Meta’s new Quest Pro headset includes Touch Pro controllers which come with a bevy upgrades, and they’ll work with Quest 2 as well.
Meta says that Quest Pro and Quest 2 will co-exist as high-end and entry-level headset lines, and there’s perhaps no clearer evidence of this than that the company has taken the time to make its new Touch Pro controllers compatible with both headsets.
Key Quest Pro Coverage:
Quest Pro Revealed – Full Specs, Price, & Release Date
Quest Pro Hands-on – The Dawn of the Mixed Reality Headset Era
Quest Pro Technical Analysis – What’s Promising & What’s Not
Touch Pro Controllers Revealed – Also Compatible with Quest 2
Touch Pro controllers do away with the tracking ring that’s been present on every Touch controller to date. This time around they use three on-board cameras to perform their own inside-out tracking.
Not only does this make the controllers more compact, it also means they don’t need to have line-of-sight to the headset in order to maintain tracking. That means they should work great even when your hands are above your head, at your side, or behind you. And I’m sure someone will try attaching them to their feet.
Touch Pro controllers also include two new capabilities not seen in those prior: a pressure sensor for pinching and a pressure sensitive stylus tip.
The pinch sensor is on the controller’s thumb rest, allowing users to squeeze the controller between their index finger and thumb for a natural pinching gesture. Thanks to its pressure sensitivity this makes for a somewhat more nuanced input compared to the controller’s buttons and triggers.
The stylus tip, which is included with the controllers but can be freely detached, allows the controller to be used like a bulbous white-board marker with pressure sensitivity so it can understand how hard you’re pushing as you draw against physical surfaces.
Touch Pro also includes improved haptics with more powerful and precise haptic engines inside, and they’re rechargeable.
But Quest 2 users should fear not… all of the Touch Pro improvements are within reach. Meta says Touch Pro controllers are fully compatible with Quest 2 and the company plans to sell them as a standalone accessory priced at $300 for a pair. A firm release date for Touch Pro controllers hasn’t been set yet, but the company says they’ll be available for standalone purchase “later this year.”
