Meta's new VR headset: More specs, price, and launch leaked?
Hardware analyst Brad Lynch wants to know more about the Meta Cambria display, the price, and the launch date.
Over the weekend, Lynch published another leak article about Project Cambria (info). Meta's new VR headset will be released sometime in the fall and could be named Quest Pro, according to recurring rumors.
Lynch's article highlights the brand-new Starlet controllers (report) on the one hand, and the headset itself, more precisely. On the other hand, its displays and field of view.
Well-known supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted earlier this year that the device will have two mini-LED displays with a resolution of 2,160 by 2,160 pixels per eye installed. Firmware findings in the Quest firmware anticipated this display type and approximate resolution a few months earlier. Lynch's sources confirm that Cambria does indeed use these displays.
Cambria display: Strong contrasts, bright colors
Mini-LEDs are an advanced form of LC display whose backlight consists of tiny LEDs. Groups of these LEDs can be switched off by software, enabling local dimming, i.e. areas of more natural black. Mini-LED displays thus achieve better contrast than conventional LC displays, but do not quite come close to (micro-)OLED displays in this respect.
Lynch claims to have learned something new about the mini-LED displays used. According to the report, the displays offer a layer of quantum dot light-emitting diodes and thus qualify as QLED displays. In practice, this means that they can display an expanded color spectrum and thus more and more beautiful colors.
Lynch further reports that Meta has perfected its own local dimming algorithm, on which the black level and the overall optical impression of the mini-LED displays depend. There is a drop of bitterness in terms of resolution: Although the display actually has a higher resolution, it only runs with 1,800 x 1,920 pixels in practice, according to the source.
Cambria: It will be expensive and should be released in October
Lynch speculated based on firmware findings that Cambria would have slightly rotated displays. His source confirms this. Both displays will be angled 21 degrees to each other, similar to Mirror Lake (see image below). Meta wants to increase the vertical field of view with this and also save production costs. Meta's head of engineering Andrew Bosworth recently talked about how a vertically expanded field of view would suit him better than a horizontally expanded one.
Cambria's displays could be slightly rotated, as seen on this concept. | Image: Meta
Last but not least, Lynch relays what the source whispered to him regarding price, pre-order start, and launch. According to this, Cambria will cost $1,500 (including two Starlet controllers, cable and charging station). Pre-orders will start at the next Connect conference in the fall. The headset itself will start shipping on October 25, 2022.
Those looking for the (presumed) specifications of the device can find an updated list on Bradley's website, at the bottom of the article in question.
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