When the Meta Quest 3S was first leaked, the thought of getting a $299 Quest 3 headset appeared preposterous. How on this planet may Meta probably ship a headset that is $200 cheaper with out sacrificing the Quest 3’s energy, coloration blended actuality imaginative and prescient, new controllers with superior haptic suggestions, and all of the enhancements to the Quest ecosystem which have occurred over the subsequent yr?
Someway, they’ve accomplished it. The Meta Quest 3S is a triumph in practically each means, from its extremely polished onboarding presentation to the superb blended actuality content material that is been developed over the previous yr. It seems like a palpable improve from the Quest 2 and even sports activities some design and UX enhancements over the costlier Quest 3.
Clearly, there need to be some concessions to get to a $299 worth level however there are surprisingly few. The most important is the show stack, because it makes use of the identical lenses and show from the Quest 2 however nonetheless options loads of visible upgrades and tweaks. That features a next-generation processor, improved rendering and processing, and far more. If you happen to’re in search of a next-gen VR headset improve from a Quest 2 at an reasonably priced worth, you’ve got discovered it.
Meta Quest 3S: Worth and availability
The Meta Quest 3S retails for $299 and contains 128GB of storage, whereas the Meta Quest 3S with 256GB of storage retails for $399. Each fashions are available in a white colorway and include a pair of Quest 3 contact controllers, a preinstalled material head strap, and a preinstalled material facial interface.
Each Meta Quest 3S comes with a free copy of Batman Arkham Shadow and three months of the Meta Quest Plus subscription service till April 2025.
Some Meta Quest 2 equipment work on a Quest 3S, so you’ll be able to hold a few of these round as an alternative of getting to purchase new ones. Likewise, many of the finest Quest 3 equipment work on a Quest 3S, excluding the facial interface, which has a brand new design.
| Class | Meta Quest 3S |
|---|---|
| CPU | Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB ($299); 256GB ($399) |
| Show | 1,832 x 1,920 LCD; 773 PPI; 20 PPD |
| FOV | 96º H; 90º V |
| Lens | Fresnel |
| Blended actuality | 4MP RGB (18 PPD) |
| Depth sensor | Software program |
| Slimness (excluding facial interface) | 73.9mm |
| Weight | 514g |
| Battery | 4,325mAh |
| Controllers | Contact Plus |
Meta Quest 3S: Design, consolation, and battery life
Meta has discovered a factor or two about headset consolation over the previous few years, however that does not imply the Quest 3S is ideal. It is solely a gram lighter than the Quest 3, which was just a few grams heavier than the Quest 2. All of this, regardless of nonetheless delivery with a material strap that I discover usually uncomfortable, though it is advantageous for brief play classes.
The most important drawback with the fabric strap is that it rests on the highest of my ears and irritates my pores and skin relatively rapidly. Meta is utilizing the identical Y-shaped high strap design it launched with the Quest 3, which suggests it higher allocates weight throughout the top however nonetheless does not work wherever close to in addition to the BoboVR M3 Professional head strap does, as an example.
Past that, although, the Quest 3S is simply as snug because the Quest 3 out of the field and possibly much more so due to the brand new facial interface design. The brand new, extra padded, and supple face pad that was preinstalled on the headset feels fantastic. Traditionally, I could not wait to swap out the facial interface with a third-party one, however I have been pleasantly shocked by how snug this one is.
The headset can be 20mm slimmer than the Quest 2, so it has a weight distribution nearer to your face. Quest 3 is a further 10mm slimmer than Quest 3S.
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Nonetheless there are nonetheless three important causes to decide on third-party facial interface alternative as soon as respected firms launch them. First is hygiene. The fabric is good and mushy but additionally absorbs sweat. Seize a $12 pair of silicone covers for now, particularly when you sweat so much or share the headset with different individuals.
The second cause to switch the inventory facial interface is due to lens fog. I have never had points with it throughout the evaluation interval as a result of it has been cool and dry right here, however as quickly because the humidity ramps up once more in half a yr I will want one thing extra breathable. For now, Meta makes a superb breathable facial interface with semi-transparent sides. I used this one on the Quest 3S hands-on occasion and beloved it.
