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If you somehow missed the announcement of Apple’s Vision Pro earlier this year you might not be aware of the drive towards mixed reality. And just for the uninitiated, it’s basically another name for augmented reality which means the addition of virtual stuff to your normal surroundings.
That could be anything from a virtual screen playing a video to a pot plant in the corner of the room. It really doesn’t matter: the important part is that you can see both your real environment as well as elements of a virtual one at the same time.
It’s funny, because mixed reality isn’t even remotely new. Microsoft rolled out Windows Mixed Reality six years ago and there have been a bunch of mixed reality VR headsets you could hook up to a suitably beefy PC or laptop.
The Meta Quest 3 might sound like a mere evolution of the Quest and Quest 2, but it isn’t. It’s a proper game‑changer because it supports mixed reality.
Where the Quest 2 and original Quest had low-resolution monochrome cameras that offered a grainy, monochrome representation of your room, the Quest 3’s much higher-resolution colour cameras produce an almost lifelike one where you can walk around and interact with things just as if you weren’t wearing the headset.
Almost. It isn’t perfect: there’s too much video wobble unless you stand still, which can make you feel queasy. Plus, quality quickly becomes grainy when the room isn’t bright enough. You really need a lot of light for video passthrough to look its best.
And while the main gubbins of thelenses from moving around on your head and I really disliked the pressure on my cheekbones. Having tried out the optional silicone facial interface along with the Elite strap, I’d recommend making both upgrades if you find the standard Quest 3 uncomfortable.
