At first, when rumors about the Meta Quest 3S started circulating, the thought of a $299 price tag seemed impossible. How could Meta offer a headset $200 cheaper than the Quest 3 without losing its power, color mixed reality, improved controllers, and other advancements made over the year? But somehow, Meta pulled it off. The Meta Quest 3S is an impressive device, with its refined onboarding experience and high-quality mixed reality content. It feels like a solid upgrade from the Quest 2 and even brings some improvements over the more expensive Quest 3.

Of course, Meta had to make a few sacrifices to reach that affordable $299 price point, but surprisingly, there aren’t many. The biggest compromise is the display—it uses the same lenses and screen as the Quest 2. However, it still includes many upgrades, such as a next-gen processor and better graphics rendering. So if you’re looking for an affordable VR upgrade from the Quest 2, this is a great option.

The Meta Quest 3S comes with 128GB of storage for $299, and for $399, you can get the 256GB version. Both versions are available in white and include two touch controllers, a cloth head strap, and a cloth facial interface. Every purchase also includes a free copy of *Batman Arkham Shadow* and three months of Meta Quest Plus (available until April 2025).

Many of your old Meta Quest 2 accessories will work with the Quest 3S, so you don’t need to replace everything. The exception is the facial interface, which has a new design. Speaking of comfort, Meta has made improvements over the years, but the cloth strap on the Quest 3S isn’t perfect. It’s only slightly lighter than the Quest 3, and the strap can be uncomfortable during long play sessions. If it rests on your ears, it might irritate your skin. The weight distribution is better than before, but it’s still not as good as third-party options like the BoboVR M3 Pro.

That said, the new facial interface design is a big plus. The padding is softer and feels great out of the box. I usually swap out my facial interfaces for third-party ones right away, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how comfortable this one is. Plus, the headset is slimmer than the Quest 2 by about 20mm, which improves weight distribution closer to your face.

Even though Meta has improved the interface design, some people might still want to replace it for three main reasons: hygiene (the cloth absorbs sweat), lens fog (especially in humid conditions), and glasses adjustments (the default design doesn’t offer as many options as the Quest 3). If you wear glasses, you’ll need to use the glasses spacer included in the box.

The Quest 3S doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio jack like previous models, so if you prefer headphones over the built-in speakers, I recommend using PrismXR Vega T1 earbuds. Bluetooth headphones won’t work well with VR due to high latency, which could make you feel sick because of the disconnect between what you see and hear.

Battery life on the Meta Quest 3S is also impressive. On average, you’ll get around two and a half hours of use per charge, though more demanding games like *Batman Arkham Shadow* might lower that to around two hours. If you plan to stick with the default head strap and interface, this should be enough time before any discomfort kicks in. However, if you want extended playtime and better comfort, you can upgrade to a head strap with a built-in battery like the BoboVR M3 Pro or Kiwi Design H4 for around $50.

When comparing the Quest 3S to the Quest 3, the main differences lie in the display and lenses. The Quest 3S uses Fresnel lenses like those on the Quest 2. These lenses are fine for a $299 headset but don’t offer the same clarity as the next-gen lenses on the Quest 3. There’s also a narrower field of view (FoV) on the Quest 3S—90 degrees compared to 110 degrees on the Quest 3—which might feel more restrictive in some games.

If you’re upgrading from a Quest 2, though, you probably won’t notice much difference in these areas. However, if your interpupillary distance (IPD) exceeds 72mm, you might find the headset uncomfortable. A simple solution is to get a 3D-printed IPD expander to adjust the lenses.

The display on the Quest 3S isn’t as sharp as that of the Quest 3 either—think of it as comparing 1080p vs. 1440p in gaming. The colors are a bit duller and fine details can get lost in more complex scenes. If you’re planning to use VR for work tasks that require crystal-clear visuals, it might be better to stick with the Quest 3.

Both the Meta Quest 3S and Quest 3 use identical controllers that have ditched the LED ring for a smaller profile. The tracking system has been improved thanks to better camera placement on the headset—especially around its lower sides—and more advanced software. Each controller uses a single AA battery that should last about two months depending on your usage. If you’re looking to save money in the long run, consider picking up some rechargeable AA batteries.

The Quest 3S supports Inside-Out Body Tracking, which lets your in-game character move more realistically based on your real-life movements. It’s still a relatively new feature with only a few games supporting it right now, but it’s expected to become more popular as more developers utilize it.

One exciting new feature on the Quest 3S is its ability to track in complete darkness using two infrared (IR) illuminators on the front of the headset. As long as it can see nearby walls in your space, it can track movement even in pitch-black rooms—though this works best in smaller areas like bedrooms.

The hand tracking has also improved dramatically in low light conditions compared to previous headsets. While daytime tracking performs similarly to that on the Quest 3, night-time hand tracking is significantly better on this model.

The color mixed reality feature on this headset truly shines—it’s not quite at Apple Vision Pro levels of clarity but still offers an impressive leap from what we saw with older devices like the Quest 2. The Quest 3S uses dual front-facing cameras that provide bright visuals through its Fresnel lenses.

Mixed reality opens up countless fun experiences: turn your living room into a spaceship or defend against zombies invading your home! There are already thousands of games available for Meta headsets with more added each month thanks to an expanding marketplace.

While games designed specifically for Quest 3 look better due to enhanced hardware capabilities, Quest 3S games still look great—especially considering its lower price point—and you’ll have access to many exciting upcoming titles.

Though lacking some advanced features like depth sensors found on higher-end models like Meta Quest 3, this doesn’t seem to impact performance much during mixed reality experiences; it just takes slightly longer to map rooms compared to its more expensive sibling.

Meta’s Horizon OS has also improved significantly since launching alongside previous models—it now includes automatic room mapping along with object detection for seamless mixed reality integration. A new button on top of Quest 3S allows users quick access between virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR).

If you’re comparing options within Meta’s lineup or against other VR devices available today—the Meta Quest 3S stands out at its price point by offering one of best values currently available across both VR & MR experiences