The Meta Quest 3S is an affordable VR headset priced at $299.99, designed as a true successor to the Quest 2, rather than a budget version of the Quest 3.

Released as a more powerful alternative to the Quest 2, the Quest 3S offers color passthrough capabilities and upgraded features.

It is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip, ensuring comparable gaming performance to the Quest 3.

Mixed-reality capabilities allow the Quest 3S to blend real-world environments with gaming experiences, enhancing gameplay.

Users can choose between two storage options for the Quest 3S: 128 GB and 256 GB, catering to different user needs.

Despite its upgrades, the Quest 3S maintains a lower display resolution than the Quest 3, which may affect visual detail.

The Quest 3S has addressed some issues from the Quest 2, such as eliminating a problematic proximity sensor.

The headset features a similar layout to the Quest 3, including full-color passthrough cameras and improved controller tracking.

With a 4324 mAh battery, the Quest 3S provides over two hours of use, an improvement over its predecessor.

Targeted towards new VR consumers, the Quest 3S strikes a balance between features and affordability, making it an ideal entry-level option.

However, users may still find limitations in VR engagement, as many do not utilize metaverse features or long-form content.

Both the Quest 3S and Quest 2 utilize the same IPD adjustment mechanism and a single LCD panel, differing from the dual-panel design of the Quest 3.