Meta recently announced a new premium VR headset, the Quest Pro at Meta Connect 2022, with a much higher price tag and a different purpose in mind. It shares many similarities with the previous generation Quest 2 and can run the same games and apps. This leads to the inevitable comparison of Meta’s two most recent VR headsets to help you decide which is best for your particular needs.
Before we get into the details, it’s immediately obvious that the newer and more expensive Quest Pro is a much better headset. The Quest Pro starts at $1,499 compared to the Quest 2’s much more affordable $400 price tag. What’s usually more important is which model has the best value while meeting your needs. Now let’s see what’s new and improved on the Quest Pro and how it compares to the Quest 2.
Quest Pro vs Quest 2: display quality
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The display quality of the Meta Quest Pro is far superior to that of the Quest 2 and the difference is apparent in several specifications. The Quest Pro’s display uses local dimming for 75% better contrast than the Quest 2. Meta’s new work-centric headset also features a higher resolution display with 37% more pixels, a larger sweet spot of maximum clarity thanks to new pancake lenses. This is very important if you need to search the internet, edit documents, or write code. Text is a big challenge in VR headsets and this is usually solved by choosing a bigger, bolder font. It’s not ideal, however, when reading a document or scanning code for errors.
The Meta Quest Pro has 37% more pixels per inch than the old Quest 2, which is still surprisingly sharp despite its age. Pixels aren’t everything when it comes to VR headsets, as lenses that allow you to focus closely also play a vital role in sharpness. The Quest Pro features pancake lenses which are much thinner and increase the part of the screen that remains sharpest. It’s not that the Quest 2’s lenses are bad, but rather that the Quest Pros are more advanced. The Meta Quest Pro also features a more vibrant display with 30% greater color gamut and local dimming that provides 75% greater contrast.
Having a great viewing experience is important for any VR headset and the Quest Pro has multiple advantages over the Quest 2. That said, the Quest 2’s display is still excellent for most games and increasingly more developers are optimizing the Quest 2’s sharper screen as the original, lower-resolution Quest heads into obsolescence.
While the Quest Pro will make every app look better, game developers will likely continue to target the less expensive and more popular Quest 2 with their graphics until Meta releases another low-cost system, presumably the Quest 3. That means there’s still good value in the Quest 2 even though the Quest Pro has a much better display.
Quest Pro vs. Quest 2: performance
Given that the Quest 2 is two years old, it’s clear that the Quest Pro has a newer processor, with higher performance and improved graphics capabilities. Meta said the Quest Pro is 50% faster than the Quest 2, thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon XR+ chip. This is very important when using a VR headset for productivity, as multiple tabs and apps need to be open at the same time.
The Quest 2 feels remarkably fast for an older headset and that’s possible because games completely take over the entire screen so other apps and many system processes can be paused. With full CPU access, a Quest 2 can handle advanced games, while maintaining high frame rates with no user input lag. Game developers Meta and Quest deserve a lot of respect for bringing AAA titles to the aging Quest 2.
If you primarily use your VR headset for gaming and don’t foresee a great need for productivity and expressive avatars, the Quest 2 might be all you need. The Quest Pro is definitely more advanced, but beyond the upgrade in display quality and comfort, most games will probably run pretty much the same on a Quest 2 since they’ve been optimized. for the original Quest or Quest 2. Over time, that might change, but it’s likely won’t happen until Quest 3 is released.
Quest Pro vs. Quest 2: comfort
We can’t say for sure that the Quest Pro will be comfortable enough for long hours of use until we have hands-on experience, but it’s more balanced than the Quest 2 since the battery is placed on the back , compensating for the weight of the front visor. If you want to use VR for several hours without interruption, Meta says the Quest Pro is much more comfortable than the Quest 2 which has over a pound of weight resting on your face.
