Meta is set to unveil groundbreaking virtual reality (VR) headsets at the upcoming SIGGRAPH 2025 conference, promising substantial enhancements in realism and viewing angles compared to their current Quest lineup. These research prototypes showcase potential advancements in immersive experiences.
Among the most notable is the headset named “Tiramisu,” which Meta claims represents a significant leap in VR realism. Featuring a contrast ratio that is three times greater than the Meta Quest 3, an angular resolution of 90 pixels per degree (PPD) which is 3.6 times higher, and brightness levels reaching up to 1,400 nits—14 times that of its predecessor—Tiramisu is positioned as “the closest we’ve come to a visual experience that passes the visual Turing test.” However, this excellence comes with trade-offs; it is bulkier and heavier than current consumer models and has a restricted field of view.
In contrast, the “Boba 3” and “Boba 3 VR” headsets emphasize an increased field of view (FOV). While the Quest 3 provides a horizontal FOV of 110 degrees and a vertical FOV of 96 degrees, the Boba 3 models boast a horizontal FOV of 180 degrees and a vertical FOV of 120 degrees, closely mirroring human visual perception, which is estimated at 200 degrees.
These Boba 3 headsets utilize mass-produced displays and lens technologies similar to those found in the Quest 3, offering a display resolution of 4K by 4K per eye—an upgrade from the 3K by 3K resolution of the previous Boba 2 prototype and the 2K by 1K of the original Boba prototype.
Set to debut at SIGGRAPH 2025, these prototypes exemplify Meta’s commitment to evolving VR technology. While the company states that these are purely research-focused and may never reach the consumer market, their development can lead to future products with significantly more immersive capabilities, reports 24brussels.
