In this article, we would take a look at the difference between “Meta Quest 3” and “Meta Quest 3S“. We hope that this comparison of Meta Quest 3 vs Meta Quest 3S can help you to choose your VR headset more wisely. Here, we will only choose the distinctive features between them to compare. Check it out…
Difference Between Quest 3 & Quest 3S
Below is the explanation on the difference between Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S. In case you want to quickly go through the comparison, hope the table here can help you at a glance.
1. Release or Launch Date
Meta Quest 3: This headset was released on 10th October 2023. They learn a lot from Meta Quest 2 on how to make this a better VR headset.
Meta Quest 3S: It was announced during Meta Connect 2024 on 25th September 2024. This is the latest VR headset offering from Meta.
2. Display Resolution
Meta Quest 3: It has the resolution of 2064 × 2208 pixels per eye. This version enhances resolution by nearly 30% compared to Meta Quest 2. Furthermore, it has 1218 PPI and 25 PPD.
Meta Quest 3S: It has the resolution of 1832 × 1920 pixels per eye. It has 773 PPI and 20 PPD.
3. FOV (Degrees)
Meta Quest 3: It has 110 horizontal and 96 vertical degrees of FOV.
Meta Quest 3S: It has 96 horizontal and 90 vertical degrees of FOV.
4. Optics
Meta Quest 3: It has Pancake lens with continuous IAD. Good thing about pancake lenses is that they reduce the size of the VR lens system. Furthermore, pancake lenses has better image clarity and sharpness than fresnel lenses.
Meta Quest 3S: It has Fresnel lens with 3 position IAD adjust.
5. Storage
Meta Quest 3: It offers the storage of 128GB and 512GB.
Meta Quest 3S: It offers the storage of 128GB and 256GB.
6. Battery
Meta Quest 3: It has the battery of 5060 mAh with 2.2 hour run time.
Meta Quest 3S: It has the battery of 4324 mAh with 2.5 hour run time.
7. What Are The Same?
There are also some criteria that both Meta Quest 3 and 3S shared in common which are:
- Refresh Rate: Both can support 72Hz, 90Hz and 120Hz.
- Passthrough fidelity: Both has the capability of color (4MP, 18 PPD)
- Processor or Processing Power: Both are using Snapdragon XR2 Gen2.
- RAM or Memory: Both has DRAM of 8GB.
- Controller Tracking: Hybrid using computer vision and machine learning tracking.
- Haptics: Both are equipped with TruTouch variable haptics.
8. Price
Next, we come to the last part which is the favorite topic of all people…
Meta Quest 3: The price is USD 429.99 for 128GB and USD 499.99 for 512GB. Just a small difference for a quadruple storage.
Meta Quest 3S: The price is USD 299.99 for 128GB and USD 399.99 for 256GB.
Table of Comparison
Below is the Table of Comparison for your easy reference…
Criteria | Meta Quest 3 | Meta Quest 3S |
Display Resolution | 2064 x 2208 | 1832 x 1920 |
PPI | 1218 | 773 |
PPD | 25 | 20 |
FOV (Degrees) | 110 horizontal 96 vertical | 96 horizontal 90 vertical |
Optics | Pancake lens, continuous IAD | Fresnel lens, 3 position IAD adjust |
Storage | 128GB and 512GB | 128GB and 256GB |
Battery | 5060 mAh 2.2 hour run time | 4324 mAh 2.5 hour run time |
Price | USD 429.99 (128GB) USD 499.99 (512GB) | USD 299.99 (128GB) USD 399.99 (256GB) |
In Summary…
This is our personal opinion on how you can decide which one to choose…
Get Meta Quest 3 if:
- You want the top-notch display quality and very particular with the difference in visual quality.
- You want bigger storage especially if you want to play games that take up a lot of space.
- You have bigger budget since the price is a bit high than Quest 3s.
Get Meta Quest 3S if:
- You want to experience MR (Mixed Reality) with smaller budget.
- You want to upgrade from Quest 2 but with smaller budget.
Do Not Get Meta Quest 3S if:
- You already have Meta Quest 3. Unless you want to buy it for your kids.
We think that’s all for now on the comparison between Meta Quest 3 vs Meta Quest 3S. Hope this can help you in selecting your VR/MR headset more wisely. All the best and happy choosing 🙂
If you are interested in buying this Meta Quest 3, you can buy it here.
Anyway, if you are interested in buying Meta Quest 3S, you can buy it here as well.