Meta Quest 3 vs Meta Quest 3S

Meta launched Quest 3 in 2023, added Quest 3S at Meta Connect 2024, and still sells both. Quest 3S is built around Quest 3’s processor, memory and color passthrough, but its screens have the same resolution as Quest 2’s. So the two run the same software on the same chip, and the choice comes down to what you see and what you pay.

The differences at a glance

Spec	Meta Quest 3	Meta Quest 3S
Introduced	2023	Meta Connect 2024
Lenses	Pancake	Fresnel
Resolution per eye	2064 × 2208	1832 × 1920 (same as Quest 2)
Horizontal field of view	110°	96°
Refresh rates	72, 80, 90, 120 Hz; up to 240 Hz on Horizon OS v2.7 or later	72, 80, 90, 96, 100, 120 Hz
Depth sensor	Yes	Not published
Storage	128 GB or 512 GB	128 GB or 256 GB
Chip	Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2	Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2
Memory	8 GB; 5.75 GiB for apps	8 GB; 5.75 GiB for apps
Passthrough	Full color, 4 MP, 18 pixels per degree	Full color, 4 MP, 18 pixels per degree
Default render resolution	1680 × 1760 per eye	1680 × 1760 per eye
Tracking	Inside-out, no base stations	Inside-out, no base stations
Eye tracking	Not listed	Not listed
Weight, battery life, IPD range	Not published	Not published

Sharper screens and a wider view on Quest 3

Quest 3 packs 2064 × 2208 pixels into each eye’s panel, where 3S has 1832 × 1920; multiply them out and Quest 3 has about a million more pixels per eye. The lenses differ too, pancake on Quest 3 and Fresnel on 3S, and so does the width of the view: Meta gives 110° horizontally for Quest 3 and 96° for 3S. When Quest 3S launched, Meta itself described its view as slightly narrower.

There’s a catch in those pixel counts. At Meta’s default render scale of 1.0, apps draw 1680 × 1760 pixels per eye on both headsets, which is below either panel’s resolution, so a game left at the default isn’t using everything Quest 3’s screen can show.

Mixed reality: the same color view, and a depth sensor on Quest 3

Both show your room in full color. Meta gives the same passthrough figures for each, 4 megapixels at 18 pixels per degree, though matching numbers don’t prove the two camera images look identical. Both also do hand tracking through Horizon OS, with features that vary by software version.

Quest 3 adds a depth sensor. Meta doesn’t say whether Quest 3S has one, so if mixed-reality apps are the reason you’re buying, Quest 3 is the safer choice.

Refresh rates

Quest 3S runs at 72, 80, 90, 96, 100 or 120 Hz. Meta lists 72, 80, 90 and 120 Hz for Quest 3, and on Horizon OS v2.7 or later Quest 3 can also go above 120 Hz, up to 240 Hz; Quest 3S can’t. Meta doesn’t list which games use that mode, so treat it as a bonus rather than a reason to pay more.

Storage

Meta lists Quest 3 with 128 GB or 512 GB. Quest 3S was announced with 128 GB or 256 GB in October 2024, with no 512 GB model, so if you keep a lot of games installed, Quest 3 has the bigger option.

What you get with either

Both run Horizon OS on the same Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 and 8 GB of memory, and Meta gives apps the same 5.75 GiB limit on each. Both track your position with cameras on the headset, so there are no base stations to set up, both use Meta’s Touch-style controllers, and both need a Meta account.

Neither needs a PC. You can add one over a Link cable or wireless streaming to play PC VR, but Quest Store apps run on the headset itself. Neither is a PS5 headset.

Meta doesn’t give a weight, battery life, charging rate or IPD range for either headset, so comfort and time between charges can’t be compared on paper. Buying for a child? Look up Meta’s age guidance first, since neither headset’s specs give a minimum age.

Price

Quest 3S is the entry model, and it launched in 2024 at $299.99 with 128 GB or $399.99 with 256 GB. Whatever Quest 3 costs when you shop, the extra pays for its screens, lenses, depth sensor and larger storage option, not for a faster chip, more memory or better passthrough figures. Check Meta’s store for today’s prices before you buy, along with the storage sizes on sale and what’s in the box.