The Meta Quest 3S. Photo: Meta.
Could this be a case of goodbye to the Apple Vision Pro? At Connect 2024, Meta unveiled a new, cheaper VR headset, the Meta Quest 3S.
Meta claims that the Quest 3S is powerful and fast as the Meta Quest 3 but at half the price (US$299.99 vs US$649.99) and calls the Quest 3S “the best headset for those new to mixed reality and immersive experiences”.
The headset is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset and 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage. It delivers a resolution of 1,832 x 1,920 pixels per eye a refresh rate up to 120Hz. For differences between this new model and the Meta Quest 3 are that the latter’s storage goes up to 512GB and has a resolution of 2,064 x 2,208 pixels.
Handily, if you already use corrective lenses, the Quest 3S includes a spacer for your glasses if you need them, or you can even get custom prescription lenses made here.
Running on Meta Horizon OS, the Quest 3S will better support 2D apps like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Also added is better spatial audio and improved Passthrough’s contrast and colour. Meta added that the Quest 3S is compatible with its library of apps and games or even catch a concert in Horizon Worlds, Music Valley or enjoy front-row seats at Sabrina Carpenter and Doja Cat. Also included are upcoming exclusives like Batman: Arkham Shadow. Games that received Quest 3-specific performance updates will also work on Quest 3S, which means that Quest 3S users will benefit from upgraded visuals and faster load times.
One thing we weren’t told was how much the Quest 3S weighs. The Quest 3 however, comes in at 515g and the Apple Vision Pro weighs up to 650g.
Pricing and availability
The Meta Quest 3 (above) and the Quest 3S (below). Photo: Meta.
The Meta Quest 3S is available for pre-order now for US$299.99 (~S$386) for the 128GB model. Going for the 256GB model will cost US$399.99 (~S$515)! but you may want to grab the Quest 3 instead as Meta is dropping the price of the 512GB model from US$649.99 to US$499.99 (~S$644).
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