Meta Quest Pro
Is it a giant leap for VR or just a workplace fad?
I’d consider myself to be a pretty big proponent of VR.
My (formerly Oculus) Meta Quest 2 headset gets a decent amount of use. I purchased it as a Christmas gift for myself a few years back and I’ve mostly been satisfied with how it performs and the available apps.
By no means am I a hardcore VR gamer. If anything, I prefer VR “experiences” or interesting tools and apps that make me say “wow” rather than hook me into playing for hours on end. My most used VR app has been “Supernatural.” If you’re not familiar, it’s a virtual workout platform that has been a nice change of pace from my typical routine of running, yoga, and bodyweight strength training. I do one of the boxing classes at least once per week and it’s a fun way to mix up my training regiment.
So you can say that I’m invested in the Meta VR ecosystem. I’m curious to see what comes next. I know that the Meta Quest 2 isn’t something that everyone needs to own. It’s still a device for futurists/hobbyists/nerds or however you want to classify them. When Meta recently announced a new headset called the Meta Quest Pro, I was very intrigued.
What makes it Pro?
Let me first start off by saying how much I hate that every new, somewhat improved version of a product gets tagged as “pro” or “ultra”. The Quest Pro certainly boasts some upgraded hardware, but I wish they came up with some other name. I will admit that it looks far more sleek and comfortable than the Quest 2. The black color naturally makes it seem more futuristic as less of a toy.
The headset is lighter with a more balanced distribution of weight. I can’t say that I’ve had a chance to try one on yet, but it looks perfectly pleasant to attach to your face for a few hours at a time. The controllers also seem to be a more natural fit in the hand. I’ve often struggled with the controllers on my Quest 2. Sometimes I have them in the wrong hands or facing the wrong direction. I’ve also experienced plenty of disconnects and out-of-nowhere low-battery indicators on the remotes. These are things that seem to be addressed in the upgraded model.
I hesitate to break down too many of the specs on the Quest Pro. Mostly because they won’t mean a whole lot to you even if you’re a tech nerd. I can appreciate the fact that it has 12GB of RAM compared to only 6GB on the Quest 2, but it’s all about how that RAM is used. It’s not exactly like comparing specs on different phones or computers. The performance of the Quest Pro is largely tied to the applications and optimizations of the operating system.
It’s worth calling out how cool the charging mechanism looks on this thing. It claims to be high-speed wireless charging for the headset and both controllers on one wireless charging dock. Such a great idea and easy way to keep things organized. I’ve had my Quest 2 charging is strange places where it’s too big to be taking up the same space as a phone. And the controllers have gone through many AA batteries. A compact wireless charging solution would be greatly appreciated.
Who is this thing for?
Where things get more interesting is the marketing side of the equation. You may have seem some ads for the Quest Pro already, and they feel markedly different from commercials for the Quest 2. Meta is really aiming this product at an enterprise audience. They showcase employees wearing the headsets during virtual meetings or demoing products in an augmented reality space. You don’t see teenagers playing games in these ads.
And there is definitely a good reason for that. This thing is expensive. Maybe I should have lead with this point. At launch, the Quest Pro will cost $1,499 USD compared to $399 for the Quest 2. Is it worth more than three times the cost of its predecessor? Well, I think Meta isn’t really considering it as the natural successor to the Quest 2. There will likely be a Quest 3 that gets released in the not too distant future.
But what about someone like me who is just a tech enthusiast who wants the latest and greatest device to experience the marvels of VR? I don’t think I can justify the price right now. It’s clear that Meta is hoping to sell these to companies for their employees to use. But is that a viable strategy?
Oh, and I forgot to mention that everything on the Quest Pro is backward compatible with the Quest 2. So those who do upgrade can pass along their old devices to friends and family members to still interact in VR. That actually is a huge plus. Having two headsets would make multiplayer games in the same home a lot more enjoyable.
The Workplace of the Future
As someone who has worked fully remotely since early 2020 and had some remote work stints going back to 2012, I’m not sure I want to be wearing a VR headset all day no matter how comfortable it is. Sure, we’ve all had our fair share of Zoom burnout and we may be sick of looking at our colleagues as little video squares in a grid, but I’m not 100% convinced that putting on a headset and seeing colleagues as cartoonish avatars is going to solve the problem.
I’m initially impressed by the hardware created here, I just have trouble seeing the audience and the use cases. And if I happened to be interviewing for a new job and they mentioned that they planned to adopt the Meta Quest Pro as part of the remote work tech package, I’m not sure I’d be excited about it. VR hardware for me to mess around with on my own time? Sounds fantastic! But VR hardware that I’m mandated to use for company meetings? It feels intrusive. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. And remember that I’m already a fan of the Meta Quest 2! I’m one of their bigger fans!
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Meta lowers the price a bit and starts running some new ads that also showcase the fun things you can do with the Quest Pro. The super hardcore VR fans are going to buy it regardless, but if they want to appeal more to middle-of-the-road tech adopters like me, a price drop and reframing may help. Or maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised by some of the apps that come out that could be useful even when not in a strange corporate VR setting.
Conclusion
If you asked me for my prediction right now, I think the Quest Pro is destined to be a letdown. On one hand, it seems powerful enough and comfortable enough to be the best consumer VR headset on the market. But the steep price will hinder wide adoption more than the somewhat palatable cost of the Quest 2.
And sure, some big companies will buy the headsets by the thousand and require employees to use them for big meetings. There may be a fun honeymoon period when people appreciate something other than a Zoom call. But ultimately, I think most employees will be hard to convince. There will be a sense of privacy invasion mixed with just feeling unnatural having this thing on your face while working all day.
I’m certainly torn as someone who is pulling for VR to succeed. At the same time, I’ve never really been a supporter of Facebook/Meta. I wish there were other companies competing in this space (I know there are a couple of them, but not with the resources Meta has). Will I still buy a Quest Pro? It’s not out of the realm of possibilities, but I’ll need some convincing and preferably a nice price cut.
Anyone else interesting in wearing one of these for work everyday?
POLL
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
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Still not convinced. As one who spent far too much time in Second Life back in the day, I'd rather enjoy my first life. Technology to enhance experience, yes. Technology that seeks to replace experience - no. There are probably legitimate uses, but I won't support the FB/Meta monster.