Meta Quest Pro | Very Expensive VR Experiment | Is it Worth it?

Photo by Dima Solomin on Unsplash

When the Meta Quest Pro was finally made public at Meta Connect 2022, many people wondered, “Is the Meta Quest Pro worth it?”

Given the announcement, this question is not surprising. Mark Zuckerberg made the Meta Quest Pro’s £1500 price tag public amid a flurry of Metaverse updates and other company news.

Given that it costs more than three times as much as the Meta Quest 2, this got mixed reviews, which is understandable. So, is it worth buying the Meta Quest Pro? Let’s take a closer look to see if you should buy the Quest Pro. We’ve also looked at how it compares to its predecessor. If you’re not sure whether to upgrade, check out our Meta Quest 2 vs. Meta Quest Pro comparison page.

Is it worth buying the Meta Quest Pro for gaming?
Answering this question is difficult. Contrary to offerings from HP and PlayStation, it is not specifically designed for gaming, as we have discussed. It still works well for gaming, but the overall value proposition is hard to comprehend at £1500.

Additionally, the Meta Quest Pro may be better left to large businesses and Meta Acolytes in light of the announcement of the Meta Quest 3, which is likely to be a VR headset that is more geared toward gaming.

Clearly, the Quest Pro is a professional device. The Pro might prove to be an extremely useful bridge device for anyone who was thinking about purchasing a Quest 2 for research or business purposes. It is also designed to be a device that can still function as a full virtual reality headset while incorporating the majority of what the Magic Leap 2 and HoloLens 2 promise. It could be used as a tool by virtual reality performers who use face tracking or by people looking for a headset that can simulate and design with augmented reality incorporated.

At Meta’s Reality Labs Research facilities, I used the Quest Pro for a number of mixed-reality-focused demonstrations. I’m comparing the Quest Pro to the Quest 2 and Pico’s new Pico 4, which is not available in the United States, and using it more as a VR device at home.

I will update my thoughts as this is a review in progress. However, the Quest Pro’s current apps and software do not yet fully realize its potential.

Because there are no sides to the headset, I love how easily it fits over my glasses. But there are ups and downs to this. The Pro’s design leaves most of your peripheral vision unobstructed when you’re in VR, which sometimes helps me know what to stay away from (or, sort of, keep an eye on my kids). Even in a well-lit room, playing VR games like this isn’t nearly as weirdly distracting as I thought it would be. However, this headset does not adequately block light. The open light bleed at the bottom is not addressed by the included rubber snap-on light shields, which partially block side light. I can’t use the light blockers without changing my glasses because they also block my vision. I haven’t tried the full light blocker that can be purchased separately.

I’ve had the Meta Quest 2 for two years and found it to be a fun device with more uses than I expected.

The Meta Quest Pro is a stunning piece of technology that outperforms the Quest 2 in terms of wearability, flexibility, and material quality. However, the operating system will be frustrating and even problematic for the majority of users. The Quest Pro is best suited for workplaces where companies can pay for the headset or subsidize it, or where collaboration is so important that the £1,499 investment is worth it. However, the Meta Quest Pro is a stunning VR hardware upgrade that is not required for the majority of customers. Curiously, Meta’s VR headset, the Quest 2, which costs £349, is still the best deal available.