Third, when you use glasses, some third-party facial interfaces have built-in glasses spacing changes. The default Meta Quest 3 facial interface features a strategy to regulate for glasses, however the one on the Quest 3S does not. You may want to make use of the glasses spacer within the field to do that which does not supply as many spacing choices because the Quest 3 methodology.
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That stated, the brand new interface design makes it far simpler to swap out the facial interface than every other Quest headset so far. This has been improved with each era, so it is good to see it proceed to occur.
However even when you do not swap out any of those modular elements straight away, I believe brief play classes will likely be snug sufficient. Fortunately, all of the finest Meta Quest 3 equipment work on the Quest 3S, apart from the alternative of the facial interface. You may want one particularly made for the Quest 3S.
Remember the fact that the Quest 3S doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio jack, so if you wish to use headphones as an alternative of the superb built-in audio system on the Quest 3S arms, I like to recommend selecting up a pair of PrismXR Vega T1 earbuds. Common Bluetooth earbuds or headphones will not work in VR as a result of Bluetooth’s latency is simply too excessive. This may truly make you’re feeling sick due to an odd disconnect between what your mind hears and what it sees.
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In my testing, I’ve discovered that the Quest 3S has one of the best battery lifetime of any fashionable Quest headset. On common, I obtained round two and a half hours of use from a single cost, with extra power-hungry video games like Batman Arkham Shadow bringing that all the way down to round 2 hours.
I might say when you have been planning to simply use the Quest 3S with the default head strap and facial interface, that is greater than sufficient time earlier than any type of fatigue units in. Grabbing a brand new head strap with built-in battery just like the BoboVR M3 Professional or Kiwi Design H4 will add a number of hours of battery life and considerably higher consolation general, making it a worthwhile $50 improve.
Meta Quest 3S: Show and lenses
If you happen to straight evaluate the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S, this part holds the one actual variations you will discover. The Meta Quest 3S makes use of the identical show and Fresnel lenses because the Meta Quest 2, so when you’ve solely ever used a Quest 1 or Quest 2, you most likely will not be significantly upset within the Quest 3S’s show or lenses.
All in all, they’re advantageous and go well with a $299 headset relatively effectively. As with all Fresnel lenses, there is a small “candy spot” proper in the midst of every lens the place you will get the clearest view. Something exterior of this circle will get blurrier the nearer you look to the sides.
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The Meta Quest 3S makes use of the identical lenses and show because the Quest 2, foregoing most next-generation upgrades from the costlier Quest 3.
The 90-degree FoV on the Quest 3S’s lenses feels a bit constricting in comparison with the considerably wider 110-degree FoV of the Quest 3. This distinction can’t be understated, and all of it melds collectively to point out simply how superior the lenses on the Quest 3 are.
The Meta Quest 3S’s lenses additionally regulate the identical means because the Quest 2, so when you’re coming from a Quest 2 you will know precisely what to do. The one distinction is that there is not any 1/2/3 preset quantity in the midst of the lenses that modifications as you regulate the spacing. Meta says it lower this mechanism to maintain the manufacturing price of the headset as little as doable, permitting it to hit that $299 worth level.
That being stated, when you’ve got an interpupillary distance (IPD) over 72mm you are most likely going to search out the Meta Quest 3S uncomfortable. If you end up on this boat, a 3D printed IPD expander like this one will push the lenses out a bit and assist.
If you happen to plan to work in VR or use it for lots of text-based functions, it makes extra sense to spend the additional cash on a Quest 3.
Just like the lenses, the show on the Meta Quest 3S is identical because the one on the Quest 2. It will get lots brilliant, however the distinction is pretty low, the colours are a bit on the uninteresting facet, and the decision is noticeably decrease than the Quest 3’s panels.
So far as readability is worried, I might say the decision distinction between Quest 3 and Quest 3S is just like enjoying video games at 1440p vs 1080p. The Quest 3S is not as sharp, and advantageous element will get a bit misplaced, nevertheless it’s not offensively decrease decision.
If there’s anybody space the place the decision and lenses make a giant distinction, it is for folk who wish to work in VR. If that is going to be a giant a part of your headset utilization, persist with the Quest 3.
