Hardware
The Curio XR app can be used with the Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, and Meta Quest Pro headsets. Each of these headsets are extremely easy to use and set up, and are easily worn with glasses. While more great head-mounted displays (HMD’s) are on the horizon from various manufacturers, these are the only three headsets we currently recommend and therefore support at this time.
These Meta headsets are wireless and completely self-contained; a computer or laptop is not needed to use a headset, install software on the headset, charge the headset, or anything else. In fact, while you could connect a headset to a computer, there’s virtually no reason to do so.
The Meta Quest 2 headset costs $199.99 on the Meta website. It is also available at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and other retailers.
The Meta Quest 3 headset costs $499.99 on the Meta website. It is also available at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and other retailers. This recently released headset features an upgraded processor that is 50% faster than the Quest 2’s, plus full-color passthrough for improved augmented reality.
The Meta Quest Pro headset costs $999.99 on Meta.com. This high-end headset offers several new features including eye and face tracking.
We recommend the Meta Quest 2 over the Meta Quest Pro due to the price difference as well as the fact that the Pro isn’t much of an upgrade over the Quest 2 in terms of educational applications. The Pro is targeted at business users and high-end gaming. The Quest 3 is certainly the best of the devices, by far, but it may be hard to justify buying half as many Quest 3’s instead of Quest 2’s (since the Quest 3 is more than double the price).
Need help getting headsets?
Curio XR supplies the software needed for VR/AR but typically not the headsets. However, we offer assistance in securing grants for educational institutions to purchase headsets. In addition, in some cases we lend several Meta Quest 2 headsets to a school for one or two semesters at a time, at no cost. Contact us if you’d like more information about our free headset program. Contact us if you’d like more information about our free headset program.
Hardware (Devices) Needed
We understand that for many educational institutions, particularly school districts, the high annual cost of licensing VR software applications has been a significant barrier. There’s always the uncertainty of future funding, which could mean losing access to essential software, rendering the hardware effectively useless. Unlike computers, which can still access numerous free resources online even without paid software, VR headsets do not offer this flexibility. Historically, investing in VR technology could be risky, as purchasing headsets and software licenses with grant money (or a one-time tech budget) did not guarantee long-term usability due to potential future financial constraints. However, because of the free Curio XR app, investing in VR headsets is now a viable and worthwhile option for schools. Curio eliminates the financial risk, ensuring that your educational VR initiatives can continue without interruption.
The Curio XR app is easy to download on Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest Pro headsets, providing an effortless and immersive learning experience. All of these headsets are user-friendly and compatible with glasses, ensuring accessibility for all users. While there are several promising head-mounted displays (HMDs) on the horizon, we currently recommend and fully support only these three options.
Meta headsets are wireless and self-contained, eliminating the need for a computer or laptop (though if you wish, you can ‘cast’ what’s showing in the VR headset over to a computer screen). The only things needed are power (for charging the devices overnight) and a WiFi connection (though Curio XR is optimized to need very little internet bandwidth).
The Meta Quest 2 headset is currently available for $199.99 on the Meta website.
The Meta Quest 3 headset is priced at $499.99 on the Meta website and offers notable upgrades such as a 50% faster processor and full-color passthrough for much better augmented reality (AR) experiences.
The Meta Quest Pro headset is available for $999.99 on Meta.com, featuring additions like face tracking.
All headsets can also be purchased from any major retailer (Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, etc.).
While the Meta Quest 3 and Pro models boast advanced features, we recommend the Meta Quest 2 for its affordability and comparable functionality, especially for educational applications. The Quest Pro caters more towards business users (and we don’t recommend it at all), and the Quest 3 comes with a significantly higher price tag. If budget constraints or difficulty justifying the added expense of the Meta Quest 3 are factors, the Meta Quest 2 remains an excellent choice for educational purposes.
If you would like to purchase headsets but don’t have the budget, please take a look at the list of grant opportunities that we maintain on our Funding & Grants page.
If you would like to take VR out for a spin first (and then look for funding later), we highly recommend the Free Device Lending Program.
