Meta has disclosed new information on its advanced VR and MR research headsets, including the Boba 3 ultra-wide field of view (FOV) prototypes and a “hyperrealistic VR” model named Tiramisu. These devices, first teased in academic papers last month, are designed by two specialized teams at Meta and will be demonstrated at SIGGRAPH 2025.
The Display Systems Research (DSR) team introduced “Wide Field-of-View Mixed Reality,” presenting designs for VR and MR headsets with ultra-wide FOVs in compact forms similar to current Meta Quest models. Meanwhile, the Optics, Photonics, and Light Systems (OPALS) team revealed “Hyperrealistic VR,” which they claim combines above-retinal resolution, high brightness, and high contrast in a single device for the first time. Both papers will be officially released prior to the conference, where attendees can try all three prototypes.
Boba 3 Brings Ultra-Wide FOV to a Sleek Design
The ultra-wide headset shown in earlier research was called Boba 2, but Meta will present Boba 3 at SIGGRAPH 2025. This latest version delivers a 180° horizontal and 120° vertical field of view. “Boba 3 feels like breaking through to the next level of immersion, opening up the periphery and showing off what you didn’t even know was missing,” according to the company.
For perspective, Quest 3’s FOV is less than 110° × 96°, and Quest 3S offers less than 96° × 96°. Human vision typically spans about 200° × 135°, meaning Boba 3 covers about 90% of natural vision compared to Quest 3’s 46%. This marks significant progress after years without advancements in practical ultra-wide VR optics.
Earlier Meta headsets, such as 2018’s Half-Dome, achieved 140° FOV but later reduced it in pursuit of compactness and varifocal technology. The push for ultra-wide FOV resurfaced in 2024, when Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth showcased an early prototype, later confirmed as Boba 1. This model had around 210° horizontal FOV but relied on older technology. Boba 2 upgraded to 3K×3K per-eye resolution, and Boba 3 further enhances this to 4K×4K with a central angular resolution of 30 pixels per degree (PPD).
Boba 3’s form factor avoids the bulk common in other wide FOV attempts, weighing 840 grams with passthrough and 660 grams without. For comparison, Quest 3 with the Elite Strap weighs 698 grams. Optical Scientist Yang Zhao stated, “It’s not going to easily hit a mass-market price point. And it requires a top-of-the-line GPU and PC system.”
Meta attributes Boba 3’s performance to a custom optical design using high-curvature reflective polarizers, building on years of work in pancake lenses. While technically feasible to produce, the device’s high cost and PC-only requirements mean Meta has no immediate plans for a consumer launch.
