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In the U.S., the undisputed champion of the virtual reality market is Meta’s Quest 3 headset, but Meta has a challenger in China: ByteDance. Best known for TikTok, the company also makes the Pico line of standalone VR headsets. They’re tough to get in the U.S., but Pico rules the Chinese VR market, while the Quest survives there as a gray-market import, barely clinging to the ropes.
So the stage is set for a tech battle straight out of Rocky IV. The American favorite and the foreign powerhouse, battling for the future of virtual reality.
While it’s not widely available in the U.S., you can purchase Pico headsets on Aliexpress, eBay, or get it like I did, as part of a bundle with a Virtuix Omni One VR treadmill (full review coming soon).
Comfort and ergonomics
Credit: Stephen Johnson
Virtual reality gear means nothing if no one wants to strap their heads into it, so ergonomics are key. Here’s the tale of the tape: The Pico 4U weighs in at around 580 grams with the strap and battery. The Meta Quest 3 headset weighs around 515 grams. But don’t let the numbers fool you: Even though the Pico is heavier, the battery is in the back, which distributes the weight more evenly, making it appreciably more comfortable and ergonomic than the forward-heavy Quest 3. The Pico 4 also features a dial-system for fitting the strap to your head, which works way better than the Quest 3’s elastic straps.
Bottom line: If you want a headset that feels light and balanced on your head, with a strap that adjusts smoothly, the Pico 4 Ultra is the right choice.
Round one winner: Pico 4U
Display and visuals
Credit: Stephen Johnson
Both VR headsets feature pancake lenses, a big step up from previous generation’s fresnel lenses. Graphical performance isn’t exactly the same, but it’s close in many ways. Meta’s Quest 3’s resolution is 2064 × 2208 pixels per eye, where the Pico 4U is offering 2160 × 2160 pixels per eye—damned if I can tell the difference in clarity. That said, the Pico 4U colors seem muted compared to the Quest 3, in a way that’s hard to quantify. Easier to explain is the refresh rate: The Quest boasts a silk-smooth refresh of up to 120Hz. The Pico 4 Ultra, on the other hand, tops out at 90Hz—more than respectable, but still slower.
Things switch around when it comes to the passthrough camera. The 4U features dual 32MP color cameras, compared to the Quest 3’s two 4MP RGB cameras. The result is a crisper look at the outside world.
Bottom line: For pure VR color and smoothness, Quest 3 wins, but if mixed reality passthrough matters most, the Pico 4 Ultra is the stronger contender.
Round two winner: Tie
Overall performance
Credit: Stephen Johnson
This is the part of the fight where raw power comes into play, and the combatants are beasts. Both the Meta Quest 3 and Pico 4 Ultra are powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, but they’re not equal in terms of processing: the Pico 4 features 12 GB of RAM compared to the Quest’s 8GBs. So on a strict specs comparison, the Pico 4 is the winner. How that power is utilized by software developers really matters, though. Meta’s longer history, software optimization, and developer support can result in better user experiences, despite the extra memory of the Chinese system.
Bottom line: Specs-wise, Pico 4 Ultra packs more RAM, but Quest 3’s software optimization makes up the difference.
Round three winner: Tie
Software ecosystem
Powerful hardware doesn’t mean a thing if there’s no software to back it up, and this is where the Meta Quest 3 really shines. Meta’s library is by far the largest collection of VR apps on Earth, boasting thousands of tiles ranging from blockbusters like Beat Saber and Batman: Arkham VR to fitness app, meditation apps, interesting art experiments, and everything in between. The Pico 4 Ultra offers a leaner catalog—hundreds of titles as opposed to the thousands on Meta’s store. Some major games are missing entirely from Pico headsets, and the Pico store presents extra potential difficulties for U.S. users. Some apps are region-locked, and technical support may be hard to find if you’re using a system in a region where it isn’t “officially” sold.
Bottom line: if you’re looking for the newest, flashiest games with the least hassle, the Quest 3 is the clear choice in terms of both quality and quantity.
Round four winner: Quest 3
PC VR: tag-teaming with a gaming rig
Credit: Stephen Johnson
If you want the full heavyweight experience of PC-VR instead of standalone use, both systems can link with your gaming computer, but they take different approaches. The Quest 3 offers multiple, easy-to-use options: a wired connection and wireless connections through both AirLink and Virtual Desktop. Meta’s ecosystem is integrated with SteamVR, so there’s no compatibility issues. Frame-rates are high and latency low, just how you want them. The Pico 4 Ultra can hook up to a PC through Pico Connect (wired or wireless) and supports SteamVR too, so you can stream PC games straight to the headset. With 12 GB of RAM on the 4U, multitasking between PCVR apps and mixed-reality tools is smoother than the Quest 3’s 8 GB, giving the 4U a slight edge in for more demanding uses. But you’d better know what you’re doing: Meta’s focus on making things easy for users results in fewer-hassles, and generally good technical support—not something you’re likely to find with an out-of-region system.
Bottom line: For PC VR gaming, Quest 3 is a polished, plug-and-play option. Pico 4 Ultra fights back with raw power and flexibility, but setup can be trickier.
Round five winner: Tie
What do you think so far?
Battery life and charging
A fighter is nothing without stamina, and both combatants are easily winded. Both headsets promise around two to three hours of active playtime, depending on how hard you’re pushing the hardware. Both systems take about two and a half hours to charge, as well.
Bottom line: Neither headset is going twelve rounds on a single charge, and both take about the same time to recharge, so this is the definition of a draw.
Round six winner: Tie
Controllers and Tracking
Credit: Stephen Johnson
Both systems’ controllers may look similar, but the haptics of Quest 3 controllers are superior to the Pico 4U’s. Also, Meta’s controller-less hand-tracking is more advanced than the Pico 4U, in both virtual and mixed reality. When it comes to complex tasks and subtle controls, the Quest 3 is superior.
Bottom line: For haptics, hand-tracking, and precise control, Quest 3 is the better option.
Round seven winner: Quest 3
Price and availability
If you are in the U.S., availability and price are a devastating one-two combination in favor of the Quest. You can buy a Quest 3 anywhere—here’s one for $499 on Amazon. Purchasing a Pico 4U is a decidedly more difficult endeavor. There’s a global version sold through Aliexpress for $685. Ebay prices vary, but the range is between $650 and $750. In any case, you can’t walk into Target and get one, and if you do import a Pico 4U, don’t expect a manufacturer warranty.
Bottom line: Quest 3 is easy to buy, reasonably priced, and backed by warranty, while Pico 4 Ultra is import-only, pricier, and lacks U.S. warranty coverage.
Round eight winner: Quest 3
And the winner, in a mixed decision is…
Meta Quest 3
Despite serious challenges from the Pico 4U in terms of ergonomics and raw power, the Quest 3’s user friendliness, bigger software library, better controllers, and lower price make it the winner and still international champion of virtual reality headsets.