(Credit: Meta)
Mark Zuckerberg is trying once again to bring VR to the masses, this time through a new Quest 3S headset that arrives next month starting at $299.
The device promises to offer the same high-quality VR experience found in last year’s pricier Quest 3, for $200 less. “We’ve been working on bringing the Quest 3 family to a lot more people,” Zuckerberg said at the Meta Connect conference on Wednesday.
The resulting Quest 3S looks similar, but Meta is indicating it reduced the product’s cost by changing the lens inside the headset. The new headset uses a “fresnel lens” with a lower resolution of 1,832 by 1,920 or 773 pixels per inch. The Quest 3, on the other hand, features “pancake lenses,” which can offer a higher resolution at 2,064 by 2,208 or 1218ppi.
In addition, the 3S has a lower field of view at 96 degrees versus 110 degrees, according to the company’s comparison page. The other noticeable change is the exterior cameras, which are positioned differently, although both VR headsets offer full color passthrough, enabling you to view your real-world surroundings while wearing the device.
The passthrough is the key to both the Quest 3 and 3S offering a "mixed reality" experience, meaning you can overlay virtual icons and windows on real-world sights. This will eventually include running the Windows OS remotely though the headset, according to Zuckerberg.
(Credit: Meta)On the plus side, the 3S can run a little longer, at 2.5 hours per battery charge, despite having a slightly smaller battery. Both headsets also use the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen2 processor and contain 8GB of RAM, which is perhaps why Zuckerberg said the 3S offers the same “defining features” as the Quest 3, including hand-tracking.
The company is marketing the Quest 3S for people new to mixed reality experiences, or “who might have been waiting for a low-cost upgrade.” Preorders for Quest 3S start today with the company charging $299 for the 128GB model and $399 for the 256GB model. The product is then slated to start shipping on Oct. 15. Stay tuned for our review.
(Credit: Meta)Meta is also cutting the price of the 512GB Quest 3 from $649.99 to $499. The 128GB version of the Quest 3, which also goes for $499, is out of stock.