In Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality News
September 25, 2024 – After months of speculation and the odd leak, Meta has today announced at its annual Connect event the launch of the Meta Quest 3S, the latest in the company’s line of mixed reality headsets.
How Much Does the Meta Quest 3S Cost?
According to Meta, the Quest 3S offers the same mixed reality capabilities and performance as the Meta Quest 3, but at a much lower price point of just USD $299.99.
Meta stated that Quest 3S is aimed more at those users who are new to mixed reality and immersive experiences, as well as for those who may have been waiting for a low-cost upgrade from Quest and Quest 2.
Meta has spent much of 2024 working on improving its Quest ecosystem, as well as turning the Quest 3 device into an even more capable headset through various updates—namely: rebuilding Meta Horizon OS for spatial computing; providing better support for 2D apps like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram; improving spatial audio and Passthrough’s contrast and color; adding features such as ‘Travel Mode’ to allow users to use Quest; and more.
When it comes to the Meta Quest 3S, the company noted that the new device will benefit from all of these improvements and updates from day one. Meta added that it also has big plans for the future, including expanding Quest’s Travel Mode to work on trains, support for lying down while using the headset, continuing to improve Meta AI on Quest and enabling the “Hey Meta” wake word to invoke it, and more.
Additionally, the Quest 3S is compatible with Meta’s full library of thousands of apps and games, as well as upcoming Quest 3 and 3S exclusives titles such as Batman: Arkham Shadow. Furthermore, Meta noted that games that received Quest 3-specific performance updates such as upgraded visuals and faster load times will also work on Quest 3S.
Meta Quest 3 Price Reduced
In addition to the new budget-friendly Meta Quest 3S headset, Meta also announced that it is dropping the price of the 512GB Meta Quest 3 from USD $649.99 to USD $499.99. The Quest 3 still remains the best headset in the company’s lineup for tech enthusiasts and gamers, offering four times the storage of the baseline Meta Quest 3S, as well as a 4K+ Infinite display that is made up of two displays offering 2064×2208 resolution per eye, and features pancake lenses (as opposed to the Quest 3S’ fresnel lenses), as well as a wider field of view.
Finally, Meta stated that the new Quest 3S marks a big step in the company’s efforts to make mixed reality more accessible for everyone.
Pre-orders for the Meta Quest 3S are available today, with the device shipping starting October 15, 2024. For more information on Meta and the new Quest 3S mixed reality headset, please visit the company’s website.
Quest 3S vs Quest 3
|
Quest 3S
|
Quest 3
|
|
| Display and Visuals | ||
| Display | Single LCD | Dual LCD |
| Lens Type | Fresnel | Pancake |
| Resolution (per-eye) | 1,832 × 1,920 (3.5MP) |
2,064 × 2,208 (4.5MP)
|
| Pixels Per-degree | 20 PPD | 25 PPD |
| Max Refresh Rate | 120Hz |
120Hz
|
| Field-of-view | 96º × 90º | 110º × 96º |
| Passthrough | Color (18 PPD) | Color (18 PPD) |
| IPD Adjustment Options | 58mm, 63mm, 68mm | 53–75mm |
| Hardware and Sensors | ||
| Chipset | Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 |
Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2
|
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB (now out of stock), 512GB |
| Controllers and Input | Touch Plus (AA battery 1×) Hand-tracking, voice |
Touch Plus (AA battery 1×)
Hand-tracking, voice |
| On-board cameras and Infrared (IR) Emitters | 2 × RGB 4 × IR 2 × IR flood LED |
2 × RGB 4 × IR |
| Depth-sensor | No | Yes |
| Other Specs and Features | ||
| Audio | In-headstrap speakers (no 3.5mm headphone port) |
In-headstrap speakers
3.5mm headphone port |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | 2.5 hours |
2.2 hours
|
| Weight | 514 grams | 515 grams |
| Glasses Support | Spacer |
Built-in eye relief adjustment
|
| Price | ||
| MSRP | USD $299.99 (128GB) USD $399.99 (256GB) |
USD $499.99 (512GB) |
Image credit: Meta
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About the author
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.