(Credit: Meta)
The Meta Quest 3 is probably the best VR headset on the market right now. But battery life is still a problem. You should be able to solve that with an Elite Battery Strap, but Meta has paused sales of the accessory for the worst reason possible. It doesn't work.
The idea of the Elite Strap with Battery is straightforward; it provides extended battery life and a more comfortable head strap that's easy to adjust and offers a counterbalance to the display's heavy front. Theoretically, it should add about two hours of playtime to the Quest 3's otherwise short three hours of battery life.
The Meta Quest 3 is fairly comfortable, but five hours is the max you'd want to spend in VR. But reports in both Meta forums and Reddit suggest the Elite Battery strap suffers from a charging issue. Users state that initially, it starts charging the VR headset and then just stops. That nullifies the biggest reason to buy this accessory over the standard Elite Strap. Sure, it still acts as a counterweight for comfort, but that's not enough benefit to justify the $60 difference in price.
As Road to VR reports, Meta has since pulled the accessory from sale and will manufacture new straps. A spokesperson tells Road to VR the issue is in firmware, but replacements are needed to correct the problem. Meta isn't recalling existing straps, however, as some work correctly. Instead, Meta will offer replacements on a case-by-case basis.
You won't find the Elite Strap with Battery for sale at Meta or Best Buy currently, but some outlets like GameStop still have the accessory in stock. You'd be taking a risk on a defective device, though, so you should probably hold off until Meta can manufacture new straps. If you're not interested in extending battery life, the standard Elite Strap remains on sale.