Meta Quest 3S vs. Meta Quest 3

It’s time to pit Meta Quest 3S against Meta Quest 3 to help you understand the difference between the two.

The Meta Quest 3S was unveiled at Meta Connect 2024 and some updates on the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses – as well as the new unveiling of Project Orion, the company’s new prototype for AR glasses.

The Quest 3S has a starting price of $299.99 while the Quest 3 requires you to shell out a bit more. So the question is, how are they different? We’ll get into this right now.

Meta Quest 3S vs. 3: Price and details

As mentioned, the Quest 3S is cheap with a starting price of $299.99. This comes with the following details:

• Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip

• 128GB of storage

• 8GB of RAM

• 1,832 x 1,920-pixel display resolution

• 90Hz and a refresh rate of 120Hz

• Fresnel lens

If you upgrade to 256GB of storage, you’ll have to shell out $399.99. In my experience with Meta Quest 2 and Quest 3, 128GB was enough, getting me about 60 games and apps with some storage left.

The Meta Quest 3, on the other hand, currently has a starting price of $649.99. (As of this writing, the $499.99 version with a 128GB model is out of stock.) It has the same chip, storage layout, and RAM as the Quest 3S, but you’ll get better displays and upgrade price options (more on that later).

Meta Quest 3S vs. 3: Design

The Meta Quest 3S looks bigger than the Meta Quest 3 – similar to the Quest 2. The pricier Quest 3, on the other hand, has a sleeker look.

The front of the Quest 3S is different from the Quest 3, too. Although both have a very 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 in large oval-shaped holes.

Both headsets have the same controls.

Meta Quest 3S vs. 3: Display

The Meta Quest 3 displays have a higher screen resolution compared to the Quest 3S.

• Quest 3S – 1,832 x 1,920-pixel resolution

• Quest 3 – 2,064 x 2,208-pixel resolution

Also, Quest 3 has a huge range of refresh rate options:

• 3S demand – 90Hz and 120Hz

• Quest 3 – 72Hz, 80Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz

You may be wondering, “Why would someone run their Quest 3 at 72Hz versus 120Hz?” However, for those using PCVR, lowering the refresh rate may allow them to prioritize higher resolution without taking too much of a performance hit.

It’s also worth noting that the Quest 3S has fresnel lenses as opposed to the pancake lenses of the Quest 3. Both lenses have their pros and cons, but pancake lenses are generally better, allowing for a lighter and smaller design, less distortion, and better image quality.

Meta Quest 3S vs. 3: Characteristics

Both seem to have the same feature set, including augmented reality (AR) with pass mode. Passthrough, which allows you to see the world around you, relies on a 4MP camera and allows you to enjoy an AR experience.

For the uninitiated, AR is a combination of digital artifacts and your real world environment. For example, in an AR game, you can avoid virtual aliens while diving behind the sofa in your living room.

It was announced at Meta Connect 2024, and you’ll have an easy time with local computing with Quest 3S and Quest 3.

Spatial Computing has always been available in the Quest series (at least as far back as the second generation Quest 2 because I dropped the ability to use it with a Windows laptop in 2021.) Well, it seems, with a new update. , the experience should be more seamless with the two models of Quest 3. You should also have the option to add multiple displays, and, new.

But we’ll have to test it ourselves to know for sure.

To sum it up, on both the Quest 3S and Quest 3, you’ll have access to AR and VR apps and games through the Quest Store, as well as PCVR support through the Quest Link app. You can also play Xbox Game Pass games on both headsets.

Meta Quest 3S vs. 3: Battery

The Quest 3 has a bigger battery: 5,060 mAh to be exact. The Quest 3S, on the other hand, sports a 4,324 mAh battery.

According to our review, Meta Quest 3 lasted one hour and 19 minutes with uninterrupted gameplay.

This means that the Quest 3S is expected to have an even shorter runtime compared to the Quest 3 — and the Quest 3’s runtime is already short enough as it is.

Meta Quest 3S vs. 3: Which one won?

Based on battery life, I would choose the Meta Quest 3. We won’t know for sure until we review the Quest 3S, but based on the specs, it is expected to use less power than the Quest 3.

However, in my experience, VR and AR experiences are very stressful, so turning off your VR headset after an hour isn’t the worst thing in the world. Your eyes need to rest.

On the other hand, the Quest 3S is much easier on your wallet. If you don’t mind the expected poor battery life, the Quest 3S is your best bet.