Meta Quest 3S Is A New Budget-Friendly Standalone VR Headset, Releases In October

As a seasoned VR enthusiast with a soft spot for affordable tech that doesn’t compromise on performance, I find myself genuinely excited about the Meta Quest 3S! After years of investing in high-end VR gear and watching my bank account dwindle, it’s refreshing to see a more budget-friendly option from Meta.


At Meta Connect 2024, a fresh mix of reality headset called Quest 3S has been unveiled. This new model is intended as an economical option compared to the Quest 3 and will be released globally on October 15, starting at $300 for the 128GB edition and $400 for the 256GB variant.

The device you’re looking at is significantly less expensive compared to the upcoming Quest 3 headset, and it comes with some adjustments in hardware to achieve this lower cost. However, note that these changes have been made to reduce its price. As of now, not all retailers have adjusted their prices accordingly, but they will do so soon.

  • Meta Quest 3 128GB – New price is $430 (was $500)
  • Meta Quest 3 512GB – New price is $500 (was $650)

In terms of its internal components, this device shares the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset found in the Quest 3. However, it retains the lower-resolution fresnel lenses similar to those on the Quest 2, instead of adopting the pancake lenses used by the Quest 3. It also features a more limited field of view and lacks the depth sensor present on the Quest 3. Unlike the pill-shaped camera arrangement on the Quest 3, this headset sports a spider-like layout for its front-facing cameras.

The new Quest 3S model will come equipped with Touch Pro controllers, allowing users to effortlessly move through menus and applications using hand gestures. Essentially, Meta assures that the mixed-reality capabilities and performance of the device remain unchanged compared to the Quest 3, so you’ll be able to enjoy the same selection of games on it, including upcoming releases like Batman: Arkham Shadow.

In comparison to the Quest 3, it’s said that you’ll enjoy longer battery life, approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes more under optimal conditions with a full charge, while the average battery life for the Quest 3 is around two hours. A notable addition to this model is an “action” button, which allows for easy switching between passthrough and immersive modes. The Quest 3 currently uses a double-tap gesture for this function. It appears that this headset could be Meta’s new entry-level Quest model as they plan to discontinue sales of the Quest 2.

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2024-09-25 21:40