If you've been eyeing VR gaming but the cost has held you back, now's your chance to dive in with the first enticing Meta Quest deal of 2025. Amazon is slashing $50 off the Meta Quest 3S 256GB VR headset, bringing it down to just $349. This deal is a steal, especially considering it's only $50 more than the base 128GB model, offering you more storage for your games without the tether of a cable. This direct discount surpasses the Black Friday offers, which often came with the caveat of digital credit or gift cards limited to specific stores.
To make this offer even more appealing, it includes a copy of the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham Shadow VR game and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+. IGN's Dan Stapleton praised the game, giving it an 8/10 and noting, "Batman: Arkham Shadow makes most of the Arkham series' defining gameplay work respectably well in VR, and its mystery story pays off."
Meta Quest 3S 256GB VR Headset
$399.99 save 13%
$349.00 at Amazon
The Quest 3S is a significant upgrade from the Quest 2, maintaining the same price point while incorporating many features from the pricier Quest 3, such as the enhanced Touch controllers, the upgraded SnapDragon APU, and full-color AR passthrough. In his 9/10 review for IGN, Gabriel Moss highlighted that "raw processing power, full-color passthrough, and snappy Touch Plus controllers make the Quest 3S a fantastic standalone VR headset that also brings entry-level mixed-reality gaming to the masses for – arguably – the very first time."
What sets this deal apart from other VR offers is the Quest 3S's ability to be used completely untethered. You can enjoy games like Beat Saber or Pistol Whip without needing a powerful gaming PC or a PlayStation 5. At this price point, you won't find another standalone VR headset that matches the Quest 3S's capabilities.
How Is the Quest 3S Different from the Quest 3?
At its retail price, the Quest 3S is $200 or 40% less than the $500 Quest 3. To achieve this cost-effectiveness, some compromises were made:
Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 Similarities
- Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor
- Touch Plus controllers
- 120Hz refresh rate
- Mixed reality passthrough (same cameras, different layout)
Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 Differences
- Lower per-eye resolution (1832x1920 vs 2064×2208)
- Fresnel lens vs. pancake lens
- Lower FOV (96°/90° vs 104°/96°)
- Smaller storage capacity (128GB vs 512GB)
- Longer battery life (2.5hrs vs 2.2hrs)
Essentially, the Quest 3S offers a similar experience to the Quest 3 but with downgraded optics. However, running at a lower resolution can ease the load on the APU, potentially enhancing in-game performance and contributing to the longer battery life.
For the price, the Quest 3S represents a superior value compared to the Quest 3 and is an easier choice over the previous generation Quest 2.
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