VR / spatial · Model guide · Maker specs
Meta Quest 3S
Get Meta Quest 3S for Quest 3's chip and color passthrough for less, from $349.99; it saves money with Fresnel lenses and Quest 2's 1832 × 1920 resolution.
Product images
Meta Quest 3S, from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Get Meta Quest 3S for Quest 3's chip and color passthrough for less, from $349.99; it saves money with Fresnel lenses and Quest 2's 1832 × 1920 resolution. Quest 2 owners get full-color passthrough and the XR2 Gen 2 with 8 GB of RAM, but no extra pixels. If sharpness matters, pay for Quest 3: 2064 × 2208 panels, pancake lenses and a 110-degree field of view against 96 degrees here.
Who it is for
- First-time VR buyers who want Meta's current chip and mixed reality for the least money. You get the same XR2 Gen 2 as Quest 3; the compromises are in the display.
- Quest 2 owners who want mixed reality in color. 3S shows your room in full color instead of grayscale, on a newer chip with more memory.
- Players who'll stream PC VR now and then. A Link cable or wireless PC streaming works on 3S as on other Quests, with no PC needed for Horizon OS apps.
Who should skip it
- Anyone after the sharpest picture Meta sells now. That's Quest 3, with 2064 × 2208 panels behind pancake lenses.
- Quest 2 owners hoping for a crisper image. 3S has the same 1832 × 1920 resolution per eye.
- Anyone set on refresh rates above 120 Hz. Meta keeps the mode that goes up to 240 Hz for Quest 3.
What sets it apart
- Quest 3's processing for less: Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2, 8 GB of RAM and a 5.75 GiB app memory limit, the same limit Meta sets for Quest 3.
- Full-color passthrough at 4MP and 18 pixels per degree, the figures Meta also gives Quest 3; Quest 2 sees your room in grayscale.
- The cheapest way into Meta's current lineup: $349.99 with 128GB, or $449.99 with 256GB.
Caveats
- Meta doesn't give a battery life, weight or IPD range for 3S, so comfort and runtime are unknowns until you try one.
- Meta lists a depth sensor for Quest 3 but gives no answer either way for 3S.
- A Meta account is required, as it is across the Quest family.
Key specs
In the same order on every headset page. Field of view, weight and battery figures are the makers' own numbers.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Display resolution | 1832 × 1920 per eye, the same as Quest 2 and below Quest 3 | Meta Horizon render scaleApps render at 1680 × 1760 per eye at the default 1.0 render scale, as on Quest 3. |
| Refresh rate | 72, 80, 90, 96, 100 and 120 Hz; no Quest 3-only mode above 120 Hz (up to 240 Hz) | Meta Horizon refresh-rate docs |
| Field of view | 96° horizontal | Meta Quest compare pageQuest 3 is 110°. |
| Optics / lenses | Fresnel lenses (Quest 3 uses pancake lenses) | Meta Quest 3S announcement; compare page |
| Chip / processor | Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 | Meta Quest compare page; Meta Horizon docs |
| RAM / unified memory | 8 GB; apps can use up to 5.75 GiB, the same limit as Quest 3 | Meta Quest compare page; Meta Horizon memory limits |
| On-device storage | 128 GB or 256 GB (Meta's 3S launch; its Quest 3 and Quest 2 developer comparison leaves 3S out) | Meta Quest 3S announcement |
| Operating system | Horizon OS | Meta Horizon developer docs |
| Tracking | Inside-out 6DoF; depth sensor not stated for 3S (Quest 3 has one in Meta's Quest 3 and Quest 2 comparison) | Meta Horizon device comparison |
| Controllers | Quest Touch-style controllers in the usual kit; in-box model not confirmed | Meta Quest family |
| Other input | Hand tracking and other Horizon OS mixed-reality features, depending on software version | Meta Horizon OS |
| PC / console tether | Optional: Link cable or wireless PC streaming, as on other Quests. Doesn't work with a PS5 | Meta Quest family |
| Passthrough / see-through | Full color, 4MP, 18 pixels per degree (the same figures Meta gives Quest 3) | Meta Quest compare page |
| Eye tracking | None claimed by Meta | Meta Horizon docs; Meta Quest compare page |
| Battery style | Built into the headset; capacity not published | Meta Quest family |
| Platform / account lock | Meta account required, as across the Quest family | Meta Quest 2 specs |
| US price | $349.99 with 128GB or $449.99 with 256GB, from 19 April 2026; meta.com/quest starts it at $349.99 | Meta blog, 16 April 2026; meta.com/questQuest 3S launched in 2024 at $299.99 and $399.99. |
| Price band | Entry-level current Quest | Based on Meta's $349.99 starting price |
| Announced | Meta Connect 2024; sold as the entry Quest beside Quest 3 | Meta Quest 3S announcement |
| Availability | On sale from Meta beside Quest 3 | Meta Quest family |
Meta Quest 3S extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Panel against Quest 2 | Same 1832 × 1920 per eye as Quest 2; what 3S adds is color passthrough and XR2 Gen 2, not more pixels | Meta Horizon render scale |
| Refresh against Quest 3 | Same modes up to 120 Hz; no Quest 3-only mode above 120 Hz, up to 240 Hz | Meta Horizon refresh-rate docs |
| Launch storage | 128 GB and 256 GB, in Meta's October 2024 launch | Meta Quest 3S announcement |
Meta announced Quest 3S at Connect 2024 as the entry model beside Quest 3, and it splits the difference between its siblings: Quest 3’s chip and passthrough, with Quest 2’s panel resolution.
