Meta Makes Virtual Reality More Accessible to All with New $299 Quest 3S

The Quest 3S, a toned-down version of the Quest 3, was launched during Meta Connect 2024. The latest VR headset is available with 128/256 GB of internal storage options.

While the Indian pricing and availability are still unknown, the 128GB variant of the Meta Quest 3S with a price tag of $299.99 is now up for pre-booking in the US market. The 256GB variant of the headset will cost $399.99. It comes bundled with a free Batman: Arkham Shadow video game and a three-month subscription to Meta Quest+.

Despite being affordable, the Meta Quest 3S shares some similar key features with its predecessor Quest 3. It uses the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip and comes with 8GB of RAM.

The headset also supports vivid passthrough and hand tracking and offers controller support for precise input. Moreover, the Quest 3S boasts a display with a resolution of 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye, a 96-degree by 90-degree field of view, 20 pixels per degree, and an impressive 773 pixels per inch pixel density.

The Quest 3S runs on Horizon OS, supporting various apps from gaming and social media to fitness and video streaming. Popular platforms like YouTube, Prime Video, and Netflix are accessible through the headset. A novel feature, YouTube Co-watching, allows two users of the Quest 3S to stream the same video simultaneously.

It is powered by a 4,324mAh battery, which is claimed to deliver an average runtime of 2.5 hours on a single charge. The headset is compatible with Zenni MR Prescription Lenses. The Quest 3S will also receive new functionalities like travel mode with future updates.