Meta Quest 3S Review: Affordable VR with Big Performance

You can think of the $300 Meta Quest 3S as the VR equivalent of a reliable car, no thrills or notable extras. It may not have the premium optics of the $500 Quest 3, which is more like a high-end model for enthusiasts, but both headsets offer a truly immersive VR experience. After a week of testing the Quest 3S, it feels more like an upgrade from the Quest 2 rather than a downgrade. The Quest 2, launched at the same $300 price point four years ago, eventually struggled with fluctuating prices and outdated hardware. The Quest 3S, however, offers a more powerful processor, improved hand and controller tracking, and introduces mixed reality, letting you overlay digital elements onto real life. Though it may seem like a scaled-down version of the Quest 3, the Quest 3S could become one of Meta's most impactful VR devices yet. Here are some basic pros and cons for the Meta Quest 3S before we properly get into it. 

Design

The Quest 3S looks almost identical to the Quest 3, with the main visual difference being its triangular sensor array. It still features a durable plastic casing, plenty of cushioning around the eyes, and an adjustable Y-shaped strap. When placed side by side, it’s tough to distinguish between the two headsets from the front.

Once you begin to look a little closer, you begin to notice some key differences. 

The Quest 3S features the distinctive concentric rings of Fresnel lenses, similar to those used in the Quest 2 and commonly found in budget VR headsets. In contrast, the Quest 3 is equipped with pancake lenses, which have a smooth, flat surface.

Meta kept the cost of the Quest 3S down by using the same 1,830 x 1,920 pixels-per-eye display from the Quest 2. In comparison, the Quest 3 offers 30% more pixels (2,264 x 2,208 per eye), resulting in a sharper and more detailed image.

The Quest 3S also lacks a headphone jack, meaning you'll need a USB-C adapter or wireless headphones for better audio. However, most users will find the built-in speakers sufficient. Those who prefer wired sound quality may either opt for the pricier Quest 3 or purchase a $10 USB-C to 3.5mm adapter. The headband on the Quest 3S has built-in and serviceably good spatial audio speakers. The elastic headband attaches via Velcro, although other strap accessories can be bought separately. The included strap feels pretty good on my head, though.

The Quest 3S includes a plastic spacer for glasses wearers, but I appreciated that the foam face piece felt wide enough to comfortably fit my glasses or even a pair of Meta Ray-Bans (though it’s a snug fit). Like the Quest 2, it offers three preset eye distance settings, unlike the Quest 3's adjustable slider, but I didn't find it bothersome. In fact, the face piece felt sturdier with glasses compared to the Quest 3's slightly flimsier adjustment system. For those who need them, prescription lenses are also available for a reasonable $50.

The Quest 3S controllers are identical to those of the Quest 3. They’ve ditched the plastic rings from the Quest 2 controllers, making them more compact and travel-friendly, with a comfortable angled thumb rest. Otherwise, they function the same as before.

A feature I love is the dedicated mixed-reality button on the bottom of the headset. It lets you quickly switch between immersive VR and passthrough mode, where you can see the real world with VR menus overlaid—similar to the Vision Pro's Digital Crown. While it’s a bit tricky to locate by touch, it's more convenient than the double-tap method used on the Quest 2 and Quest 3.

The important stuff: The VR 

The first thing I noticed when putting on the Quest 3S was how fast and responsive it felt. From onboarding to downloading apps and navigating the Meta home environment, everything was snappy—just like the Quest 3, but more impressive for a $300 device. Unlike the occasional lag I experienced with the Quest 2, the Quest 3S had none of that. The VR experience was detailed and immersive, and while the resolution drop from the Quest 3 wasn’t too noticeable, the cheaper Fresnel lenses did lead to more visual artifacts. Edges were slightly fuzzier, there was some haloing around objects, and bright areas in games like Pistol Whip often caused "God rays." The Quest 3's pancake lenses, by comparison, deliver a much sharper image.

That said, for newcomers to VR, the Fresnel lenses likely won’t be a dealbreaker. I used similar lenses for years and still enjoyed VR. If using these lenses helps Meta keep the Quest 3S at $300, it’s worth it—because in the world of VR, the biggest barrier isn’t visual fidelity, it’s price.

The Quest 3S features much-improved color passthrough cameras, a significant upgrade from the Quest 2’s grainy black-and-white ones. While not as sharp as the Quest 3 due to the 3S' unchanged inner lenses and displays, they’re still good enough to read phone messages, navigate a room, greet my kids, or walk around the office without tripping—like a quirky cyber-man.

Like the Quest 3, the 3S can scan and "mesh" your surroundings, layering 3D VR over the real world. It's impressive that a budget headset can handle this, and the results are both fun and practical.

The Quest 3S is powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip found in the Quest 3, offering a major performance boost over the Quest 2. Several games already feature enhanced graphics that leverage this chip, and a growing list of exclusives will only run on the Quest 3 and 3S. One such game is Batman: Arkham Shadow, which comes as a free download with the Quest 3S.

Is it worth the upgrade from Quest 2?

Many people, including my 15 year old niece, still enjoy the Quest 2. After testing the Quest 3S, she liked the faster load times and found mixed reality fun but didn't notice a huge difference in most games.

Currently, many titles don’t need the Quest 3S's extra power, and sticking with the Quest 2 is fine, especially since the 3S shares similar optics and battery life. However, as more games are optimised for the Quest 3 and 3S, the difference will become more noticeable.

One downside is that the Quest 3S starts at $300, more expensive than the now-discounted $200 Quest 2. It’s the better buy for a new budget VR headset, but it may feel like a pricey upgrade, especially with potential accessory purchases. You might also want to wait and see how many games fully support the Quest 3S, as the Quest 2 is still compatible for now.

As for storage, the 128GB base model is adequate, but some games, like Asgard's Wrath II, can take up over 30GB, so space fills up quickly. The $400 256GB model offers more room, but at that price, you might consider just getting the Quest 3.