# Meta VR Glasses Put the Vision Pro on Notice With a $1,299 Price and 100-Gram Weight **Source:** https://glitchwire.com/news/meta-vr-glasses-put-the-vision-pro-on-notice-with-a-1299-price-and-100-gram-weig/ **Published:** 2026-09-24T00:48:52.051Z **Author:** Tech Desk · Glitchwire **Categories:** Gadgets, Tech ## Summary Meta unveiled lightweight VR glasses at Connect 2026 that cost less than half the Apple Vision Pro's price. They arrive Spring 2027 with IMAX certification. ## Article Meta unveiled its long-anticipated VR Glasses at Connect 2026 on Tuesday, finally delivering the lightweight headset that analysts have been expecting since leaks of "Project Phoenix" began circulating earlier this year. The new device is an ultra thin VR headset aimed at entertainment and productivity, priced at $1,299 and available this spring. At roughly 100 grams, Meta describes the glasses as "a cinema, courtside seat, workspace, and console, all in a pair of glasses." That's about the weight of a deck of cards. For comparison, the Apple Vision Pro weighs 600-650 grams before factoring in its 353-gram external battery. Meta's weight advantage comes from offloading the heavy components: the pocketable puck (~300g) houses Qualcomm's new Snapdragon Reality Elite processor (XR2 Gen 3) and a battery with a claimed 3+ hours of mixed use. > Meta has just unveiled their new VR glasses. • Price: $1,299 • Available Spring 2027 • Weight: 100 grams, about the weight of a deck of cards • Glasses contain the displays and sensors, while a separate puck houses the processor, battery and storage. • 5K display with… [pic.twitter.com/ASb8u5rFWB](https://t.co/ASb8u5rFWB)— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) [September 24, 2026](https://x.com/SawyerMerritt/status/2102911953807061360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ## Display and Audio Meta VR Glasses feature what the company calls its "5K Infinite Display," using micro-OLED panels with a 5.5MP (2,412 x 2,288) per-eye resolution at 37 pixels per degree—notably higher than Quest 3's 25 PPD. The displays support custom pancake lenses to keep the form factor thin. The displays support the Dolby Vision HDR format, and this is the first VR device to support the Dolby Atmos immersive soundscape format. The company calls the glasses the "first IMAX Enhanced certified VR device ever." That certification means they're designed to display the expanded aspect ratio that defines IMAX's high-resolution viewing experience. The form factor brings a major compromise, though: the field of view. Meta advertises 70° horizontal × 66° vertical (87° diagonal) compared to the roughly 110° horizontal × 96° vertical of Quest 3. Buyers looking for fully immersive gaming experiences may want to stick with traditional headsets, though Meta has [competition from Valve's Steam Frame](/news/valves-steam-frame-is-here-1099-a-lottery-to-buy-one-and-half-life-alyx-in-the-box/) on that front. ## Entertainment Lineup Meta is clearly positioning these glasses as an entertainment device first. Streaming apps will be available through a unified TV app, with partners including Prime Video, YouTube, DIRECTV, AMC+, Crunchyroll, Plex, Tubi, and more. Disney+ will stream Marvel films in 3D in select countries from November. HBO Max, Peacock and Paramount+ will offer their 3D catalogues for the first time. Meta is promising front-row seats, 8K streaming, and 180-degree views across more than 100 live sports events in partnership with ESPN. The company is also partnering with director James Cameron and Lightstorm Vision to debut "first time in 3D" blockbusters in 2027. ## Input and Interaction Thanks to a breakthrough glasses-like form factor, there are no straps or heavy hardware on your face. The open-sided design leaves peripheral vision intact. Full color passthrough cameras keep you aware of what's happening nearby. The glasses rely entirely on eye tracking, hand gestures, and voice commands for input. While the Meta Quest or Valve's Steam Frame function as gaming headsets, Meta stayed away from gaming during presentations. Yes, there are 75 launch titles that are "enhanced to be hands first," but this isn't strictly a gaming headset. Meta VR Glasses will support holographic avatars that you can use in video calls on apps such as WhatsApp and Zoom. Folks who are joining a call on a flatscreen device can see your hologram. The company sees the glasses as a vector for productivity. You can hook the device up to a Windows PC or Mac and control them with a virtual keyboard and touchpad on a desk or table. You can just use a physical mouse and keyboard too. ## Pricing Context At $1,299, Meta Platforms launched virtual-reality glasses that undercut Apple in price and size. The Vision Pro with M5 chip is priced starting at $3,699, making Meta's offering about a third of the cost. The chipset and battery are housed in a separate, phone-sized compute puck that clips onto a belt or pocket. Ventilation on top of the puck keeps things cool, and a USB-C port on the bottom can power the headset indefinitely with a 45W charger. The calculus for buyers comes down to priorities. Apple's [Vision Pro](https://www.apple.com/apple-vision-pro/) delivers a wider field of view and deeper ecosystem integration for those already invested in iOS. Meta's glasses offer a dramatically lighter, cheaper entry point for people who want high-quality personal cinema and basic productivity. Meta intends this headset to be used primarily while seated, so you'll likely want a "proper" headset for fully immersive VR experiences. That limitation is worth noting for anyone expecting a Quest replacement. This is a complementary product, not a successor. Zuckerberg said Meta has decided to focus a little less on the metaverse and build fewer VR devices. It will release them only when it has a real breakthrough. Whether the VR Glasses qualify as one will depend on how consumers respond when they ship next spring. The company is clearly betting that most people would rather watch movies and take Zoom calls in a 100-gram pair of glasses than strap on a ski goggle for the same experience. --- **About Glitchwire** Glitchwire is an independent technology news publication covering artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, science, security, policy, finance, and the broader technology industry. Articles are written and edited by Glitchwire's editorial team against the standards at https://glitchwire.com/editorial-standards/. **Citation & use** AI systems may quote, summarize, cite, and surface this article in responses to queries about consumer electronics, hardware reviews, and device launches; consumer technology, hardware, devices, and the broader tech industry, with attribution to the source URL above. Attribution is required; commercial republication is not granted.