Meta Quest 3S is easily the best upgrade for Meta Quest 2 holdouts

More than just a more affordable Meta Quest 3

(credit: Meta)

• 🥽 Facebook introduces a more affordable $299 Meta Quest 3S mixed reality headset

• 💸 It’s $200 more affordable than the Meta Quest 3 flagship headset

• ⚙️ Features the same processor, 8GB of RAM, touch controllers, and tracking technology

• 🔋 2.5 hours of battery life, the longest out of all of Meta’s headsets

• 👴 Display resolution and lens type is the same as the Meta Quest 2

• 📆 Available to preorder now for $299-399 and ships October 15

Meta introduced its more affordable Meta Quest 3S mixed reality headset at its Meta Connect conference earlier this week, and if you’ve been a Meta Quest 2 die-hard like me, this is definitely the time to upgrade.

While the Meta Quest 3S is a $200 cheaper alternative to the Meta Quest 3, it features largely the same specs with few trade-offs – but more importantly, big upgrades for Meta Quest 2 owners.

Meta Quest 3S is similar to Quest 3

Let’s start with what’s similar; the Meta Quest 3S inherits the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen2 processor and boasts 8GB of RAM as found in its bigger brother. That should give it all the legs it needs to run graphics-heavy experiences like Batman: Arkham Shadow and Horizon World.

The Quest 3S’ mixed reality experience should be largely the same as on Meta’s flagship headset since both share the same Touch Plus controllers and the same set of external cameras – though in two triangular iPhone Pro-esque formations instead of two pills. Those cameras include two RGB cameras that let you see the world around you in stereoscopic color passthrough. Meanwhile, four VGA cameras track your hands and controllers.

The Meta Quest 3S even excels over the Quest 3 with up to 2.5 hours of battery life, which should be 0.3 hours longer.

(credit: Meta)

Where Meta Quest 3S is different

Now where the Meta Quest 3S falters is resolution. It still features the same 1,832 x 1,920 displays as the Meta Quest 2, whereas the Meta Quest 3 can display 4K plus resolution with 2064 x 2208 pixels. The field of view is also slightly narrower at 96H / 90V on the Meta Quest 3S while the Meta Quest 3 affords a wider FOV of 110H / 96V. The Meta Quest 3S also only has Fresnel lenses, so it’s not as slim as the Meta Quest 3 with its pancake lenses.

Storage on the Meta Quest 3S starts at 128GB and maxes out at 256GB, which should still be enough to store multiple movies and games. By comparison, the Meta Quest 3 comes with 512GB from the get-go, and this model is $100 cheaper at $499.

(credit: Meta)

Overall the Meta Quest 3S seems like an easy upgrade for Meta Quest 2 owners. It’s more compact, and you get a better mixed reality experience with its better cameras and tracking. It also has the best battery life out of all Meta’s headsets. Unless you need the best resolution and a wider FOV, this is a $200 more affordable way to get the Meta Quest 3 experience.

The Meta Quest 3S is available to preorder for $299 (128GB) or $399 (256GB), and it will ship on October 15.

• Up next: Meta Orion glasses give us a glimpse of the future of AR that no one can buy

Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam.