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Virtual reality is a popular tool, and while it's most popular for gaming, VR manufacturers are starting to get into other areas. Some headsets, like today's subject, are even focused primarily on professional use rather than recreational. The Meta Quest Pro is the latest device in the Meta line of headsets, preceded by the Meta Quest 2. Despite being in this same line, however, most Quest 2 owners are not going to get much value out of upgrading due to differing priorities. But how does the Pro stack up as a business tool?
Timestamps;
00:00 - Intro
02:13 - Unboxing
03:14 - The Technology
05:58 - Its Function
09:18 - App Selection
10:20 - The Weight
11:06 - The Metaverse
14:12 - The Controllers
17:14 - Battery Length
18:00 - Security
19:09 - Meta Quest 3
19:52 - Overall
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0:00
It was more than 100 years ago that Lewis Carroll wrote about Alice's trip through the looking glass
0:12
Now, that fiction has become a reality, or you might say a virtual reality, because that's the name of a new computer technology that many believe will revolutionize the way we live
0:23
A Jay Shadler explains, virtual reality lets you travel to places you've never been and see things
0:29
you've never seen and do things you've never done without ever leaving the room
0:41
I'm Palmer Lucky, I'm the founder of Oculus. This is my first time here at Dice, and it's been an honor to come and speak to all of you guys
0:50
One day I woke up and I realized it's the right time. I said VR is going to take off, I said VR is going to finally take off
0:56
I have something here that I can't ignore. If I let this pass me by, I'm going to be. ask me by, I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life
1:01
I said, that's it. I have to go out and get out of school. I need to start this company, and I need to get these things out there to the world
1:13
Well, there's a lot to like on Facebook, just maybe not today
1:17
As we reported yesterday, the social networking giant announced its first ever acquisition
1:21
of a hardware company paying $2 billion for the privately held Oculus VR, which makes
1:28
virtual reality goggles. The trouble is Oculus has no real revenue just yet
1:33
and its technology is largely untested. The shares in Facebook owner Meta plunged by around 20% and after-hour trading
1:49
On Wednesday, knocking a massive $200 billion of the company's value. breaking news overnight from Facebook
2:00
11,000. 11,000 jobs have been cut at the social media giant medal
2:28
Let's get this out the way. The pro is by no means a cheap headset
2:38
In fact, it's one of the most expensive on the market, coming in at a staggering $1,49.99 MSRP
2:46
Even accounting for the Quest 2's price increase from $299.99 to $399.99
2:53
And approximate $1,100 difference is nothing to shake a stick out. However, even when stacked up against a similarly business-focused headset, the Pico4 Enterprise
3:04
it's still approximately $600 higher. But what makes them price the unit so high
3:16
The Pro is a technical powerhouse and a definite step up from Quest 2 in a variety of ways
3:23
Much like the Quest 2, the Pro is its own device, not requiring the use of anything more to function
3:28
such as a television, game console or computer. This makes the device a lot more convenient
3:35
as you not only don't have to worry about being physically attached to a device, but you also don't have to worry about a wireless connection either
3:42
The pro's resolution is quite good, which does an amazing job of contributing to its quality display
3:49
While the pro does have some issues with the very edges of the display
3:52
it tends to do a pretty good job of presenting a high-quality view of what you're focusing on
3:57
The processor is also solid, with meta touting it as a 50% increase over the Quest 2's Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor
4:07
Granted, most apps won't take advantage of that, but it does increase the power ceiling
4:12
Additionally, because it has a reported improvement of 30% in its thermal performance, you'll be able to use it comfortably for longer
4:20
The big selling point behind the pro technology wise, however, is its face and eye tracking
4:25
The idea behind these technologies is their ability to take your facial expressions and map them onto an avatar
4:33
This tracking data can be used by developers and apps made for the pro, and the data is deleted after it's been processed
4:40
However, both of these features have to be activated by the user before they can be used
4:46
Once I actually gave these tracking technologies a spin, I've got to say it seemed to do a pretty good job
4:52
I could tell where it thought my eyes were looking, and for the most part it seemed to be
4:55
to handle it spot on. It overall does a pretty good job with expressions thanks to these
5:01
technologies. As far as Mix Reality goes, the pro is honestly really impressive, though there
5:06
is some jank to it, particularly with my hands since they're being tracked. As I move my hands
5:11
it also affects the environment a bit but it not a big deal One nice advancement of the pro is its lenses Where the Quest 2 had Frinell lenses the pro has pancake lenses The difference between these two is that there less of a risk of chromatic aberration
