of VR games and apps? Get the PC VR experience with a gamer-ready laptop by using this INIU Link Cable. At 16 feet, you're getting plenty of length to move freely despite being tethered, and it also offers an alternative way to charge your Meta Quest headset indefinitely while it's attached. This is the Link Cable you'll want. Even been so absorbed in a VR game that you end up punching a wall? Well, I have, and it hurts, and I'd prefer not to ruin the Quest's controllers too. The AMVR Touch Controller Grip Covers are the solutions, though, and they're the best knuckle straps for the Meta Quest 3 and 3S. Expect protection and more control, and the comfortable grips make sure the controllers stick to your hands, especially when you're furiously punching the air. I'm not a fan of the Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S' head strap that comes in the box. It does the job, but it can feel tight after long, active VR sessions. So, to elevate that comfort for longer VR sessions, you'll want to upgrade to the K4 Comfort Headstrap. It's extremely easy to set up, and gives you extra support when playing more movement-intensive games or apps. Better yet, it's now down to $34. Why not combine that comfort with a longer battery? That's exactly what the Kiwi Design K4 Boost Battery Head Strap offers, and you can expect an extra 3 hours of play with this fitted on. I'm a big fan of the Kiwi Design H4 Boost Halo strap, but this model is more affordable (and currently has a discount!). A set of earbuds made for virtual reality? That's what the Final VR3000 offer, and they even come with a solid microphone and plenty of comfort. We've tested the Final VR3000 Wireless earbuds, which are also a great shout if you're looking to cut the cord. But for something more affordable, and with the same immersive in-game sound quality, these wired buds will do the trick.
Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Meta Quest 3 should've killed big-screen TVs — here's why that didn't happen
When I reviewed the HTC Vive back in 2016, I thought VR headsets were about to set the world on fire. For roughly two months, the Vive was the best VR headset and I spent as much time as I could living in VR and demoing it for everyone who came over. One of the biggest features that I thought would take off was Viveport Video, a collection of 360-degree videos that offered a more immersive experience than standard 16x9 format content. Everyone wants to watch something on an infinitely big TV, right? Turns out, no. Not at all. And now I've finally got a few answers why. Now if you own a VR headset like the Meta Quest 3, you might actually use it for watching the best streaming services. However, sadly you're in the minority. According to a recent report by research firm Counterpoint, the sale of VR headsets dropped 12% year-over-year in 2024. And that was the third year in a row that sales have declined. Everyone has different numbers about the total number of units sold, but by the looks of things, it was only around 5 million units. By comparison, in 2024 the worldwide global sales of TVs reached 230 million units. And that number doesn't fluctuate by a ton each year. In 2020, 2021 and 2023, there were more than 200 million units sold worldwide. So why are TVs selling so much better than VR headsets? One very good reason is because TVs are becoming more affordable while VR headsets cost just as much as they did almost a decade ago. When you can buy one of the best TVs for under $500, you're probably not in a rush to go out and spend $500 on a stand-alone VR headset that you've never tried before. Maybe you'd jump on the opportunity to try VR if there was a good headset available for less than $100, but at that price you're going to have to buy one secondhand. In short, one reason that VR headsets haven't overtaken TVs is because of low sales and stagnant prices. There just aren't enough headsets out there and evangelists preaching the benefits about watching movies and shows in VR As it turns out, good headsets are hard to make. Or, well, at least harder to make than a good TV. Very early on in the advent of VR, it was decided that a 90Hz refresh rate is the minimum you'd want on a screen that close to your face. Any slower, and you're more likely to feel motion sick. Ideally, you'd want more than a 90Hz refresh rate, but then that will come at the cost of lower resolution. Now, I should mention that the Quest 3 defaults to a 90Hz refresh rate, but that can be changed to 120Hz in the settings. However, not every application and game takes advantage of the faster refresh rate. What that means is that some apps are going to cause less nausea than others. I've never watched a TV that's so bad that it's made me sick to my stomach. But let's be honest, any time spent feeling nauseous is bad. There's really no point when watching a TV would make you feel motion sick. The soap opera effect is unpleasant, sure, and bad motion