The Meta Quest 3S has just crashed back down in price following Steam Frame announcement
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Valve shocked us with the sudden announcement of a whole range of new hardware. With a new console like PC, a controller, and a new standalone VR headset. The Steam Frame is set to release in 2026, and the news has sparked a lot of conversation on the hardware, with a lot of development going into it. It does go for the standalone design, much like the Meta Quest 3S, which we reviewed, with outside tracking cameras, hand controllers, and no basestations; it is a mobile machine to strap on your head.
Well, if you’re keen on one of those but can’t wait or don’t want to see how much it’ll cost, the 3S is currently on sale, even before Black Friday VR deals have gone live. It is currently at an 18% discount on Amazon, dropping down to $329.99 from the usual $399.99, offering a saving of $70. That drops it to just $0.99 above the previous low price, according to price tracking sites, and a great time to take advantage of it.
Meta Quest 3S 256GB
Meta Quest 3S 256GB features
No wires, more freedom
Break free from cords and experience VR without limits. Game, move, exercise, and explore immersive worlds completely untethered, enjoying full freedom of motion without being held back by cables.
Double the graphical processing power
Enjoy lightning-fast load times and smooth, next-generation visuals powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor. With 2× the graphical processing performance, every world feels sharper, faster, and more responsive.
A new level of virtual reality
Take gaming to an entirely new dimension by blending virtual elements with your real-world surroundings. Experience both worlds at once as virtual objects interact naturally with your physical space.
Deals season is here folks, and Amazon has already kickstarted its early Black Friday deals! We'll be covering all the best deals in more details over in our deals hub, but if you haven't got time to read through those, why not see our top picks below.
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- TCL 43S250R Roku TV 2023 Was $279 Now $199
- iBUYPOWER Y40 Gaming PC Was $2,299 Now $1,819
- Samsung Odyssey G9 (G95C) Was $1,299 Now $777
- Alienware Area-51 gaming laptop Was $3,499 Now $2,799
- Samsung 77-inch OLED S95F Was $4,297 Now $3,497
- ASUS ROG Strix G16 Was $1,499 Now $1,199
*Prices and savings subject to change. Click through to get the current prices.
Meta Quest 3S box contents, Image by PC Guide
Meta Quest 3S controller face, Image by PC Guide
Meta Quest 3S controller side on, Image by PC Guide
Meta Quest 3S headset bottom, Image by PC Guide
Meta Quest 3S headset lenses, Image by PC Guide
Meta Quest 3S headset bottom controls, Image by PC Guide
Meta Quest 3S headset cameras, Image by PC Guide
Play longer with improved battery life
Stay in the action with over two hours of battery life. The upgraded battery is built to keep up with intense play sessions, letting you charge less and explore more.
Enhanced performance with more memory
With 8GB of RAM, 33% more than before, you’ll experience smoother performance, sharper graphics, and faster responsiveness across demanding games and apps.
Dual RGB color cameras for lifelike passthrough
Two high-fidelity RGB color cameras power full-color Passthrough, allowing you to merge real and digital environments with greater clarity and depth. Everything looks more natural and immersive as you navigate mixed-reality experiences.
Instant access to 40+ games
Get started right away with a 3-month trial included with your Quest purchase. Enjoy access to a growing catalog of games, new monthly releases, and a constantly expanding world of entertainment.
What we think of the headset
- Type: Standalone
- Resolution: 1,832 x 1,920 (per eye)
- FOV: 96°H/90°V
- Refresh Rate: 120Hz
- Storage: 256GB
- Battery: 4,324 mAh/2.5-hour
- SOC: Snapdragon XR2 Gen2
- DRAM: 8GB
- Lens Type: Fresnel lens
- Weight: 513g
The Meta Quest 3S is a surprisingly worthy VR headset that ticks all the right boxes. Its affordability and standalone nature make it an appealing entry into the ecosystem, and it boasts excellent guidance and usability that make it a joy to use. Both the build quality and number of features are excellent for the price, and while its lenses may not be the best you can get on the market, it’s a no-brainer for anyone who wants to dive into VR and stick to a budget.
- Very affordable VR headset
- Comfortable to wear in general
- Runs fast and smoothly, even over the network
- Good guidance and features interface
- Fantastic controller design and tracking of them or your hands
- Graphics are not the best quality
- Lens spacing at preset distances, not free-range
- The adjustable strap can be fiddly and sometimes sits relatively high up, dependent on hairstyle
- Requires a Meta Account and phone app to set up
The Meta Quest 3S is certainly an inexpensive way to enjoy standalone VR, with a load of games and features that can be found on it. But following the months after my review, I still use the headset and enjoy using Steam Link on it as well, allowing it to stream the game that’s processed on a PC instead of the headset, so you can get even better performance from it.
The batteries in the controller can be a bit annoying, and it would be easier to have a built-in rechargeable one, but at least it offers some flexibility in what you use in it, such as rechargeable ones anyway. It can also be a bit lacking in certain features, but overall, as a budget headset, the Quest 3S has a lot to offer for the price.
Especially as it is now at one of the lower prices it has been at, according to CamelCamelCamel, seen in the graph below. Dropping to just $0.99 above the $329 low, so a good time to do so if you don’t want to wait for Black Friday to roll around.
Other VR deals
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Canada Deals
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Meta Quest 3S 256GB
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Meta Quest 3S 128GB — Get Batman: Arkham Shadow and a 3-Month Trial of Meta Quest+
PlayStation VR2 Horizon Call of The Mountainâ„¢ Bundle (PSVR2)
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