Meta's latest entry into the virtual reality market, the Quest 3S, combines cost-effectiveness with high-end features. With a launch price of \$299.99, this headset emerges as an economical contender to its predecessor, the Quest 3, while maintaining a robust suite of features.
Quest 3 Features
In terms of hardware, the Quest 3S inherits key elements from the Quest 3, notably the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, which guarantees that all Quest 3 games and applications are playable on the new model. Accompanied by the upgraded Touch Plus controllers, the Quest 3S also improves upon the battery life of its forerunner, offering up to 2.5 hours of gameplay, surpassing the Quest 3's 2.2 hours.
Despite its slightly bulkier build and altered sensor arrangement—sporting two triangular sensor clusters as opposed to the Quest 3's oval ones—the Quest 3S omits a depth sensor and opts for a lower-resolution display of 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye, akin to the Quest 2, which leads to a somewhat reduced field of vision.
The headset's design, featuring a Y-shaped split strap, has been praised for its comfort. Additionally, the inclusion of an “Action Button” offers a practical way for users to toggle between the passthrough view and full immersion, adding a layer of convenience to the VR experience by allowing swift transitions to a real-world perspective.
Availability and Pricing
The Quest 3S is now available for preorder, with its global launch set for the 15th of October. Meta has introduced the Quest 3S with two variants based on storage capacity: the 128GB model priced at $299.99 and the 256GB model at $399.99. Additionally, the Quest 3 with 512GB storage is now offered at $499.99, marking a significant price drop from the previous $649.99.
Meta has announced the phase-out of the Quest 2 and Quest Pro models, aiming to clear out the inventory by year's end. Quest 3S will come packaged with the much-anticipated Batman: Arkham Shadow game, which will also be available to those who purchase the Quest 3, with the game's release scheduled for October 22nd.
Introduction of Orion AR Glasses and Updated Ray-Ban Smart Glasses
In a busy day for hardware announcements at its Connect conference, Meta also introduced updated Ray-Ban smart glasses and showed the future of its AR hardware by unveiling the Orion glasses prototype.
Equipped with cutting-edge Micro LED projectors and durable silicon carbide lenses, Orion glasses are designed to seamlessly integrate digital information into the real world. Despite production challenges, Orion has demonstrated impressive capabilities, including generative AI features that can enhance user interactions. The Orion system comprises three key components: the glasses themselves, a neural wristband, and a wireless compute puck.
As for the updated Ray Ban glasses, they have been enhanced with real-time AI video processing capabilities. This significant advancement enables wearers to interact with their environment in an unprecedented manner, by asking questions and receiving immediate verbal feedback from the integrated Meta AI.
