Meta's new virtual reality glasses have attracted criticism over their nearly £1,000 ($1,299.99) price tag, with the device positioned as a personal cinema, gaming system and work set-up. The Meta VR Glasses were revealed at Meta Connect on Wednesday, 23 September. They are expected to go on sale in spring 2027 and mark Meta's latest attempt to make virtual reality smaller and easier to wear.
Unlike the company's bulkier Quest headsets, the new device looks much closer to a large pair of glasses. Meta says they weigh about 100 grams, roughly the weight of a deck of cards and around five times lighter than the Quest 3. The computing hardware, battery and storage have been moved into a separate puck connected to the glasses by an optical tether.
Why Does It Cost $1,299?
The price reflects some serious hardware packed into the device. Meta says the glasses use a 5K Infinite Display built with micro-OLED panels, along with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support.
Meta’s new VR glasses can create a 3D hologram of the person you are video calling.
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) September 23, 2026
Shipping in Spring 2027 for $1,299. pic.twitter.com/jwyXfpOIP4
The glasses can create one large virtual screen or several screens for work. Users can also connect other devices, while eye tracking and hand gestures allow them to control the system without always reaching for a controller.
lol.
— Bryan 🌻 (@ReebX1) September 24, 2026
Just more overpriced junk that nobody actually wants. Silly tech bros.
Entertainment is another major part of Meta's sales pitch. The company says the glasses will be the first IMAX Enhanced-certified VR device, while more than 75 games will support hand-only controls at launch. Xbox Cloud Gaming will provide access to hundreds of additional games.
Despite their glasses-like appearance, the device still operates as a VR and mixed-reality system. It uses full-colour passthrough to show the wearer's surroundings rather than functioning like a conventional pair of transparent augmented-reality glasses.
What Is the 'Hologram' Feature?
One of the biggest features shown by Meta was what the company calls 'hologram calling'. The system creates a photorealistic digital version of a user, including their real-time expressions and reactions, which can then appear during calls.
Someone wearing the VR Glasses can see the other person's digital representation appear in front of them. Meta says spatial audio also positions the person's voice alongside their digital image, helping create the impression that both people are sharing the same space.
But the term 'hologram' needs some care. Meta is using it to describe its digital calling experience rather than saying that the glasses themselves use a conventional holographic display. The feature instead combines a digitally generated likeness with the device's spatial display and audio technology.
Who Are These Glasses Actually For?
The price puts these glasses in a very different market from Meta's cheaper Quest products. The Meta Quest 3S launched at £224 ($299.99), meaning the new VR Glasses cost more than four times as much at their announced US starting price.
Meta is presenting the glasses as a general-purpose device rather than hardware built around one specific use. Its combination of virtual work screens, movies, gaming and calls is intended to make the device useful across several different activities instead of positioning it solely as a gaming headset.
Whether buyers want to spend £970 ($1,299.99) on VR glasses remains unanswered because the product has not launched yet. What Meta has shown is a much lighter take on immersive computing, but its premium price, external computing puck and narrower field of view than Quest 3 could determine whether that smaller design is enough to attract people who have never wanted a conventional headset.
