Virtual reality is suffering from an identity problem.
It ultimately works better as a toy than as a tool, but its aninsanelygreat toy.
What’s improved about the Quest 3?
(The Quest 3 even supports 120Hz, but Meta notes this is currently experimental only.)
The Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor is faster then the Quest 2s first-get Snapdragon.
It has 8GB of DRAM compared to the Quest 2’s 6GB.
The new pancake lenses are way better than the fresnel lenses of the Quest 2.
The headset is slimmer and more comfortable to wear.
The controllers are lighter and feature improved haptics.
Ive had great experiences in virtual realityfake-fishing with my kidon fathers day,watchingDr.
For me, and other’s I’ve spoken to, being immersed in virtual reality is mentally overwhelming.
Its partly from the bright colored lights bombarding your eyes.
It’s partly from the uncanny nature of the experience itself.
Just the weight and snugness of feeling the thing strapped to your face can be off-putting.
Its blurry, but way less jarring than plunging into the full-reality-separation of immersive VR.
For newer, non-gamer users, they’re more comfortable and intuitive.
Theoretically, that means its less likely to make you feel queasy than previous Quest generations.
There are also much-needed air vents to instances of lessen fogged up lenses when the experience gets strenuous.
For a bit, anyway.
feeling after prolonged use, if less so than other headsets Ive tried.
The improved head-strap is easier to adjust to get a good fit to your face.
All that is great, but what is the Quest 3goodfor?
Maybe unsurprisingly, the winner was gaming.
Both are excellent examples of the kind of fun you might have in virtual reality.
Without getting fully into game review territory,AC: Nexusis great.
A lot of VR games are still glorified tech demos, butNexusfeels close to an actual game.
Its not there yet, but its close.
Nexus is short and simple compared to realAssassins Creedgames, but its 16 levels are impressively immersing.
But I had the most fun withDrop Dead: The Cabin.
You map the room youre playing in, and the game overlays fictional elements into your house.
The screenshot above doesnt really do the impressive tech justiceyou have to see it in motion.
The Quest 3 also shines when it’s connected to a PC and used as VR monitor.
Can you do productive things with a Quest 3?
In other words, it’s all more trouble than it’s worth.
I cant make much of a case for using the Quest 3 for work-based productivity either.
Can you use the Quest 3 to make new friends?
Can you use the Quest 3 to get fit?
Released in 2016, this tech demo puts users in an elevator that ascends many stories into the sky.
The doors slide and open to reveal a wooden plank hanging in mid-air.
That’s basically it.
It’s not useful, deep, or life-changing, but it’s hilarious.
