TL;DR: Meta has introduced its newest VR headset, the Quest 3S. It’s going to go on sale beginning October 15 for $299.99, making it the corporate’s most inexpensive VR headset thus far. Moreover, Meta introduced that will probably be discontinuing the Quest 2 and Quest Professional.
The Quest 3S shares some {hardware} elements with the Quest 3, but it surely additionally options a number of notable downgrades. Just like the Quest 3, it’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform and comes with 8 GB of RAM, operating on Meta’s Horizon OS. One important improve is the addition of a devoted Motion button that prompts the full-color passthrough mode, permitting customers to see the world round them with out eradicating the headset.
Downgrades embrace a 1,832 × 1,920 decision (per eye) show, which is analogous to that of the Quest 2 however much less sharp than the Quest 3’s 2,064 × 2,208 setup. The horizontal subject of view (96 levels) and vertical subject of view (90 levels) are additionally the identical as these of the Quest 2 however decrease than the Quest 3’s 110H/96V. The 3S comes with Fresnel lenses with three-position interaxial adjustment distances (IAD), a departure from the Quest 3, which options Pancake lenses with steady IAD.
The Quest 3S sports activities a 4,324 mAh battery that the corporate claims can run for as much as 2.5 hours on a single cost. Meta is providing the 3S in two configurations: a base mannequin with 128 GB of storage for $299.99 and a 256 GB model for $399.99. The system is already obtainable for pre-order and can begin delivery on October 15. Meta is bundling the upcoming Batman: Arkham Shadow with all Quest 3 and Quest 3S items bought earlier than April 2025.
Meta states that the Quest 3S is designed for newcomers to the digital and blended actuality scene and can assist many individuals expertise the know-how for the primary time. In accordance with the corporate, the system is ideal for watching TV exhibits “on a cinema-sized display screen” proper in the lounge, whereas its multitasking capabilities and gaming options be sure that it has one thing to supply all customers.
Following the Quest 3S announcement, Meta is discontinuing the Quest 2 and Quest Professional. Whereas the brand new headset serves as a correct substitute for the four-year-old Quest 2, the Quest Professional was an general disappointment for Meta, largely as a result of its exorbitant launch value of $1,499. As for the Quest 3, solely the 512 GB mannequin will stay on sale, with the worth for that system dropping from $650 to $500.
