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Meta Quest 3 vs Magic Leap 2

Both devices below are described from their manufacturers’ own specification pages. Where a row does not apply to one of them, it says so rather than showing a dash — that is a different statement from “the maker does not publish it”.

Differences you can see

Pictures first, table second. Every chart is computed from the same published fields you can read below it — nothing here is an illustration.

  • Meta Quest 3
  • Magic Leap 2

Resolution per eye

Panels at true pixel scale, one inside the other.

The sharpest panel here has 80% more pixels per eye than the softest — that is what you gain on small text inside a scene.

Field of view

Seen from above. The grey area is roughly the human binocular field (~200°).

  • Meta Quest 3110° horizontal
  • Magic Leap 270° diagonal

One of these manufacturers publishes an angle without saying which axis it is measured on. Reviewers usually read those figures as diagonal, which would make the real horizontal field narrower than the wedge suggests — so treat the shapes as an impression, not as a ranking.

These angles are NOT measured the same way, so the wedges cannot be read as “this one is wider”. A pair of human eyes covers about 200° for reference.

Weight

On the whole catalogue’s scale, from 30 g to 830 g.

Meta Quest 3515 g
Magic Leap 2260 g
30 g830 g

Battery

On the whole catalogue’s scale, from 45 min to 2880 min.

Meta Quest 3132 min
Magic Leap 2210 min
45 min2880 min

Brightness

On a non-linear scale, so a 200-nit and a 5000-nit device both stay readable on it.

Meta Quest 3100 nits
Magic Leap 22000 nits
  • Office lighting300 nits
  • Overcast daylight1000 nits
  • Direct sunlight5000 nits

Brightness only decides anything on see-through optics: it is what the image has to compete with. The reference levels below are approximate conditions, not product figures.

A training day

Runtime against charge time, with modules counted at 20 minutes each.

Meta Quest 36 modules per charge
In use132 min
Charging138 min
Magic Leap 210 modules per charge
In use210 min
Charging180 min

Two hours of use means something different if the headset is back on the shelf in forty minutes than if it needs half the morning. The module length is ours, not the manufacturer’s — divide again if your sessions run longer.

On sale, and supported

Two different questions: how long you can still buy it new, and how long the manufacturer keeps updating it. The dashed line is the end of a three-year training programme (2029).

Meta Quest 3 on sale since 2023 · support until 2028

Magic Leap 2 sold 2022–2026 · support until 2027

available newmanufacturer support after the last sale

20212030

Sold and supported are not the same thing. A model can leave the shelves while its maker keeps shipping software to the units you already own — and it can stay on the shelves with no published support commitment at all.

What actually differs

Computed from the two records, most decisive first.

  • Device type

    Meta Quest 3
    Standalone VR, also PC-powered
    Magic Leap 2
    AR with a compute puck
  • Category

    Meta Quest 3
    VR — standalone
    Magic Leap 2
    AR — spatial
  • Runs Skillsive apps

    Meta Quest 3
    Yes
    Magic Leap 2
    No
  • Third-party apps

    Meta Quest 3
    does not apply
    Magic Leap 2
    Ordinary Android app (APK)

    This row does not exist for one of the two — they are different kinds of product.

  • Price band

    Meta Quest 3
    Mid range
    Magic Leap 2
    Enterprise
  • Launch price

    Meta Quest 3
    $499
    Magic Leap 2
  • Performance

    Meta Quest 3
    4 / 5 — current flagship
    Magic Leap 2
    does not apply

    This row does not exist for one of the two — they are different kinds of product.

  • Resolution per eye

    Meta Quest 3
    2064x2208
    Magic Leap 2
    1440x1760
  • Field of view

    Meta Quest 3
    110° horizontal
    Magic Leap 2
    70° diagonal
  • Brightness

    Meta Quest 3
    100 nits
    Magic Leap 2
    2000 nits
  • Refresh rate

    Meta Quest 3
    72/90/120 Hz
    Magic Leap 2
    120 Hz
  • Weight

    Meta Quest 3
    515 g
    Magic Leap 2
    260 g

They match on 9 further specifications.

Full specification, row by row

78 of 94 rows differ.

