The Metaverse was on everyone’s lips in 2022, even though no one can really explain what the heck it is. With the internet zeitgeist now locked on AI chatbots in 2023, Meta appears to be reevaluating the high prices of its VR headsets. The company has announced a significant price cut for the Quest Pro headset and a more modest one for the 256GB version of the Quest 2.
The Meta Quest Pro launched late last year with an obscenely high price tag of $1,500. The company previously known as Facebook said the price was necessary because of the advanced hardware and optics, including an impressive (and slightly worrying) array of 10 cameras on the headset, plus a few more on the controllers. Meta is knocking $500 off the price of this headset, bringing the starting price down to $999.
Even after the price drop, a thousand dollars for a VR headset is a lot, particularly one that is optimized for business and productivity in the Metaverse. If you’re more interested in VR gaming, Meta has the Quest 2. The company raised the price of this headset in mid-2022, adding $100 to the price, and now it’s backtracking. The 256GB headset is dropping from $500 to $429.99. The base model with 128GB of storage is not getting any cheaper, so it’ll be just $30 less than the 256GB variant at $499.
The Meta Quest 2.
Meta says its goal is to “create hardware that’s affordable for as many people as possible to take advantage of all that VR has to offer.” Although that rings a bit hollow when the base model Quest, which is the headset most buyers gravitate toward, remains at its inflated price. In addition, we’re just talking about the starting price for both headsets. You’ll have to pony up additional cash if you want a more premium strap, an external battery, a light blocker, a carrying case, a charging dock, or a high-speed USB-C cable for PC connectivity.
The new Quest 2 and Quest Pro prices will go into effect this coming Sunday (March 5) in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UK, and the US. The Quest Pro price will drop on March 5 in the US and Canada. All other Quest Pro countries will follow that on March 15.
Now read:
- Meta Says It’s Sold Nearly 20 Million Quest Headsets
- New Apple Patent Details Novel Handoff Method for Its Upcoming XR Headset
- Microsoft Lays Off All Its VR, Mixed Reality, and HoloLens Employees: Report
No comments:
Post a Comment