Meta’s latest VR headset, the Meta Quest 3, has received rave reviews for its impressive features and performance. The Verge’s review hailed it as “better than its predecessors in almost every way.” But what lies beneath its sleek and shiny exterior? Thanks to iFixit’s teardown video, we now have a closer look at the inner workings of this virtual reality marvel.
One of the standout features of the Meta Quest 3 is its curved heatsink above the fan. Unlike the “largely unfixable” Quest Pro, this device doesn’t have a curved battery. However, it does come equipped with a Time of Flight depth sensor, which the Quest Pro decided to forgo. What’s interesting is that iFixit’s Shahram Mokhtari mentions that the Quest 3’s depth sensor can even be attached to a Quest Pro’s board, although it remains uncertain if it would function properly in that configuration.
The teardown also reveals the presence of pancake lenses and provides a microscopic view of the diagonal LCD lines underneath them. Unfortunately, these lines can occasionally lead to tearing, which can be a minor drawback. Additionally, replacing the battery on the Meta Quest 3 requires removing a whopping 50 screws, highlighting the complexity of the device’s internal structure.
Speaking of the battery, it has been upgraded to 19.44 watt-hours, a significant increase from the 14.3 watt-hours found in its predecessor, the Quest 2. This suggests that Meta prioritized performance over battery life with the introduction of the new Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip. Despite the larger battery pack, Meta claims that the Quest 3 offers roughly the same battery life as the Quest 2.
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iFixit also delves into the teardown of the Quest 3’s controllers. These controllers feature a constellation of infrared LEDs, enabling the headset’s cameras to track their movements in 3D space. Unlike previous Oculus controllers, which had protruding LED rings or built-in cameras, Meta seems to have simplified the design by relying on a simpler LED setup for tracking.
Unfortunately, the controllers lack drift-resistant Hall effect joysticks, despite featuring magnetic Hall effect triggers. While the teardown process for the controllers is relatively straightforward compared to the Quest Pro’s, users still need to remove a glued-on top. Mokhtari encountered difficulties when removing the thin plastic of the eye relief, but knowing the precise locations of the plastic snaps can help users navigate this step more carefully in the future.
Overall, iFixit praises the Meta Quest 3’s design as a significant improvement in terms of repairability compared to the Quest Pro. However, due to the complex layering of components and the time-consuming process of reaching the battery, the Meta Quest 3 garners a repair score of only four out of 10.
In conclusion, iFixit’s teardown video provides valuable insights into the inner workings of the Meta Quest 3. Despite its impressive performance and features, the device’s repairability poses challenges for users or technicians looking to fix it themselves. Nevertheless, the Meta Quest 3 sets a new standard for immersive virtual reality experiences and reinforces Meta’s commitment to pushing boundaries in the VR industry.
