This is what a black Meta Quest 3 would look like
Some people find Meta Quest 3 ugly. A completely black version would be more elegant, as concept renderings show.
With the official teaser of the Quest 3, it is confirmed that the mixed reality headset will have three black, pill-shaped bumps on the front that house the new sensor architecture. The CAD leaks from last October already showed such a design.
The bumps stand out because of the white color of the surrounding case, and the black facial interface looks more voluminous because of the contrast.
Mark Zuckerberg wearing a Meta Quest 3. | Image: Meta
If the headset came completely in black, the sensors would not be as visible and the device would look more uniform.
This is what concept renderings by industrial designer and VR enthusiast Marcus Kane show. Kane colored his 3D model of the leaked Quest 3 prototype black, and Meta Quest 3 immediately looks much more timeless and elegant.
Mocked up a Black / Graphite colourway for the quest 3. Shame the black seems exclusive to their pro lines. #vr #HMD #META pic.twitter.com/v00g1p4TpW
— Marcus Kane (@marcusckane) June 2, 2023
Zuckerberg shows off first mixed reality apps
It wouldn't be the first time Meta designed a black standalone device. The 2019 Oculus Quest was black, as is the premium Quest Pro headset that launched last October.
Apple's headset reportedly hides its sensors behind glass, while Meta's design for the Quest 3 seems almost eager to highlight them. Is this just an overlooked design choice or an intention to create an iconic look?
We probably won't be able to make a final judgment until a few years from now, when we've gotten used to the look of the Quest 3. And who knows, maybe it will even become fashionable in the VR industry to highlight the sensors and their arrangement.
The original Quest (2019). | Image: Meta
Speaking of sensors: On Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg and Meta's CTO Andrew Bosworth demonstrated for the first time what the Meta Quest 3's new sensors are capable of.
The video shows clips from mixed reality apps. Unlike Meta Quest 2, Quest 3 supports RGB passthrough, and in a better quality than the twice as expensive Meta Quest Pro.
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