Meta Quest 3S: Controllers and hand monitoring
The Meta Quest 3S and Quest 3 use equivalent controllers. These new controllers ditch the LED ring and tighten up some ergonomics for a a lot smaller profile than the Quest 2’s controllers. Monitoring continues to be accomplished with LEDs, although, that are located across the controller face and handles.
Monitoring is enhanced via higher digital camera positioning across the headset—significantly the decrease side-mounted cameras, which may see higher alongside the perimeters and under the headset than on the Quest 2—and Meta’s Horizon OS, which fills in any visible monitoring gaps with gyro sensor knowledge from contained in the controller and an AI algorithm that predicts hand place primarily based on arm and shoulder actions.
The Meta Quest 3S makes use of the identical superior controllers because the Quest 3 and are powered by a single AA battery.
Every controller is powered by a single AA battery. Primarily based on my prolonged utilization of the Quest 3 over the previous yr, you will solely have to swap them out as soon as each two months or so, relying on how typically you play. I like to recommend selecting up these low-cost Amazon Fundamentals rechargeable AA batteries for a couple of bucks so you’ll be able to hold reusing them.
Every controller has a battery door that may be swapped out for any variety of wonderful controller equipment, like these AMVR controller grips, which add grip and assist steadiness the controllers higher with a helpful hand strap.
Quest 3S additionally helps what’s known as Inside-Out Physique Monitoring, which solely a handful of video games at present help. Nonetheless, builders might begin to use it extra now that one other Quest headset helps the characteristic. With this, in-game character actions will really feel extra real looking because the headset can correctly align the digital character’s torso, shoulders, and arms together with your precise actions in actual life.
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Meta Quest 3S has additionally been outfitted with two IR illuminators on the entrance, positioned on the surface of every triple digital camera array on the entrance. It is a new characteristic for any Quest headset and permits the Quest 3S to see utterly at midnight, offered you are in a sufficiently small room.
I examined totally different rooms at evening with the lights off, and whereas monitoring did not work in any respect in my front room, it labored completely in any bed room I attempted it in. Primarily, so long as the Quest 3S can see partitions, it is going to be capable of observe spatial motion at midnight.
Likewise, hand monitoring is best than ever—significantly in low gentle—than with any Quest headset so far. Whereas I discovered daytime monitoring efficiency and accuracy to be primarily equivalent to the costlier Quest 3, Quest 3S also can observe fingers at midnight.
That ought to assist considerably in some dimly lit rooms when enjoying hand-tracked video games or throughout informal leisure once you’re simply utilizing your fingers to navigate the UI.
Meta Quest 3S: Blended actuality and video games
When you’ll discover the controller variations and slimmer profile of the headset when unboxing it, nothing prepares you for the colour blended actuality imaginative and prescient till you’ve got tried it. It isn’t as clear as an Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional and even the Meta Quest 3 due to the lenses, nevertheless it’s past only a generational improve from the Quest 2. If something, it is like going from a Nineteen Fifties black-and-white TV to a coloration HDTV.
The Meta Quest 3S makes use of the identical 4MP twin front-facing cameras because the Quest 3 and tends to look even brighter due to the lenses. Sure, Fresnel lenses aren’t as crisp because the pancake lenses on Quest 3, however they permit extra gentle in from the show giving it a distinctly brighter look.
As a result of the lenses aren’t as sharp and the show’s decision is decrease, it is a bit tougher to learn textual content on a telephone whereas carrying the headset, however this is not a standard blended actuality use case, anyway.
As an alternative, you will marvel at how enjoyable video games like Starship Residence are. Blended actuality video games can help you flip your front room right into a spaceship, defend in opposition to hordes of zombies in Drop Lifeless: The Cabin, or play a D&D-like board recreation collectively with different headset-wearing pals in your eating room desk.
If you’re not viewing an augmented model of your actual room, you will be diving dungeons deep in Dungeons of Eternity, combating unhealthy guys in Batman Arkham Shadow, or simply socializing on a Friday night in Gorilla Tag or Orion Drift.
