Technologies

Meta Quest 3: What to Expect in 2023

Meta’s next headset should be a lot less expensive than Apple’s, and is arriving this year. Could it have an edge?

This has been a big year for new VR headsets: the PlayStation VR 2 and Vive XR Elite are already here, and Apple’s mixed reality headset should be announced in a matter of weeks. The biggest product of all of them, however, could be the Meta Quest 3.

Meta’s sequel to the most popular VR headset in the world right now will be a 2023 product, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg has already confirmed it will be priced similarly to the Quest 2. That should mean it’ll be a far more affordable headset than what Apple is readying.

Meta Quest 2 $400 at Meta

Will it also be the best? Here’s what we expect.

Meta Quest Pro virtual reality headset — The Quest Pro (left) next to the Quest 2 (right). The Quest 3 may be smaller in the front like the Pro, but with the Quest 2’s elastic head straps.

Scott Stein/CNET

Price: Somewhere around $400?

Meta’s work-focused Quest Pro headset that debuted last fall was a misfire, starting at $1,500 and now reduced to $1,000. Meta’s Quest 3 should fall in line with the $400 price of the Quest 2 headset (although that’s an increase from the Quest 2’s original price of $300). Although considering it will likely have better performance and features, it could end up being a little more expensive.

That price would be less than the PlayStation VR 2, which also needs a PlayStation 5 to work. And it would likely be thousands of dollars less than what the Apple headset is expected to cost, which many industry watchers are pinning at $3000.

Watch this: Meta Quest Pro Half a Year Later: Why I Wear It and Why You Should Wait for the Quest 3

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Features: Mixed reality, but maybe not eye tracking

The future of VR is already moving towards mixed reality, blending VR with real-world surroundings using passthrough cameras projecting real-time footage in-headset. The Quest Pro and Vive XR Elite already do it, and Apple’s headset is expected to do the same.

The Quest 3 should have color passthrough cameras, much like the Quest Pro, Vive XR Elite and Pico 4 do. The Quest 2 has only a basic monochrome passthrough camera. The Quest 3 could also have better depth sensing capabilities, either through improved on-headset sensors or computer vision algorithms. Meta’s selection of mixed reality apps is pretty bare right now, but a mainstream Quest 3 that also taps into the possibilities could spark a lot more apps and games.

VR/AR YouTuber Bradley Lynch detailed a bunch of Quest 3 features last year based on leaks from Meta, which details a lot of what to expect: a depth sensor is planned to be onboard.

Eye tracking may be left out. The Quest Pro has eye tracking and face tracking, which can be turned off in settings and isn’t used for all apps. The PlayStation VR 2 uses eye tracking frequently to optimize graphics performance, but it’s also tethered to the PS5, and doesn’t have to deal with battery drain concerns. The Quest 3 might skip the feature to save on cost, or perhaps because Meta isn’t ready to deal with the privacy ramifications yet.

A new processor is expected, though. The aging Snapdragon XR2 chip could get a true follow-up (reports say it’ll be a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2), improving graphics and speed for the new headset, and maybe battery performance as well. Qualcomm already has a multi-year partnership with Meta, unveiling new XR chips that will roll out to other devices in the future. This could be the debut of a new chip, much like the XR2 was for the Quest 2.

Storage sizes and RAM might be upgraded as well, according to Lynch’s report from last year, with a 512GB storage option finally becoming available.

pico-4-vs-quest-2-size — The Pico 4 (left) is significantly smaller in the front than the Quest 2 (right), but the battery gets moved to the larger back strap. The Quest 3 should also be smaller, with the battery staying in the front.

Scott Stein/CNET

Slimmer design

Meta’s improved «pancake optics» lenses for the Quest Pro slimmed down the front of the VR headset versus the Quest 2, with a clearer lens to boot. The Pico 4 headset, another affordable Quest 2-range VR headset, added pancake optics last year. The Quest 3 should get this upgrade too, adding up to a much smaller headset size than the Quest 2.

Smaller could mean more portable. Will new cases and accessories emphasize this? Being able to take a Quest 3 on trips more easily would be a big advantage. HTC’s Vive XR Elite folds down into the size of a pair of (big) glasses, with an optional tube-shaped carry case.

It could work with Meta’s new Quest Pro controllers

Meta updated its controllers with the Quest Pro, adding cameras for better tracking consistency and shrinking down the size. These controllers are currently an expensive upgrade for Quest 2 owners, they sell for $300 separately, but would Meta include them with the Quest 3? Or could they still be optional upgrades?

Another possibility could be another redesigned set of controllers. Meta doesn’t seem ready to get rid of controllers completely for the Quest, although that seems to be the long-term strategy as hand tracking continues to improve.

Lynch also showed leaked looks at the headset last year that suggested the Quest 3 might charge in the current Quest Pro dock.

Games should be a major focus, once again

Meta’s experiments in work and social apps – aka, the metaverse – haven’t taken off, which means gaming is still the biggest use for the Quest 2 (along with fitness). Meta’s upcoming games showcase on June 1 is emphasizing that the Quest 2 is, first and foremost, a game console.

