Meta is betting its next big VR bet on a pair of glasses that look a lot like Apple’s Vision Pro. The company’s new Meta VR Glasses are due in spring 2027, and they carry a $1299 price tag. The irony is that the device requires a separate tethered battery pack, just like Apple’s design.
The Apple Comparison
The glasses are notably reminiscent of the Apple Vision Pro, all the way down to the requirement to carry a separate tethered battery pack. That tethered battery has allowed Meta to slim down the device.
What the Glasses Look Like
The glasses are meant to resemble a pair of sunglasses. They weigh 100 grams on the face, and they carry a Qualcomm Snapdragon Reality Elite chip with 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, plus a microSD card for expansion. The screens inside are 2.4K micro-OLED displays, which Meta says are some of its best-looking to date.
The cameras for spatial augmented reality applications are more prominent than those on other Meta Glasses. That is because they are designed to support more complex applications. It also means they are harder to hide, which is notable given recent headlines about Meta’s Ray-Ban Meta Glasses being used to record people in public without consent.
The Weight Claim
Meta claims the glasses will only weigh 100 grams on the face. That is the lightness the device is built around, and the tethered battery is the trade-off.
Games at Launch
Roughly 75 VR games are playable with just your hands at launch, including a port of the fifth Ace Attorney game to virtual reality. Xbox Cloud Gaming is also supported via a controller.
Movies and Sports
The glasses are positioned as a multimedia device first. IMAX-resolution and 3D movies are on the menu via services like Disney+, which promises to support the app from launch. Sports viewing is listed as an option, and homework is mentioned as a use case. The device is also pitched as a way to watch immersive content.
The Big Question
The biggest question facing Meta is whether the device can appeal to people who have never bought into VR or AR glasses before. Even Apple struggled to do that with its own device. The glasses offer a lighter model and access to immersive entertainment options alongside games, but the $1299 price tag is steep for a category that has not convinced everyone yet.
What We Know
- Price: $1299 at launch in spring 2027
- Weight: 100 grams on the face
- Chip: Qualcomm Snapdragon Reality Elite
- RAM: 12GB
- Storage: 128GB + microSD card
- Screens: 2.4K micro-OLED
- Games at launch: Roughly 75, including Ace Attorney VR and Xbox Cloud Gaming
The Verdict
The glasses are a clever pivot. By slimming the headset and offloading the battery, Meta is trying to make VR feel less like a burden. Whether consumers will accept a $1299 tethered setup remains to be seen. The device is a step forward for form factor, but the question of demand remains unanswered.
See the video the story is built around at Kotaku.
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