Specifications of the selected headsets, one column per model
Specification
Magic Leap 2

Magic Leap

ManufacturerWho makes it — and who you buy support from.MetaMagic Leap
CategoryWhich kind of product this is. It decides which rows below make sense at all.VR — standaloneAR — spatial
Device typeWhere the computing happens, and therefore what you need to run it.Standalone VR, also PC-poweredAR with a compute puck
AnnouncedThe day it was shown, which is not the day it shipped.2023-06-012021-02-01
ReleasedYear the model went on sale. Older is not automatically worse in this category.20232022
AvailabilityWhether you can still order it new today.On saleDiscontinued in 2026
Support endsThe date the manufacturer stops supporting it. Decisive for a fleet you are about to buy.2028-10-102027-12-31
DisplayHow the image is produced. "No display" is a real answer in this category, not a gap.does not apply to this classWaveguide
PanelThe screen type. micro-OLED gives deeper blacks and higher contrast; LCD is brighter and cheaper.LCDdoes not apply to this class
OpticsThe lenses in front of the panel. Pancake stays sharp closer to the edges than older Fresnel, which decides how much a trainee has to aim their head to read something.Pancake lensesdoes not apply to this class
Eyes coveredOne eye or both. Over a full shift this is a real difference in fatigue.Both eyesBoth eyes
Resolution per eyePixels delivered to each eye. Higher means small text and labels stay readable.2064x22081440x1760
Refresh rateImages per second. Higher feels smoother and helps people prone to motion discomfort.72/90/120 Hz120 Hz*Magic Leap 2 Detailed Spec Sheet (PDF, distributor-hosted)
Field of viewHow much of your view the image covers. Bigger is more immersive, not automatically better for work.110° horizontal70° diagonal
Pixel densityPixels per degree of view — the honest way to compare sharpness between a headset and a pair of glasses. Higher is sharper. Only shown where somebody published it; we never compute it ourselves.Pixel density: not published by the manufacturerPixel density: not published by the manufacturer
BrightnessIn a plant or outdoors, brightness decides legibility more than resolution does.100 nits2000 nits*VRcompare
WeightThe device alone. Anything above roughly 150 g is felt within an hour.515 g260 g
Visible field of viewWhat the eye actually sees through the optics, by axis.Visible field of view: not published by the manufacturerVisible field of view: not published by the manufacturer
Rendered field of viewWhat the device draws. Never smaller than what you see.108° horizontal · 98.25° vertical · 113.3° diagonalRendered field of view: not published by the manufacturer
Binocular overlapWhere both eyes see the same thing — this is where depth happens.80°Binocular overlap: not published by the manufacturer
Average pixel densityPixels per degree across the image. More is sharper.18.8 PPD horizontal (computed)Average pixel density: not published by the manufacturer
Peak pixel densityThe sharpest point, usually the centre of the lens.25 PPDPeak pixel density: not published by the manufacturer
Subpixel layoutHow the coloured dots sit in a pixel. A stripe looks cleaner on text than PenTile.RGB stripe · 3 subpixels per pixelSubpixel layout: not published by the manufacturer
Foveated renderingWhether detail is dropped outside where you look, to save performance.FixedFoveated rendering: not published by the manufacturer
PassthroughWhat the front cameras give you: colour, grayscale, or nothing.Colourdoes not apply to this class
Passthrough camerasResolution, density and frame rate of that camera feed.18 PPDdoes not apply to this class
IPD adjustmentMatching lens spacing to the eyes. Motorised is fastest when one headset passes between people.Manualdoes not apply to this class
IPD rangeHow far the lenses travel to match eye spacing. A narrow range excludes part of any group of adults, which matters when one headset is shared.53–75 mmdoes not apply to this class
Works with glassesWhether people who wear glasses can use it — fits over them, or takes prescription lens inserts.Yesdoes not apply to this class
Vision correctionHow somebody who wears glasses uses it, and in what dioptre range.Official lens inserts · -10 to 6 DOfficial lens inserts · -10 to 5 D
DimensionsWidth, height and depth of the device itself.Dimensions: not published by the manufacturerDimensions: not published by the manufacturer
Weight with strapWith the strap it ships with — the weight you actually wear.Weight with strap: not published by the manufacturerWeight with strap: not published by the manufacturer
Head strapSoft band or a rigid one. Decides how the weight sits over an hour.Soft strapRigid strap with a dial
MaterialsShell and facial interface, in the vendor’s words.Plastic · foam facial interfacePlastic
ColoursColours the manufacturer sells it in.WhiteGrey
Haptics in the headsetVibration in the headset itself, not in the controllers.NoNo
TrackingWhether content stays put in the room (6DoF), follows head rotation (3DoF) or is simply fixed.inside-out 6DoF6DoF (position in space)
Base stationsWhether boxes have to be mounted on the walls before it works.Not neededdoes not apply to this class
Tracking camerasHow many cameras it uses to know where it is.43
Tracking rateHow often position is recalculated. Higher is steadier.Tracking rate: not published by the manufacturerTracking rate: not published by the manufacturer
Depth sensorA dedicated sensor for distance, on top of the cameras.YesYes
Hand trackingWhether bare hands can operate the interface, without a controller or the phone.YesYes
Eye trackingThe headset knows where the trainee is looking. Enables sharper rendering where they look, and attention analytics.Nodoes not apply to this class
Face trackingTracks facial expression — for avatars, not for training scenarios.NoNo
Body trackingHow much of the body the device knows about. Estimated legs are not tracked legs.Upper body, legs estimatedBody tracking: not published by the manufacturer
Controllers includedWhether motion controllers come in the box, or are bought separately — or the device is hands-only.YesYes
Controller modelThe manufacturer's own name for the controller.Meta Quest Touch Plus ControllersMagic Leap 2 Controller
Controller tracking6DoF controllers track position and rotation, so a hand reaches in space; 3DoF only point. “None” means hands only.6DoF6DoF
Finger tracking on the controllerWhether the controller senses individual fingers, and how.Capacitive (partial)Finger tracking on the controller: not published by the manufacturer
Controller inputsButtons, sticks and triggers the controller offers.Capacitive face buttons · capacitive joystick · capacitive touch pad · capacitive index trigger · middle finger triggerTouchpad · trigger · bumper · menu button · home button
Controller hapticsVibration feedback in the hand.YesYes
Controller powerDisposable cells or a built-in rechargeable — a fleet question.AA batteriesBuilt-in rechargeable
Controller weightOne controller, as the vendor weighs it.Controller weight: not published by the manufacturer140 g
Other input methodsWays in beyond controllers and bare hands.Other input methods: not published by the manufacturerVoice
PerformanceHow much the headset can run — sharper scenes, more objects, smoother mixed reality. Higher is better.
Very good
does not apply to this class
Where it computesWhether the device computes on its own or depends on a phone, PC or belt-worn puck.does not apply to this classDriven by a belt-worn puck
ProcessorThe processor and memory inside. This is what the performance grade above is derived from.Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2AMD Quad-core Zen2 x86 CPU*VRcompare
CPUCores and clocks, where the manufacturer publishes them.Octa-core Kryo (1 x 3.19 GHz, 4 x 2.8 GHz, 3 x 2.0 GHz)Quad-core Zen2 (4 x 3.92 GHz, 8 threads)
GPUThe graphics part of the chip.Adreno 740AMD GFX10.2: 1SE 1SA 4 WGP
MemoryRAM on the device. Together with the chipset it sets how complex a scene can be.8 GB16 GB
PlatformThe platform an application is built against — and what an MDM has to speak.Meta Horizon OSMagic Leap OS (AOSP) Android 10
StorageOn-board space for downloaded courses. More matters for an offline library in several languages.512 GBStorage: not published by the manufacturer
SD card slotWhether storage can be added with a card.NoSD card slot: not published by the manufacturer
BatteryRuntime as the manufacturer states it. A hot-swappable pack matters more than the figure.132 min210 min
Battery capacity (Wh)Energy in the cell. Bigger is longer, given the same power draw.19.44 Wh*iFixit teardown, reported by UploadVRBattery capacity (Wh): not published by the manufacturer
Battery capacity (mAh)The same fact in the other unit vendors use. We never convert between the two.5060 mAhBattery capacity (mAh): not published by the manufacturer
Charge timeFrom empty to full. Rarely stated by the manufacturer, so it usually comes from whoever timed it.138 min180 min
ChargerPower of the supplied charger — it decides the charge time above.18 WCharger: not published by the manufacturer
External batteryBattery on a cable or a puck instead of on the head.NoYes
Charging caseExtra runtime carried in the case the glasses ship with.Charging case: not published by the manufacturerCharging case: not published by the manufacturer
Hot-swap batteryWhether a charged battery can replace the empty one without ending the session. This is what decides if a headset can hold an all-day training station.NoHot-swap battery: not published by the manufacturer
Third-party appsHow a third party's application reaches the device: an ordinary Android package, a vendor-only SDK, or not at all.does not apply to this classOrdinary Android app (APK)
Runs Skillsive appsOur own statement about whether Skillsive training applications run on it today.YesNo
Suitable for trainingOur judgement on whether it survives real deployment: comfort, hygiene, fleet management.YesSuitable for training: not published by the manufacturer
Kiosk mode / MDMVendor tooling to enrol devices, push an app and lock the headset to it. Practically required above ten devices.NoYes
Business tierAn official business tier, so devices belong to the company rather than to employees’ personal accounts.NoBusiness tier: not published by the manufacturer
Swappable facial interfaceRemovable, wipeable face padding. A consumable, and the difference between shared use and complaints.Yesdoes not apply to this class
CertificationsIndustrial certifications stated on the manufacturer's own page. Empty means unconfirmed, never "probably fine".CEFCC · CE · ANSI/CAN/UL 8400 · IEC 62471 · IEC 60825 · ISO 10993
PortsPhysical sockets and charging contacts.USB Type-C · charging contactsUSB Type-C
Wi-FiThe Wi-Fi generation — it decides how well wireless streaming holds up.6E6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
BluetoothFor controllers, headphones and accessories.5.25.1
Video from a computerWhether a computer can drive it, over a cable or wirelessly.Over a cable · Wireless (Oculus Link)Video from a computer: not published by the manufacturer
AudioBuilt-in sound. Matters most where somebody has to hear a remote expert while working.Built-in speakers · Headphone jackBuilt-in speakers
MicrophoneBuilt-in microphone — the other half of talking to a remote expert.YesYes
MicrophonesHow many. An array picks a voice out of a noisy hall; one does not.Microphones: not published by the manufacturer4
CameraA camera is what makes a remote expert call and photo documentation possible.does not apply to this classYes
Price bandThe band it sits in, rather than a price that goes stale.Mid rangeEnterprise
Launch priceThe manufacturer's launch price. Fixed history, so it never goes stale.$499Launch price: not published by the manufacturer
Price by configurationWhat each configuration cost at launch.Price by configuration: not published by the manufacturerPrice by configuration: not published by the manufacturer
Price todayApproximate current net price in USD — a general figure, since these barely differ between regions once tax is stripped out. A snapshot from the date shown, not an offer.$599.99Price today: not published by the manufacturer
Comfort (from reviews)How it wears over a full session. Scored from agreement between independent reviewers, not from our own testing.3 / 5Reviewers agree the centre of mass sits closer to the face than on Quest 2, so it feels lighter than its 515 g suggests. They split on the bundled soft strap: UploadVR found it fine for about an hour, Road to VR called it as poor as Quest 2's. For shared training, budget for a rigid strap.Road to VR review,UploadVR reviewdoes not apply to this class
Edge clarity (from reviews)Sharpness away from the centre of the lens. Scored from agreement between independent reviewers.Edge clarity (from reviews): not published by the manufacturerdoes not apply to this class
Tracking reliability (from reviews)How tracking holds up in poor light and fast movement. Scored from agreement between independent reviewers.Tracking reliability (from reviews): not published by the manufacturerdoes not apply to this class
Hand tracking quality (from reviews)How usable controller-free hand tracking is in a training scenario. Scored from agreement between reviewers.4 / 5Rated on agreement rather than our own testing: UploadVR finds less jitter, better accuracy and better handling of overlapping hands than PSVR2, and Road to VR reports Meta still shipping measurable improvements. Not a 5 because fast motion and low light still cost tracking.UploadVR, Quest 3 vs PSVR2 hand tracking,Road to VR, hand-tracking upgradedoes not apply to this class

“—” means the manufacturer does not publish that figure. “≈” with an asterisk means it was measured by somebody else — follow the asterisk for who. Prices are an indicative net figure in USD, a snapshot from the date on each model page, not an offer.

Product and company names used here are the trademarks of their respective owners and appear only to identify the hardware being compared. We are not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any of these manufacturers. Illustrations are our own.