There are literally thousands of video games on the Meta Quest platform, and that quantity is rising each single month due to a brand new, extra open market and extra VR gamers than ever. In fact, we preserve a listing of the finest Meta Quest video games to provide you start line, and there are many nice ones to look ahead to, like Skydance’s Behemoth, Alien Rogue Incursion, Metro Awakening, and lots of extra.
All in all, Quest 3 video games look so much higher than Quest 2 video games, particularly once they’re Quest 3 unique.
The Meta Quest 3S does not embrace a depth sensor just like the Quest 3 has, however that does not appear to have an effect on its blended actuality efficiency in my testing. As you’ll be able to see within the video above, the Quest 3S is a bit of slower at mapping than the Quest 3 however not inordinately so.
It took the Quest 3S roughly 9 seconds longer to map my front room, however a few of that point was as a result of I bumped into an early bug the place hand monitoring in some UI components felt laggy. Realistically, it most likely solely took the Quest 3S round seven seconds longer to do the precise mapping, which is spectacular on condition that it simply makes use of cameras to do the work.
Meta’s Horizon OS has been notably upgraded in its blended actuality capabilities because the launch of the Quest 3 final yr, together with automated room mapping and object identification that makes blended actuality easy.
Moreover, a brand new blended actuality button on the underside of the Quest 3S makes it easy to leap between digital actuality and blended actuality. It is a substantial improve from all prior Meta Quest headsets which required you to carry out a clumsy and very unreliable double-tap on the facet of the headset.
Meta Quest 3S: Competitors
As a result of the VR gaming business is comparatively small in comparison with conventional consoles, the Meta Quest 3S’s closest competitors is made up of Meta headsets. The Quest 3S replaces the Quest 2 as the brand new normal in reasonably priced VR. Its processor is 100% extra highly effective than the Quest 2, enabling it to play far richer and extra detailed video games and render spectacular coloration blended actuality in your room.
It is a straightforward suggestion to improve from a Quest 2 due to the worth, however the full next-generation improve could be discovered within the Meta Quest 3. In comparison with the Quest 3S, the Meta Quest 3 sports activities next-generation lenses with a 20-degree wider subject of view (FoV), considerably enhanced readability, a better decision show, and higher distinction and colours than the Quest 3S. Surprisingly, Quest 3 does not embrace IR illuminators, so it may well’t play at midnight like Quest 3S.
If you happen to’re a PCVR-only participant, it might additionally make extra sense to get a Quest 3 due to the improved readability caused by the lenses and show. In any other case, when you want a headset with an OLED show or a a lot smaller headset, Bigscreen Past is your finest wager.
Meta Quest 3S: Must you purchase it?
You can purchase if…
- You need one of the best of digital actuality and blended actuality however do not wish to spend $500 on a Quest 3.
- You wish to play Quest 3-exclusive video games and apps.
- You are new to VR and do not wish to make investments so much in case you do not prefer it.
You should not purchase if…
- You intend to work in VR. The lenses and show make it troublesome to learn advantageous textual content on this setting.
- You do not like Fresnel lenses.
The Meta Quest 3S is a triumph in each regard. It is an unbelievable discount at $299, but it nonetheless displays one of the best blended actuality and digital actuality gaming obtainable right now. The one actual compromises are the lenses and show, that are worse than the Quest 3 however not detrimentally so. If I needed to evaluate the expertise to extra conventional gaming specs, I might say it is just like the distinction between a 1080p and 4K setup.
In any other case, the Meta Quest 3S is every part you want in a VR and mixed-reality headset right now. It not solely affords the highest-quality standalone VR video games obtainable—together with the unimaginable free pack-in Batman Arkham Shadow—nevertheless it additionally connects to any PC and might play PCVR video games utterly wirelessly. It is a win-win-win for anybody trying to get into VR or improve from an older headset.
There are actually causes to decide on a Quest 3 over a Quest 3S, however for most individuals, the worth level and general worth of the Quest 3S make it a must-buy console this Vacation season.
Get next-generation digital actuality and blended actuality video games and apps with the Meta Quest 3S, a surprisingly reasonably priced headset with capabilities past your creativeness.