How much?! — Meta Quest Pro review: For those with more money than sense Nearly four times the price definitely doesnt mean nearly four times the quality.

Kyle Orland – Oct 28, 2022 3:38 pm UTC Enlarge / Looking like a million bucks… or at least 1500… reader comments 131 with 68 posters participating, including story author Share this story Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Reddit

At this point in the history of tech product marketing, consumers generally know what it means when a company sticks the word Pro at the end of a device name. From iPads and AirPods to the Microsoft Surface and Galaxy Watch, Pro models generally offer the same underlying device and core platform with a few nice to have top-of-the-line features for enthusiast users who want the best experience.

To get those Pro features, consumers generally have to pay a Pro premium of somewhere between 25 to 60 percent over the most expensive non-Pro model of the same product. Even the biggest Pro-version outliers we could find in the tech world barely top a 100 percent increase over their non-Pro progenitors.

Despite the name, the Meta Quest Pro doesnt really belong in the same marketing universe as these previous Pro products. Metas new standalone VR headset costs $1,500 at launch, a whopping 275 percent more than its $400 predecessor, the Meta Quest 2 (which has sold quite well for its still-young market segment). The premium increases to 400 percent if you compare the Quest Pro to the $300 Meta was asking for a Quest 2 just a few months ago.

That kind of price increase justifiably sets sky-high expectations for the new device. A product that costs nearly four times as much as its predecessor needs to offer some truly unique and luxury features that early adopters feel they cant live without. For that price premium, this should be the kind of upgrade that makes people wonder how they ever felt satisfied with the old model in the first place. Advertisement Enlarge / Look into my eyes

That is decidedly not the case here. New Quest Pro features like a full-color passthrough camera and the ability to read a users facial expressions feel too experimental and underbaked for a marquee product. And while there are distinct improvements in comfort and screen clarity here, theyre less impactful than wed expect for the price (and, honestly, for the passage of time since the Quest 2s 2020 launch).

After spending a few days with a retail Quest Pro unit, were left wondering who, exactly, this product is for. Feels good, man Headset specs Quest Pro Quest 2 Weight 722 g 503 g Resolution (per eye) 18001920 18001920 Refresh rate 90 Hz 90 Hz Field of view (H) 106 degrees 104 degrees Field of view (V) 96 degrees 98 degrees Processor Snapdragon XR2+ Snapdragon XR2 RAM 12GB 6GB Internal storage 256GB 128GB

After opening your $1,500 package, putting a Quest Pro on your head feels distinctly nicer than wearing either of the previous Quest headsets. The flimsy ski goggles strap that sealed those old headsets to your face has been replaced with two semi-spherical cushions, one that sits on your forehead and one that tightens to the back of your skull with an easy-to-use dial.

Instead of resting heavily above the bridge of your nose, the Quest Pro display hovers comfortably just in front of your face at a distance that can be easily adjusted with its own dial. This is a significant improvementwith the bulk of the weight resting on the forehead, the unit feels much more secure and better balanced than previous Quest headsets, especially during extended use.

That said, the Quest Pro does not achieve the wear it all day ideal that some VR boosters might hope for. The headset’s 722 grams (which is significantly heavier than the stock Quest 2) start to become apparent on your forehead around the one-hour mark, especially as you wrinkle your forehead or move your eyebrows. Still, I found this pressure pretty bearableI wasnt tearing the headset off in pain after 60 minutes or anythingand it was certainly preferable to the more significant pinch around the eyes and nose of previous Quest headsets. Page: 1 2 3 4 5 Next → reader comments 131 with 68 posters participating, including story author Share this story Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Reddit Kyle Orland Kyle is the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica, specializing in video game hardware and software. He has journalism and computer science degrees from University of Maryland. He is based in the Washington, DC area. Email kyle.orland@arstechnica.com // Twitter @KyleOrl Advertisement

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