metaquest 3s

Meta Quest 3s Review

Design
The Meta Quest 3s brings a refined yet simplified version of its more powerful sibling. With a slightly bulkier build than the standard Quest 3, it uses more affordable materials but retains Meta’s recognizable VR silhouette. The head strap is basic but functional, and the headset still feels balanced. It lacks some of the high-end polish, but for the price, the design feels solid and practical.

Performance
Under the hood, the Quest 3s runs on the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2, the same chip as the Quest 3. This means excellent processing power, enabling smooth gameplay, faster load times, and improved multitasking. However, it uses lower-resolution displays (2064×2208 per eye) and lacks the pancake lenses of the Quest 3, resulting in slightly less sharp visuals and a narrower field of view. Still, it performs extremely well in all native games and apps, especially considering its lower price point.

Features
The Quest 3s supports full-color passthrough for mixed reality, though it's not as high fidelity as on the Quest 3. It also supports hand tracking, room-scale VR, Wi-Fi 6E, and PC VR streaming via Link or Air Link. Meta’s Horizon OS runs fast and fluid, and you have access to the entire Quest app library. Controllers are the same as the Quest 2's, not the newer Quest 3 Touch Plus, which limits self-tracking capabilities.

Battery
You’ll get about 2.2 to 2.5 hours of use per charge. Charging via USB-C is relatively quick, and the headset holds standby power well.

Pros
✔️ Much cheaper than Quest 3
✔️ Still very powerful
✔️ Mixed reality support
✔️ Great for newcomers and casual gamers

Cons
❌ Lower display quality than Quest 3
❌ Controllers are outdated
❌ Slightly bulkier design

Verdict
The Meta Quest 3s is arguably the best value standalone VR headset on the market right now. It delivers top-tier performance at a mid-range price by trimming only the least essential features. For newcomers, teens, or budget-conscious gamers, it’s the smartest way to enter modern VR without compromise.

Rating: 8.7/10