Meta wants you to drop $1,499 on headphones to…go to work

What happens when you work away from your desk, so you don't have your big desk and several big screens with you?

You can just use your laptop and get by. Or, you can buy a $1,499 Quest Pro, which Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says is designed specifically for the job. Today, in Horizon Workrooms, Meta is adding personal desktop functionality, which allows you to create your own custom slice of the metaverse to…work.

"One of the best things about virtual reality is that you can create environments that go beyond what's possible in the physical world," Zuckerberg said during the Meta Connect presentation today. . "Of course, this also goes for productivity setups, so you have instant access to your ideal workspace, set up the way you want it, wherever you are."

A similar application, Virtual Desktop, first became available on the Oculus Rift (RIP to Oculus branding) in 2016. So the idea of ​​integrating your computer into virtual reality is not really new. But from the brief overview we saw in today's presentation, it looks like Meta has elevated its idea a bit.

Image credits: Meta

"Ultimately, we think your Quest might be the only monitor you'll really need," said Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth.

As advanced as a virtual workspace is, it's hard to imagine people using a VR headset to work eight hours a day. If people are already suffering from eye strain and headaches from working at a computer (looking through my blue light glasses as I type this), will they really want to strap screens to their face? Still, Meta executives are confident this is the way to go.

“There is an opportunity for a VR headset designed from the ground up to be ideal for work, as well as for playing games and hanging out,” Zuckerberg said, before unveiling the Quest Pro, along with the partnership of Meta with Microsoft.