When you first get a Quest – any flavour – you are supplied with the HMD (Head Mounted Display) unit, a simple elastic strap and a basic, no-frills facial interface. That’s the black somewhat ovalish tube that clips into the Quest and holds the padding that asks as a light gasket around your face, preventing the real world from distracting you. At least, with stray light leaking in and glaring-out the virtual world you are viewing.
Second to the obvious strap woes, possibly one of the most commonly complained about aspects of the Quest 3 OEM offering was that the Facial Interface was wildly uncomfortable. The general feeling seemed to be that it was designed for heads smaller and wider than the average American and European market consumer.
With that in mind, and drawing on the successful elements of their popular Quest 2 range, KIWI design launched their new Quest 3 Facial Interface. With soft flaps that sit against the sides of your nose and factory-fitted with easy-clean PU Leatherette padding, this interface is possibly the easiest to install too. Easy in, stays put. You just need to make sure you apply even pressure around the entire rim and hear four ‘clicks’ as each lock engages.
To aid in airflow and to help reduce fogging, the KIWI design L-vents have been added top and bottom. Naturally, the vents help in keeping the gap between your eyes and the screen cooler, though the higher power usage profile of the Quest 3 means that area still heats up if you are pushing the limits of the graphics. However, the innovative L-shaped vents remove any straight-line paths of entry, preventing light from breaking through to ruin the immersion of your experience.
One of the hallmarks of the KIWI design product family is their adaptability to modding. This can range from merging entire products to selectively migrating preferred elements. In this case, it is the pleasant discovery that with the removal of the nose-bridge section of the Quest 2 Fitness padding, it fits beautifully on the new interface, providing the most comfortable experience possible, and a softer, more pliable and form-fitting light seal around your face that also wicks sweat away for added comfort.
Overall, this is an excellent upgrade to the core kit, and should offer you much more comfort and enjoyability if you find the in-box offering to be unpleasant. If you are looking to buy a Quest 3, check out the range of KIWI design goods and be assured that you are buying quality backed up by global warraty whether you buy it from a local retailer or the official webstore.
Rating:
Posted in partnership with: KIWIreviews.nz
Disclosure Statement: This unit was supplied by KIWI design expressly for the purposes of review. No fee was offered or accepted for this impartial review.
Key Features:
– Ventilated Without Letting Light Through: KIWI design facial interface featured the unique L-shaped vent interface bracket. It allows effective ventilation and prevents light from leaking through the vents. Your face will be much drier when using this face pad.
– Wide and Soft Face Cushion: The face pad is wide enough to wrap around your face. Thick and soft, you can press these down and feel no resistance at all with your finger. So you can play for long periods without feeling pressure or discomfort.
– Preventing Allergies and Red Marks: The face pad is made of skin-friendly PU leather pad, which can avoid creases and allergies. It can also be wiped clean with alcohol cotton pads or water after use, making it easy to share with family or friends.
– Blocking Light for Greater Immersion: Thanks to two upgraded nose pieces and a wide face cushion, they can prevent light from entering through the nose and face. Making you feel completely immersed in the gaming scene while wearing it.
Fast Install and Stable: The Integrated structural design allows you to install in less than 10 seconds. The underside of the bracket has 4 tabs to ensure a secure fit to the Quest 3 and the The appropriate bracket height is suitable for most people.
You can read the original press release [-here-]