If you've been eager to dive into VR gaming but have been put off by the high costs, now's your chance to get in on the action. The first discount of 2025 on the Meta Quest 3S is here, offering you a $30 saving on both the 128GB and 256GB models of this wireless VR headset.
The deal gets even sweeter with the inclusion of a free copy of the highly praised *Batman: Arkham Shadow* VR game and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+. In IGN's 8/10 review, Dan Stapleton praised the game, saying, "Batman: Arkham Shadow makes most of the Arkham series' defining gameplay work respectably well in VR, and its mystery story pays off."
Free to Play VR Sandbox Game: DigiGods on Meta Quest
For those interested in a creative VR experience, *DigiGods* offers a free-to-play, physics-based sandbox game where you can create, play, and share your creations. Safety is ensured through AI content filtering and human moderators, making it a positive environment for all players. Check it out on Meta.
Meta Quest 3S 128GB VR Headset
Priced at $299.99 with a 10% discount, bringing it down to $269.00 at Amazon, the Quest 3S is a significant upgrade from the Quest 2 without increasing the price. It incorporates many features from the more expensive Quest 3, such as the improved Touch controllers, the upgraded Snapdragon APU, and full-color AR passthrough. In IGN's 9/10 review, Gabriel Moss stated, "raw processing power, full-color passthrough, and snappy Touch Plus controllers make the Quest 3S a fantastic standalone VR headset that also brings entry-level mixed-reality gaming to the masses for – arguably – the very first time."
What makes this deal stand out is the ability to enjoy the Meta Quest 3S completely untethered. You can play games like *Beat Saber* or *Pistol Whip* without needing a powerful gaming PC or a PlayStation 5. At this price point, you won't find another standalone VR headset that offers this level of freedom.
How Is the Quest 3S Different from the Quest 3?
Even at its regular price, the Quest 3S is $200, or 40% cheaper than the $500 Quest 3. To achieve this competitive pricing, certain compromises were made. Below is a comparison of the specifications:
Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 Similarities
- Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor
- Touch Plus controllers
- 120Hz refresh rate
- Mixed reality passthrough (same cameras, different layout)
Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 Differences
- Lower per-eye resolution (1832x1920 vs 2064×2208)
- Fresnel lens vs. pancake lens
- Lower FOV (96°/90° vs 104°/96°)
- Smaller storage capacity (128GB vs 512GB)
- Longer battery life (2.5hrs vs 2.2hrs)
Essentially, the Quest 3S is a near-identical headset to the Quest 3 but with downgraded optics. However, using the same processor at a lower resolution can reduce the load on the APU, potentially improving in-game performance and contributing to the increased battery life.
For the price, the Quest 3S offers better value than the Quest 3 and is the preferable choice for most gamers, especially if the Quest 3 was out of your budget. Compared to the Quest 2, the choice is even clearer.
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