Why you should buy a Meta Quest 3S instead of PS5 Pro during Black Friday
Why you should buy a Meta Quest 3S instead of PS5 Pro during Black Friday
It's time to experience something new, and virtual reality and mixed reality deliver
👀 If you’re eyeing up a PS5 Pro this Black Friday, there’s another device you should consider
🆕 The Meta Quest 3S or Quest 3 or likely to be on offer and provide genuinely new and exciting experiences
💰 They’re also both significantly cheaper than Sony’s new console
👍 If you’re craving something new, Black Friday could be the perfect time to jump into the world of VR and AR
Black Friday is rapidly approaching, and the sales extravaganza will bring must-have deals aplenty. However, there’s only one piece of gaming hardware I’d recommend buying this holiday season, and it isn’t the PS5 Pro.
Instead of spending $699.99 on Sony’s souped up PlayStation 5, which is unlikely to go on sale, you’re best spending $299 on the new Meta Quest 3S or even grabbing a deal on the recently discounted Meta Quest 3.
While Sony’s new console offers more of the same – higher resolutions, frame rates and some new graphical flourishes here and there – the Meta Quest 3S offers something fresh and exciting.
As I wrote in Meta Quest 3S review, I’ve been skeptical of VR headsets since their inception, and found that the PSVR 2 isn’t worth it to anyone but the most diehard of virtual reality enthusiasts. But the Meta Quest 3S changed my mind, and it’s opened my eyes to all-new experiences that I can’t get enough of.
At just $299, the headset is cheaper than a Nintendo Switch and delivers so much more than a traditional console. You can play games, workout, watch movies, work in a virtual environment, and socialise. If the standalone games aren’t enough, you can always hook up your Quest 3S to a PC or play games via Xbox Cloud Gaming. There’s also mixed reality, hand tracking, and you can even give your Quest games a PS5 Pro-like boost for just $11.99.
The possibilities feel almost endless, while the PS5 Pro – as appealing as it may be to those who want the best visuals possible – delivers more of the same. Yes, it’ll be nice to play some of the best PS5 games at slightly higher resolutions than before, but it doesn’t change the fact these are the same games you’ve already played.
On the Quest 3S, I’m currently playing Resident Evil 4, Capcom’s classic third-person shooter, redesigned completely for VR. I’m about four hours in and I’m still in awe at just how fantastic it is. This is a game I’ve completed on the GameCube and Wii, but it feels brand new on the Quest.
From manually reloading a pistol and aiming down the sights of a rifle to smashing boxes by swinging my knife – it’s a transformative, arguably definitive way to play Capcom’s beloved title.
I’ve also noticed that the pricing of games in the Meta Quest store is competitive. There are a lot of tempting discounts, and new users get three months of Meta Quest Plus and Batman: Arkham Shadow for free, another game that I’m enthralled by.
So, instead of investing in gaming hardware that provides the familiar experience of the past four years, now is the moment to explore VR and AR. Seriously, there’s way more fun to be had playing VR games than squinting at a screen to conclude that “Yes, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart now looks a little sharper than before.”
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.