Is the Quest 3 the Future of 5G Gaming?

The Meta Quest 3 is set to be unveiled on September 27th at Meta Connect, and the FCC filings suggest that the headset will have support for 5G. Could this be the future of gaming?

The FCC filings from Meta for an unnamed VR headset indicate that the Quest 3 will have support for 6GHz bands (aka Wi-Fi 6E). In addition, supplementary materials show that the Quest 3 was tested using a 10GHz mmWave radio, indicating possible 5G support. This could mean that the Quest 3 could support cloud VR streaming on Quest headsets, making it possible to play games without the need for a VR-ready PC.

What Would Meta Use a 5G Chip For?

Last year, VR analyst Brad Lynch leaked Quest 3 information claiming Meta was working with Verizon, AT&T, and other U.S.-based carriers in a partnership called “Project Razor.” This project would allow Meta to stream “cloud-first content” on Quest headsets without relying on the internal hardware over 5G networks. It’s possible that the Quest 3 has support for 5G connectivity, which would future-proof the headset to work for cloud VR gaming.

The Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip inside the Quest 3 could easily support a 5G modem with mmWave capabilities — possibly the Snapdragon X70 5G. However, 5G streaming could still have issues with latency, making users susceptible to nausea if there’s too much of a delay. But it’s still the only way Meta can make games with more realistic graphics that compete with current consoles.

The Quest 3 could be the future of 5G gaming, with its Wi-Fi 6E support and possible 5G mmWave radiation. It could be the answer to cloud VR streaming and could make it possible to play games without the need for a VR-ready PC. We’ll have to wait until the full unveiling of the Quest 3 on September 27th to find out for sure.