interpolation can induce headaches. But I've never watched a TV that's so bad that it's made me sick to my stomach. Sadly, the same can't be said for VR. When watching videos alone, I'd argue that VR is as good as a cheap TV. Now, admittedly, because I review them professionally I'm always going to enjoy the better contrast of a QD-OLED screen than the LCD of a Quest 3, but good luck finding a Samsung S95F for $500. But when it comes to sharing content with someone else in the same room as you, TVs can't be beat. Sure, you can Cast some of what you're doing in VR to a TV to share with someone (and one of my favorite VR games, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, uses that to its advantage). But it's hard to share videos without introducing latency issues. For that reason, if you're in the same room, it just makes more sense to share a screen rather than Casting something so one person can watch in VR while another watches on a screen. That said, if you have a friend who lives far away, VR can be a nice meeting place to come together and watch a movie. Apps like Bigscreen make that possible, though... again, it doesn't feel like enough people know about it and quality isn't always perfect. Look, as much as I enjoy watching and reviewing them, TVs aren't perfect. Setting them up is a huge pain, and like phones and tablets, the displays themselves don't always survive for more than five or six years. I'm not rooting for the death of TVs, mind you, but a change in form factor wouldn't hurt. LG's Transparent TV is a great example of what I'd like: It's a screen that fades into the background when you're not using it. AR stands a real chance at taking down TVs... but I don't know anyone willing to shell out $3,500 for the Apple Vision Pro. In its current form — at its current price point — VR isn't going to overtake TVs. There's still too many kinks. Now, AR stands a real chance at taking down TVs... but I don't know anyone willing to shell out $3,500 for the Apple Vision Pro. Until VR becomes more user-friendly or shoots down in price, TVs will continue to be the de facto screen on which we all watch shows and movies in 2025.
Gizmodo
11-06-2025
- Gizmodo
Okay, Apple Vision Pro's ‘Spatial Personas' Don't Look Like Trash Anymore
It's still too expensive to buy a headset to make one, though. For the average person, $3,500 is still too much money for Apple Vision Pro. The price is even more exorbitant when you compare it to a $300 Quest 3S or $500 Quest 3 headset with similar VR and XR capabilities, though the visual fidelity and responsiveness are not on the same level. At WWDC 2025, Apple announced visionOS 26 with a slew of new features, including 'spatial Personas,' widgets that you can anchor into your physical space like your walls, and a new spatial web browsing feature that converts 2D photos on websites into 3D ones. As genuinely cutting-edge as these features are (I kept saying 'wow,' 'whoa,' and 'holy sh*t' my entire demo time), it still costs you three-and-a-half grand to experience them. When Apple Vision Pro launched last year and then added spatial Personas—a 3D-generated avatar of yourself that can be used during FaceTime or in a virtual meeting—everybody laughed at them. Literally pointed and (in Nelson Muntz's voice) Ha-Ha-ed at how comically bad they could look. Many people's Personas had holes in the back of people's heads, hair without volume, and skin tones that looked just a bit too bright and clinical. And despite resembling the uncanny valley, there was something just a bit off about them. Here's what my Persona looked like at the time: I'm happy to report that spatial Personas are getting a, um, major facelift (pun intended). The capture process still involves holding the Vision Pro in front of you and using the cameras to 3D scan your face, but the detail of the avatar is so much more realistic. Here's what my new spatial Persona looks like in visionOS 26: There are still some imperfections (like the crookedness of my striped shirt), but my face—my god—it's almost like staring into a mirror. My long hair part was rendered accurately, and when I smiled and laughed, my teeth, cheeks, and eyebrows moved more naturally as opposed to before, which was kind of stiff. My Persona no longer looks like a PS3 character. If you're paying $3,500 for Vision Pro, your virtual self damn well better look more realistic than a console from almost 20 years ago! Apple's not saying what it did specifically to improve the quality of Personas (perhaps using more polygons?), but here's what the press release says: 'Taking advantage of industry-leading volumetric rendering and machine learning technology, the all-new Personas now have striking expressivity and sharpness, offering a full side profile view, and remarkably accurate hair, lashes, and complexion.' The rest of my Vision Pro demo was comparably mind-blowing (as Vision Pro still tends to be), but it also further drove home the fact