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Meta is doubling down on mixed reality, and this time it’s doing so with one of the most accessible devices the category has seen to date. The Meta Quest 3S, which launched in October 2024, has quickly emerged as one of the most talked-about pieces of tech in 2025 — not just for its price, but for how much performance it manages to pack in. At $299 for the 128GB model (and $399 for 256GB), the headset offers many of the same capabilities as its higher-end sibling, the Meta Quest 3, at nearly half the cost.
The Quest 3S shines as a gaming device, offering access to Meta’s vast library of VR titles while delivering the processing power to handle newer, more graphically demanding games. Its Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip allows for smooth gameplay in immersive hits like “Asgard’s Wrath 2,” “Resident Evil 4 VR,” and “The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners.” The headset also supports mixed reality experiences like “Demeo Battles and First Encounters,” which take advantage of its full-color passthrough to blend gameplay with the physical environment. Plus, with the recent Xbox Game Pass integration, users can stream titles like “Halo Infinite” and “Starfield” to a virtual screen inside the headset, turning the 3S into a portable console alternative for cloud-based gaming.
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Meta Quest 3S
Built on the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip and 8GB of RAM as the Quest 3, the 3S boasts high-fidelity hand tracking, full-color passthrough and improved thermal efficiency. While it does trade down in display quality — offering a resolution of 1832×1920 per eye, compared to Quest 3’s 2064×2208 — it maintains a smooth and responsive experience, especially in games and mixed reality apps optimized for Meta’s ecosystem.
Bundled content and promotional partnerships have further strengthened its value. Meta initially packaged the headset with “Batman: Arkham Shadow,” one of the most anticipated VR titles of the year. And in June, the company introduced an Xbox-branded bundle that includes the headset, Touch Plus controllers a white Xbox wireless controller and three months of Game Pass Ultimate for $399.99 — a limited-time offer brings in more than $95 in savings.
While the Quest 3 remains Meta’s flagship, the 3S has quickly carved out a space for itself as a “smart choice” alternative, giving users a taste of next-gen XR without the premium price tag.
Shop and learn more about the Meta Quest 3S here.