5:28
This effect causes colours to become faded or blurred around an object, which can cause people to experience headaches
5:36
However, because the new headset has 37% more pixels per inch and 10% more pixels per degree
5:42
the field of view is ultimately superior. The optics in general are also pretty great
5:48
For example, it's solid for watching high-quality 360-degree videos, able to play them at 8K and at 60 frames per second
5:59
As mentioned, the point of the pro is to be used in a professional context
6:03
Corporations and other organizations in theory will utilize this device for use in a professional setting
6:09
by having employees do their work in a virtual landscape. These virtual landscapes manifest in one of two forms
6:17
either the metaverse, a fully digital world, or a mixed reality world that mixes digital objects
6:22
and a view of the real world using full-color pass-through. These digital objects may include a variety of useful things
6:30
such as whiteboards. To help keep you immersed in the virtual space
6:34
the headset also includes a light blocker. This is not so important when you're doing mixed reality
6:39
stuff, since obviously you're meant to have the real world seep in. However, it can be quite
6:45
annoying when you're trying to get fully immersed in VR. All you need to do is attach them to the
6:51
two sides on the inside of the headset by magnets. It's not perfect as there are still gaps
6:56
but it's better than not having one at all. Despite the primary focus of the pro, that shouldn't
7:01
be taken to mean that there's nothing here for gamers to appreciate. After all, you can still
7:06
enjoy all the games you own for Quest 2 on the Pro, so there's that at least. Still, it can't be
7:12
denied that the gaming focus is a little lackluster, considering how hard they focused on the
7:17
productivity angle rather than gaming. I guess, I would say if money is no object, then you might
7:23
prefer to go with the Pro over the Quest 2 for your gaming needs. What I think holds the Pro
7:29
back as a business application is the fact that a lot of people will never be able to reasonably
7:34
participate in VR spaces. There are people who simply cannot do virtual reality due to bad
7:40
reactions to the experience, such as headaches or nausea. I personally don't have it too bad
7:47
though under certain circumstances I can get a little dizzy and need to take a break
7:52
Another issue is that the function works better on paper than in practice, at least as far as the
7:57
pro is concerned. Even disregarding the inherent limitations of VR technology, I just don't think
8:03
that meta has done enough to sell it itself. With that, I think that meta would have to do a lot
8:09
to prove to businesses that there is a good value proposition to be had. Even with the technology
8:15
to map facial expressions, it just doesn't come close to replicating an actual real-life experience
8:21
Even if you can compare it to remote meetings, I can't imagine that people would choose a virtual
8:26
meeting where they can't see what their co-workers actually look like. I suppose, though
8:31
if you don't want to be seen, this is a good way to do it while being expressive
8:36
One of the annoying things that I think will need to be eventually tweaked is how cumbersome
8:40
doing certain things is in a virtual meeting. It'd be one thing if you could do everything
8:46
you needed to do seamlessly on your headset, but unfortunately, you just can't. You may find
8:52
yourself having to juggle multiple devices in addition to your headset to accomplish
8:56
things that would be far simpler to accomplish if you just used a more traditional method of setup
9:02
It feels like the way it's designed, rather than seeking to make meetings easier, is seeking
9:06
to make it the way to do meetings. It might get better, but ask yourself this. Do you envision virtual
9:13
reality meetings being as useful as remote meetings? As discussed earlier, the pro is capable of
9:23
of running the same software as the Quest 2, but how much is there in the way of exclusive apps
9:29
Sadly, the fact is, the app selection is rather poor. Not only are there very few apps made exclusively for the Pro, but it doesn't really have any apps that scream
9:39
you have to get this. When I was originally thinking of buying the Quest, Beat Sabre was a huge draw for me, and I wasn't disappointed
9:48
Once I actually got it, I got other great games, including Rooms, Super Hot and Moss
9:53
which kept justifying my purchase. Now, to be entirely fair, I assume we'll eventually see some game or app that justifies owning a pro
10:02
Despite that, I imagine the designers will focus on making games for Meta's gaming-focused headsets
10:09
I also really wish, though, that the app selection was a little better in certain areas
10:13
For example, it'd be nice to be able to use messaging apps besides Facebook Messenger
10:17
The Pro weighs 720 grams or 1.5 pounds, which is a noticeable increase compared to the Quest 2, which weighs 503 grams
10:31
Despite this increase in weight I found that the headset was noticeably more comfortable to wear than the Quest 2 The reason why this is the case is because the weight is better distributed due to where it placed
10:44
