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With the release of the Quest 3S, Meta aims to provide users with an affordable virtual and augmented reality experience. A stripped-down version of the Meta Quest 3, the 3S is an entry-level, standalone VR rig at a price that won’t make you wince. But is the $200 price-chop worth the sinking FOMO feeling that can come from buying second-best gear? Like everything in life, it depends on your expectations and how picky you are.
While the 3S is a huge improvement, in every way, over the Quest 2, things get more complex when compared to the Quest 3. The processing power is the same, so it’s fully compatible with all that system’s games and software, but the graphics are a downgrade. Different display types on the two models means experiences on the Quest 3S don’t look quite as good as they do on the Quest 3. The 3S’s graphics are very good, though—so good that the downgrade probably won’t be a deal killer for many.
Pros
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Low price
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Powerful processor
Cons
Quest 3S specs
Processor: Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2
DRAM: 8GB
Display resolution: 1,832 by 1,920 (per eye)
Refresh rate: 120Hz
Headset weight: 514g
Field of view: 96 degrees horizontal, 90 degrees vertical
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2
Audio: Stereo speakers compatible with 3D spatial audio, 3.5mm audio jack
Ram: 8GB
Storage: 128GB or 256GB
Battery life: Up to 2.5 hours
Charge time: 2.3 hours via 18W power adapter
“Will I actually want to strap this thing to my head?” is the first question I ask about any VR gear. No matter how technically impressive it may be, if I don’t feel comfortable wearing a headset, if it causes neck strain, or feels awkward/unwieldy, I’m not likely to use it much.
I’m happy to report that the Quest 3S is tolerable to strap to your face.
The headset’s front-heavy style looks more like last-generation’s Quest 2 than the Quest 3, but the new head strap, the device’s fairly even weight distribution, and its lightness (at 514 grams, it actually weighs a gram less than the Quest 3) result in a comfortable enough headset for long periods of escape from reality. It’s slightly less comfortable than the Quest 3, though. The bulk of the 3S’s mass is farther from your face, making it feel a touch heavier.
From initial setup to navigation, the Meta Quest 3S is smooth and intuitive. Someone who is brand new to VR should be able to pick it up and get started with minimal hassle, and even fairly complex tasks like defining an area for using the device in your house can be accomplished with minimal headache. Meta’s UI designers deserve recognition for creating an environment that’s so intuitive you barely even notice it.
The same vibe applies to the controllers. They fit right in your hand, and “doing things” in experiences, like pushing buttons, grabbing objects, or pulling triggers, is instantly understandable. I coached a tech-phobic friend though a first-VR experience mostly by saying, “don’t think about it. Just do what you would do”—a real testament to the intuitive control scheme.
Credit: Stephen Johnson
Both the Meta Quest 3 and the Quest 3S are powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor with 8GB of RAM, so in terms of processing, they’re equals. That power means even the larger, more complex games that are coming out for the system, like Batman: Arkham Shadow, run smoothly. Augmented reality experiences like the “Home Invasion” mode in Drop Dead: The Cabin hum along nicely. The front-facing cameras mean you can snap yourself back into reality with a knock on the side of the headset or by pressing a new-for-the-3S controller button. Everything seems to work just as well on the 3S and the 3. But there is one difference: the display.
Taken on their own, the Quest 3S’s graphics are amazing for a standalone VR headset. If it’s your first time using VR, or you’re upgrading from a Quest 2, you’re going to be blown away by the crispness and clarity of the Quest 3S’s visuals. You’re not likely to think, “I wish these could be better.” If you’ve used a Quest 3, however, it might be a different story.
The 3S’s fresnel lenses and display offer a narrower field-of-view and lower resolution than the pancake lenses of the Quest 3. The 3S’s display is 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye compared to the 3’s 2064 x 2208 pixels per eye. One number is definitely bigger than the other, but how much does it matter in practice? To me, not much.
I took a screenshot from each device in the same position in Assassin’s Creed: Nexus for comparison, and I can barely tell them apart. The one on the left was taken with the 3S. The one on the right with the 3:
Credit: Stephen Johnson/Ubisoft
Maybe you can’t readily tell from screenshots, but if I switch between a 3 and my 3S, I can see some differences—on the 3S, characters on menu screens look a little jaggy, the field of view is smaller, things look less clear—but overall, it’s one of those “Yeah, I guess that looks a little better, maybe” things to me, not an “Oh my God! This looks like garbage!” thing.
I realize some people won’t be able to tolerate not having the best possible experience, but I don’t get hung up on perfect visual clarity. I’m more about the overall effect than the fine details. Which brings me to the big question:
The Meta Quest 3S is crazy fun.
I played the same mission in Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR on the Quest 3 and the Quest 3S, and found that I had the same amount of fun sneaking around in historical Italy in each. I then spent 15 minutes working out in Supernatural using each headset and burned the same number of calories swatting at targets, even though the scenery was a touch more blurry on the 3S. I watched a YouTube video while on my back in each, checked out some immersive, 360 videos, and poked around in Meta Horizon Worlds. Each experience was equally fun, and I didn’t find the visual differences distracting and wouldn’t have noticed if I wasn’t looking for them. Fun is subjective, though. Maybe you can only enjoy things if you know it’s the best possible experience.
Fun levels may be equal, but if given a choice, I’m going to pick the Meta Quest 3 every time for its comfort and clarity (and because it’s the better one). The wider field of view feels slightly less claustrophobic. The better weight distribution makes it slightly more comfortable. Everything looks slightly crisper.
But if I was going to buy a Quest 3 or 3S, I’d pick the 3S without hesitating. The visual differences are slight, but the price difference is substantial. At $299, a base level 3S is nearly half the cost of the $499 Quest 3, and that price makes it a bargain, and, overall, a better product.
Bottom line: the Quest 3 is a killer toy
In my review of the Meta Quest 3, I noted how technically impressive it is, but wondered if it had any use beyond a flashy toy. I still rarely use a VR headset for anything but watching movies or playing games, but 3S’s lower price means I don’t feel like I should be. It’s a toy, but an insanely great—and now reasonably priced—toy.
The Quest 3S offers near-identical performance to the Quest 3, and its $299 price and pick-up-and-play vibe make it a great product if you want to dip your feet into the world of VR/AR but you don’t want to make it your lifestyle.
