Meta Quest 3S drops to $297, matching its original price
▼ Summary
– The Meta Quest 3S VR headset with 128GB of storage is currently $296.79 on Amazon, down from its $349.99 price increase.
– It is an entry-level, standalone wireless headset that plays Quest store games and can stream Steam games from a PC.
– The Quest 3S uses the same processor and color passthrough cameras as the pricier Quest 3, but has lower-quality fresnel lenses instead of pancake lenses.
– Its screen resolution is 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye, which is unchanged from the Quest 2, but the hardware is otherwise improved.
– The deal is not as good as previous low prices, like the $249 Black Friday sale, but is currently the best available for a new unit.
The Meta Quest 3S VR headset with 128GB of storage is available for $296.79 on Amazon, a discount of roughly $53 from its current list price. While this brings it close to the original $299.99 launch price from 2024, it’s worth noting that Meta raised the price to $349.99 earlier this year. So, this isn’t a record-breaking deal, but it’s a solid price for a new unit in today’s market.
This entry-level headset strikes a clever balance between the premium Quest 3 and the older Quest 2. It’s a fully standalone, wireless device (until you plug it in to charge) that grants access to a vast library of Quest store titles like Batman: Arkham Shadow and Supernatural (once it returns). For PC gamers willing to tolerate a bit of extra latency, it can also wirelessly stream SteamVR games.
Where the Quest 3S compromises is in its optics. The higher-end Quest 3 uses lighter, flatter pancake lenses, while the 3S sticks with the fresnel lenses found on the Quest 2. That’s the main trade-off. Otherwise, it shares the same core hardware as its $600 sibling: the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, color passthrough cameras for mixed reality, and the same controllers. The Quest 3 justifies its higher price with superior image clarity and a sharper resolution per eye. The Quest 3S, however, still delivers a perfectly respectable picture at 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye.
It’s disappointing that the days of deep discounts,like the $249 price tag we saw during last Black Friday,seem to be behind us. Given current market conditions, however, this $296.79 price point represents about as good a deal as you’re likely to find on a new Quest 3S for the foreseeable future.
(Source: The Verge)
