Meta Quest 3S

Meta Quest 3S is a standalone virtual reality (VR) headset developed by Reality Labs, a division of Meta Platforms. It was unveiled on September 25, 2024, and released on October 15, 2024, as part of the third generation of the Meta Quest line, serving as a cheaper option for budget VR users.

As with its predecessors, the Quest 3S is a standalone device running Meta Horizon OS, a derivative of Android Open Source Project (AOSP); VR games and apps can be run natively on the headset, or streamed from a capable computer over USB-C or Wi-Fi. The Quest 3S is intended as an entry-level model complementing 2023's Meta Quest 3, succeeding the Quest 2 at its price point; it shares most of its hardware and mixed reality capabilities with the Quest 3, but with lower-resolution displays and optics inherited from the Quest 2.

Specifications

The Quest 3S is designed as an entry-level variant of the Meta Quest 3; it uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 system-on-chip with 8 GB of RAM, color passthrough cameras, and Touch Plus controllers as the Quest 3. Unlike the Quest 3, it uses Fresnel lenses instead of pancake lenses, and is thus thicker in length. Its displays are lower in resolution than the Quest 3, maintaining the same 1832×1920 per-eye resolution as the Quest 2, and it has a narrower field of view, 96 degrees horizontal compared to the Quest 3's 110°. It also lacks a depth sensor, with the Quest 3's three frontal "pills" replaced by two sets of sensors and cameras arranged in triangular patterns. It adds an additional hardware "action button" for toggling the passthrough cameras.

History

According to a roadmap obtained by ''The Verge'' in February 2023, Meta planned to release the Quest 3 in 2023, and another headset codenamed "Ventura" in 2024, which was reportedly described by Oculus VP Mark Rabkin as an "accessible" headset that would "pack the biggest punch we can at the most attractive price point in the VR consumer market". In October 2023, a ''Bloomberg News'' writer reported that Meta had been considering releasing a headset without motion controllers to reduce cost, relying primarily on hand tracking instead.

In late-May 2024, it was found that several upcoming games on the Meta Quest Store had listed compatibility with an unannounced device called the "Meta Quest 3S", seemingly confirming leaks posted on social media regarding a device by that name. A video posted by Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth detailing features in an upcoming Horizon OS update also included an unknown headset that matched the leaks. In September 2024, an update to the Oculus desktop software added internal references and images depicting the Quest 3S, listed under the codename "Panther".

The Quest 3S was officially unveiled during Meta Connect on September 25, 2024, and made available for pre-order for a release on October 15. It is available in 128 GB and 256 GB models priced at US$299.99 and US$399.99 respectively, replacing the Quest 2 at its price point. The Quest 3S and 3 are bundled with '' Batman: Arkham Shadow'' from its release through April 30, 2025.

Reception

''The Verge'' felt that although the Quest 3S "doesn’t solve VR's inherent tradeoffs and limitations", and was more of a modest update for Quest 2 users due to its compromises over the Quest 3, it was well-suited for first-time VR headset users due to its overall value and positioning, accessibility, game library, and bundled software.

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3 S
Virtual reality headsets
Wearable devices
Ninth-generation video game consoles
Virtual reality
Augmented reality
Spatial computing