Ive worn the Meta VR Glasses, and theyre coming to eat Apple's lunch

Date:
Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Description:
The Meta VR Glasses are incredible: easily the best VR headset Meta has ever made.

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the biggest announcement of the night for me was easily the debut of Metas VR Glasses even if they were leaked ahead of schedule by Metas own prescription tutorial.

Ahead of their official reveal, I got to spend 30 minutes with the new tech, experiencing a wide range of demos that might have convinced me this isnt merely Metas best VR headset yet it could be the best VR headset Ive used yet.

The only downside is well be waiting a little longer to wear it. The headset isnt due to launch until Spring 2027 (March, April or May), but at least we know itll cost just $1,299 when it does land (price elsewhere TBC). Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: (Image credit: Meta) Slimmer
than ever Lets start with the design.

Slimmer and lighter than anything that has come before (the actual headset part you wear is down to just around 100g); this headset looks like a pair of glasses. They even swap the headstrap for glasses stems to stay on your head. You may like Metas next headset could be what the Quest Pro 2 should have
been The best VR headsets in 2026: VR gaming's top products from Apple, Meta, PlayStation, and more I finally tried Xreal Aura and theyre the comfiest XR headset Ive worn

The bulk of the weight is instead housed in a puck you carry in your pocket
a lot like the puck used by the Apple Vision Pro or Samsung Galaxy XR . The big difference here is Metas isnt just a battery pack, it also houses all of the headsets compute. Its tethered to the headset via an optical cable, but this wire never got in the way while I used the headset whether I was up and moving, playing a game like Beat Saber Flux, or sitting being productive with multitasking across multiple windows.

The headset can support controllers; however, it doesnt come with any in the box. Instead, youll need to rely on hand controls: either reaching out and grabbing, or the look and pinch controls popularized by Apple s Vision Pro
and Samsung s Galaxy XR. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from
us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Lastly, I should note that, despite being called glasses, this is a headset. They have an opaque front cover that only appears to be see-through to the wearer because of passthrough. This live video feed of the real world isnt
yet perfect (its still a little grainy and theres a slight delay), though it seems at least as good as the competition based on my experience so far. (Image credit: Meta) They do support pescription inserts too. They connect magnetically to the display lenses and don't disrupt the slimness of the headset at all based on my experience.

The device is just so supremely comfortable to wear. My demo was only around 30 minutes, but at one-fifth the weight of a Meta Quest 3 or Samsung Galaxy XR, the difference is immediately noticeable this is a headset I dont see myself needing to take off, even after multiple days of working with it on. What to read next Meta Ray-Ban Scriber Optics hands-on: superb 2026 smart glasses The first images of Meta's Project Phoenix mixed reality headset leak What to expect at Meta Connect 2026

Plus, its so portable you can easily take this everywhere in whatever bag you have on hand. No dedicated carry case required. I cant wait to travel with this thing. An all-round powerhouse While this can be used for all existing Meta Quest 3-compatible apps (though you will need controllers for those that dont support hand tracking, either as a new paid add-on or by commandeering your Quests handsets), where this headset truly shines is static experiences: productivity and entertainment.

We know VR headsets are excellent for multitasking. You can arrange virtual project app windows around you, and even bring your PC screen into XR to create the perfect setup. Metas headset boasts two useful additional
features. (Image credit: Meta) First, you arent limited to the number of displays your physical setup has when you connect it to your headset. Each laptop or PC can be extended to up to three virtual monitors, a tool that
some previous iterations of virtual desktop apps havent been able to offer (You could open multiple VR app windows, but only as many connected device windows as you had physical monitors).

Secondly, Metas headset can turn any surface into a keyboard. It just scans the surface in front of you be it a cafe table, a seat tray on a plane, or a bench at the park and then virtually projects a keyboard and trackpad you
can type and swipe on. It works seamlessly. In my demo, I was able to type as swiftly and accurately as I could on a physical accessory, and in terms of portability, this is yet another win for Metas VR Glasses. (Image credit: Meta) Moving on to entertainment, it seems Disney Plus Apple exclusivity has ended as the app and its library of 3D films are hitting Metas new headset. Because its an app, you can download content to watch on the go, which includes brand new immersive watching experiences.

While it was still just a demo, I got to experience watching a clip of Avengers: Endgame that extended beyond the screen in a souped-up version of Philips Ambilight.

Its the scene where Thor is forging his new axe, I was sitting in that same forge. The room lit up and reacted as events unfolded in the film, ending
with lightning flying out of the screen as Stormbreaker helped Thor return to full strength. It was a bit gimmicky, but also fun not something Id want for every movie, but an experience Id want when returning to a big tentpole. (Image credit: Meta) All of this content, be it immersive movies, a VR game, or a work document, looks beautiful on the 5K micro- OLED screen. It boasts a 37 pixel-per-degree resolution, which is around the PPD that its rivals, the Apple Vision Pro and Samsung Galaxy XR, boast (Samsung and Apple havent revealed these figures, but they have been estimated during product teardowns).

This is significantly better than the Quest 3s mere 25PPD, and it meets the standard of being able to deliver the IMAX Enhanced Format with superb audio and visuals. I got a taste of this in my demo, and Im keen to experience
more. I need this yesterday Im about to jet set to LA for a press trip, and I so desperately wish I could be taking the Meta VR Glasses with me for the flight both for getting work done and for immersing myself in a movie on a big screen rather than the back of the chair in front of me.

Alas, the VR specs arent due to land until 2027, though we know how much theyll cost: $1,299. Much less than a Vision Pro, or a Galaxy XR, and cheaper than the highest price Xreal has said its Aura glasses the closest thing Ive tried to the Meta VR Glasses could be. (Image credit: Meta) At the time of writing, Meta hasnt revealed too much in the way of specs (Im writing this up based on a pre-Connect briefing). The Meta VR Glasses can run any Quest 3 app and can multitask across six windows at once, so it must be at least somewhat capable. I expect it boasts at least 12GB of RAM and the latest Snapdragon XR chipset.

Im just impressed Meta can commit to such a relatively low price, especially months in advance. There are so many unknowns over trade and RAM demand that weve seen companies not reveal prices until as close to the last second as possible. Meta has bucked a trend here, but I expect it would only do so if 100% confident the cost wont budge if it doesnt, Ill be very, very happy. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. At the time of writing Meta hasnt revealed too much in the way of specs (Im writing this up based on a pre-Connect briefing). The Meta VR Glasses can run any Quest 3 app, and can multitask across six windows at once so it must be at least somewhat capable so I expect it boasts at least 12GB of RAM, and the latest Snapdragon XR chipset.

Im just impressed Meta can commit to such a relatively low price, especially months in advance. Theres so many unknowns over trade and RAM demand that
weve seen companies not reveal prices until as close to the last second as possible. Meta has bucked a trend here, but I expect it would only do so if 100% confident the cost wont budge if it doesnt Ill be very, very happy.



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