Meta Quest 3S review: the perfect introduction to VR gaming

For years, VR was in a standstill. But with the Quest 3 and Vision Pro breathing new life into the technology, it finally feels like we’re back on the path toward better products and wider adoption.

That’s what makes the Quest 3S so good. At $300, it qualifies as a low-cost, standalone VR headset. But unlike ones we’ve seen in the past, it doesn’t downgrade the experience to reach that low cost. It runs all the games and apps that the most expensive Quest 3 does, including mixed-reality experiences, AI assistance, hand tracking, and the same performance.

It’s certainly one of the best VR headsets you can buy — the one most people should buy. It’s so good that it almost makes you wonder how Meta pulled it off.

Getting started with the Quest 3S

After powering on the Quest 3S for the first time, it guided me to use a pairing code to connect to a Meta account. A brief setup guide showed me helpful videos on my phone, then my new VR headset was ready to put on and learn how to use it.

The phone tutorials were about safe use. I skipped them since I’m already familiar with VR and the dangers of moving around when passthrough view is off. The startup tutorials in VR are more fun, and they’re worth watching even if you’ve used a Meta Quest headset before since the Quest 3S has a new button.

The interactive guide showed me how to use the round action button on the bottom right. It’s a quick toggle for Quest 3S to switch between fully immersive VR and a mixed reality view that makes virtual objects hover in my room.

The whole process takes less than 10 minutes; then I was ready to explore the Quest 3S, watch 3D videos, and play games.

How good is the Meta Quest 3S?

The Quest 3S is a nice headset, even setting aside the bargain price. Once again, I have to assume Meta is foregoing profit to introduce virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) to more people. It’s fast, friendly, and engaging. If you’re intrigued by the Apple Vision Pro but the $3,500 price (or even the $500 Quest 3) puts it out of reach, the Quest 3S gets you surprisingly close to that experience at less than a tenth the cost.

The color passthrough is clear and bright enough to walk around safely with your headset on, see your phone, and use a keyboard and mouse, turning the Quest 3S into a multi-screen virtual workstation. The Quest 3S is bulkier than AR glasses or display smart glasses but it’s a way to explore what’s coming in a few years without waiting for Meta’s amazing Orion glasses to go on sale.

For VR, the Meta Quest 3S automatically scans your room to create a virtual boundary that appears if you get to close to the edge where you might bump into your couch or TV. Older headsets required manual tracing of the boundary.

Although the display resolution is the same as the Quest 2, everything is sharper thanks to a much faster processor with less GPU throttling. Desktop gamers suffer lower frame rates in graphically challenging games, but VR headsets dynamically lower resolution to avoid stutters that would cause motion sickness.

Like Meta’s most premium VR headset, the Quest 3, the Quest 3S sports a Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 that handles Quest 2 games easily. Many games have been rereleased with improved graphics that older headsets can’t handle. It also helps with AI processing, answering spoken questions and identifying real-world objects just like the multi-modal Meta AI in Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses.

The Quest 3S comes with sleek Touch Plus controllers with faster, more accurate tracking without the bulky tracking rings. While the Quest 3S headset has a rechargeable battery, each controller uses one AA battery. Meta includes an alkaline battery, but you should really switch to rechargeable if you plan to use it often.

You can also ditch the controllers and exclusively use your hands when navigating Horizon OS. A growing number of games and apps recognize hands, and the Quest 3S has an IR projector that lets you keep playing even in low light. It makes using the headset quick and easy anytime, even if you’re waiting for AA batteries to charge.

Quest 3S comfort

The Quest 3S ships with a padded cloth facial intertface and fabric head strap with three points of adjustment. It’s the same that comes with the Quest 3, and it’s more comfortable than the Quest 2.

I started to feel the pressure on my face after about an hour, but when I was playing Batman: Arkham Shadow I probably could have breezed through the Quest 3S’s 2.5-hour battery life without noticing until I took the headset off. You will definitely get VR face, though — a temporary redness where the headset rests against your cheeks and forehead. No getting around that.

The more expensive Quest 3 minimizes this problem since it’s thinner, distributing the weight more evenly and causing less of a lever effect. If you have sensitive skin, the Quest 3 is much more comfortable than the Quest 3S.

Meta sells accessories that could help. The $70 Elite Strap improves comfort with a cupped rear pad and tightening dial. The $130 Elite Strap with Battery adds two hours of playing time while balancing the headset better by placing the battery at the back. Of course, that’s nearly the price of the recently discounted $500 512GB Quest 3. The Quest 3S comes with 128GB and the 256GB model costs $400.

Quest 3S is the best budget VR headset

The Quest 3S is the best budget VR headset you can buy and an incredible bargain. No other manufacturer can compete with Meta’s discount prices. The technology packed in Quest headsets costs almost as much as the finished product.

The Quest 3S isn’t just a gaming console. You can work out in VR, learn languages, explore science, and even get work done with up to six Horizon OS screens or three screens connected to your PC or Mac.

While the Quest 2 reigned supreme since its launch in 2020, a new era has arrived with mixed reality, low-light tracking, faster chips, and more impressive games and apps.

Meta sweetened the deal for the Quest 3S by bundling Batman: Arkham Shadow and three months of its Quest+. In October, the multi-game subscription service is adding Zombieland: Headshot Fever, Down the Rabbit Hole, and the megahit Asgard’s Wrath 2, which is a full $60 game.

Who should buy the Quest 3S?

The Meta Quest 3S is a great VR headset. It’s much better than the Quest 2 and almost nearly as nice as our top pick for the best VR headset, the Quest 3. The Quest 3S also works with a PC for SteamVR gaming and can connect to a Mac for remote desktop use. If you already own a Quest 3 or Quest Pro, you won’t want this budget model, of course, but the Quest 3S fills a hole in the market remarkably well.

For anyone that owns an original Oculus Quest or Quest 2 headset, I highly recommend getting a Quest 3S. It’s a huge step up. The Quest 3S has twice the graphics performance and eight times better AI processing of the Quest 2 with better power efficiency. The Touch Plus controllers get rid of the rings so you don’t have to worry about cracking them together.

Meanwhile, if you’re new to VR, the Quest 3S is now the go-to starter headset. You get all the new features like excellent hand tracking and nice color passthrough. While you wouldn’t want to wear it for hours without some comfort accessories, it’s not a problem for an hour plus of gaming or a 30-minute workout. When we’re talking about VR, that’s how most people will want to use it anyways, making this the go-to headset that most people interested in VR should buy.

The Quest 3S also comes with a three-year warranty, and Meta has a good track record of supporting devices for many years.