When it comes to advancing standalone XR headsets, trimming down the weight and boosting their performance are top priorities. Though Meta recently unveiled its Orion AR glasses prototype, which cleverly uses a wireless compute unit, don’t expect CTO Andrew Bosworth to cheer this solution as the ultimate fix for standalone VR gaming.
Bosworth, who heads Meta’s Reality Labs XR team, frequently tackles a mix of topics during his Instagram Q&A sessions—covering everything from his professional insights to personal musings. In his latest chat, he dove into the world of wireless compute units, expressing why the company doesn’t see them as the go-to approach for their standalone VR devices.
“We’ve explored this option multiple times. Wireless compute pucks, to be honest, don’t quite hit the mark. Even in a wireless setup, the headset still holds a battery, which is significant in terms of weight. Yes, it does free up some thermal space which could enhance performance, but then you’re faced with bandwidth limits due to radio usage,” Bosworth explains.
Apart from the technical hurdles, Meta focuses heavily on making its products consumer-friendly. Take the latest Quest 3S, for instance, which they’re pricing competitively starting at $300 for the 128GB model. Bosworth elaborates further:
“You’re significantly driving up the cost. Even with the main processing silicon housed in the wireless compute puck, you still need additional silicon to power the displays, handle local corrections, and manage the incoming data stream. In a nutshell, the math just doesn’t add up. There’s little weight reduction, and the costs and complexities skyrocket.”
While Meta decided to steer clear of such setups for consumer VR products, it’s worth noting their Orion prototype, which does incorporate a wireless compute unit. Despite Orion’s impressive tech, it won’t hit the market anytime soon due to its immense cost—reportedly hitting $10,000 each, largely because of its silicon carbide lenses. Wireless pucks, however, can be justified for less immersive graphics in AR glasses.
Looking ahead, Bosworth has cautioned that Meta’s first consumer AR glasses won’t be matching the Quest’s price range. Back in September, he mentioned these glasses aren’t going to be “cheap,” but the goal is to price them within the realm of phones and laptops, keeping them relatively accessible.
