Microsoft earlierAnnounceThe "Mixed Reality Link" feature, designed for Windows 11, is now officially rolling out to all Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S users with the latest update to Meta Horizon OS. This feature, which had been in public previews since last year (2024), has finally entered the official release, allowing Quest users to experience an immersive Windows 11 productivity environment.
Supports multiple virtual monitors and streaming cloud PCs
After installing the Mixed Reality Link application on a Windows 11 PC, users can stream their PC screen to the Meta Quest headset to create a virtual workspace. This experience is similar to the virtual desktop feature on Apple's Vision Pro, supporting the display of "the equivalent of multiple high-resolution virtual screens."
In addition to streaming local PCs, Mixed Reality Link also supports portable cloud PC solutions, including Windows 365 Cloud PC, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Microsoft Dev Box.
Challenging the $3500 Vision Pro with $300 hardware
The biggest significance of the official launch of Mixed Reality Link is that it brings a high-end virtual office experience to a hardware platform that is much more affordable than Apple Vision Pro.
The Meta Quest 3S starts at just $300, a significant market segment compared to the Apple Vision Pro's $3500 price tag. This move is clearly part of Meta's strategy of investing heavily in its VR/AR business, aiming to compete with Apple in the virtual productivity market through a more attractive price.
Meta recently teased a futuristic VR headset that claims to offer an experience "indistinguishable from the physical world," and also launched a device with AI-powered real-time translation capabilities. Ray-Ban Smart Glasses.
