Hands-on with the Meta Quest 3S

When I got the original Quest VR headset, still called the Oculus Quest back in 2019, I remember thinking how much I wanted to show off VR to anyone and everyone. I brought it with me just about everywhere, forcing friends and family alike to spend at least a few minutes battling robots and rhythmically slashing boxes with light swords. Once everyone had seen what VR had to offer, I assumed I was done traveling with my headset. And yet, after only a few short hours with the latest version, the Meta Quest 3S, I know that I’ll be tossing it in my backpack this holiday season, just to show off the new Mixed Reality features.

The Quest 3S is the latest entry into virtual reality from Meta, taking most of what made last year's Quest 3 so great, but dropping the price to $299. Both the Quest 3 and 3S use the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processors, the same 4MP cameras for full-color passthrough, and the same controller and hand tracking technology. 

Photo: Jacob Bobo 

The Quest 3S uses similar lenses inside as the Quest 2, which means it has slightly lower resolution per eye, and a slightly narrower field of view -- 96 degrees versus 110 degrees. In real-world terms, it's a difference that is only really noticeable if you end up in a situation where you can try both the 3 and 3S side by side.  

To put it simply, at only $299.99, the Quest 3S is a killer budget option to get into VR, thanks in no small part to Meta’s continued commitment to wireless virtual reality. You don’t need to lug your computer out to the living room to show grandma the world of VR, you don’t even need controllers. With recent improvements in hand tracking and gesture controls, you just need the headset. 

Mixed Reality is the centerpiece of the current generation of Quest headsets, blending VR with the real world. With Mixed Reality, you can incorporate elements of the real world into your virtual reality. Start a movie and pin it to your physical wall. Play tabletop video games on your actual tabletop. It’s an incredible blending of physical and virtual that works seamlessly to create novel new experiences, like Angry Birds: Isle of Pigs. Genuinely.

Photo: Rovio/Sean Mekinda 

Angry Birds: Isle of Pigs takes the traditional gameplay of Angry Birds - launch birds at precarious towers of pigs using a slingshot - and shifts the whole thing into 3D. While this is a neat concept by itself, it’s in Mixed Reality that the game really sings. With Mixed Reality, you can set the game up on your living room table and slowly stalk around the island, taking time to line up your shot before deciding that, actually, maybe the other side of the table is better. I had so much fun messing around with Isle of Pigs that, when my partner got back from the store, I immediately made her put on the headset and watched her get lost destroying towers for the better part of an hour. 

Of course, I had to try an old standby. Beat Saber is synonymous with VR at this point, as hitting blocks to the beat of Crab Rave is the second thing most people do in VR, shortly after trying the pack-in demo title. Coming from that first Quest, the biggest change in Beat Saber is how it looks. Improvements in both the physical lenses and processing power has the game looking sharper than ever, with the faint blurry edges sanded off for crisp, clear visuals. The game is responsive as ever, with the upgraded cameras tracking your movements better than ever. 

At only $299 for the base 128GB model, the Quest 3S is a no-brainer if you’re looking to get into VR. It offers everything you need to fully immerse yourself in the worlds of virtual and mixed reality, with no need for expensive computer hardware or complex camera set ups (though you can connect to a PC either wirelessly or using the Meta Quest Link Cable to play things like Half-Life: Alyx). 

The Quest 3S gives you 128GB of storage for $299, or 256GB for $399. The more-expensive Quest 3 has 512GB of storage. VR games tend to be a lot smaller than console or PC games, so you don't need a terabyte or more most of the time.

And, if you pick up a Meta Quest 3 or 3S now, you get a copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow for free. It's perfect for showing off the power of the Quest if, like me, you plan on bringing it with you everywhere this holiday season.