Meta has announced its up-to-the-minute mixed realism headset in the form of the Quest 3S , a much more budget - friendly choice to the top - destruction Meta Quest Pro .
turn over the Quest 3S has a take off RRP of under £ 300 , whereas the Quest Pro starts at a whopping £ 999 , does splurging guarantee more features ?
We ’ve compared the specs of the upcoming Quest 3S to the 3.5 - starQuest Proto aid you decide whether it ’s worth opt for the more expensive headset .
Spec comparison
Price
The Meta Quest 3S is currently uncommitted for pre - order in front of launching on 15th October . usable in two sizes , 128 GB or 256 GB , the Quest 3S has a starting RRP of £ 289.99/$299.99 .
The Meta Quest Pro was one of the first mixed world headsets , having launched back in 2022 with an RRP of £ 999/$999 for the sole 256 GB model . However , Meta confirmed in previous September 2024 that the Quest Pro has been discontinued and will only stay on in stores while stock lasts .
The Quest Pro has face and eye-tracking technology
Unlike the Quest 3S , the Quest Pro boast face- andeye - trackingsensors that allow the headset to cut across your gaze and facial facial expression and employ this datum in VR apps . This allows musician to interact more intuitively within games while also offering a more lifelike societal experience , specially in apps likeMeta Horizon .
We found this engineering allow you to better communicate with people in VR and is able-bodied to “ pick up on the pocket-size nuances in human communication ” . However as this technology can only be ascertain in the Quest Pro , the people you ’re interact with will also need the headset in order for you to gain from it .
The Quest 3S has a higher max refresh rate
Perhaps surprisingly as it ’s the more affordable option , the Quest 3S offer a 90 - 120Hz refresh rate which means graphic are smoother and more realistic , able to render between 90 and 120fps .
Comparatively , the Quest Pro only reach 90Hz , which means it falls short not only of the Quest 3S and theQuest 2but also thePS VR2 .
The Quest Pro has a larger battery
The Quest Pro ’s battery has a 5348mAh cell while the Quest 3S has a slightly smaller 4324mAh capacity . Even so , Meta states that both headset have a 2.5 - hour runtime , though as we ’re yet to test the Quest 3S , we ca n’t confirm if this is the pillow slip .
you could also extend the Pro ’s bombardment life to three hours by switching off face and centre tracking but that defeats the purpose of the headset . In our revue of the Pro , we were entrust disappoint with its electric battery performance , especially when you weigh the mellow price tag .
The Quest Pro also offer convenient charging of both the headset and the controllers via the included dock . or else , the Quest 3S practice a USB - C port to reload the headset while the controllers are powered by AAA batteries that will postulate replacing .
The controllers on the Quest Pro are self-tracked
Much like the Quest 3 , the Quest 3S ’ controllers need to be in view of the head - mount display ( HMD ) for tracking whereas the Quest Pro comptroller can be tracked without being in view of the HMD .
The self - trailing of the Quest Pro is possible thanks to its three tv camera sensors and build - in chipset for spatial deliberation , while the Quest 3S ’ tracking practice computer vision and machine encyclopaedism .
The Quest 3S uses the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset
Despite being the more low-cost option , the Quest 3S runs on a newer chipset than the Quest Pro . While the latter uses 2022 ’s Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 1 , the Quest 3S or else utilize 2023 ’s Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor .
Both processors are designed for XR ( extend reality ) , with the Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 1 offering “ increase power and caloric performance and intelligent computer vision ” compare to the previous generation .
The Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 is also found in the full - fatMeta Quest 3 , and we praise its souped - up performance in our reexamination of that headset . We ’re expecting alike things from the Quest 3S , but we ’ll have to go eyes - on to sustain .
Early Verdict
Although we have n’t go over the Quest 3S yet , it promises to be a budget - well-disposed headset that still brag premium features and a adequate to chipset .
At this other stage , we ’d recommend prefer for the 3S if you ’re look for a more affordable way to benefit from VR . However , if you ’d choose to make use of eye and face tracking technology then the Quest Pro might be a better option for you .
