Review of Meta Quest 3S: The perfect introduction to Virtual Reality games

For years, virtual reality has been stagnant. But with Quest 3 and Vision Pro breathing new life into the technology, it seems like we are finally back on track towards better products and wider adoption.

This is what makes Quest 3S so good. At $300, this headset qualifies as a standalone, budget VR headset. But unlike what we have seen in the past, this does not diminish the experience level to achieve this low cost. It runs all the games and apps that the pricier Quest 3 does, including mixed reality experiences, AI assistance, hand tracking, and performance itself.

It is definitely one of the best VR headsets you can buy – one that most people should buy. It is so good that it makes you wonder how Meta managed to achieve it.

Getting Started with Quest 3S

After turning on Quest 3S for the first time, it guided me to use the pairing code to connect to my Meta account. It showed me a brief setup guide with helpful videos on my phone, and the new VR headset was ready to wear and learn how to use.

The phone tutorials were about safe usage. I skipped them as I am familiar with virtual reality and the risks of moving around when turning off the passthrough feature. The startup tutorials in virtual reality are more fun, and worth watching even if you have used the Meta Quest headset before, as Quest 3S has a new button.

The interactive guide showed me how to use the circular action button at the bottom right. It is a quick toggle for Quest 3S to switch between fully immersive virtual reality and mixed reality view that makes virtual objects hover in my room.

The whole process took less than 10 minutes; then I was ready to explore Quest 3S and watch 3D videos and play games.

How Good is Quest 3S by Meta?

Quest 3S is a beautiful VR headset, even with the deal price aside. Once again, I must assume that Meta is sacrificing profits to offer virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) to more people. It is fast, friendly, and engaging. If you are interested in the Apple Vision Pro but its $3500 price (or even $500 for Quest 3) is out of reach, then Quest 3S surprisingly brings you remarkably close to that experience at less than a tenth of the cost.

The color pass-through is clear and bright enough to safely navigate using your headset, see your phone, use a keyboard and mouse, turning Quest 3S into a multi-screen virtual workstation. Quest 3S is larger than AR glasses or smart display glasses, but it’s a way to explore what’s coming in a few years without waiting for Meta’s amazing Orion glasses to go on sale.

For virtual reality, Meta Quest 3S automatically scans your room to create virtual boundaries that appear if you get too close to the edge where you may bump into the couch or TV. Older headsets require manual boundary tracking.

Although the display resolution is the same as Quest 2, everything is clearer thanks to a much faster processor with less GPU choking. Desktop PC gamers struggle with lower frame rates in graphically demanding games, but VR headsets dynamically reduce resolution to avoid stuttering that may cause motion sickness.

Like Meta’s most distinguished VR headset, Quest 3, Quest 3S comes with the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 that smoothly handles Quest 2 games. Many games have been re-released with enhanced graphics that older headsets cannot handle. It also aids in AI processing, answering spoken questions, and identifying objects in the real world just like the Meta AI multi-media AI in Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses.

Quest 3S comes with sleek Touch Plus controllers featuring faster and more accurate tracking without the bulky tracking rings. While Quest 3S headset has a rechargeable battery, each controller uses a single AA battery. Meta includes an alkaline battery, but you really should switch to rechargeable battery if you plan to use it a lot.

You can also ditch the controllers and use your hands exclusively when navigating in Horizon OS. More games and apps recognize hands, and Quest 3S has an infrared-based tracking system that lets you continue playing even in low light. It makes using the headset quick and easy anytime, even if you’re waiting for AA batteries to charge.

Quest 3S Comfort

Quest 3S comes with a fabric-covered face interface and a fabric head strap with three adjustment points. It is the same as what comes with Quest 3, and it is more comfortable than Quest 2.

I started feeling pressure on my face after about an hour, but when I played Batman: Arkham Shadows I might have been enjoying the 2.5-hour battery life of Quest 3S without noticing until I removed the headset. You will definitely get VR face, a temporary redness where the headset settles on your cheeks and forehead. No way around it.

Quest 3’s lower cost mitigates this issue, as it is thinner, distributes weight more evenly, and causes less of a lever effect. If your skin is sensitive, Quest 3 is more comfortable than Quest 3S.

Meta sells accessories that can help. The Elite strap at $70 improves comfort with a contoured back pad and a tension dial. The Elite strap with battery at $130 adds two hours of playtime with better headset balance by putting the battery at the back. Of course, this is almost the price of a 512GB Quest 3, which was recently discounted to $500. Quest 3S comes with a 128GB capacity and a 256GB model priced at $400.

Quest 3S is the Best Budget VR Headset

Quest 3S is the best budget VR headset you can buy and a fantastic deal. No other manufacturer can compete with Meta’s discounted prices. The technology packed in Quest headsets costs almost the same as the final product.

Quest 3S is not just a gaming controller. You can exercise in VR, learn languages, explore sciences, and even get work done with up to six Horizon OS screens or three connected screens on a gaming PC or Mac.

While Quest 2 has dominated the market since its launch in 2020, a new era has arrived with mixed reality, low light tracking, faster chips, and more impressive games and apps.

Meta sweetened the Quest 3S deal by bundling Batman: Arkham Shadows and three months of + missions. In October, the multiplayer subscription service will add Zombie Land: Head Fever, Down the Rabbit Hole, and Meghite Wrath Ascard 2 – a full game worth $60.

Who Should Buy Quest 3S?

Meta Quest 3S is a great VR headset. It is much better than Quest 2 and is almost as nice as our top pick for the best VR headset, Quest 3. Quest 3S also works with a gaming PC for SteamVR games and can connect to a Mac for remote desktop usage. If you already own Quest 3 or Quest Pro, you will not want this budget model of course, but Quest 3S significantly fills a gap in the market.

For anyone who owns an Oculus Quest or original Quest 2 headset, I highly recommend getting Quest 3S. It is a big step up. Quest 3S has double the graphics performance and better AI processing by eight times compared to Quest 2 with better power efficiency. The Touch Plus controllers eliminate the rings, so no worries about them cracking together.

At the same time, if you are new to the world of virtual reality, Quest 3S is now the headset to start with. You can get all the new features like premium hand tracking and beautiful color pass-through. While you may not want to wear it for hours without some comfortable accessories, it’s not a problem for an extra hour of gaming or 30 minutes of exercise. When it comes to virtual reality, this is how most people interested in VR will want to use it anyway, making this headset the one that most VR enthusiasts should buy.

Quest 3S also comes with a three-year warranty, and Meta has a good track record in supporting hardware for many years.