With an expected fall debut, the Quest 3 will likely be positioned again as a game console with a lot of potential fitness, work and social benefits. It’s Meta’s safest bet, and with its expected console-level price, not an absurd proposition in a year where there aren’t expected to be any other new game console debuts to compete with.

Will Quest 3 spark a wave of mixed reality apps?

The Quest 3’s bigger mixed reality focus, and its lower price than the Quest Pro, should finally trigger a wave of new apps that aim to use mixed reality more often. It’s the Quest 3’s biggest new feature, and with Apple likely to show off mixed reality quite a bit as well, it might mean developers are finally going to think in a more AR-like mindset. It’s Meta’s biggest opportunity to try to advance the Quest experience beyond its VR-minded status.

If you’re looking to buy a headset, you should wait

At this point, the fall isn’t far away. The Quest 3 looks like it’ll be the best Meta VR headset, and could be one of the best options for its price when it arrives. Anyone looking for a headset right now should hold off and see what’s coming, especially with both this and Apple’s headset on the horizon.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Nov. 5

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 5.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Some of the clues are tricky, but we have all the answers, so read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Fresh addition to a pasta sauce, perhaps
Answer: BASIL

6A clue: Log ___ (water park ride)
Answer: FLUME

7A clue: Group of ships
Answer: FLEET

8A clue: Some drinks from «streams»
Answer: SODAS

9A clue: Documentarian Burns
Answer: KEN

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Closest pals, for short
Answer: BFFS

2D clue: «No problems here!»
Answer: ALLOK

3D clue: Shoe material in an Elvis hit
Answer: SUEDE

4D clue: «That is to say …»
Answer: IMEAN

5D clue: Tennis do-overs
Answer: LETS

Technologies

Apple Reportedly Planning Cheaper Macs to Compete With Budget Chromebooks, PCs

Apple doesn’t market its machines as affordable, but that could be changing.

Apple may release more affordable Mac laptops to compete with Chromebooks and budget-friendly Windows laptops as early as 2026.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports the company has plans to roll out a machine for «well under $1,000.» According to Gurman, the new laptop is already in early production under the codename J700. This matches earlier rumors that a low-cost MacBook Air was in the pipeline at around $599, which would allow Apple to directly compete with other cheap laptops, including Chromebooks and Windows PCs.

A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

According to the report, costs will be kept down by using a lower-end LCD that’s smaller than the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, potentially making the new affordable MacBook as small as 12 inches.

Another way Apple could reduce the cost is by using an A-series iPhone chip, which falls short of the top-tier performance offered by the MacBook Pro or the current M4 Air. The upcoming chip may be a variant of the A19 Pro chip that debuted with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air, which Apple says is capable of MacBook-level performance.

As CNET senior editor Matt Elliott noted, the promise is a bold one. He speculates that the rumored $599 MacBook Air may get the same smartphone processor, or an M-series chip based on that architecture.

Bloomberg also reports that a MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro and M5 Max chip is in development, and Apple has completed work on a MacBook Air powered by the M5 chip, which is planned for release early next year.

The affordable laptop would be designed for casual users, students and businesses, specifically individuals who need a device for tasks such as web browsing, light media editing and document creation. The tech giant is also targeting the education market, as well as iPad buyers who may also want a traditional laptop.

«If this is strictly a move to entice consumers with a high-quality, lower-cost MacBook running MacOS in place of an iPad with a keyboard, then yes, Apple can likely take a chunk of that market,» said Josh Goldman, managing editor at CNET.

«Making inroads into the education market at this point, where Chromebooks have taken over since the pandemic, will prove challenging, though I’m sure it’s nothing that throwing billions of dollars at can’t fix,» CNET’s Goldman said.

This price range is ‘a big departure’

Price is likely to be key here. A $599 price tag would place the new Mac in the same range as more affordable Chromebooks and entry-level laptops, representing a significant change from Apple’s previous strategy.

«Apple potentially dipping into the Chromebook range of $300 to $500 with a new MacBook is a big departure,» said Goldman.

He notes that one of Apple’s most affordable MacBooks is the M4 MacBook Air, available new starting at $999 for the 13-inch model. Walmart still sells a new M1 MacBook Air, a 5-year-old laptop, for around $600.

By contrast, an iPad 11th Gen with a Magic Keyboard will run you around $600, making it clear that Apple’s target market for the rumored device is students and lighter users.

Apple typically hasn’t targeted the lower-priced segment of the market with its MacBooks. However, with consumer wallets under pressure from inflation, high tariffs and layoffs, an affordable MacBook could be imperative and timely.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Nov. 5, #408

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Nov. 5, No. 408.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is pretty diverse. The blue answers stuck out to me right away, because some of them are super famous and the others felt like they belonged with those names. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: How to see a game.

Green group hint: Soccer.

Blue group hint: Giddy up!

Purple group hint: Not a run play.