September 26, 2024 | 10:48
READING TIME: 2 minutes
Meta continues its expansion strategy into the mixed reality market with the announcement of the new Quest 3S headset, unveiled at Meta Connect 2024. Starting at $300, the Quest 3S is positioned as an even more affordable option than the $500 Quest 3. The company describes the Quest 3S as “the best headset for those new to mixed reality and immersive experiences, and those who may have been waiting for a low-cost upgrade from the Quest and Quest 2.”
Despite the competitive price, Meta had to make some cuts to keep costs down. The Quest 3S offers 128GB of internal storage, which can be expanded to 256GB for an additional $100. Additionally, the display has a resolution of 1832×1920, the same as the Quest 2, but lower than the Quest 3. The field of view is also unchanged from the Quest 2, at 96H/90V, versus 110H/96V on the Quest 3. However, the Quest 3S is slightly lighter than the Quest 3 and offers better average battery life, despite having a smaller battery.
With the launch of the Quest 3S, Meta announced the withdrawal of the Quest 2 and Quest Pro. The Quest 3 remains available, with a reduced price of €529 for the 512 GB model. In addition, all purchases of a Quest 3 or 3S will include the new Batman: Arkham Shadow game and a three-month subscription to Quest+. Meta’s strategy seems clear: flood the market with competitively priced devices to capture a significant market share. It remains to be seen whether this strategy will also lead to an improvement in the company’s financial results in the long term.
