If you've been thinking about stepping into the world of VR gaming but don't want to go all out with the very best VR headset money can buy, then the Meta Quest 3S might be just the ticket and the 256 GB version is now just $350 at Meta.
Right now, Meta's virtual reality hardware pretty much rules the roost, balancing performance, comfort, and cost that other manufacturers have yet to match. The Quest 3S is the successor to the popular Quest 2 and blends some of the best aspects of the $500 Quest 3 with the nice parts of the older model, all for a very reasonable price.
You can either use the Quest 3S's hardware to handle all the gaming, though only for apps on the Meta Quest store, or you can hook it up to your gaming PC via Wi-Fi or a USB Type-C cable.
In terms of optics, the Quest 3S uses the same LCD screens and Fresnel lenses as the Quest 2, but it sports more RAM and a better Snapdragon processor. All of which is perfect for playing a spot of Batman: Arkham Shadow—that game normally retails for around $50 but Meta's throwing it in free with this Quest 3S deal.
And it's probably the best game for anyone to indulge their dreams of being the world's greatest detective, mostly because nobody will probably hear you muttering 'I am Batman' as you wander the gloom of Gotham, punching villains in the face.
Meta's also included a three month trial subscription to Meta Quest Plus, its 'Game Pass' equivalent for VR gaming. That's a decent amount of time to peruse through a small mountain of games.
The Quest 3S isn't perfect of course, simply because the Quest 3 exists and its pancake lenses and higher screen resolution produce a much nicer VR experience. You'll also want to replace the Quest 3S's head strap as soon as you can because it's mostly rubbish.
But those are minor issues in the grand scheme of things. One of our biggest gripes with the Quest 3S when we reviewed it was the price for the 256 GB model—but with $50 off the price tag, a fantastic free game included, plus the Meta Quest Plus subscription, it's now well worth considering.
