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Oculus is reportedly developing a new smaller Quest VR headset. It’s also said to have multiple versions of the unit that it’s testing, and has yet to decide on which model it will go with for the finalized design.
All the versions are said to have tweaks that make them slightly different than the others, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Though Oculus may not have decided which version of the new headset to keep and pursue as the final design, the end result is likely to stick with the aspect of the smaller size.
The smaller Oculus Quest will also be lighter
The successor to the original Oculus Quest headset won’t be just be smaller and take up less space on the desk or entertainment center of the user.
It’s also apparently going to be lighter than before. People that are cited as “familiar with the matter” say that the weight has been decreased by about 10-percent to 15-percent compared to the Quest you can buy right now.
A smaller, and lighter headset would likely help wearers have less fatigue. Which could lead to the ability to use the headset for longer periods of time. At the very least it could make it more comfortable wear.
It’s not clear if all the variations will have the same decreased weight. It is noted however that some of the versions that are in advanced testing are smaller and lighter. So there is more than one.
Some variations are also faster than the current Quest headset
In addition to being smaller and lighter, multiple variations are faster than the current Quest headset too. Specifically having a faster image refresh rate.
This is supposed to help the headsets deliver “more realistic content.” It isn’t mentioned though how much more realistic. But any improvement is a good thing. Because more realistic content should help with better immersion. Which would probably lead to a better overall experience with VR for the user.
There are reportedly redesigned controllers too. Perhaps to match the smaller and lighter design that Oculus may decide to use for the headset.
Consumers would have had the opportunity to buy this new headset sometime in 2020. But the current global situation has apparently caused shipping to be pushed back to sometime next year in 2021.
The silver lining there is that this will give Oculus more time to work on the hardware and reach a design it’s completely happy with.