Where the weight becomes noticeable is when you're using the headset for an extended period of time
10:50
Another issue of comfort is how well it fits and feels on my head and face
10:55
While there are inevitably going to be people who don't find it too comfortable
10:59
I personally find it a better fit than the Quest 2 and other non-metta headset
11:04
Honestly, there's so much hype behind the Metaverse, at least by Meta anyway, but I'm not so convinced
11:15
I've been wrong before, of course, but I don't see a valuable product here
11:19
The technology just isn't there. Meta had to resort to faking a demonstration of full-body VR modeling for their shareholders
11:27
only for people to realize that it was just motion capture. Thus, as of the writing of this video, Metaverse still can't
11:34
model feet and legs. This might not be the biggest issue, but for me it stands out just how
11:40
more advanced VR chat is compared to Metaverse. VR chat has been capable of making
11:46
full-body VR models for quite a while. In fact, a lot of what VR chat is doing seems to be
11:51
putting it ahead, which begs the question, is there any point to using Metaverse? Honestly, I think
11:58
the only advantage Metaverse really has is financial potential and a veneer of professionalism
12:04
For my money, those two things don't really do it for me
12:08
I think one of the biggest issues that Metaverse has is just how negative a response
12:13
certain adjacent industries have been met with. For example, while NFTs, non-fungible tokens had a lot of buzz early on, the industry
12:22
bottomed out and it became a joke to a lot of people. While a lot of the criticism of NFTs was the fact that it was environmentally taxing
12:29
to make these, they got a fair amount of criticism due to the perceived lack of value
12:33
With the Metaverse, it has similar vibes to me, where it tries to replicate or replace something we already have without giving anything of value
12:42
Basically, it's digital real estate, allowing people to purchase land and set up shop there
12:49
This land can be used as a variety of things, including setting up a storefront
12:54
This space is limited in that virtual world, meaning that one has to pay a premium to get a lot in there
13:00
Buying land in a lot of Metaverse spaces requires the use. some cryptocurrencies, so if you intend to buy any, keep that in mind. There are multiple virtual
13:09
spaces, however, so it's theoretically infinite. But for most, the Metaverse is a place to visit
13:15
and peruse, not to live in. Despite the benefactors of the Metaverse appearing to be companies
13:22
there are some theoretical benefits to be had, especially for people with disabilities
13:27
For example, if someone wanted to be able to experience a museum setting to enjoy artwork but
13:32
physically cannot, they could explore a digital art museum. This, of course, applies to able-bodied people
13:38
as well. However, while I do appreciate that application, I feel like it's such a limited-edge case
13:45
and it can be done in something like VR chat that it doesn't do enough to justify itself
13:50
Another problem I have with the Metaverse is that, quite frankly, the avatars look very bad
13:56
They remind me of the avatars used on the Xbox 360, but even those had their charm
14:02
Sorry, but they had to have known just how off-putting these were. The fact that they're going with the Metaverse at this stage
14:08
feels like they're trying to get it out before it's ready to go. If there was, one thing I really liked about the pro, it's the controllers
14:19
Each controller contains a Qualcomm-Snapdragon 662 processor, which is no slouch. They're definitely a step up from the Quest 2's controllers
14:28
with the best thing about them being that they get rid of Dead Zone tracking
14:32
as well as improved tracking overall. The controllers get rid of the tracking ring that's been common for many VR controllers
14:39
and instead they use a trio of cameras for tracking purposes. The use of these cameras instead of the tracking rings
14:45
allows the controllers to be tracked even when the outer headset cameras have no sight of them
14:50
This means that you don't have to worry about whether something obstructs the line of sight like you normally would
14:56
This is good for designers, as they no longer have to design around this unfortunate limitation
15:02
Another benefit of this new tracking method is that the controllers are able to be brought closer together without interference
15:09
The controller inputs are also a step up, allowing for more complex inputs from the player
15:15
This is done through Meta's True Touch haptic system, which adds a total of three haptic units instead of one per controller
15:22
The first is tied to the trigger, the second to the thumb rest, and the third in the grip
15:27
The buttons are able to detect certain things, such as a finger sliding over the trigger
15:32
bent your finger may be on the shutter button and more. Since most people who invest in a pro will be
15:38
doing virtual meetings, Metas made it so that the controllers can actually have the wristraps
15:42
swapped out for rubber tips. This allows the controllers to be used as a writing tool in virtual reality
15:49
