Meta may still be keeping quiet about the Meta Quest 3 Lite (or the Quest 3s, as some reports name it), but leaks continue to emerge into the public domain. The most recent information dump appears to provide all of the technical details for the low-cost hardware.
These latest facts come from Twitter user @Lunayian, who claims to “have seen multiple devkits and spoken to several people familiar with the device.” They then offer an infographic that summarizes the information they “feel comfortable sharing.”
Exclusive: Meta Quest 3s (preliminary naming)
Project Codenames: Ventura, Panther
I have seen multiple devkits and spoken to several people familiar with the device. Here are all the things I have learned and feel comfortable sharing in a single infographic: pic.twitter.com/OFFURqVODS
— Luna (@Lunayian) May 20, 2024
In many aspects, this Meta Quest 3 variant is very close to the original. It features a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset from Qualcomm, the same tracking ring-less controllers, and two 4MP RGB passthrough cameras from full-color mixed reality.
However, you will notice several downgrades copied from the Quest 2. The screen resolution is only 1,832 x 1,920 pixels per eye, compared to the Quest 3’s 2,064 × 2,208 pixels. The fresnel lens system is bulkier than the Quest 3’s slimmer pancake lenses, and the IPD (InterPupillary Distance) adjustments are limited to three preset positions, similar to the Quest 2.
Essentially, this leak shows that the Quest 3 Lite has the Quest 3’s brain and the Quest 2’s body.
The pricing is one important aspect that has yet to be provided.
According to earlier leaks, the Quest 3 Lite will be less expensive than the Meta Quest 3 – as evidenced by the specs leaked here – but the exact price is unknown.
The Oculus Quest 2’s launch price of $299 / £299 / AU$479 appears most likely, but given that the Quest 3 Lite offers the majority of the Quest 3’s upgrades, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Lite landed somewhere around $399 / £399 / AU$639 – in between the Quest 2 and Quest 3 launches (the Quest 3 costs $499 / £479 / AU$799).
One thing we can say with certainty is that the Quest 2’s present price of $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$359.99 is almost probably far too low for this reported forthcoming iteration – so if you’re looking for a low-cost VR headset, the Quest 2 may be your best chance while it’s still available. However, considering the increasing number of Quest 3 exclusives, it may not be the greatest long-term buy.
Wait before you buy a Quest 2
As we often say, you should take this rumor with a grain of salt. We don’t sure when or if Meta will release the Quest 3 Lite, Quest 3s, or whatever name it chooses.
But it appears like something is on the way, and I believe we will see it soon, as Meta normally conducts a gaming expo in June, which could be the ideal spot to introduce this new device.
If you want to get one of the best VR headsets, I recommend waiting – unless you’re dead bent on obtaining the Meta Quest 3. That’s especially true if the headset you’re looking at is the Quest 2, as the Lite model appears to outperform it in the most significant areas while also remaining reasonably affordable.
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