What you need to know
- Amazon ads on streaming platform Peacock confirm the Meta Quest 3s will start at $299 and launch on October 16, 2024.
- The Meta Quest 3s has been rumored for months as Meta's new budget-minded VR headset, with an announcement expected on September 25 at Meta Connect.
- The headset is said to feature the same chipset as the Quest 3, enabling it to play Quest 3-exclusive games at a budget price.
For months, rumors have been circulating that Meta will unveil the Meta Quest 3s this fall, a new budget headset that can play Quest 3 exclusive games.
Now, one user on Reddit saw an Amazon ad while watching something on the streaming service Peacock, confirming the rumored $299 price of the Meta Quest 3s was true. That puts it at $200 less than the Meta Quest 3, making it far easier on budgets as big games like Batman Arkham Shadow launch with Quest 3 exclusivity. In that same Reddit thread, users also posted Amazon Australia listings showing an October 16, 2024 release date.
In the ad, pictured below, the fine print notes that the Meta Quest 3s 128GB model will retail for $299, putting it at the same price the 64GB Oculus Quest 2 launched at back in 2020. That's a huge deal given how many other electronics have succumbed to inflation this year, including popular consoles like the PS5.
Meta's strategy of offering multiple SKUs within the Meta Quest 3 name feels very similar to Microsoft's strategy with the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S. Both consoles are considered part of the same generation and can play the same games, but the Xbox Series S makes some hardware concessions to hit a much more attractive $299 price.
Likewise, the Meta Quest 3s is said to use the same powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset that's in the Meta Quest 3—enabling it to run Quest 3 exclusive games—while using the same Fresnel lenses from the Quest 2. Using these older lenses would save money as they're less complicated to manufacture than the clearer pancake lenses in the Quest 3. Meta is also said to be cutting the 3.5mm headset jack, so users will need to pick up a pair of VR-certified earbuds if they don't want to use the included over-the-ear speakers.
While pancake lenses are clearer than Fresnel ones, they require much brighter screens to display the same image quality as Fresnel ones. In other words, Meta can use a cheaper display and still get away with good brightness levels on the Quest 3s, saving money on the hardware side. As a downside, Fresnel lenses are physically larger than pancake ones, so the Quest 3s is expected to be a larger headset than the Quest 3, though still slightly smaller than a Quest 2.
The Quest 3s is expected to ship with the same great controllers as the Meta Quest 3, though, as well as similar full-color passthrough cameras. That means the overall experience should be similar for many. We expect to see the Meta Quest 3s officially announced at Meta Connect on September 25, alongside several other new Meta products.
Even with the Meta Quest 3s on the market, the Meta Quest 3 is still the best VR headset you can buy thanks to its ultra-clear lenses and thinner design.