The writing function works decently and it able to detect varying pressures The weight of the controllers will be appealing or unappealing depending on the person using them Where one person may enjoy the meaty feel of these controllers another might find that the weight prevents them from using them as fluidly
16:08
The controllers weigh 164 grams, approximately 0.36 pounds. You also no longer have to worry about running out of AA batteries when the controllers die
16:18
since each controller uses a rechargeable battery. You can either charge them using the included charging station or a charging cable
16:27
Meta states that the battery can last up to eight hours, with reports going as low as four hours
16:32
One can only assume that the controller's battery life may be influenced based on what it's doing
16:38
Because the controllers are more powerful, the battery is considerably worse, with the battery length for the Quest 2's controllers lasting for months
16:47
One nice thing about the pros' controllers is that they're not only usable on the
16:51
Pro. Thus, if you also own a Quest 2, you can enjoy the benefits of these controllers on both
16:57
headsets. If the controllers end up being the only interesting thing about the pro for you, you
17:02
can purchase them separately for $300. That's not cheap by any means, but no need to pay the extra
17:09
$1,200 if that's all you care about. This is one fact about the pro that's difficult to nail down
17:19
While testing it out for ourselves, the battery lasted exactly two hours and 24 minutes
17:26
However, while two hours is the standard ceiling for battery length, it can actually be extended under certain circumstances
17:33
For example, if you disable face and eye tracking, the battery life will be noticeably better
17:39
You can safely get away without using these features when you're working alone, since no one's there to actually see your avatar
17:45
It's understandable that with so much power under the hood, the headset wouldn't have a solid battery life
17:52
However, for a professional product that you may want to walk around while using, you might find the battery running out of juice all too often
18:03
Anyone who knows a lot about the history of meta, including when it was once known as Facebook, knows that there have been a fair share of controversies surrounding it
18:12
However, perhaps the biggest controversy had to do with privacy issues. Facebook had a serious controversy about using users' data in a way that users had not consented to
18:23
which has coloured people's perceptions of meta's willingness to protect users' privacy
18:28
One thing that gives me pause about the pro and its controllers is the use of cameras
18:33
In total, the pro and its controllers have 16 cameras, and while Meta states that the data gathered is not saved
18:40
I don't think it's unreasonable for you to be skeptical about meta's handling of your data
18:45
Facebook has already put a lot of stock into accumulating data from people's videos and photos
18:50
and meta is undoubtedly going to be interested in the data they can clean from your eye and face motions
18:56
It's not some unique thing with meta, either, as other major companies are attempting to harvest data
19:03
However, it's a concern I account for when using any products made by these companies
19:10
As has already been confirmed, there is more in the meta-Quest line of headsets
19:17
It's slated for 2023 and was said to be meant for consumers
19:21
It makes sense that they would be priming for this. After all, the market for the pro is too niche and definitely not the same as the market that bought the quest two
19:32
However, what I'm curious about is how powerful Quest 3 will be
19:36
Since it'll be a consumer-grade headset, I can't imagine that it'll be. be as expensive as the pro, which means it'll be less technically capable as well
19:44
But that's just me speculating, as they may try to go for a very expensive gaming headset as well
19:54
There's a lot of stuff I find interesting about the MetaQuest Pro, but unfortunately there are a lot of
19:59
drawbacks still. Besides how expensive it is, perhaps the biggest issue is the lack of quality software
20:07
The Metaverse has a long way to go and it's debatable way. whether it will make it there
20:12
And even if it does, will there be an actual audience to appreciate it
20:16
On the other hand, it's not like I think the headset is bad by any means
20:20
If you enjoyed what the Quest do has to offer, then the Quest Pro has that and more
20:26
It's more technologically capable, and in theory it may get some must-own games or consumer-focused apps
20:33
However, the fact that it's so expensive and is marketed towards business purposes before consumer
20:38
purposes may cause game and app designers to just stick to the quest two, or wait to see what the
20:43
Quest 3 will be like. The only people who I could honestly recommend buying the pro are developers, as even with corporations
20:51
I'm not sure the value proposition exists yet. But hey, maybe through new software and updates it'll come into its own
21:00
With more time with it, it could also make me feel a little warmer to it, its features, and
21:06
its future. think of the MetaQuest Pro. Do you think it might have the potential to be better than it is now
21:14
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
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