Meta’s next VR headset might not replace the Oculus Quest 2 after all

Project Cambria VR headset
(Image credit: Meta)

Meta’s next VR headset (named Project Cambria) will focus on productivity over playtime, Mark Zuckerberg revealed during a recent Meta earnings call. As such it might not be quite the Oculus Quest 2 (now Meta Quest 2) replacement we expected it to be.

His statement was later reiterated on Zuckerberg’s own Facebook page, where he not only praised the Quest 2’s performance but reaffirmed that Project Cambria will launch this year.

"On the hardware side, Meta Quest 2 continues to be the leading virtual reality headset. Later this year, we'll release a higher-end headset, codenamed Project Cambria, which will be more focused on work use cases and eventually replacing [sic] your laptop or work setup. This premium device will have improved ergonomics and full color passthrough mixed reality to seamlessly blend virtual reality with the physical world."

Project Cambria ... will eventually replace your laptop or work setup.

Mark Zuckerberg

More interestingly though, he went on to say that this “higher-end headset” will move away from gaming to “be more focused on work use cases”. Over time, the Meta CEO hopes that it’ll replace our laptop and work setup.

That being said, the new VR device won’t completely abandon Oculus’ gaming heritage.

Later on in his statement, Zuckerberg said that Meta’s new hardware is built to provide “the best metaverse experience – whether you're playing a game or meeting with co-workers in Horizon Workrooms.”

To achieve this Project Cambria will build upon the Quest 2’s existing infrastructure, but will also incorporate new hardware. Divulging a few more details about what this will entail Zuckerberg explained that this new device will offer “improved ergonomics” and “full-color passthrough mixed reality”.

Currently, the Quest 2 only offers greyscale mixed reality – and the live feed of the real world around you is a little grainy to boot. This improved performance will almost certainly mean Cambria will offer a superior mixed reality performance compared to what Meta’s current hardware can provide.

Oculus Quest 2 on a white background

The Oculus Quest 2 will soon be outdated hardware (Image credit: Shutterstock / Boumen Japet)

Beyond this, Cambria will also use new eye and face tracking features to enhance its ability to recognize a user’s facial expressions to then relay them in VR. Being able to recreate these kinds of social cues will be vital as Meta develops its digital social spaces in the metaverse. Without them, its virtual hubs could wind up feeling impersonal and devoid of actual emotion.

There’s still no word on exactly when Project Cambria will be released, though being a less consumer-related device may mean we won’t have to wait until the holiday season to try it out for ourselves. New gaming hardware usually drops around October or November to create excitement – and drive sales – in the run-up to the December holidays. 

That's exactly when the Xbox Series X, PS5, and Meta's own Quest 2 each were released.

With Cambria looking less and less like a device we can expect to find under our Christmas trees and more like a device that will replace board rooms and office spaces, there’s less of an incentive for Meta to delay its release.

We’ll have to wait and see what Meta announces though, but whenever its next VR headset drops – be it Project Cambria or the Oculus Quest 3 – we’ll be sure to keep you up to date on all the latest info.

Hamish Hector
Senior Staff Writer, News

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.

Read more
The Meta Quest Pro on a desk on its charging station with its controllers on charge too
Meta Quest Pro 2: the latest news and what we know about the rumored VR headset
The Meta Quest Pro on its charging pad on a desk, in front of a window with the curtain closed
Meta Quest Pro 2 could be back from the dead (yet again), and Quest 4 is reportedly in the works
"Android XR" in front of pictures of people hiking, excercising, and having a party
Project Moohan shows Samsung doesn’t understand what makes the Meta Quest 3 special – and I don't think AI will rescue it
The Meta Quest 3 on a notebook surrounded by pens and school supplies on a desk
Leaked Meta memo teases 'half a dozen' new AI wearables, a mixed-reality push, and the return of the metaverse
Girl wearing Meta Quest 3 headset interacting with a jungle playset
Asus Tarius VR headset could use the Meta Quest 3’s best feature to defeat it – and it already sounds like the headset of my dreams
Oculus Quest headset and Oculus Touch controllers
Meta sets Oculus Quest headset shelf-life at six years, but there's still hope that the Meta Quest 2 will survive past 2026
Latest in Virtual Reality Gaming
A Dragonborn warrior, Tiefling rogue and Halfling mage preparing for battle next to a sign saying "Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked"
First Dungeons & Dragons VR trailer teases a beginner-friendly tabletop game – but I’m just begging for a custom game mode
Meta Quest 3S with Batman: Arkham Shadow banner behind it and red background with black TechRadar lowest price sign
Save $50 on the Meta Quest 3S with a free copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow
Aliens crawl out of the dark to attack Zula
Alien: Rogue Incursion review: superb survival horror with monsters I wish were more terrifying
Hamish Hector next to Ryan Rayton and a shadowy Batman
Exclusive: the head of Batman: Arkham Shadow answers our 5 biggest questions about a sequel, DLC, and that twist ending
Metro Awakening screenshot
Metro Awakening review: a survival horror adventure that'll land with the right audience, but that's not me
Batman using his grapnel gun
Batman: Arkham Shadow review: an almost flawless VR experience
Latest in News
UK Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer
UK PM says AI should soon replace civil servants
Xbox Copilot in Minecraft
Microsoft confirms Copilot can be tested by Xbox Insiders next month and shares new details about how the AI sidekick will enhance the player experience: 'It has to be about gameplay, it has to be personalized to you'
Eight Samsung TVs mounted to the wall showing different basketball games
Samsung is offering you 8 new TVs in one bundle for March Madness, in case you want to watch all games at once like a Bond villain’s lair
Image depicting hands typing on a keyboard, with phishing hooks holding files, passwords and credit cards.
Microsoft warns about a new phishing campaign impersonating Booking
The Steam Logo on a mobile phone in front of a wall of games.
Today’s Steam Spring Sale features my absolute favorite game of all time - here's when the sale starts and all the key info
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
The latest iPhone 17 Pro Max leak may have given us another look at its upcoming redesign