{"id":3194,"date":"2023-11-15T22:35:05","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T22:35:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vrlowdown.com\/?p=3194"},"modified":"2023-11-15T22:38:28","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T22:38:28","slug":"meta-quest-3-vs-quest-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vrlowdown.com\/meta-quest-3-vs-quest-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Meta Quest 3 Vs Quest 2: Which Headset Should You Choose?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In the rapidly evolving world of virtual reality, making a decision about which headset to purchase can be as immersive as the experience itself. Whilst Meta Quest 3 is superior to Quest 2 in terms of hardware specifications, it comes with a heftier price tag. Does its technological prowess justify the investment for newcomers, and is it a worthwhile upgrade for current Quest 2 enthusiasts?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re about to embark on your first VR journey or standing at the crossroads of upgrading, this article aims to provide you with all the necessary information to make a decision that\u2019s right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Meta Quest 3 was released in October 2023 and comes with big upgrades in most areas compared to the Meta Quest 2. It has better lenses, display panels, and field of view (FOV). It has about twice the processing power of the Quest 2 and integrates fairly impressive mixed reality capabilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for the best standalone VR headset available today, Meta Quest 3 is the clear winner, and it should be top of your list to consider. I can confidently recommend the Meta Que<\/a>s<\/a>t 3<\/a><\/strong> to most people who are looking to get their first VR headset, as long as you are willing to spend $500+ for the experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, both the Quest 2 and Quest 3 are able to play the same VR games, and except for the MR functionality, can do most of the same things. You can buy a brand new 128 GB Meta Quest 2 for $250 (\u00a3250) or a second-hand one for around $200, compared to the 128GB Quest 3 which currently costs $500 (\u00a3479.99). All of a sudden, the decision doesn\u2019t seem as easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Quest 2 was released in October 2020 and I\u2019ve used it extensively since then<\/a><\/strong>. It\u2019s a great headset and the content library available on the Meta store is extensive. Although the technology has now been superseded, Meta has no plans to stop supporting Meta Quest 2, and with an enormous install base of somewhere in the region of 20 million headsets, it\u2019s likely to get new content, and full support for at least a few years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking to try VR for the first time without too much financial commitment, the Quest 2 sounds like a good option. You can play all of the same VR games as the Quest 3, admittedly with reduced graphical fidelity. Mixed reality is severely limited on Quest 2 in view of the low-quality grayscale passthrough cameras on the Quest 2, but as long as you are happy to forgo this feature, then Quest 2 has a lot to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the attractions and undoubtedly good value of the Quest 2, you should hesitate before buying it. The technology is three years old and is only going to get more outdated over time. The lenses and displays look poor in comparison to Quest 3, and the FOV is much more restricting. Three years ago, it was the best standalone headset you could buy. Now, it\u2019s been superseded by Quest 3<\/a><\/strong> and a number of other standalone VR headsets such as Pico 4<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people will be better served by holding off until they are in a position to buy a Meta Quest 3, or waiting for even better headsets in the near future. I appreciate that finances are a major factor in the decision, but I really think it is better to hold off getting any VR headset, rather than choosing one that is obsolete.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Why You Shouldn\u2019t Buy Meta Quest 2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The journey towards creating a viable standalone headset has been a long one and Meta Quest 2 was the first headset where the hardware limitations didn\u2019t negatively impact the experience too much. The resolution, lenses, field of view, controller tracking, and refresh rate were sufficiently good so that you could enjoy games without the technology getting in the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in the three-year gap between the launch of Quest 2 and the launch of Quest 3, there has been huge progress in many of the component technologies, resulting in Quest 3 being a significantly superior headset. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with any rapidly developing technology, the jump between generations is huge. We saw this in the first few years of smartphones, where each generation was a big advancement over the last, and you really saw the benefits of a new phone. It was the same with games consoles, TVs, and computers, but as the technology matures, the jump between each new model gets smaller and smaller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the move from Quest 2 to Quest 3, we again see this big jump in the experience for users, that leaves the older technology looking really obsolete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I first became interested in VR about 10 years ago, I had the option to try the GearVR or Google Cardboard, but I didn\u2019t want my first experience to be substandard, so I held off buying a VR headset until I could afford a VR-ready PC and a decent PC VR headset. The wait was totally worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite saying all this, if you just can\u2019t wait to try VR and can\u2019t justify or afford the expense of a Quest 3, there is some merit in buying a Quest 2 for $250, or even a secondhand model for $200. You could always use it for 6-12 months and if you really enjoy it, sell and upgrade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know several people who purchased a Meta Quest 2 in the run-up to the release of the Quest 3, and they\u2019re more than happy with their choices, but I would encourage you to consider the options carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should You Upgrade To Quest 3 From Quest 2?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For those of you who already own a Meta Quest 2 and are considering an upgrade to Quest 3, the decision is more nuanced. The visuals are a big step up from Quest 2, and the mixed-reality content is extremely impressive, but is it really worth buying another VR headset when you already own one? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If money is no object and you\u2019re as enthusiastic about VR and MR as I am, it\u2019s an easy decision \u2013 go and get a Quest 3, it\u2019s so much better and you won\u2019t regret the upgrade. However, Quest 3 is an evolutionary improvement compared to Quest 2, and if finances are tight, you may be better off sticking with what you have for now. You also need to factor in that you may want to get a new head strap<\/a><\/strong>, to upgrade from the inadequate default head strap, which will add to the cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meta Quest 3 Vs Meta Quest 2 Video<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to this article, I’ve also made a video where I share my thoughts on the pros and cons of the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 2. I explain exactly why the vast majority of people would be better off choosing Quest 3 over Quest 2, even though Quest 2 is half the price of Quest 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n