Meta Quest 3S Review: An entry-level VR headset that doesn't always make things easy for beginners
The Meta Quest 3S makes getting into VR more affordable than ever. Read our review to find out why cheap is not always the best choice.
The Quest 3S is Meta's attempt to attract as many new users as possible to its ecosystem. At $299 for the 128 GB version and numerous free extras, Meta is asking for a more than competitive price.
After two months of use and careful consideration, I still can't recommend this headset without reservation to VR newbies.
Do you enjoy our articles and want to support our independent reporting? Every amount helps and secures our future: Support MIXED via PayPal now.
Content
Meta Quest 3S: Review in a nutshell
Meta's budget headset is basically a decent standalone VR headset that is absolutely unrivaled in this price range. It offers solid tracking, a huge library of games, and mixed reality experiences thanks to the (noisy) passthrough mode.
However, even though the Quest 3S is aimed at VR beginners, its blurry lenses, impractical and insufficient IPD settings, a narrow field of view, and lack of comfort make it difficult to get started and enjoy a smooth VR experience in the long run.
For those who want to "not just get a taste of VR and mixed reality," but are looking for a device that will be fun to use for more than a few weeks, the Quest 3 is still the better choice.
On the objective side:
- Image: The Fresnel lenses provide a sharp image with good resolution only in the sweet spot, blurring towards the edges.
- Passthrough: Decent, but noisier than Quest 3 or Pico 4 Ultra, sufficient for first mixed reality steps.
- Tracking: Very good and stable, even in low light conditions.
- Hand tracking: Identical to Quest 3, not perfect but currently the best hand tracking on the consumer market.
- Link connection to PC: Good performance with PC VR, but noticeably lower resolution than Quest 3.
The subjective factors:
- Field of view: slightly smaller than the Quest 3 at around 96°, but sufficient in many cases.
- Wearing comfort: The flabby fabric strap offers no counterweight for the front-heavy VR headset and should be replaced as soon as possible.
- Controller: Solid pressure points, perfect button layout, feel good in the hand and offer precise tracking — one of the best VR controllers ever.
- Sound: Good sound via the integrated speakers, but no jack plug for headphones.
Meta Quest 3S is suitable for you if you...
- just want to try out mixed reality or use it occasionally
- mainly want to play VR games and consistent image clarity is not that important to you
- have set yourself a limited budget for hardware
- are looking for an inexpensive second VR headset
Meta Quest 3S is less suitable for you if ...
- a clear image and a large field of view are important to you
- you plan to use mixed reality or productivity apps intensively
- you are a power user with a high-end PC who wants to play high-quality PC VR games at maximum quality
- you value wearing comfort and battery performance without optional accessories
Standalone operation and tracking
The Meta Quest 3S is a completely self-contained VR headset. This means it does not require a PC, cables or external sensors. After a quick setup via the smartphone app, it is ready to use. Cameras and sensors on the housing allow it to perceive the environment and orient itself in it, as well as track the included Touch Plus Controllers or your hand movements.
The tracking works as well as ever and is as stable as the Quest 3, and thanks to the built-in infrared sensor, it lasts even longer in low light than Meta's flagship headset.
The Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, combined with 8 GB of RAM, delivers high performance so that even graphically demanding VR games like Batman: Arkham Shadow run smoothly. Mixed reality apps and productivity apps with multiple windows running in parallel also run smoothly.
Extensive app library & PC VR compatibility
One of the biggest advantages of Meta Quest VR headsets is the huge library of games. Hundreds of top VR games and mixed reality apps, fitness apps, or learning and productivity software can be found in the Meta Store.
The Quest 3S gives you access to all the games that run on the Quest 3, so you can play the latest VR blockbusters like Metro Awakening or Behemoth.
For owners of a gaming PC, the Quest 3S also offers the option of streaming PC VR games via a link cable or wirelessly via WiFi, and always does a good job. However, this requires a powerful PC and fast Wi-Fi connection.
Streaming is just as stable as on the Quest 3, although the resolution is sometimes noticeably lower here, meaning that details are not quite as sharp. Still, the Quest 3S is generally suitable for occasional PC VR gaming without high graphics requirements.
Mixed Reality: It’s a bit noisy in here
Passthrough mode, which transfers your environment to the display, also allows for mixed reality applications where virtual elements are superimposed on the real environment. This works well in principle, but the camera image is noisier, flickers more and is overall a little less sharp than on the Quest 3 or Pico 4 Ultra. Colors are also less vibrant.
The pass-through of the Quest 3S is okay, but you shouldn't expect a razor-sharp image like in trailers or promo pictures. Picture: Meta
When digital content is displayed in mixed reality games such as Infinite Inside or Miracle Pool, it is hardly distracting. But the Quest 3S is only suitable to a limited extent for watching movies on the big virtual screen or working with productivity apps where several virtual screens are displayed around you.
This is because the built-in Fresnel lenses become blurred towards the edges, which often requires unnatural head movements in order to see on-screen menus at the edges, the Windows taskbar or subtitles in movies clearly. But more on that later.
Easy to set up, but not enough help for VR beginners
The Quest 3S is easy to set up: once you put on the headset, a step-by-step guide walks you through configuration and setting up the safe play area. This takes you straight to the home menu, where you can launch games and apps.