Quest 3S against Quest 3
| Spec | Quest 3S | Quest 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Panel, per eye | 1832 × 1920 | 2064 × 2208 |
| Lenses | Fresnel | Pancake |
| Field of view | 96° horizontal | 110° horizontal |
| Refresh | 72, 80, 90, 96, 100 and 120 Hz | Up to 120 Hz, plus a mode up to 240 Hz |
| Chip | Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 | Same |
| App memory limit | 5.75 GiB | Same |
| Passthrough | Full color, 4MP, 18 pixels per degree | Same |
| Default render | 1680 × 1760 per eye | Same |
| Depth sensor | Not stated | Yes |
Everything that runs the software is shared; everything you look through is where 3S saves money. Both headsets render apps at 1680 × 1760 per eye by default, even though the 3S panel has fewer pixels. Quest 3 vs Quest 3S goes further into the trade.
Coming from Quest 2
Quest 3S doesn’t add pixels over Quest 2: both are 1832 × 1920 per eye. The changes are in mixed reality and processing. Passthrough moves from grayscale to full color, the chip from XR2 Gen 1 to XR2 Gen 2, and RAM from 6 GB to 8 GB. Quest 2 vs Quest 3S covers the upgrade.
Tracking, controllers and PC play
3S tracks itself in six degrees of freedom with no external sensors. You steer it with Touch-style controllers or your hands, and what hand tracking can do depends on the Horizon OS version. With a gaming PC, 3S also plays PC VR over a Link cable or wireless streaming. It doesn’t work with a PS5.
Price
Quest 3S costs $349.99 with 128GB or $449.99 with 256GB, the prices Meta set from 19 April 2026 in its 16 April 2026 update. It launched in 2024 at $299.99 and $399.99, and Meta’s Quest store now starts it at $349.99. Since Meta has already raised the price once, check its store before you buy.
Sources
- Meta blog — An update on Meta Quest pricing — accessed 2026-09-22
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Meta Horizon — Render scale — accessed 2026-09-19
- Meta Horizon — Display refresh rates — accessed 2026-09-19
- Meta Horizon — Memory limits — accessed 2026-09-19
- Meta — Compare Quest headsets — accessed 2026-09-19
- Meta — Quest 3S product page — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Is Quest 3S sharper than Quest 2?
No. Both have 1832 × 1920 pixels per eye. What 3S adds over Quest 2 is the XR2 Gen 2 chip, 8 GB of RAM against 6 GB, and full-color passthrough instead of grayscale.
What do I give up with Quest 3S compared with Quest 3?
Sharpness and width of view. 3S pairs 1832 × 1920 panels with Fresnel lenses and a 96-degree field of view; Quest 3 has 2064 × 2208 panels, pancake lenses and 110 degrees. 3S also misses Quest 3's refresh mode above 120 Hz.
Does Quest 3S have the same passthrough as Quest 3?
Yes, on paper. Meta lists full color at 4MP and 18 pixels per degree for both headsets.
Can Quest 3S play PC VR games?
Yes, if you have a gaming PC: use Meta's Link cable or its wireless PC streaming. Horizon OS apps don't need a PC at all.
Official product page: Meta Quest 3S. Specs: Meta Quest 3S specs.