If you've been eyeing VR gaming but found the cost prohibitive, you'll be thrilled with the first significant Meta Quest deal of 2025. Best Buy is currently offering a $50 discount on the Meta Quest 3S 256GB VR headset, bringing the price down to just $349.99. But the savings don't stop there. You'll also receive a $50 Best Buy gift card and a one-month free trial of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, effectively making the headset as affordable as the base 128GB model.
To make this deal even more enticing, the package includes a copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow VR game and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+. In IGN's 8/10 review, Dan Stapleton praised the game, stating, "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 VR Headset with Batman: Arkham Shadow
Meta Quest 3S 256GB VR Headset + Bonus $50 Best Buy Gift Card
Original Price: $399.99
Discounted Price: $349.99 at Best Buy
The Quest 3S enhances the original Quest 2 in every aspect, yet maintains the same price point. It incorporates several features from the pricier Quest 3, including improved Touch controllers, an upgraded Snapdragon APU, and full-color AR passthrough. In IGN's 9/10 review of the Quest 3S, Gabriel Moss noted, "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 that the Meta Quest 3S is completely untethered. You can enjoy games like Beat Saber or Pistol Whip without needing a powerful gaming PC or a PlayStation 5 console. At this price point, finding another standalone VR headset with similar capabilities is nearly impossible.
How Is the Quest 3S Different from the Quest 3?
The Quest 3S is priced at $200, or 40% less than the $500 Quest 3. To achieve this competitive price, some compromises were made. Here’s a comparison of their specs:
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)
In essence, the Quest 3S shares the same processor as the Quest 3 but features downgraded optics. Running at a lower resolution can ease the load on the APU, potentially enhancing game performance and contributing to the longer battery life.
Given its price, the Quest 3S offers better value than the Quest 3, making it the preferable choice for most gamers, especially if the Quest 3 was out of budget. When compared to the Quest 2, the choice becomes even clearer.
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