Meta Quest 3S
#3 in VR Headset · Rated 4.2
Affordable mixed reality headset with strong passthrough at a lower price.
Meta Quest 3S is the lower-cost variant in Meta’s Quest 3 family, designed to bring mixed reality and VR to a broader audience. It shares the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, supports full-color passthrough, and offers similar software access to the Quest ecosystem, but uses a more affordable optical stack and slightly reduced per-eye resolution. This makes it appealing to first-time VR buyers, students, or casual gamers who want MR features without paying the flagship price. Meta paired the 3S with occasional bundles and promotions (including Batman: Arkham Shadow) and promotions like Horizon+ trials to add value. The 3S remains globally available through major retailers and Meta’s storefront, with pricing that undercuts the premium Quest 3. It differentiates itself by delivering contemporary MR capabilities at a significantly lower cost.
Features
- Full-color passthrough
- Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2
- Modified optics with slightly lower resolution
- Cross-ecosystem app compatibility
- Quest Store access with MR features
Pros
- Very affordable entry into MR/VR
- Good passthrough quality for price
- Accessible for newcomers
Cons
- Lower resolution than Quest 3
- No 3.5mm audio jack (some regions)