Meta Quest Finally Catches Up on 3D Movies, Avatar's HFR Version No Longer Vision Pro Exclusive

For the past few years, there's been basically one answer to how good 3D movies can look at home: Apple Vision Pro. Now Meta is jumping into the fray, with Quest 3 and Quest 3S getting in on the action through a newly revamped Disney+ app. Users can now play James Cameron's Avatar films in their high-frame-rate (HFR) 3D version directly on the headset — something that was previously only available at home to Vision Pro owners.

Engadget editor Devindra Hardawar, who's spent a lot of time testing 3D content on Vision Pro, tried out Meta's much cheaper alternative and reports that Disney+'s 3D library includes Marvel, Pixar, and recent Star Wars titles (the actual lineup varies by region) — just pick a movie, confirm it supports 3D, and hit play. He noted that the opening of Guardians of the Galaxy and the car chase in Black Panther showed real depth on the Quest 3, delivering a sense of dimension you simply can't get on a flat screen; the HFR version of Avatar looked just as impressive.

Hardawar also reiterated a long-held view of his: 3D movies actually look better on VR headsets than in theaters, since the headset screen isn't dimmed the way a theater gets when you put on 3D glasses. That said, the system isn't without flaws. The Quest 3's speakers sound thin with almost no bass, so he recommends using headphones instead. And while the device claims support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, the LCD screen itself doesn't do true HDR, and Atmos makes no audible difference through these speakers — more marketing speak than real feature.

Interface flexibility is another sticking point. Meta has been nudging Horizon OS closer to visionOS in recent years, but video playback still isn't as free-form — the Disney+ window can't be resized at will and is locked into positions the system dictates. The only way to fill your field of view is to enter the theater environment and pick a front, middle, or back row seat. Hardawar, who prefers that front-row immersive feel, called the setup "workable but not ideal," especially when you need to switch between other VR apps on the fly.

What puzzles him is the timing: the Quest 3 launched back in fall 2023, and there's no technical reason it couldn't have supported 3D streaming sooner — even the older Quest 2 and the original Quest could technically handle it, yet Quest 2 is completely excluded this time around. He speculates Apple may have held some level of exclusivity over Disney+'s 3D content since Vision Pro launched in 2024, though that still doesn't explain why Meta didn't roll out its own 3D library earlier. With Quest sales continuing to slide, this feature is unlikely to be much of a selling point for new buyers at this point.

Hardawar also floated a theory: this might be Meta laying the groundwork for its upcoming $1,300 VR Glasses, slated for spring 2027 — letting people watch high-quality 3D movies in a much lighter glasses form factor, which could be far more comfortable than wearing a Quest headset. He hasn't tested the new device yet, but for current Quest 3 or 3S owners who already subscribe to Disney+, this 3D library is worth checking out regardless.