Meta Quest 3S

Doubles Quest 2 graphics performance ; Mixed reality is good enough to use a phone ; IR sensors automatically map your room ; Ringless controllers are comfortable ; Incredible value

Battery is in front, adding face pressure ; Fresnel lenses aren't as clear as the Quest 3

“The Meta Quest 3S is the VR headset most people should buy.”

Inexpensive ; Fast processor ; Color pass-through camera ; Works standalone or tethered to PC ; Many apps and games

Occasionally grainy display ; Controllers must be in view of the headset for accurate tracking

The Meta Quest 3S is all you need to get started with VR, thanks to its color pass-through cameras, reliable controls, and affordable price.

Price is right ; Solid passthrough ; Great hand tracking

Lower resolution than the Quest 3 ; Some visual distortion

The Quest 3S does most of that its predecessor does for a full $200 less. If you're looking to get into VR or XR for the first time, the Quest 3S is likely the best and most affordable way to get a full-featured experience.

Better battery life than the 3 ; Depth sensing works well ; Color passthrough is top notch ; Top of the line chipset ; Good price

Lenses and LEDs are a bit outdated ; Headphone jack is gone

Excellent hand tracking and solid passthrough ; Games play smooth whether natively or streaming from Steam ; Priced so competitively you can't get a headset like it for $300

Headset still isn't the most comfortable out of the box ; Fresnel lenses show less details around edges of the display ; Limited IPD settings require more trial and error during setup

Meta Quest 3S The Quest 3S does everything the Quest 3 can do, and still costs $200 less. The only thing missing is better lenses and FOV. Back when Sony introduced its VR2 to PC adapter, I had several friends messaging me asking whether it was worth...

Affordable price ; Compact design ; Great performance ; Robust game and app library ; Strong audio

Uncomfortable to wear for long periods ; Short battery life

The Meta Quest 3S contains many of the Quest 3’s signature features, including color passthrough, speedy performance, a compact design, and a robust app library — all for $299. Though it’s not as comfortable to wear and its battery life isn't the best,...

Very Affordable ; Good specs ; Fantastic Horizon OS software

Bulky shape ; Poorer visuals than we’d like ; IPD presets instead of granular adjustments

The Meta Quest 3S may have some design and image-quality drawbacks, but its otherwise solid specs at a very affordable price make it a VR headset you should be at least paying attention to.

Passthrough mixed reality and convincing VR at a keen price ; Biggest library of standalone VR content ; Plays nicely with PCVR too

Older Fresnel lenses showing their age vs newer rivals ; Fabric strap not the greatest for comfort or positioning ; Battery life is pretty limited

Makes some compromises in the name of price, but as well-rounded as standalone VR gets without breaking the bank.