Device hub · VR / spatial · Desk research
Meta Quest 3S
3S is “Quest 3 mixed reality on a Quest 2-class panel.” Same XR2 Gen 2 and color 18 PPD passthrough story as Quest 3 on the compare snippet; narrower 96° horizontal FOV; no 240 Hz exclusive.
Product images
Placeholder — OEM press not licensedMeta Quest 3S
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not a Meta asset). View official product image
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the official product page for the real product photo.
In short
3S is “Quest 3 mixed reality on a Quest 2-class panel.” Same XR2 Gen 2 and color 18 PPD passthrough story as Quest 3 on the compare snippet; narrower 96° horizontal FOV; no 240 Hz exclusive. Do not write “more pixels than Quest 2.”
Who it is for
- New standalone buyers who want current Horizon OS mixed reality (color passthrough, XR2 Gen 2) without Quest 3 pancake money.
- Quest 2 owners who care about color MR and the Gen 2 chip, not a higher physical resolution.
Who should skip it
- Buyers who specifically want Meta’s 110° horizontal compare-page FOV and 2064×2208 panel — that is Quest 3.
- Anyone who needs 240 Hz. Horizon OS docs: above 120 Hz is Quest 3 exclusive.
- People who think 1832×1920 means “sharper than Quest 2.” Meta’s own physical-resolution cell matches Quest 2.
Key differentiators
- XR2 Gen 2 + 8 GB + color passthrough (4MP, 18 PPD on the compare snippet) versus Quest 2’s XR2 Gen 1 / 6 GB / grayscale.
- 96° horizontal FOV on the indexed compare page versus Quest 3’s 110°.
- Fresnel-class optics in Meta’s 3 vs 3S launch framing versus Quest 3 pancake.
Caveats
- Store / compare HTML 400 from this environment. Indexed snippets + developer tables only.
- Launch-era 2024 blog prices ($299.99 / $399.99) are not a 2026 store confirmation. We do not print them as live MSRP.
- No invented IPD, weight, or battery minutes.
VR-category specs
Same rows on every headset hub (Vision Pro, Quest, Galaxy XR, PICO, PS VR2). FOV, weight, and battery cells quote the manufacturer footnote — they are not lab measurements.
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| Display type | Physical panel 1832×1920 per eye (Meta render-scale table). Fresnel optics in Meta’s 3S-vs-3 launch framing | Meta Horizon render-scale; Quest 3S announcement framing |
| Display resolution | 1832 × 1920 per eye (physical). Same physical cell as Quest 2; not Quest 3 | Meta Horizon render-scale tableDefault 1.0 render scale on 3S is 1680×1760 per eye (same default cell as Quest 3). |
| Refresh rate (OEM) | 72 / 80 / 90 / 96 / 100 / 120 Hz listed for Quest 3S on Horizon refresh documentation. Not eligible for the Quest 3-only >120–240 Hz mode | Meta Horizon display refresh-rate documentation |
| Field of view (OEM claim) | 96° horizontal on the Meta consumer compare page (indexed 2026-09-19) | https://www.meta.com/quest/compare/ (indexed)Live compare URL HTTP 400 here. Do not invent vertical degrees. |
| Optics / lenses | Fresnel (Meta’s published 3S-vs-3 difference: Fresnel and slightly narrower FOV vs pancake) | Meta Quest 3S announcement / compare framing |
| Chip / processor | Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 | Meta compare snippet; Horizon memory/refresh docs group 3 and 3S |
| RAM / unified memory | 8 GB (compare snippet; Horizon memory limit table groups Quest 3 and 3S at 5.75 GiB app limit) | Meta compare snippet; Horizon RAM documentation |
| On-device storage | 128 GB and 256 GB variants exist in Meta’s 3S launch materials. Not listed on the Quest 3 vs Quest 2 developer table | Meta Quest 3S announcementLock one SKU on a vs-page. Live capacities not re-opened (store 400). |
| Operating system | Horizon OS | Meta Horizon developer docs |
| Tracking | Inside-out 6DoF. Depth-sensor cell is on the Quest 3 vs Quest 2 table (Quest 3 = yes); 3S is not a column there — do not copy Quest 3’s “yes” onto 3S without a 3S sentence | Write-day note |
| Controllers | Quest Touch-style controllers in typical kits; in-box not re-confirmed (store 400) | Quest family pattern |
| Other input | Horizon OS hand tracking / MR features as Meta ships them; version-dependent | Meta Horizon platform |
| PC / console tether | Optional PC Link / wireless PC path in the Quest family. Not a PS5 headset | Quest family Link pattern |
| IPD | Not published | Meta developer tables |
