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Oct 29, 2024

The Meta Quest 3S Finally Sold Me on VR

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I've questioned the value of adding a virtual reality headset my gaming setup for years. The newest addition to the medium, the Meta Quest 3S, has finally sold me on it. With a lower cost for entry, a library of exclusive games, and compatibility with Steam VR, the headset has finally proven that it's time for me to to step into virtual reality.

Depending on the model you get, the Quest 3S is one of the cheapest options for a current VR headset, making it a perfect starting point for casual gamers. I only had a few specific games in mind when looking to play in VR, which made me hesitant to spend hundreds of dollars on a platform I was worried I might not use much.

My options included the $529 PlayStation VR 2 (which now has support for the PC with the right attachments) to much pricier VR setups like the $999 Valve Index VR Kit which includes light stations that need to be mounted on the wall. There's also Meta's pricier VR headset, the $499 Meta Quest 3, which is more powerful and has more storage available than the cheaper Quest 3S that I opted for.

But with a price point of only $299, opting for the Quest 3S was less of a financial investment with my aim for giving VR a fighting chance, especially with Meta's payment plan options.

The price point is similar to how the Nintendo Switch Lite gave players a chance to play exclusives without having to fork over the full price of the console. The Quest 3S lets me experience all the biggest VR games without breaking the bank or severely compromising on the experience since it's still powerful enough to run all the new VR games.

The lower price point may come at a slight hit to the hardware specifications for the Quest 3S, but the differences are minor enough to make little difference to the value. When it comes to experiencing VR games at slightly lower fidelity or not experiencing them at all, I've made peace with my decision.

While the chipset for the 3S is still comparable to the main Quest 3, the lenses are the same as those from the Quest 2, which are called fresnel lenses. The main Quest 3 uses less convex pancake lenses, which make for slightly better visuals that are less blurry on the outer edges, but it's nothing that would hinder the experience majorly.

Otherwise, the hardware inside the 3S is more than capable of handling any current Quest 3 games, even with a minor visual downgrade. This makes it an ideal platform for those who just want to play a few specific games without worrying about having the most high-end platform possible. It's great if you want to dabble in VR without feeling like you have a lot hinging on your financial commitment.

The Quest 3S headset may not be the most robust VR platform on the market, but it's more than enough to run the latest games, and this will continue for the duration of the Quest 3's lifetime.

This means that no matter what, I can depend on being able to stay caught up and check out all the latest games, especially since Meta is one of the biggest VR platforms. Many of the latest and most high-profile VR games are made exclusively for the Meta platform, and for less than $300, I'll never have to miss out on them.

With a powerful enough PC and access to Steam, I can even play some of the latest PC VR games, given that the headset is fully compatible with Steam VR. Even if I have to upgrade my PC to play them, I can rest assured that my Quest 3S will remain a viable option, making it a long-term part of my PC setup for a while to come.

Considering that upgrading my PC is an inevitability at some point, making my VR headset a permanent part of my setup will only expand my options for gaming. If I decide that VR really is for me, I can upgrade to a more performant headset at a later date.

Steam VR is not a perfect solution since it relies heavily on Steam Link, which requires you to stream games from Steam instead of running them natively. This will end up being heavily reliant on your network connection, but aside from that, it's a fairly seamless way to bridge the gap between Meta and Steam.

For someone like me, primarily a console player who only uses my PC for mods and exclusives, I'm not as up-to-date as many others in terms of PC hardware. Previous experience with an older model of Oculus Rift has shown me that my PC struggles to run even the simpler VR experiences, and risks overheating when it does.

This makes the Quest 3S the perfect alternative, as I can play the latest VR games on a standalone system without relying on my PC's inner specifications. Now, I can tide myself over with the latest Meta exclusives while I work on upgrading my PC, which takes a lot of the stress away when it comes to staying caught up.

Instead of worrying if my PC can run any VR games, I can just buy them on Meta and know that they will always be playable, regardless of system requirements.

Even if you are someone with a robust PC but you're skeptical about the perks of VR, rest assured that the Quest 3S can give you everything you need. You'll be able to play any of your Steam VR games with it whenever you're ready to, and have access to a slew of exclusives on top of it without paying for a top-of-the-line headset.

VR largely remains the domain of enthusiasts but headsets like the Quest 3S could change that. By offering a relatively cheap and easy entry point into the market, Meta has created a platform that lets the VR-curious get in on the action for around the cost of a console.

Don't let the Quest's limited power put you off, there are still plenty of games that will have you flapping your arms for hours. In addition to our list of favorite VR games, check out some Quest-friendly games that are perfect for headset owners with limited space.

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