The $50 Meta Quest 3 accessory that I can’t live without (and how to get it for free)

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Zenni VR Prescription Lenses are an reasonably priced, easy, and efficient means to enhance your Quest 3 expertise.
• They are often prescribed with a Sphere (SPH) vary of -9.00 to +6.00 and a Cylinder (CYL) vary of -4.00 to +4.00.
• You may have to attend a few week for supply, however that is comparatively quick for a custom-made product through the vacation season.

I have been spending increasingly time on the Meta Quest 3. Perhaps it is me having some downtime through the vacation season, perhaps it is the headset simply being a implausible vessel for immersive leisure, or perhaps it is the truth that since putting in a pair of prescription lenses, I’ve lastly been in a position to comfortably put on a VR headset with out my glasses getting in the best way.

Additionally: ZDNET’s product of the yr: Meta Quest 3 is the quiet shocker of 2023

It is most likely a little bit of the whole lot, however I’ll give the Zenni prescription lenses its flowers. As a result of even when they did not value simply $50, these glasses-replacements are simply my new “must-have” accent for the Quest 3; that is how revolutionary they’re for me. And if there actually are greater than 166 million people in the US who wear prescriptions of some kind, then I’d be remiss to not share this piece of product advice with the remainder of the world.

ZDNET RECOMMENDS

Zenni VR Prescription Lenses

Affordable lens attachments that make all the difference in VR for glasses-wearers.

You’ll be able to consider VR prescription lenses as built-in glasses, corrective lenses that offer you a clearer view of the digital world. They have been round for years, however solely probably the most enthusiastic of VR customers noticed worth in investing in a pair (and truly knew they existed.) In 2023, headsets just like the Meta Quest 2 and Quest 3 are extra standard and broadly accepted. That was clear throughout this vacation purchasing season when each headsets outsold Apple’s AirPods, the earlier e-commerce champion.

So, why Zenni prescription lenses? For one, they’re licensed to suit with the Meta Quest 3. Set up is so simple as snapping on the frames to the outer rim of the headset’s pancake lenses, nearly like stacking a Lego brick. The field comes with a carrying case, which got here in useful once I hosted this yr’s vacation gathering and handed the headset round for pals and family members to strive, and a microfiber material for cleansing.

To my shock, I have not discovered myself cleansing the lenses that always since they arrive with anti-scratch, anti-reflective, and water resistant coatings. It has been about two months since I’ve used the Zenni lenses, and my utilization primarily revolves round Beat Saber, Eleven Desk Tennis, and, extra not too long ago, Asgard’s Wrath 2. Here is to hoping the coating is simply as efficient half a yr and later.

Additionally: Prescription lens inserts for VR headsets: get a clearer have a look at the metaverse

I am additionally a fan of how seamless the ordering course of is. When you enter your prescription particulars and place the order, delivery takes a few week, which is comparatively quick throughout this time of the yr. The Zenni lenses might be prescribed with a Sphere (SPH) vary of -9.00 to +6.00 and a Cylinder (CYL) vary of -4.00 to +4.00. That is greater than relevant to most customers with far and near-sightedness, however nonetheless price noting.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

So, whether or not you purchased a Meta Quest 3 for your self or have been not too long ago gifted one, and usually depend on prescription glasses, do your self a favor and put this $50 add-on on the high of your accent listing. Since utilizing the Zenni lenses, I’ve discovered it very troublesome to put on different VR headsets with my glasses on — bear in mind, these are solely fitted for the Quest 3 mannequin and nothing else; the discomfort is instantly noticeable.

I am going to depart you with another piece of shopping for recommendation: Test together with your imaginative and prescient insurance coverage to see if it’s going to cowl the price of the lenses. Some will and a few will not, however there’s an opportunity that you simply could possibly expense the Zenni lenses with out spending a dime.