| Weight | Not published | Meta developer tables |
| Passthrough / see-through | Full color (4MP, 18 PPD) on the indexed compare snippet — same wording Meta lists for Quest 3 on that page | Meta compare indexed snippet |
| Eye tracking | Not published | Write-day sources |
| Battery — headset (OEM) | Not published | Write-day access note |
| Battery style | Internal headset battery (typical Quest). Wh not published on cited tables | Product class |
| Charging (OEM) | Not published | Meta developer tables |
| Audio | Not itemized on cited developer tables | Write-day access note |
| Wireless | Not itemized on cited developer tables | Write-day access note |
| Glasses / prescription | Not published | Write-day access note |
| Platform / account lock | Meta account (Quest family requirement) | Quest 2 tech-specs family footnote |
| Age / intended use (OEM) | Not captured from a readable 3S safety page this pass | Write-day access note |
| US list price (dated) | Not re-confirmed (Meta store HTTP 400, 2026-09-19) | Write-day access failure |
| Price band | Entry current-gen standalone Quest | Product class |
| Announced / introduced | Announced at Meta Connect 2024; on sale as the entry Quest beside Quest 3 | Meta Quest 3S announcement |
| Availability | Current sell-in with Quest 3 on Meta’s public lineup. Storefront not readable here | Meta Quest family |
Meta Quest 3S extras
Unique to this line or SKU. Other headsets keep the first table aligned and swap this extras list.
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| Panel class vs Quest 2 | Same physical 1832×1920 per-eye cell as Quest 2 on the render-scale table. The 3S story is color MR + XR2 Gen 2, not more pixels | Meta Horizon render-scale |
| Refresh vs Quest 3 | Shares the standard ≤120 Hz chart with Quest 3. Does not get the Quest 3-only 120–240 Hz exclusive | Meta Horizon refresh-rate documentation |
| Launch storage SKUs | 128 GB and 256 GB in Meta’s October 2024 3S announcement. Confirm live SKUs when the storefront loads | Meta Quest 3S announcement |
Overview
Quest 3S is the entry current Quest. It does not replace /vr/meta-quest-3/, /vr/meta-quest-2/, or /vr/meta-quest-pro/.
The honest one-line desk verdict: same mixed-reality generation as Quest 3, Quest 2-class panel.
Display and FOV
| OEM cell | Quest 3S | Quest 3 | Quest 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical per eye | 1832×1920 | 2064×2208 | 1832×1920 |
| Compare FOV (indexed) | 96° H | 110° H | (not in that compare snippet) |
| Chip | XR2 Gen 2 | XR2 Gen 2 | XR2 Gen 1 |
Default render scale 1.0 on 3S is 1680×1760, same default cell as Quest 3, even though the physical panel is smaller. That is a developer fact, not a sharpness award.
Passthrough
Indexed compare: full color, 4MP, 18 PPD — Meta lists the same passthrough line on Quest 3 in that snippet. Quest 2’s developer row is grayscale / low resolution. Keep those as OEM rows, not “3S looks like 3 in a lab.”
What we refused to invent
IPD, grams, watt-hours, 2026 USD, vertical FOV, depth-sensor yes/no, and a 3.5 mm jack. The first table keeps those keys with “not published.”
Sources
- Meta Horizon — Render scale (Quest 3S physical 1832×1920) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Meta Horizon — Display refresh rates (3S vs Quest 3 exclusive) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Meta Horizon — Memory limits (Quest 3 and 3S grouped) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Meta — Compare Quest headsets (indexed snippet: 96° H, 18 PPD, XR2 Gen 2) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Meta — Quest 3S product page (live fetch 400) — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Is 3S sharper than Quest 2?
Meta’s physical-resolution cell is 1832×1920 per eye on both. Do not write a pixel upgrade. The published upgrades are chip generation, RAM class, and color passthrough.
Is 3S the same as Quest 3?
Same XR2 Gen 2 generation and the same compare-page color passthrough line. Different panel, FOV claim (96° vs 110° horizontal), optics (Fresnel vs pancake), and no 240 Hz exclusive.
What does it cost?
We could not read the live store on 19 September 2026. We are not printing a launch-era 2024 price as if it were today’s list.
Official product page: Meta Quest 3S. Specs: Meta Quest 3S specs.