However, I would have liked to see a lot more help here, especially for a VR headset for beginners. As Jamie Feltham wrote in his MIXED column, virtual reality is not the same for everyone. Starting with a VR game that is too challenging — and the free Batman: Arkham Shadow is one such game — can quickly lead to motion sickness.
A curated list of beginner-friendly titles and an explanation of what triggers VR nausea and how to deal with it would be a must here. So be sure to read our motion sickness guide before you jump into VR.
The usual Quest problem: lack of comfort, short battery life
Unfortunately, as with all Quest headsets, the Quest 3S is not particularly comfortable to wear out of the box: the fabric headband is not particularly snug, and the heavy weight distribution at the front without counterweight means that the headset quickly presses uncomfortably against the forehead and cheeks.
The supplied fabric strap is unlikely to convince many of you and is only suitable for use when lying down. Picture: Meta
You should definitely invest in a better headband when you buy the Quest 3S. This will significantly improve the wearing comfort. The official Elite Strap from Meta is well made and comfortable, but far too expensive. It is better to look for high quality third-party headbands like BoboVR or KIWI Design.
A spacer is included for glasses wearers. The best long-term solution, however, is a pair of prescription lenses, such as those offered by the VR Optician we reviewed.
With prescription lens inserts, you can comfortably use your VR headset without glasses. Use the following link to get a 5% discount.
Another problem is the battery life. You will barely get past the 2-hour-mark on a single charge. If you use the computationally intensive mixed reality mode, you might even run out of power after an hour and a half. In other words, the Quest 3S runs out of juice even faster than the Quest 3. Optional accessories can also help here.
Displays & Resolution on par with Quest 3
The Quest 3S has high-resolution LC displays with 1832 × 1920 pixels per eye. The refresh rate is at 120 Hz. Compared to the more expensive Quest 3, the resolution is slightly lower on paper. In practice, however, the difference is not noticeable. Due to the limited performance of mobile chips, VR games run at a lower render resolution than the displays would theoretically allow anyway.
All the specs of Quest 3S and Quest 3 in comparison. | Bild: MIXED
Even with additional tools like Quest Games Optimizer to increase the resolution, I did not notice any significant difference between the headsets.
Compared to OLED displays, such as those used in the Playstation VR 2, the contrast ratio of the LC displays is naturally not quite as high. Nevertheless, they deliver an appealing, high-contrast image with rich colors, and OLED displays are not an issue in this price range anyway.
Meta Quest 3S: The big weakness
The biggest weakness of the Meta Quest 3S compared to the Quest 3 is the built-in Fresnel lenses. In contrast to the almost completely clear pancake lenses of the Quest 3, the Fresnel lenses of the Quest 3S have only a small sweet spot (that is the area in the center where the image is razor sharp). Sharpness decreases significantly towards the edges.
Fresnel lenses are more susceptible to light reflections, offer a relatively small sweet spot and become blurred towards the edges. | Image: Meta
This is especially noticeable in applications where you often look at the edges, such as mixed reality apps, virtual desktops, virtual screen movies, or similar applications.
The Fresnel lenses also have a greater tendency to produce ghosting, or reflections of light at the edges of the lenses. This is often visible, especially in high-contrast scenes, and can be quite distracting.
Another problem is the interpupillary distance adjustment. The Quest 3S only offers three fixed settings (58, 63 and 68 millimeters). To change them, you have to reach into the headset and move the lenses with your fingers.
If you have a different interpupillary distance, it will be difficult to get the small sweet spot of the Fresnel lenses over your pupils, and you will constantly struggle with blur. To me, this is an incomprehensible decision if you want to sell VR headsets for the masses.
My verdict on Meta Quest 3S: Not an unreserved recommendation
Meta's Quest 3S is a very attractive offer for VR beginners. $299 for a mobile VR headset is currently unbeatable. On top of that, there are free extras like the VR hit Batman: Arkham Shadow and a voucher whose value pushes the price down even further.
However, as with all Quest headsets, Meta is betting that some buyers will also buy the completely overpriced accessories. A comfortable headband with a rechargeable battery is a must-have purchase that you should definitely consider, as the included cloth strap is a farce and the battery dies after just under 2 hours.
The biggest problem for me are the lenses. Unfortunately, Meta uses outdated Fresnel lenses in the Quest 3S with a small sweet spot and blurry edges. In addition, the interpupillary distance (IPD) can only be adjusted in three steps and by reaching into the headset. The combination of lenses and the lack of a stepless IPD adjustment make it difficult for VR newbies to get started.
Added to this is a user interface that is still not very intuitive and a lack of introductory offers in a medium that can make some people feel queasy.
However, the range of features and software offered by the Quest 3S is huge. Getting started in VR has never been more interesting for gamers. In addition to the full Quest catalog, the Quest 3S also offers access to SteamVR thanks to flawless PC VR streaming.
Still, the Quest 3 with pancake lenses is the better choice for demanding users who also do a lot of pass-through AR or want to use the headset frequently with a PC.
The Quest 3S should only be considered if you don't want to spend more than $300, just want to get a taste of VR and mixed reality, or are looking for an inexpensive second VR headset.
Note: Links to online stores in articles can be so-called affiliate links. If you buy through this link, MIXED receives a commission from the provider. For you the price does not change.
