Meta has announced the Meta Quest 3S is open for pre-orders. The Meta Quest 3S is a new addition to its virtual and mixed reality headset family. The Quest 3S offers the same mixed reality capabilities and performance as the Quest 3, but at a more accessible starting price of $299.99 USD.
The Quest 3S is available in two storage options: 128GB for $299.99 and 256GB for $399.99. Pre-orders are open now, with the official launch set for October 15th. This new headset is an ideal entry point for those new to mixed reality or seeking an affordable upgrade from older Quest models. In addition to the Quest 3S announcement, Meta revealed a significant price reduction for the 512GB Quest 3. Originally priced at $649.99, it is now available for $499.99. The Quest 2, which was the former budget alternative to the Quest 3, has also finally been discontinued.
The Quest 3S is powered by the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform as the Quest 3, which means the performance should be very similar. Besides the smaller memory storage, the major differences are the headset design, lenses, and a slightly narrower field of view. Besides those changes, the Quest 3S won’t be compatible with all Quest 3 accessories.
The company also announced a change to the payment plan that is likely to get more people to try out VR. Eligible people in the US can get a new Meta Quest 3 or 3S headset, a 24-month subscription to Meta Quest+, and Meta Warranty Plus coverage with a pay-over-time model. The pay-over-time model has the Quest 3S (128GB) at $19.99 a month, the Quest 3S (256GB) at $24.99 a month, and the Quest 3 (512GB) at $29.99 a month.
Both the Quest 3 and Quest 3S come bundled with the Batman: Arkham Shadow game and a three-month Meta Quest+ subscription. This deal is valid for any purchases until April 2025.
Source: Meta