With holiday shopping time upon us, it’s time for a Meta Quest 3S vs. Meta Quest 3 face-off to help you understand the differences between the two. That way you can see whether or not taking that $75-off Black Friday credit on the Meta Quest 3 is the better choice for your needs.
Meta Quest 3S was revealed Meta Connect 2024 alongside some updates to the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses — and the new revelation of Project Orion, the company’s new AR glasses prototype.
Normally, the Quest 3S has a starting price of $299.99 while the Quest 3 requires you to shell out a little more. So the question is, how do they differ? We’ll get into this right now.
Meta Quest 3S (left) and Meta Quest 3 (right)
Credit: Meta
As mentioned, the Quest 3S is cheaper with a starting price of $299.99. It comes with the following specs:
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Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip
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128GB of storage
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8GB of RAM
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1,832 x 1,920-pixel display resolution
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90Hz and 120Hz refresh rates
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Fresnel lens
If you upgrade to 256GB of storage, you’ll have to shell out $399.99. In my experience with the Meta Quest 2 and Quest 3, 128GB was sufficient, netting me about 60 games and apps with some storage left over.
The Meta Quest 3, on the other hand, has a price of $499.99. It comes with the following:
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Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip
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512GB of storage
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8GB of RAM
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2,064 x 2,208-pixel resolution
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72Hz, 80Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz refresh rates
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Pancake lens
It has the same chipset and RAM as the Quest 3S, but you’ll get better displays, greater storage, and more refresh rate options. (More on that later.)
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Credit: Meta
Meta Quest 3 128GB – Breakthrough mixed reality – Powerful performance, White
The Meta Quest 3S appears to be bulkier than the Meta Quest 3 — similar to the Quest 2. The pricier Quest 3, on the other hand, has a sleeker, more comfortable appearance.
Meta Quest 3S
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
The front part of the Quest 3S is different from the Quest 3, too. While both have a mostly-white body, the Quest 3S has its sensors arranged in a triangular pattern. However, the Quest 3, on the other hand, has its sensors arranged into larger, oval-shaped openings.
Both headsets have the same controllers.
Meta Quest 3S
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
It’s also worth noting that the Meta Quest 3 has a 3.5mm headset jack, but the Quest 3S does not. This, however, doesn’t mean that you can’t connect headphones to the latter. You can still use USB-C headphones or Bluetooth-supported wireless earbuds.
The Meta Quest 3’s displays have a higher screen resolution compared to the Quest 3S.
Meta Quest 3S displays
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
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Quest 3S – 1,832 x 1,920-pixel resolution
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Quest 3 – 2,064 x 2,208-pixel resolution
In my experience comparing the Quest 3S and Quest 3 side-by-side, the Quest 3’s visuals are definitely sharper and more vivid.
Plus, the Quest 3 has a greater range of refresh rate options:
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Quest 3S – 90Hz and 120Hz
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Quest 3 – 72Hz, 80Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz
You may be wondering, “Why would anyone run their Quest 3 at 72Hz as opposed to 120Hz?” Well, for those who use PCVR, reducing the refresh rate may allow them to prioritize a higher resolution without taking too much of a performance hit.
Meta Quest 3
Credit: Meta
It’s also worth noting that the Quest 3S has fresnel lenses as opposed to the Quest 3’s pancake lenses. Both lenses have their pros and cons, but pancake lenses are generally better, allowing for a lighter and thinner design, less distortion, and better image quality.
As someone who owns a Meta Quest 3, I’d say that its resolution quite middling. They’re simply OK. As such, with the Quest 3 already having mid-tier visuals, you might be disillusioned by the Quest 3S’ displays.
Both have the same feature set, including augmented reality (AR) with passthrough mode. Passthrough, which lets you see the world around you, relies on a 4MP camera and lets you enjoy AR experiences. For example, with Passthrough mode on, you’ll have the opportunity to see the room you’re standing in — even with your headset on.
Mashable’s tech editor using the Quest 3S
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
For the uninitiated, AR is a blend of digital artifacts with your real-world environment. For example, in an AR game, you can dodge virtual aliens while diving behind the sofa in your living room.
Announced at Meta Connect 2024, you’ll also have an easier time with spatial computing with Quest 3S and Quest 3.
Spatial computing was always available on the Quest series (at least as far back as the second-generation Quest 2 because I’ve demoed the ability to use it with a laptop in 2021.) However, it appears that, with a new update, the experience should be a lot more seamless with the two Quest 3 models, particularly if you have a Windows 11 PC. You’ll have the opportunity to work with numerous virtual displays for a more immersive workflow.
Meta Quest 3
Credit: Meta
“Quest is going to be a natural extension of your PC,” Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.
To sum it up, on both the Quest 3S and Quest 3, you’ll have access to AR and VR apps and games via the Quest Store, as well as support for PCVR with the Quest Link app. You can also play Xbox Game Pass games on both headsets.
The Quest 3 has a bigger battery: 5,060 mAh to be exact. The Quest 3S, on the other hand, sports a 4,324 battery.
According to our review, the Meta Quest 3 lasted one hour and 19 minutes with nonstop gameplay.
We also reviewed the Quest 3S, and as it turns out, according to our in-house testing, it lasted 2 hours and 30 minutes on a single charge.
The Quest 3S is cheaper and delivers longer battery life, but has a clunkier, more unwieldy design.
The Quest 3 is pricier and less power efficient, but has better weight distribution for increased comfort. Plus, it offers better visuals, too.
The winner depends on what you value more: battery life and cost effectiveness or better picture and comfort?
