After dozens of leaks, Meta has finally announced the new Quest 3S headset. The new $299 isn’t seen as an “upgrade” over the Meta Quest 3 but more as a low-cost headset for users who want to dive into the world of mixed reality.
The Meta Quest 3S comes with most of the same components and performance as the $499 Quest 3. It includes the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip, includes the same mixed reality features and packs the same Touch Plus controllers.
In some cases, the Quest 3S might actually be better. It boasts a slightly better battery life, for example. The Quest 3 is rated at 2.2 hours and the Quest 3S at 2.5 hours. However, the Quest 3S does have a lower-resolution display at 1832 x 1920 so that might be why. It also doesn’t have a depth sensor like the Quest 3.
One major difference between the two is the Meta Quest 3 includes the new pancake lenses on the system whereas the Quest 3S comes with fersnel. This means the Quest 3’s clarity and image quality still beats the new 3S headset by a lot (it is a night and day difference, to be honest).
Still, this new headset is a great option for users looking for VR and MR. As a standalone device, the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S offer a dedicated platform with games and apps to install. There’s no need for a PC or console to run the content. Of course, if you do own a PC it opens up the world of PC VR gaming to you.
The Meta Quest 3S starts at $299 for the 128GB model. There’s also a 256GB model at $399. The headset is expected to launch on 15 October in some regions. People have already spotted the device in certain retailers in the United States for pre-order. There’s no local news of this headset yet. Given we don’t have a dedicated Meta Quest distributor, you might have to wait a while.
If you purchase a Meta Quest 3S you’ll also get a free copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow which is expected to launch on 22 October. The VR Batman game is exclusive to Meta Quest 3 devices.
Source: Meta
