The Meta Quest 3 is here, and for our money it's the best VR headset around today. It may not be the one with the highest resolution goggles, but it's a great mix of ergonomics and just the right advanced tech. And that makes it the perfect headset to strap to your head and connect to your PC.
The Meta née Oculus Quest 2 has been the benchmark for virtual reality headsets for the past three years. It delivered the perfect mix of standalone wireless performance, PC-tethered gaming, and was an absolute breeze to set up. Especially for those of us used to dealing with the vagaries of base stations and their intricate setup demands.
And now the Quest 3 has improved upon its predecessor in pretty much every way that counts.
Virtual reality has certainly experienced a rollercoaster of expectations in recent years. While the lofty dreams of an all-encompassing digital universe have yet to materialize fully, the Meta Quest 3 represents a recalibration of the metaverse vision proposed by Mark Zuckerberg. Instead of a dystopian portrayal akin to "Ready Player One," it refers to the fundamentals: playful arm-waving, immersive gaming, and watching sports in VR. And honestly, that's perfectly fine.
The Meta Quest 3 is a massive upgrade from the Quest 2. It's more powerful, its stunning 4K+ pancake lenses make games look phenomenal, it boasts excellent inside-out tracking, and it has a fairly idiot-proof setup. On top of that, it's priced at only $500, making it one of the most affordable VR gaming headsets—or, I should say, "mixed reality headsets"—on the market.
The passthrough cameras are vastly superior to those in earlier versions (even better than the Meta Quest Pro), offering a clearer and higher-quality image. It's now much simpler to read text on a phone or monitor. A double tap on the headset's side provides a detailed view of your surroundings.
It's a compact, well-crafted device that doesn't strain your neck, even after prolonged use. I particularly noticed its comfort during virtual workouts; it never felt like my head was trapped, even after gaming for more than an hour.
At $500, the Quest 3 hits the sweet spot for a VR headset; it's a great value package, especially compared to some of the more expensive headsets we've recently reviewed. However, costs can accumulate if you plan to invest in accessories. I've mentioned the $80 link cable and $130 charging dock. New head straps can range between $50-$80, and a carrying case is priced at $70. Additionally, if you need magnetic prescription lenses for a glasses-free experience, that's another added expense.
But as a simple VR package, the Quest 3 strikes an excellent balance between performance, comfort, and price. It's a testament that the kitchen sink approach to designing a VR headset isn't always necessary, especially for casual VR gamers. The Meta Quest 3 has yet to sell on the future of mixed reality it's offering, but at least the games look good and play really well.
The Meta Quest 3 is everything we wanted in a Quest 2: more power, better resolution, and increased comfort. This bundle at Costco is tossing a carrying case, an elite strap, a free copy of Asgard's Wrath 2, and a $25 Meta Quest Store digital gift card for just $600. It's a great deal to give you everything you need to start playing.
Alienware's fancy QD-OLED panel just got that little bit cheaper. It's still not exactly entry-level at $800, but think of it as a long-term investment that will make every single gaming session pop. Once you've experienced per-pixel OLED-style lighting, you won't want to return to LCD tech. You can read our Alienware QD-OLED review for more.
There are specific things you want from a wireless headset: comfort, great audio, and a long battery life. The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is the best wireless gaming headset around beause it manages to combine all of those key elements. And when we're talking about battery life, nothing else comes close to the 300 hours of listening time they can offer.
This is our favorite SSD for gaming right now. Unlike the cheaper SN770, the SN850X encapsulates the best PCIe 4.0 offers in terms of performance (check out our review). That makes it a great fit for a boot drive with space to spare for your game library, and at this price, we're happy to pay the premium for its higher speed.
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