This means that when you wear a Quest Pro, you’ll be less likely to suffer from VR face, the sometimes painful red imprints left on your cheeks and forehead after wearing the Quest 2 for a long time. Experience varies and some have no problem with a VR headset, which may not be important to you. Weight affects long-term comfort and can prevent neck strain, which makes the Quest Pro’s improved head strap and weight distribution a valuable upgrade.
Quest Pro vs. Quest 2: Features
The Quest Pro does everything the Quest 2 can do and better. That’s no surprise considering the $1,100 price difference. The Quest Pro has several features exclusive to Meta’s professional VR headset that help set it apart from the Quest 2 and other lower-priced headsets. Most notably, the Quest Pro has a high resolution color camera with four times the resolution of the Quest 2.
This brings Meta’s mixed reality functionality into a new, much more usable form. With the Quest Pro, you can easily and fearlessly walk around a room without removing your headset. The Quest 2’s low-resolution black-and-white passthrough helps avoid collisions with large objects, but it’s far from ideal. In addition to seeing your physical surroundings while wearing the Quest Pro, the headset can overlay 3D graphics to enable AR-like experiences with high fidelity.
Eye tracking has several purposes. Along with making your avatar look more realistic and letting others see where you’re looking, the Quest Pro should be able to use your gaze as a form of input as the software progresses.
Quest Pro touch controllers feature improved tracking so you never lose sight of them in the headset, even if they’re held behind your back. The Quest 2 relied on controller tracking done by the headset, so you had to keep your hands within sight of the headset’s cameras. Quest Pro Touch controllers also have a built-in pen tip so you can write on a whiteboard or paint by flipping the controller and drawing with the end.
Other little details like the built-in charging station help make the Quest Pro a more complete solution that lets you quickly switch between an immersive VR environment, your real world, or linger in a mixed reality view that packs the best both.
Which quest suits you best?
The Quest Pro’s advanced display features might not be so important when you’re playing a bright, action-packed game like beat the saber which uses simple graphics. Many of the most popular Quest games can look and feel quite similar when played with a Quest Pro. Dark and moody games will benefit from the greater dynamic range, however, colorful games will be more vivid with its 30% wider color gamut.
Action games will have better controller tracking, which could improve the experience. All in all, it’s going to be a mixed bag where some titles could be vastly improved while others will look and perform pretty much the same. That means the Quest Pro might not have enough added value over a Quest 2 if you’re just interested in VR gaming.
For work in Horizon Workrooms and other virtual team chat apps, however, the improved expressiveness of your avatar is a difference your teammates might appreciate. This is especially important if you’re not so outspoken and rely on nonverbal communication to express your feelings. Social chat will also be better with the Quest Pro headset than on the Quest 2, so that’s something to consider. Even if your co-workers aren’t using VR, your friends and family might enjoy seeing your real-life reactions during your VR tours.
The Quest Pro offers the most value if you’re using it for work, but anyone interested in browsing the internet or compiling research while using multiple virtual screens will find the Quest Pro more comfortable for longer. If you have a Quest 2 and want to spend more time in VR, the Quest Pro might be worth the extra cost.
As much as Meta wants it, the Quest Pro probably won’t be able to replace the functionality of a laptop or desktop. Anything you do on a computer that isn’t super easy and automatic on a phone or tablet, will likely be just as difficult or impossible in VR. It’s just the nature of new technology and the Meta ecosystem is likely to change and grow over time to provide more possibilities. However, it is getting closer, especially with the partnerships forged with companies like Microsoft.
Since you’ll likely need to keep your computer, you may need to balance the cost of a new Quest Pro VR headset against its usefulness, even if you’re using it for work. It’s much easier to spend $400 on a Quest 2 that’s good enough for gaming while still allowing for web browsing and business use.
If you’re all for VR and the Metaverse, the Quest Pro is an exciting new chapter and could be a step that lets you spend more time in VR with comfort. After two years of the Quest 2’s reign as the most recommended VR headset, virtual reality just got more interesting with the Meta Quest Pro.
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