The Meta Quest 3 will be announced as the successor to the Meta Quest 2 sometime in 2023, probably at the fall Meta Connect event. The price will not change significantly from the current Quest 2's $399, but the headset may be more sophisticated.

Analyst Bradley Lynch published leaked CAD images of Quest 3, codenamed "Project Stinson," in October. Now he has tweeted a rendering of Quest 3 designed by 3D modeler Marcus Kane based on the same leaked CAD image (opens in new tab).

At first, the VR headset does not appear to have changed dramatically. The biggest change is the array of three pill-shaped nubs on the front of the headset. According to Lynch's leaked CAD blueprints, these are (from left to right) a black-and-white camera, a depth sensor, and an RGB camera. These allow for spatial tracking and color augmented reality pass-through, further highlighting Meta's shift from VR to mixed reality, which began in earnest with the launch of the Meta Quest Pro.

However, when the rumored headset is superimposed on the Quest 2, the physical differences are striking. Compared to the rendered Quest 3, the Quest 2 visor is enormous.

This reduction in size is likely due, at least in part, to the use of pancake lenses, which we expect to see on the Meta Quest 3 headset. Pancake lenses allow manufacturers to create thinner, more compact display lenses and were first used in the PICO 4 and later in the Quest Pro. Not only does this reduce the overall size of the headset, but the space no longer needed for the lens can be used to house additional chipsets, cameras, etc. This advantage can actually be seen in the camera/sensor array on the front of the rendered Quest 3 visor.

All of this should be taken with a grain of salt, as these are only rumors and leaks at this point. Nevertheless, Lynch has a good track record regarding these leaks and regularly leaks Quest 3 news, including rumors of improved graphics with an upgraded GPU. Stay tuned for our Meta Quest 3 rumor coverage to make sure you don't miss any Meta Quest 3 rumors.