that you need to have deep pockets in order to enjoy visionOS 26. I saw various widgets—clocks, calendars, a Lady Gaga poster that I could pinch with my fingers to play music, and even a framed window with a #shotoniPhone panorama of Japan's Mount Fuji that I could look 'into.' The higher resolution of Vision Pro's displays and the ability for the widgets to stay anchored or pinned on a wall without jittering or moving made them look very convincing as real objects. The only thing that broke the illusion was almost walking into walls trying to look more closely at the widgets. I also tried out the new spatial browsing in Safari. When toggled on, it turns the browser window into a Reader-ish mode view that removes all of a website's design and only shows the text and the media. As I scrolled down a page, 2D photos would convert into 3D ones with depth—Apple calls these 'spatial scenes.' And man, do they look good. The depth isn't like some cheapo 3D movie conversion. They look like they're shot with expensive 3D cameras, and unlike most 3D content that has a certain sweet spot for feeling the depth, you can actually view them from different angles. It's really neat. Before I took the Vision Pro off my head, I was teleported to the shore and taken ski gliding via 360-degree videos. Apple says visionOS 26 can play native 180-degree and 360-degree videos from Insta360, GoPro, and Canon cameras. There's no need to convert the video files into a compatible format for Vision Pro—they just work out of the box. While not as professional as Apple's own 'Immersive Video' content, this should at least get the ball rolling on expanding user-created content. It's a baby step, but a necessary one considering one of the biggest roadblocks to the Vision Pro, besides the large price tag, is having enough spatial/immersive content for users to consume. Apple didn't have a demo for using PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers to play games in Vision Pro, but I'm sure I'll get to try that out at some point. I have the controllers at home, so whenever that's ready to go, I'll give it a whirl. I left my visionOS 26 demo impressed at the progress Apple's making. Spatial computing is starting to take a more solid shape. I just wish Apple would drop the price on Vision Pro or hurry up and release a cheaper version so more people could try out this cutting-edge tech. I always feel like nobody believes me when I tell them how awesome Vision Pro and visionOS on a technological level. They just look at the price and stop listening, which is a real shame.
Tom's Guide
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Score! Get $50 off the Meta Quest 3S
Priced at $299, the Meta Quest 3S is a fantastic value for anyone looking to get into VR. Now that it's on sale, the Meta Quest 3S is a no-brainer for any gamer. For a limited time, you can grab the Meta Quest 3S (128GB) with Batman: Arkham Shadow and Meta Horizon+ (3 months) for $269 at Best Buy. That's one of the best Meta Quest 3S deals I've seen. If you want more storage, you can also get the Meta Quest 3S (256GB) with Batman: Arkham Shadow and Meta Horizon+ (3 months) for $349 at Best Buy. You're saving $30 and $50, respectively. The Meta Quest 3S is already the best VR headset for the money, but with $30 off the price and Batman: Arkham Shadows included, it now offers plenty of value. Expect the same performance as the pricier Quest 3, but with a smaller field of view and lower resolution. Other than that, expect to play an excellent VR game right off the bat, and even more thanks to its 3-month Quest+ subscription. Need more room to store your games and apps? This model comes with 256GB of storage space and saves you $50. In our Meta Quest 3S review, we named it the best entry-level VR headset around, and it's not just because of its affordable price. It sports the same performance as the Quest 3, all wrapped up in a compact design. With Batman: Arkham Shadow being included in this bundle, you'll be playing one of the best Meta Quest 3 games we've played. Playing as Batman is one thing, but Arkham Shadows is true to its "Arkham" legacy, with a great story, thrilling combat and an all new location filled with secrets to explore. It's one of those VR games you'll want to fully complete. Meanwhile, the free 3-month trial of Meta Horizon+ will give you access to an expansive catalog of games you can play instantly, plus two curated titles every month, and exclusive deals. (After your trial is up, you can cancel or pay $59.99/year for the service or $7.99/month). In addition to games, the Quest 3S is also great for streaming shows on Netflix and more. While we've found my Quest 3S to have a short battery life and be uncomfortable to wear after long sessions, you can always grab a VR battery strap to boost playtime and comfort. This Meta Quest 3S deal is a must for anyone looking to get into VR or has yet to experience becoming Batman (it's an absolute treat).
