Meta unveils VR glasses as a lighter alternative to bulky headsets
Meta has developed a new VR device shaped like glasses rather than a headset, offering a lighter way to watch movies, play games and work in virtual reality. The device will launch in spring 2027 for $1,299.99.
Meta has introduced a new virtual reality device — glasses that rest on your ears like ordinary eyewear instead of strapping around your head like typical VR headsets. A Verge reporter tried the device at Meta's campus and found the experience notably lighter, both literally and in feel, as the glasses weigh just 100 grams compared to the Quest 3's 515 grams.
To keep weight down, only the display and sensors sit on the face; the processing power — including a Snapdragon Reality Elite chip, 128GB of storage, 12GB of RAM and the battery — is housed in a separate puck connected by a wire that can be kept in a pocket. The battery provides up to three hours of media playback, and the glasses can still be used while the puck charges.
The device features a 5K MicroOLED display with 2412 x 2288 pixels per eye and a refresh rate up to 120Hz. It comes in two sizes, both priced the same. Control is handled mainly through eye tracking and hand gestures — users look at on-screen elements to highlight them, then pinch thumb and finger together to select, using six external cameras to track hand movement.
Meta demonstrated the glasses primarily as an entertainment device, with a large virtual screen suited for watching films and concerts, including a Billie Eilish concert film and NBA Finals footage shot in VR180 format. In partnership with Disney and Industrial Light & Magic, Meta has also created 'VR Enhanced' film versions, such as Avengers: Endgame, where the virtual environment around the screen reacts to on-screen events. Enhanced versions of Avengers: Infinity War and Star Wars: A New Hope will also be available at launch.
On the gaming side, more than 75 titles will support the new hands-first controls at launch, including a new Flux mode for Beat Saber, alongside the full existing Quest app catalog and controller support. The glasses can also mirror computer screens for work and offer a virtual keyboard and trackpad for typing.
The glasses will cost $1,299.99 and go on sale in spring 2027, positioned between the $599.99 Quest 3 and the $3,499 Apple Vision Pro. Meta's VP of product for VR, Angela Chang, confirmed the company will continue developing full VR headsets as well.
