Meta’s Project Cambria price leaks and, spoiler alert, you’re not going to like it
Are you ready to spend $799 on a VR headset?
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Meta’s VR hardware roadmap has apparently been leaked giving us details about its next four headsets, including the price and specs of its next VR headset:Project Cambria.
Known only by its codename, this souped-up device is expected to supplant Meta’s current best headset, theOculus Quest 2(nowrebranded as Meta Quest 2), when it launches later this year.
When it wasannounced in October 2021, Mark Zuckerberg (Meta’s CEO) explained that Cambria will be a “high-end” piece of tech that will produce better VR and MR (mixed reality) experiences than anything Meta has achieved before. This means improved specs and software could be headed our way.
More recently, Zuckerberg described it asa replacement for your laptop and work setup. Now a report fromThe Informationhas reaffirmed the idea that Cambria will be a “laptop for the face”.
The leaked internal road map suggests that Project Cambria will cost $799 (around £640 / AU$1,125) and will be about as powerful as a Chromebook – and it will run on Meta’s own Android-basedoperating system.
Based on thebest Chromebooksyou can currently buy, as well as the specs of the Meta Quest 2, it sounds like Project Cambria will have at least 8GB RAM and likely around 256 GB of storage. We’ll also likely see its processor get a boost too. However, Meta may have to design its own chip, as Qualcomm has yet to launch a follow-up to the Snapdragon XR2 that powers Meta’s Quest 2.
We’ve also previously heard that Cambria will incorporatedual mini LED displaysthat will likely offer a 120Hz refresh rate (to improve upon the Quest 2’s “experimental” 120Hz feature).
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
A welcome redesign
On top of that, the only released image for Project Cambria (seen above) shows that the controllers have been redesigned slightly. Unlike those used for the Quest 2, these new controllers lack tracking rings – suggesting that Cambria will use a different method for following where your hands move.
As for its other VR headsets, the same report from The Information says Meta is expected to launch theQuest 3(codenamed Stinson) in 2023, followed by Project Funston and Project Cardiff in 2024.
Funston will reportedly be an improvement upon Project Cambria, with Cardiff expected to be a lower-end device.
A Meta Quest 4 in 2024 feels quite unlikely as the Quest 3 would have only launched the year before. As such we expect Cardiff will instead be some kind of AR glasses (perhaps the follow-up to theRayBan Stories Smart Glasses) or perhaps aVR headset designed for kids– a device we have long expected Meta wants to produce.
We’ll have to wait a bit longer before Meta reveals more about Project Stinson or Cardiff – we still don’t have much official information for Project Cambria or the Meta Quest 3 yet. But if four headsets are dropping by the end of 2024, Meta might want to start making some announcements soon.
Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.
Batman: Arkham Shadow review: an almost flawless VR experience
Batman: Arkham Shadow is the Meta Quest 3 game you’ve been waiting for
England vs Australia live stream: how to watch 2024 rugby union Autumn International online from anywhere