Tom's Guide
04-06-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Meta Quest 4 may be delayed until 2027 — but a lightweight alternative could take its place next year
The Meta Quest 4 is being pushed back until 2027, according to a recent leak, but we may be seeing an all-new lightweight VR device in 2026 instead — and it comes with an external puck. Meta appears to be shifting focus for its upcoming VR headset plans, with notable leakers Brad Lynch and Luna on X stating that the company may switch the release of the Quest 4 from next year to 2027. This is apparently due to two planned prototype headsets, codenamed "Pismo Low" (a budget model similar to the Quest 3S) and "Pismo High" (a high-end headset akin to the Quest 3), being canceled. According to the leaks, a "high-end device" is looking to arrive in 2026 instead, and it's set to be a lightweight headset that runs Horizon OS with an external compute puck, codenamed "Puffin." Yes, I too have heard whispers that Meta may swap the release schedule and debut their new high-end device in 2026, rather than Quest 4. Quest 4 would then ship a year 2, 2025 We've heard that Meta was developing a Quest Pro "successor" instead of a Quest Pro 2, and it appears Puffin could fit into that slot. According to RoadtoVR, this ultralight device would resemble VR goggles rather than a headset, and will be less focused on gaming than Meta's usual headsets. Instead, Puffin is rumored to be all about virtual screens, offering users a multi-screen setup for entertainment and productivity purposes. This isn't unlike some of the best AR glasses, including the upcoming Viture XR smart glasses. However, it stands out as the Horizon OS-based device is tipped to come with that compute puck — small enough to fit in a jacket pocket. This would be tethered to the device and deliver processing power, making it lighter to wear. It isn't unlike the Apple Vision Pro, although that headset's external device is a battery. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Rumors also indicate Meta's Puffin device won't arrive with any controllers, instead using hand-tracking to navigate around menus. That's what we've seen in the Quest 3 and Vision Pro already, but it could mean it won't offer any gaming-centric features. Interestingly, Lynch indicates Valve's Deckard headset will be available in 2026, with previous details suggesting it could launch in Fall 2025. Along with an upcoming Asus ROG VR headset (set to be the first third-party headset to use Horizon OS) in the works, there are a few VR devices coming our way. While the Quest 4 may not arrive until 2027 now, Meta's upcoming Puffin is still looking to be at the forefront of next-gen VR devices — and Apple may be scrambling to beat it to the punch. According to 9to5Mac, the Cupertino tech giant wants to launch its Apple Glasses ahead of Meta's offerings, but with Meta's changed plans, we could see its AR glasses get pushed up. What's more, rumor has it that the next Apple Vision Pro headset could drop sooner than we think. So 2026 is shaping up to be a big year for VR and AR devices, and while we'll have to wait and see what Meta ends up delivering, along with other headsets from major competitors, it's clear we have a lot to look forward to. That's not all we have coming our way, as we may see Meta's $1,000 smart glasses with a built-in screen arriving this year.
