What is it?
Virtual reality (VR) may not have proved itself in the real world, but that hasn’t stopped Apple and Meta behaving as if it is the frontline in their battles for the consumer soul. Last week, Meta unveiled the latest iteration in its relentless pursuit of leadership in the VR market, the Meta Quest 3S.
The ambition: nothing less than aiming to redefine how users interact with both digital and physical spaces.
It is a direct competitor to Apple’s Vision Pro in all but price: the Quest 3S represents Meta’s strategy of balancing affordability and accessibility while incorporating advanced features typically reserved for higher-end headsets.
We have to wait for its release into stores on 15 October to get a direct sense of how it compares, but meanwhile we can break down what the Meta Quest 3S brings to the VR party.
The most immediate impression is one of enhanced design and improved form factor compared to the Quest 3 released last October, despite being a budget option of the 3. It looks lighter, more compact, and better balanced, which should contribute to less pressure on the face. However, it does not have a fine-tuning wheel for adjusting the fit, so it may not have the same overall comfort during extended sessions.
The aesthetic is clean and minimalistic, in a continued effort to emulate Apple style and target both early adopters and newcomers to the VR space. That said, it is bulkier than the Vision Pro 2, and doesn’t appear to match its sleek, ergonomic design or build quality. Score one for the Vision Pro in comfort and portability, but the 3S does narrow the gap.
The Quest 3S compromises on resolution and pixel density, at 1832×1920, compared to the 3’s 2064×2208. This provides decent visual clarity and text readability, a long-time bugbear of VR users – and where Apple has set a benchmark with 4K micro-OLED displays for each eye. The Quest 3S can’t match that, but offers what one might call a “competitive visual experience” at a lower price point, meaning the compromise in resolution is more than balanced by not having to compromise your credit card.
Ironically, we can expect reduced latency thanks to lower resolution on the 3S compared to the 3, while using the same chipset.
One of the standout features of the Quest 3S is its mixed reality (MR) capability, which means full-colour “pass-through” cameras that allow users to see their surroundings in detail while interacting with virtual elements overlaid onto that environment. The Quest 3 also had that ability, but the lower 3S resolution reduces latency, making the “mixed” experience more fluid and immersive.
Here, they also cannot compare to the Vision Pro, with its advanced depth-sensing capabilities and higher-fidelity pass-through, which makes for more seamless integration of virtual and real worlds.
Under the hood, the Quest 3S is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, the same as for the Quest 3. It still allows for smooth frame rates and fast app loading, but will suffer severely by comparison to the Vision Pro’s dual M2 and R1 chipset. We can expect to see the difference particularly in high-demand applications and advanced AR functionalities.
The Quest 3S also includes a 96 degree horizontal and 90 degree vertical field of view, which one might call a budget version of the wider field of view on the Quest 3.
The most glaring drawback of the 3S, as with the 3, is lack of built-in eye-tracking, a standard in high-end headsets. It enables more intuitive navigation and interaction by focusing on where the user is looking, and is a missed opportunity for Meta.
The Quest 3S offers an average of two-and-a-half hours of usage per charge, a slight improvement on its predecessors. This is a major pain point for users engaged in longer VR sessions.
The Quest 3S benefits from Meta’s existing library of VR content, and no longer suffers from the early VR hangup of too little content for too much money.
What does it cost?
The Meta Quest 3S starts at $299 for the 128GB version, with a 256GB option priced at $399. Last year’s Quest 3 starts at $429. The Apple Vision Pro costs an eye-boggling $3,499.
Why does it matter?
The Meta Quest 3S represents Meta’s ambition to democratise advanced VR and AR technologies, making them accessible to a broader audience without sacrificing too much in terms of performance and features. While the Apple Vision Pro targets high-end users and professionals with its premium design and powerful hardware, the Quest 3S aims to strike a balance between affordability and innovation.
By incorporating features like full-colour pass-through for mixed reality and a high-resolution display, the Quest 3S narrows the gap between mid-tier and high-end headsets. It allows Meta to position itself as a leader in the standalone VR market, while also pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved at a lower price point. If the Quest 3S can deliver a compelling experience at its price, it will set a new benchmark for what users should expect from VR headsets, potentially accelerating growth of the industry.
What are the 3 biggest negatives?
- No built-in eye-tracking, limits navigation and interaction.
- Short battery life.
- Lower resolution compared to its predecessor.
What are the 3 biggest positives?
- Mixed reality with full-colour pass-through, combing VR and AR.
- Lower latency, largely thanks to a compromise in resolution.
- Competitive price, literally a fraction of that of the Apple Vision Pro.
* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on social media on @art2gee.